27. The Rose
Chapter 27
The Rose
W hoever decided that a pack ritual in which we quite literally battled for our roles in the pack should take place before dawn’s first light had never tried forcing down cooked oats at two in the morning. I scooped a glob of the brown mush from my bowl, but I couldn’t make myself put it into my mouth. I slopped it back into the bowl and shoved it a few inches away.
“You have to eat something,” Isaac said in a patient, measured voice, though maybe slightly less patient than when he’d said it the first or fourth time throughout our breakfast.
“If I eat one more bite of that I may as well have eaten nothing at all because I can promise you now, one more spoonful down my throat and they’ll all be coming back up it.” I’d done my best and finished at least half the bowl, but I gagged even thinking about putting one more gooey glob in my mouth.
Isaac released a heavy sigh and said, “Fine. But if you pass out later, don't say I didn’t try my best to prevent it.”
“I’m not going to pass out.” I rolled my eyes. Cats could be so dramatic at times. “I’ve managed on far less food for far longer. Give me some credit. If you were that worried about me eating you should’ve picked something more appetizing.”
“It was the only thing the kitchens had available this early.” He frowned. “It also contains all the nutrients your body needs to function at its peak in battle.”
I shook my head at him but didn’t debate it further. It was too early for a lesson in the many disgusting foods that were supposedly good for my body’s health. Why did they always have to be disgusting? Why couldn’t a healthy food be, I don’t know, cake?
“You can keep all of the nutrients to yourself.” I swung one leg over the bench and turned to face him. He took a huge bite of oatmeal while looking me dead in the eyes. I gagged at the thought. When he finished he pushed his own bowl away with a grin and said, “Now I’m ready to go.”
Isaac looked around the hallway before pulling me to where we were partially hidden by one of the pillars lining the walkways.
Do you think you have it all under control?” he asked in hushed tones. “If things get too tense do you feel like you can stop your fire from getting us all killed?” What an eloquent way to put that, I thought.
“Of course I can.” I rolled my eyes and summoned a perfect sphere of flames just over my palm before turning it into a cube, and then a star. “I am in complete control.” I always was—always had to be.
“Those are cute and all, but it would’ve been more impressive if you’d made a dagger or a sword. Far more handy in a fight.”
“If I could use them in a fight then maybe I would have learned to form them, but given putting them into existence would mean death, I can’t say the fire weapons are worth the risk.”
I tossed the star of fire a few inches into the air before extinguishing it entirely with a close of my fist. I opened my mouth to tease him further, but a flash of blonde disappearing around the corner halted the words in my throat.
“What?” Isaac asked, looking behind him, “What is it?”
I paused. I could tell him what I thought I saw but if I was wrong, what good would it do for us both to worry? Even if I was right there was nothing he could do to take back what had already been seen. He could remain blissfully unaware, and me? I would do whatever I needed to do to keep him safe. Besides, I could have been wrong.
Just focus, Briar, just focus a little longer and everything will go back to normal, everything will be okay.
It turns out that when one of the Hidden realms hosts an ancient fighting ritual that inevitably leads to bloodshed and the potential of death, all of the others show up to observe the event. Standing at the base of the stone amphitheater, I noticed that amongst them were sirens, harpies, and–judging the other Hidden surrounding them fervently checking their pockets–imps.
“Should I be flattered that half the student population came into the woods in the middle of the night to watch Kenna and I claw at each other?” I asked Isaac while he braided back my hair. We sat on the ground at one side of the circle. Kenna sat at the opposite end with Ainsley and Grayson.
I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt to see him on her side of the arena, especially after last night’s kiss. I knew he had every right to speak to Kenna before the challenge, that I had no true claim to him, but that he stopped to speak with her before he’d even looked at me stung. While Isaac’s fingers worked through my hair, I imagined the various ways I could get away with stabbing the wolf without killing him.
“No. They’d show up for any event that gives them insight into the workings of other realms, especially the more brutal ones.” Instinctively I wanted to criticize their gawking, but if the roles were reversed I’d trek through a swamp to watch it.
“Are you wearing it?” he kept his voice low.
I lifted the hem of my leather pant leg in answer. “Your father asked me the same question before I left the compound. I wonder if part of him suspected this would happen.” He tied the end of the braid with a leather cord and came around to my side.
