CHAPTER 14 #2
With a surge of adrenaline, I force myself upright, frantically scooting backward across the cold, solid floor until my back collides with a harsh beat against the metal door.
“A woman?” he scuffs with his arms crossed. “Theon, come take a look at this!”
My chest rises and falls at a rapid pace, my heart thumping against my chest, feeling as if it might just shoot right out of it.
I can still feel the blood from my arm trickle down, but I don’t move.
His curious stare makes my skin boil, but I glare back.
His towering figure looms over me, casting a shadow over my body.
His long, midnight-black hair cascades nearly to his waist, and his wavy strands blend perfectly with the surrounding darkness.
Yet, it is his eyes that captivate me… a vivid teal tinged with a fiery ginger halo encircling his cornea, shining with such intensity it pierces through the gloom.
As if the stars are sparkling through his eyes.
My gaze drifts from his soft lips to his ears, subtly protruding outward from his dark waves.
“Wha—” I choke on my words. “What the hell are you?”
He is taken back, his chin dipping in as his brow lifts. “I’m sorry,” he tilts his head to the side, “what did you ask me?”
“Your ears.”
I feel nausea rushing up my throat. I am not supposed to be here. My hands grab at my chest, trying to breathe as the corners of my eyes darken. Shit. Don’t pass out.
A man approaches, his hair a striking shade of icy white, woven into two long braids that start from his forehead and gracefully cascade down his back as the rest of his hair flows down to his mid back.
A few untamed strands escape the braids, falling messily in front of his face, adding a touch of wildness to his presence.
Reminding me of Koen, which makes my teeth grind.
He wraps his broad arm around the man with pointed ears. Four daggers are wrapped around his left arm, their silver blades shimmering in the flickering light above us that dares to give out any second.
“Has she never been to the realm of Ekane?” The man with braids gives me a concerned look. “Most women always run off to the sky.”
The sky? What the hell is happening?
“I’m going mad.” My eyes widen in terror as I begin to gently slam my head against the steel wall. “I’m going mad!”
“Woah…” The man with daggers wrapped around his broad bicep kneels down towards me. “She might be crazy.”
“I am not crazy!” I screech, my head shaking as I rub my eyes. “This shouldn’t be possible.”
“What… being thrown into the battle games?” The man with pointed ears shrugs. “We do it every year.”
I rest my elbow on my knee, dazing out to the dark corridor and noticing the bunk beds that are scattered around the room. My trembling hand lifts to my lip. “I’ll never be able to find her,” I whisper under my breath. “I'm going to die here because of him.”
“I’m Kaine.” He brushes his midnight locks behind his pointed ear, completely ignoring my panic. “And this is Theon.”
He nods, one of his braids falling over his thick chest.
“Welcome to the games.” Theon pauses. “Your name?”
“Serene.” I glare at them both before scanning the beds once again.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four… hell. How many are there?
“How many compete in the games?” I meet Kaine’s bright eyes that linger on me.
“We start with a hundred men.” Kaine clears his throat, before his hand rubs over his lips nervously. “Well, I suppose this year, ninety-nine men and one… woman.”
I aggressively run my fingers through my hair, my braid having fallen out by the men hustling me through the streets and throwing me over a horse.
“I need out.” My eyes lock onto one of the bunkbeds, not blinking as I repeat, “I need out of this damn place.”
Kaine scratches his head. “Yeah… that’s not going to happen.” He reaches for Theon’s hand, lifting him off the ground with a tug.
“We should try to soak in the water of Vitaei before we meet at the pit.” Theon pats his black suit off, dust flying around in the air, making me cough once more.
I stumble to my feet. “You two are Royals?” My eyes darted between the two of them. At this point in my journey here in the Realm of Azure, screw the Royals.
“I’m the prince of the Sky Nation, Ekane.” Kaine grabs Theon’s shoulder, shaking it with a playful force. “My friend here is Theon, prince of Eekatia and son of the Queen that rules all of Azure.”
You have got to be kidding me.
My nails dig into my palms as my voice drops to a deep growl.
“You!” I exclaim, charging towards him with a surge of adrenaline and rage.
My hands collide with his chest, the impact vibrating agony through my arms but I don’t care.
I’m furious. His raven suit, textured with intricate dragon scales like the rest of us, jabs at my palms and I know they’ll bleed if I hit again but I don’t wait another second to do so.
“Woah!” Kaine’s eyes widen as he rushes around, grabbing me by my waist as my arms wail in attack mode. “We aren’t even battling yet! Calm down!”
“Let me at him!” I roar, trying to wiggle my body out of his iron grip. How are these men made from what feels like steel armor?
“What the hell did I do?” Theon steps back, his palms upright as if he is trying to make a truce.
“Your mother put me in here!” My shoulders shake as I try to slam my body into Kaine, but there is no use. These men are too damn strong.
I’m going to have to be stronger to kill Koen.
Theon licks his bottom lip before revealing his pearly teeth. “Oh shit.” A laugh escapes his lips. “What the hell did you do to her to be thrown in here?”
“You don’t know?” My body relaxes as I still try and squirm from Kaines grip.
His icy braids sway as he shakes his head no and crosses his broad arms over his broad chest. “Tell me, what did you do to piss off the Queen?”