“Fucked up? Yeah…You could say that.” I averted my stare to the wall.
“It’s going to be okay, Brother.”
I chuckled, not amused. “You keep saying that.”
“It fucking will…” Determination hardened her voice as if she willed herself to believe it as well.
“Yeah…” I intoned, succumbing to the fate I’d been given.
“Come on. Let’s get you to the ceremony.”
I tensed my shoulders, squeezing the tube of ointment in my fist before shoving it in the pocket of my formal gear’s pants. “Fine. Let’s get it over with.”
In human society, what I was about to endure would be considered child abuse. But here? It was considered the highest honor of our kind. I’d receive another Kill Mark, the visual indicator that I’d killed yet another Elemental to add to the growing collection on my skin.
Such a proud moment.
My silver currents raced up my arms and neck as the crowd stared at me with wide, awestruck eyes. I ignored them all. I didn’t want to be here.
I focused on the same tapestry hanging in the back of the ballroom as always. My mother stood by my side as if she were my biggest supporter while I plastered a fake smile. A hopeless longing descended on my chest that spoke of a wish to be the other Kinetics in the crowd, so that I, too, could be ignorant to the dark truths of our leadership.
Sitting at the center of the dais, I briefly scanned the crowd forher. Either her ice-blonde or gray hair…I didn’t care. I just needed to see her. Turning my focus to the edge of the dais, I spotted Slate.
My cousin’s lip twitched. I tipped my chin at him as a signal to chill out. He straightened his shoulders and skimmed through the crowd.
A pale shade of purple hair caught my attention in the crowd. Peri’s eyebrows pulled together as she chewed on her inner cheek, her hands twining in front of her.
I offered a crooked smile to reassure my worried sister.
She tilted her chin upward.
My hand fisted the tube of ointment in my pocket.
Peri never wanted to be up on the dais with me during these moments. She wasn’t royal or an esteemed member in the Kinetic community yet, despite how much everyone adored her. I didn’t doubt she would be allowed to if she wanted. But Peri wanted to be a comforting face in the crowd for me to focus on if it ever became too much for me.
“My fellow Kinetics,” King Forest called out, amplifying his voice through sonic Kinetics, jerking my attention toward him. “Our beloved Chrome has protected our kind once again.”
A suffocating pressure sank into my chest, remembering the guy I shoved my blade into as he pleaded with me tocome home.
“While the second Elemental narrowly escaped his grasp,” he announced, conveniently leaving out Slate’s role in the ordeal, “he managed to cleanse the world from having one less monster terrorizing the population with their uncontrollable urges to obtain power.”
I wasn’t sure how much truth lied in Forest’s words because basically, everything the man said was a lie. However, I knew from experience the Elementals could be ruthless.
“For someone so young to be so accomplished, Chrome is our hope. He is our Warrior, representing our will to protect those who cannot protect themselves, to fight against oppressors who would rather deplete your soul and turn into a rabid beast than come to a mutual agreement with us. It’s such a shame, because I believe that if the Elementals and Kinetics came together, we could provide a better world for humanity to exist in as a whole.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes at his bullshit. However, everyone else in the crowd seemed enamored and completely bought in, with their intent gazes glued to him. “Chrome becoming the Kinetic Tournament Victor of Valor for the pasttwo years is an achievement no one has accomplished within the past four centuries. Having already earned over forty Kill Marks at the ripe age of sixteen is something that none of us could have ever anticipated when we were graced with his birth.”
Nausea welled in my stomach at his bold-faced lies. Of course, they anticipated my power. Valik’s words from The Phantom slithered into my mind—the bold claims that Forest and my mother had constructed not only my birth but the princess’s, as well.
At the thought of her, I searched the stage for her blended hair that appeared gray, swirled together like marble, but as usual, she was nowhere to be found. The invisible tug on my heart told me she was nearby, though. I could sense her and feel her emotions, but I knew the king wouldn’t allow her within my sights. The burning need to be near her intensified with the pull.
I needed to get to her. Andsoon.
“Tonight, we add a forty-seventh Kill Mark to our hero’s skin. Each brand proudly symbolizes our accomplishments and status. I think we can all agree that Chrome is worth every morsel of respect we give him. As he accrues another Kill Mark tonight, we will acknowledge that he is well on his way to having the most Kill Marks bore by any Kinetic in living memory.” Forest angled his head to press the weight of his words into my soul, daring me to utter a peep against him.
I wanted to, more than anything, but that would solve nothing and would only ruin any chance the insurgency had at conducting a successful coup.
The crowd erupted into cheers and raucous clapping. Chants began to ring out with my name, and like every time before, I hated it. I wanted no part of it, not keen on being known as the most lethal Kinetic in history. If I could choose my legacy, it wouldn’t be for my ability to kill. Playing the violin for a living would suit me just fine. A peaceful and insignificant life.