“I think Dad expects the worst could happen at any moment, but I doubt he expected this. He’s too loyal to the pack to think someone would undermine it with a challenge. It’s probably for the best that we decided not to tell him. He’d only worry needlessly.”
I hummed my agreement and pushed to my feet, dusting the dirt from my clothes as I stood. The night was nearly at its darkest, it was almost time.
“You can handle this.” Isaac placed his hands on my shoulders and blocked my view of the field. “Just win so we can move on, but don’t make it look too easy. Kenna is one of the strongest shifters I’ve met. If you take her down too quickly people will start asking questions, especially because you’re—” He flinched as he broke off.
“Latent?” I finished for him. “Avoiding the word won’t change that I can’t shift.”
He opened his mouth to reply but the sound of approaching footsteps had him turning around to see Grayson crossing the field in our direction.
“Sure, now he comes to see me. Probably hoping to make a final plea. It’s not like I could back out at this point even if I wanted to.” I grumbled. Grayson continued his prowl until he stood a few feet away. I guess he only wanted me close when no one was there to see.
“I swear to the suns if you came over to ask me to stand down Grayson Pierce I will not be held accountable for the bloodshed that follows.” I told myself I was irritated by the half grin that appeared on his face, and the increasing beat of my heart against my chest was purely driven by rage. It certainly had nothing to do with the way his eyes flickered with the glow of the torches surrounding the arena.
He raised his hands and said, “I didn’t come here to discourage you. I understand you’ll do this no matter what I say.”
“Glad you’re catching on.” His half-grin grew.
“I just wanted to say I hope you’ll be smart and safe. I don’t want to see anything happen to you.” Not the message of support I was looking for, but he was trying.
“If you’re going to be all worrisome and broody then you should just leave,” I said, pointing to the tiered bench seats carved into the earth. “The last thing I want to hear is negativity before this fight. Maybe it’d be best for both of us if we avoided speaking until the Rite has ended.”
He stepped into my space as if it belonged to him, close enough that the tips of his boots were touching mine. He reached up to cradle the back of my head, running his thumb along the nape of my neck. I took care to keep my breathing even but couldn’t stop my heart from racing as he held me.
“I told you last night, don’t ask me not to worry about you,” he said softly, “I don’t think you understand: if Kenna kills you today I’ll never be able to lead with her. The pack will crumble.”
“I didn’t ask you not to worry about me. I asked you to believe in me, is that still so hard for you to do?”
Grayson opened his mouth, whether to defend himself or protest, I didn’t know, but Isaac cleared his throat, reminding us that we were not alone and halting whatever words would leave his lips.
“We should go take our seats,” he said, “the Rite is about to begin.” The stones lining the perimeter of the arena were just beginning to glow in the moonlight, the lanterns starting to dim. Once the Rite began, nobody would be able to enter or exit the field until the winner was named.
Grayson clenched his jaw and nodded, giving me a long, final look. I was too tired and confused to properly interpret. Isaac leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Try not to make it look too easy.” He winked and followed his Alpha to where the pack had gathered in the stands.
I watched him bypass the empty seat next to Grayson, and plop next to an anxious-looking Naomi instead; the only sign of Grayson’s displeasure was the slight purse of his lips.
As I turned away from them to focus on my opponent, a flash of silver and rose hair caught my eye. Fabian and Eris were smiling and talking cheerfully, but to their left, the Death God was ignoring their chatter. Instead, his gaze was fixed soundly on me, and I was stuck, frozen, staring into the depths of deep blue. Time felt suspended as I stood there, staring at him, wondering why the static raced along my spine. As our eyes remained locked, the stones in the ground grew incandescently bright, reminding me where I was, and where my thoughts should be focused.
When I turned away to look across the field, Kenna was pulling out her blade.
The conversation-filled arena grew still as Kenna and I walked to the center of the field and grasped each other’s forearms, each of our daggers, pressing into the skin of the other. The glow from the stones raced to the ground below us. It pooled at our feet before surging up through our bodies until we shone like two stars bound together.
Together, we spoke the words, “By moon and night we hereby initiate the Pack Rite. Through blood and brawn, a Luna will arise by the first light of dawn.” The light that had gathered at our joined limbs shot up and around us like a fountain, until a shimmering dome was cast over the arena floor.
