Chapter 28
It sounded like it came from close by, and I maintain the possibly foolish hope my “prizes” aren’t hidden too deep in the trees.
I don’t even remember which direction I went.
It wasn’t a conscious choice to save one or the other.
I just heard the scream and reacted.
“Where are you?” I shout. Another cry has me veering left, crashing through bushes until I emerge into a small clearing and quickly happen upon a man inside a wooden cage suspended from a rope stretching between two massive trees.
I try to remember which way I went. Left. That means this is the accused person.
House Aria.
I don’t have time to consider the implications of that right now. I just need to save him.
The cage swings back and forth over a large pile of rocks.
I let out a long sigh. Maybe this isn’t so bad?
But then the cage suddenly rises a few inches, and my gaze follows the rope up to see that it’s attached to a mechanical crank that’s slowly lifting the man toward the sparking purple net of General Sol’s protective tree barrier.
My stomach sinks. If the cage reaches the top, the man will be dead.
He spots me and falls to his knees as he grips the bars and presses his face between them.
“Help me!” he shouts.
I scan the area, spotting an axe leaning against a tree.
I assume that’s for me.
I waste no time running over and grabbing it.
The pile of rocks under the cage offers a few feet of elevation, but they’re uneven, and the highest point is barely wide enough for me to stand.
“Move away,” I shout and swing the axe with as much force as possible, trying to keep my balance.
The edge bites into the wood with a sharp crack that vibrates down my arm with a painful jolt. The cage sways but continues to lift a little higher.
I tug the axe free to find a generous split in the wood, but it isn’t large enough to break the cage open.
“Again!” I scream, not waiting for his reply. With less than a few feet left between him and the Spark barrier, he’s this close to being blitzed.
I swing the axe with a grunt, but I miss, and the momentum causes me to slip off the rocks, my knees slamming to the forest floor, the axe tumbling from my hands.
“Fuck!” I shout, grabbing the handle again and climbing back to the peak. “Hold on!”
This time, I prepare myself with the axe gripped in both hands, and I spread my stance as much as I can on the uneven surface. When the cage comes for the downswing, I leap, lifting the axe and swinging with everything I have.
It connects, shattering the bottom of the cage.
I slip as the axe falls from my hands, and I go tumbling. The man screams, but he follows me down, and we both roll to the bottom.
I find myself on the ground breathing heavily, alive, but I think I hit my head.
Blood drips in my eyes, and I definitely banged my knee.
Then I check my watch. Three and a half minutes have passed. I can’t waste any more time.
I struggle to my feet and grab the man’s arm.
“Come on!” I say, tugging on his wrist. “We have to go. If you want to live, we have to go. They’ll kill you!”
My voice reaches a feverish shriek that finally rouses him enough to push himself up. He staggers to his feet, and I grab his forearm and tug him back to the path, shoving him in front of me as he continues to stagger.
I’m not gentle. We don’t have time for that.
“Run!” I scream. “Snap out of it! You have to run!”
I shove him again, and he trips over his feet, just barely catching himself.
“Come on!” I shout, shaking his arm, pulling him along, practically dragging him through the dirt.
“This way,” I say, directing him down the same path I came.
I cross the threshold where Devon, Stevie, and the rest of my masked escort awaits. They watch as the man falls to his knees while I bend over, trying to catch my breath.
“You’ll let him go?” I ask, looking up at Devon. “I saved him. You said you’d let him go.”
His masked face stares down at me for one long second.
“Tell me you’ll let him go!” I shout.
After another moment, he quickly jerks his chin before he looks over at Stevie.
Then she pulls off her mask.
“Congratula—” she says, but I stand up, turn around, and start running again.