Luca is beside me, but I steady myself on the wall as Decider announces, “No, you are still required to sacrifice in order to succeed.”
“You’re still worried about winning after all of this,” Luca yells at her.
“Really? Aren’t you the one who lied to me the entire time you’ve known me? She played the game, just like you. So, don’t.” But I do have a note for her. “You were lying to me, too, because of this bullshit.”
“At first yes; Luca was blackmailing me, so I went along with it. I had to,” she admits. “But I really didwantto be your friend.”
“I don’t even care. We all deceived each other. I just want to be done.” I look at the figure blocking the exit. “Please. Let me go.”
“We must have a winner,” Decider proclaims.
“Motherfucker, shut up,” I scream. And when I turn, I see blood trickling off of Luca’s fingertips.
I stare at him like he’s an idiot because I can’t believe the cut on his wrist that I’m seeing. When I snap out of it, I grasp my hand over the wound. “Why did you do that?”
He lifts his other palm to my face. “You win.”
“I don’t care about the fucking competition.” My fingers slide over his skin as I struggle to get a grip, his skin slippery from all the blood. I can’t watch him die. I won’t watch him die. “Let usout of here. He’s going to bleed to death. Please move out of the way.”
His thumb brushes across my cheek as he mutters, “Don’t cry. It’s my fault. All of it.”
I scream, pleading to be released, but no one moves.
“Game over,” Decider announces.
Brooke gasps, “It’s over? Who? Ivy won?”
“No.” Decider declares, “Luca Montclair is the victor.”
“What? No. How?” she stutters, her arms tuck across her chest as she clings to herself. “I sacrificed everything for this. How does he win?”
“You sacrificed nothing. Round twelve was Truth. It was a test. And you failed. You took Micah out of the game, knowing the next round would be sacrifice. No one wins Mercy without sacrifice, even the Deceiver. Ivy loses because she is also unwilling to sacrifice who she loves for the sake of the game. Luca sacrificed everything. He told Ivy the truth knowing he’d lose her and then was willing to die for her. The sacrifice was to see who would revert to selfish ways, solve their own personal calamities, and who would do what it takes even if they lost everything. You failed to see that there was no way to win by only considering your own desires.”
“That makes no sense,” Brooke sobs. “I did everything. I lied. I cheated. I don’t understand. I thought that was how to play the game.”
“Mercy isn’t about self-interest. It’s loyalty. You didn’t pass the final test.”
Luca chuckles. Not a humorous one, but an exhausted, defeated laugh.
“Are you delusional?” I ask. “You’re bleeding to death, and you find this funny.”
“Not funny, but definitely ironic.” He tightens one of the makeshift gags over his wrist. “I won because I lost. But better luck next time, Brooke.”
“Players are only allowed to compete once. There are no do-overs in Mercy.”
Like anyone would play this shit a second time.“Especially when they’re dead,” I add. This shit show is so unbelievable, I can’t wrap my head around it, and I’m in the center of it. My vision fixates on Luca. “Congratulations.”
He got what he wanted. But how could he think it was worth the price?
The hooded dude finally steps aside. I hobble out, debating on actually crawling because I don’t want to hear anything else or think about this night ever again. I know for a fact I won’t ever speak of Mercy again. It’s not worth the destruction left behind.
87
LUCA
Ivy walks out. It’s the only time I’ve ever been happy to see her leave my sight. Because I need her out of here. And safe.
“I still don’t understand,” Brooke whispers as she stiffly backs away before leaving.
