Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
CASSIE
Siri paces our room with a nervous smile as she makes a fist and says with a shaking voice, “This is so fucked up.”
I regard her from my sitting position on the bed as I pull on my sneakers. We are both dressed entirely in black, our hair pulled back in ponytails with determination in our souls.
“It is.” I’m cool and composed because failure will not be an option and yet Siri obviously doesn’t share my assertion because she says with a tremble in her words, “What if we don’t make it out the other side? I’ll be stuck with some creep—I just know it and there is nothing I can do about it.”
“Jack will make sure we’re okay.” I reassure her and note the flush to her face as she says hesitantly, “But he’ll save you, Cass. Why wouldn’t he?”
“Because I told him if there’s a choice, to go for you.”
“Why?” Her eyes widen.
“Because I have no intention of failing, and I’ll have your back.”
I seize her hand and pull her beside me on the bed. “Listen, we can’t lose. Frankie gave me a guided tour. It’s easy. I know the way and I’ll guide you. We have a headstart so we can’t fail if we follow the route. Jack will be behind us, holding the others off, and we will be out before they even realize we’ve gone.”
“I hope you’re right, Cass.” Siri sighs. “It’s exciting though. I’ll admit to that.”
I laugh at her infectious grin and nod to the door. “So, let’s go and show them the power of the prepared. They won’t know what hit them.”
* * *
It’s late. Then again, I expected no less. Eleven pm and most of the students are either asleep or at the Royal’s party or skulking in the wood near the entrance to the dungeon. Then there are those on the other side, near the river.
Word has spread and I’m astonished at the line of candles and torches that illuminate the darkened surroundings and Siri gasps, “Wow, Frankie has started something here. Now I know what a gladiator must have felt like on his way to the Coliseum.”
“Don’t you think it’s creepy that nobody is saying a word?”
I glance around me at the huddled bodies lining the route to the dungeon entrance.
“I’m guessing my cousin threatened them. He loves drama, and this is right up his dark alley.”
“Why would they listen to him?” I scoff, and Siri raises her eyes. “I’m going to leave that question hanging, Cass, because it’s probably best you don’t ask. He’s capable of a lot your ordinary guy wouldn’t even think of, and this challenge is evidence of that.”
We continue to walk and I observe a few girls in front making this an almost procession as the silent spectators follow our progress.
Siri whispers, “I understood Kennedy was involved, and it appears that her two sidekicks took up the remaining positions.”
Kennedy, Autumn and Abigail are the three other girls in the challenge and my thoughts turn to who may be waiting for us inside.
“Have you heard who we’re up against?” I ask, knowing that Siri would have investigated their identities already.
“Jack, of course. Amos Sams and Ben Johnson were bragging about being on the list, but otherwise I’m not sure about the last two.”
I shiver because Amos Sams has a creepy edge to him that repels most of the girls on campus, so I’m not surprised he’s signed up because it’s the only way he’ll get a steady girl.
As if she can read my mind, she whispers, “I’m not sure if Frankie’s signed up. He is a twisted soul who may be just playing with us.”
“What do you mean?”
I’m curious and she shrugs. “Knowing him, he’s set this entire charade up just to prove a point and will enjoy watching us play out his fantasies with none of the risks on his part. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
As I think of her cousin, I would stake everything I own that he will be giving chase in that dungeon. There is something almost tangible between us, and I never fail on my instincts. We have unfinished business and from the moment he made my inclusion part of the deal with Siri, I guessed he would be coming for me—just to prove a point.
We reach the huge iron door that is illuminated by two flaming torches on either side of it, creating an almost gothic experience that causes my heart to beat a little faster. Standing guard is a centurion and my mouth dries when I regard the hooded figure, the black cloak effectively disguising his identity, his gold centurion mask gleaming in the fire light.
It’s creepy as fuck and as we approach, he nods slowly and opens the door, handing us two flaming torches of our own with no words necessary as he guides us into hell.
Siri is silent beside me and reaches for my hand as we stand in the dark passageway that didn’t seem anywhere near as scary as it does now, the shadows deeper, more threatening, promising a sinister presence lurking inside.
“Oh my God. What is this place?” She gasps as we step into the passageway to make our way toward the far end and whispers, “This place is creepy as fuck and I’m guessing there’s stuff here I would rather not see crawling beneath our feet.” She shivers. “I bet there are rats, spiders and other unmentionable insects waiting to pounce on us right now.”
“Relax, we have fire.”
I wave my torch at the shadows and she hisses, “Did you see that?”
“What?”
“A fucking cobweb the size of a house. I’m telling you, Cass, this is an extremely bad idea.”
We head to the end where the cells are and I wonder what she’ll make of them.
As we step through, I peer at the first one and my heart almost fails when I spy a figure observing us from behind the bars.
“Fuck, Cassie! What the hell is that?”
Siri clings to me as she sees for herself and shivers at the masked figure silently waiting for us to pass. Like the centurion on the door, this one is shrouded in a black robe with a hood covering his head, only the gold gleaming metal hiding his features behind his battle mask.
“Relax.” I whisper, although I am anything but relaxed myself because as we pass the caged doors, I note a figure behind every single one silently watching us. Their eyes hidden behind their masks and I attempt to still my beating heart by picturing Jack behind every one.
We increase our pace to leave the silent centurions behind and as we reach the iron door, I push it open, once again hating how it creaks and drags against the dirt under our feet.
As we enter the ceremonial chamber, the door slams behind us, causing Siri to jump and as we focus, I see the other three girls waiting in front of another centurion.
We are the only girls dressed in black and it appears the other three thought this was a party, due to their short skirts and cropped tops that they are probably regretting in the dank, depressing, chilled air of the dungeon.
It’s as silent as a tomb and I swear I can hear Siri’s breathing—or is it my own? It could be.
I’m uncharacteristically nervous as I wait for the challenge to begin and note the centurion in front of us reaches for something beside him and beckons the nearest girl forward.
It’s eerie as fuck as he silently turns and places a dark hood over her head. There are only holes for her to breathe through her nose and mouth and as he ties it around her neck, she cries out, “What the fuck? I can’t see.”
Siri gasps beside me and we stare in horror as he spins her around three times and then whispers something in her ear, before pushing her toward the opening that leads to the tunnels. As she falls to her knees and begins crawling, he turns to the next one.
He works fast and within five minutes it’s my turn. I am the last woman standing, which is exactly what I wanted.
Siri is terrified, but the adrenalin has kicked in and as she crawls into the tunnel, I hope she does as I instructed and stays there until I join her.
As the hood is fastened over my head, effectively cutting my sight, my anger grows for Frankie because the bastard knew along this wouldn’t be a fair fight.
He has shortened the odds of us reaching the river by impeding our senses, and now more than ever, I want to beat the bastard at his own game.
We have nothing to guide us, only touch and sound and luckily for me, my memory is a tool that will help me now. As the centurion tightens the hood around my neck, he whispers darkly, “You have five minutes before the chase begins. Use your time wisely. If you are caught, you can fight, but if you are chained, he will have won.”
Chained? What kind of fucking twisted game has Frankie dreamed up here and so with fire in my heart and venom in my soul, I drop to the ground and start crawling.