Then the fight for Luna began.
Kenna tightened her grip on one of my forearms and used it to yank me toward her with one hand while the other brought her dagger down in an arc toward my head. If this was how she fought opponents she liked, I’d hate to see what she did to opponents she didn’t. I blocked the blade and spun out of her hold, putting some distance between us as we began to circle each other.
It wasn’t long before she was lunging toward me again and clawing at my face. I wasn’t quite fast enough to dodge this time and I felt a trickle of blood against my cheek. I ducked away from her next blow, a fist aimed at my chin, and landed a kick to her side. The longer we fought the faster each move came.
Jab.
Dodge.
Kick.
Try to avoid getting stabbed.
Around and around we went, trading blows and dodging strikes in a bloody dance around the circle. I could hear the screams and cheers from the spectators filtering through the barrier, but I couldn’t spare the focus to process what they were shouting.
I’d been prepared to pretend the fight was a challenge–I’d been pretending for years–but I wasn’t pretending now. Kenna was incredible. The power and speed behind her attacks rivaled my own, and every moment the fight continued, I asked myself, who was this woman? The only consolation I found was she looked as perplexed as I was to find our skills were matched.
We were both breathing hard, the labored sounds mingling between us. We were both sporting wounds dotted with blood and bruises beginning to bloom on our skin. I thanked the gods I had the bloodstone on my ankle when my fire threatened to surface.
I felt it in the growing heat of my palms and made sure to only hit her with a closed fist lest she notice the dangerously high temperature. I landed a jab to her throat and her lion roared, eyes flashing.
Kenna stepped back as the change started to come over her.
Chills ran through me as I realized if she changed into her lion, I may not win. Against a normal shifter? I could handle their animals despite my human form, but it was becoming increasingly clear that Kenna was anything but normal.
I did the only thing I could think to do: I threw my dagger at her heart. Even mid-shift, her reflexes were fast. She threw her dagger and it clashed with my own, both of them ricocheting in opposite directions. What she hadn’t anticipated was the second dagger now lodged in her shoulder. It kept her from shifting, but I didn’t pause to see what she would do next. I tackled her to the ground.
We tumbled heel over head, hands grasping hair and neck until finally, we ground to a halt to grapple along the ground. She landed a solid punch to my side resulting in a crack that promised me my ribs would be black and blue tomorrow. Her legs were as wild as her arms—relentlessly kicking out as we fought. The side of her boot scraped along my leg and that was when I felt it: the weight of the stone tied around my ankle fell away.
It took less than a second for the power that had been locked away to surge upward to press against my skin. It took every drop of self-control I could muster to shove it back down, but the distraction earned me a nasty gash to the side as Kenna’s claws raked through skin and flesh. A wave of nausea hit me when more than one spark flickered around the wound.
Enough of this.
The longer this continued the greater the risk I’d lose control. I dug my claws into her shoulders and flung her off of me. She cried out as her head cracked against the ground, leaving traces of blood in its wake, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.
At some point in our battle for dominance, she must have torn through the leather cord in my hair because it came loose to form a curtain around us when I threw myself on top of her. I may not be able to shift into my animal, but I could still use my claws and fangs. I let both descend as I wrapped one hand around her neck and used the other to secure one of her wrists above her head. She relentlessly clawed at me with the other, slashing my top and leaving tears in the leather. As the neckline tore, my necklace fell free and dangled in the air between us.
Time felt suspended as the world seemed to stop.
Kenna’s face lost all color and her eyes grew wider than felt natural. As they started to glow, the ground beneath us began to shake.
“It’s really you,” the words escaped her mouth in a pained whisper, “I never wanted it to be you.”
Her head jolted back, her eyes now completely swallowed by the light. Grooves were opening in the earth as the shaking grew stronger, and vines shot up from the dirt beneath her hands. I snatched my own away from her pinned wrist as the vines shot toward me, wrapping around my neck and torso.
“Briar!”
Grayson’s scream cut through the roaring in my ears as chunks of dirt and rock broke off from the seats of the arena and tumbled toward us, knocking fleeing spectators to the ground. Some of them got up to flee. Some didn’t move after their bodies fell.
