Higherling patrol soared overhead, encircling the arena, keeping watch.
Kinzer glanced at Kelley on his right, who was taking in the scene. Was she having second thoughts about their ability to infiltrate such a heavily guarded place? Judging by the unfazed expression on her face, she had expected the turnout, especially for such a historic Day of Judgment.
Kelley navigated through the guards, turning to her right at the entryway and into a corridor that entered the main loop running through the inner and outer walls around the colosseum. The corridors permitted immortals access to the different levels of the colosseum so they could find seating in the stands wherever they chose—or in the case of that particular day, wherever they could find it.
As they made their way through the hall, winding around the oval-shaped construction, Kinzer peered through vertical slats in the walls, watching the immortals filing in on the other side of the colosseum. It had been a great stretch of time since he’d seen so many immortals. There were thousands upon thousands present. The last time he had beheld so many of the Almighty’s creations together like that was in battle, blood streaking through the sky as brothers and sisters turned on one another.
When they reached the other side of the colosseum, they walked down another set of steps and passed through the back entry—the one Treycore and Kid would be led out of once they were sentenced.
Kinzer counted ten guards. Not too many. However, he knew there would be more after Treycore was sentenced.
They continued up another set of steps, circling back toward the entry they’d come through before Kelley stopped in the corridor and turned to Brock, kissing him on the cheek. Brock snickered before he continued along his way, heading to his station for their plan.
Quintz walked them through a nearby exit that led to the seats, carved into light-gray velsron—one of the finest marbles of Heaven. In the time of old, a creature such as Kinzer would have been required to carve one of those seats, but would have never been allowed to sit in them.
Oh, how things have changed.
Quintz guided them up another set of steps, to a higher tier, before pushing his way through their immortal peers, finding empty spaces to sit.
“How are you feeling about this?” Kinzer asked Quintz as they sat.
“I’d feel better if you’d shut the fuck up.”
Kelley sat on Kinzer’s left, Quintz to his right. The other members of Siege were off finding their own places within the colosseum, preparing for their attack.
One of the councilmembers, wearing a black cape and frader, stepped from a doorway in the side of the colosseum and into the arena, made his way to the rectangular box, and approached the podium. He didn’t speak. Just stretched his arms out to either side, indicating the time had come. The busyness settled, and those who didn’t have seats already, quickly found places before quieting.
Treycore and Kid must have been nearby. At least, Kinzer hoped Kid was. He wanted to believe he had survived the Nest.
Four guards entered through the rear exit of the colosseum. Treycore followed in tow, his wrists bound behind his back. Kid was right at his side.
Relief coursed through Kinzer’s body. He wanted to cry, he was so happy. Kid had made it. He’d really fucking made it. For some reason, that in and of itself gave him hope that just maybe Quintz’s plan could work, after all.
Between the quiet of the atmosphere and the expressions on the enraptured audience members’ faces, Kinzer could tell this truly would be a rare and magnificent event as he watched higherlings cheering on the defeat of one of the Almighty’s greatest creations—one who had been envied, hated, desired since his creation.
I just hope this all goes according to fucking plan.
***
Treycore tugged at his wrists as he felt a shove from behind.
A crowd unlike any Treycore had seen in the colosseum in a very long time booed and hissed at him, reminding him of his unpleasant experiences at the Nest.
Treycore glanced around at his peers…his family, who watched on, eager to see the guards’ display of disrespect.
Another guard gave Kid a shove, and Treycore rushed him.
“You want to shove someone?” he asked, jumping at him and slamming his chest against the guard so that his aggressor fell back onto the ground.
The other pulled out a tasing rod, arming himself. “Calm down, Treycore,” he said. “I will use this.”
“Trey, I’m fine,” Kid insisted as he kept walking.
Treycore tried to calm himself down, but he was on edge. His fate, what did it matter? All he cared about was what these fuckers had in store for Kid and what he was going to do to get them out of this fucking mess.
He kept close to Kid, waiting for one of the guards to say some shit about it…because he would have been eager as fuck to give any one of them hell. But none bothered them. Apparently, they knew what a shit idea that would be for them, what a spectacle it would be.
As Trey surveyed the audience, he thought on how long it’d been since he’d been in the colosseum. Back in those early eons, it was a place not of judgment, but of art and celebration, a place where the great minds would gather to debate philosophy and discovery. Some days, they would lounge about in the arena, he and Eilee surrounded by the finest creations, part of the highest order of the Almighty. And He, their confident creator, would sit on His throne, watching on with such incredible satisfaction as they reveled in the pleasure His creatures took from living, breathing, loving.