There was nothing he could do for me now. The barrier would hold until dawn broke or a Luna had won. He shouldn’t be focused on me, he should be getting the pack to safety. Kenna’s earthquake grew more violent with each second she remained in whatever haze had taken her over.
“Kenna,” I tried to say through the tightening vine, “Kenna, you have to take back control.” I dug my claws into her skin and blood pooled over the punctures, painting my fingers in red. The pain did nothing to rouse her. I pressed harder. Black spots started to dot my vision. “Kenna!”
“Briar, you have to end it!” Isaac’s shout was barely audible, but I knew what he wanted from me. One swipe of my claws across her throat and this would all be over, but how could I do it? The destruction around us wasn’t her, not really.
I stared into her eyes, but it was only her element that looked back at me. Somewhere inside she was trapped, powerless and clawing to come back to the surface, but helpless to break through. It wasn’t her fault, but I couldn’t let this go on. I lifted my hand high and brought it down with all my strength in a fist against her temple.
The earth stilled.
Kenna’s head lolled to the side and the vines circling me fell limp at my sides. I collapsed on top of her. I wanted to push to my feet or at least sit up, but my arms needed a minute before they’d have the strength to hold me.
The stillness of the moment was so at odds with the frenzy and rancor we’d been consumed with moments prior. It gave way to waves of panic flowing through me the longer I lay there, her words echoing through my mind with each rise and fall of my chest against hers. I reached a hand between us and tucked my necklace back into my shirt. When it was secured, I’d rolled to my back beside Kenna, and the glimmering dome concealing us fell.
“Briar!” Grayson slid to the ground beside me, his panicked face appearing over mine. One trembling hand brushed the hair out of my eyes before he snatched it back, leaving it to hover a few inches from my skin.
“I’m not going to break if you touch me.”
“You might not break,” he said softly, tipping his neck back at the sky, “but I might. I think you just cut my lifespan in half.”
“I take no responsibility for this mess.” I rolled to one side and pushed myself back to my feet, brushing my hands on my pant legs. It took more than a few seconds for the black spots clouding my vision to disappear as I stood.
“No,” he agreed as he rose to stand beside me, spine stiffening when he looked at the unconscious form at our feet. “The blame is hers to bear, and mine for failing to notice the disease festering in our pack.”
His expression darkened and he drew his leg back. The crack that rang through the air as his foot crashed into Kenna’s side would haunt my dreams for weeks to come.
She came to with a cough turned groan and curled on her side, legs tucked tightly to her chest. Her jade eyes scanned over her surroundings with unfocused sheen until they landed on Grayson’s towering form.
“Gray—” The tremor in her voice, so at odds with the picture of her I'd painted over the past day, had my heart sinking in my chest. Her eyes pleaded with him as she struggled to pull herself to a sitting position. “Gray, you know me.”
See her, I silently begged him. See her for who she is. See her for more than what she is and you fear she may become. For a brief moment, when his face crumpled and his fists loosened at his sides, I thought he would, but sometimes a moment of clarity isn’t a miracle, it’s just a moment.
That moment came and went, leaving nothing but disgust in its wake.
“I don’t. You are a stranger to me.”
Kenna’s face went slack, all signs of hope or desperation leaking from her face as she watched him beckon the Enforcers who’d gathered at the perimeter to approach.
I looked around the arena at the spectators who’d gradually filtered back in since the earth became still. Was there no one willing to intervene? She’d spent the last two years praised as a Luna who’d led and protected the pack well, yet no one moved to protect her. In the crowd, I saw Kenna’s Beta, face drained of color and tear tracks etched into her cheeks. Beyond her, other pack members clutched at each other as they looked down at us from the stone seats. No one moved to defend her.
The foxes, I realized, hadn’t left. They were still seated exactly where I’d spotted them before the battle began. Eris’ hand rested over her breastbone, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Her brother had wrapped an arm around her to tuck her into his side. I didn’t look at Asher, save for the white-knuckled hands digging into his knees. I couldn’t risk being caught in his stormy gaze. I feared what he’d uncover in mine.
A barely audible groan pulled my attention from the onlookers, and I watched as two males drew up on either side of her and hoisted Kenna up by her arms until she hung suspended between them, feet just shy gazing grazing the dirt below.
“Take the elemental to the cell block.” And then Grayson spoke the words that had bile burning in my throat, “She’ll be held there until her execution.”