Eight years earlier, Las Vegas
I watched the clock hanging on the wall ticking away, its sound, which I had found annoying when I arrived, now a sweet melody. I clutched my mother's pendant in my hand, the only thing I had left, the only thing I hadn't put in the backpack that Esteban had stolen. I sat on the edge of my bed, knowing it wasalmost time. I had been here for almost three months, in this institute for women, three months learning how to manipulate and charm a man. Three months learning all the tactics to use in bed to satisfy a man, three months learning how to mask and hide our emotions, three months trying to survive. Surviving the training, but also the competition. My eyes fell on the sleeping forms of my roommates. There were six of us in total, six young women whose destinies had led us here, to this pit where we had to tear each other apart to rise above. My gaze stopped on the girl next to me and I clenched my teeth as despair seized me again, so young, even younger than I was. The memory of our meeting struck me, my first day within these walls.
I followed the woman who had greeted me at the entrance. She hadn't said a word, just nodded her head. The corridors we walked through were dark and cold, with several closed doors that didn't inspire confidence. Our footsteps echoed as she turned into another corridor. She was old, with short white hair and a wrinkled face. Her stooped, plump body was dressed in a dull blue dress with an apron tied around her waist. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure I was following her as we reached some steps, which she began to climb. She held onto the railing, and I frowned as I watched her take the steps one by one, grunting with effort. She was struggling. I stayed behind her, and we climbed the steps slowly, one by one, until we were almost at the top when she suddenly stumbled. My body moved before my brain could think, and I grabbed her arm to pull her up, despite my body's protests. Her brown eyes plunged into mine, and I saw a spark of surprise shining in them. She ended up pressing her thin lips together before turning away and shaking her head. I said nothing and simply followed her, finally arriving on the upper floor. We walked down another hallway and finally arrived in a room that my eyes quickly scanned. There were six beds,each with a metal wardrobe at the head. And there was a long window stretching along the wall through which we could see an empty, arid desert. And that was all there was in this lifeless, cold room. There were already young women inside, some talking among themselves, others simply sitting on one of the many beds. The old woman motioned for me to enter, which I did with a hesitant step. She finally left, closing the door behind me and all eyes suddenly turned to me, and I didn't know what to do. A heavy silence fell as I clenched my jaw and lifted my chin. I couldn't let them see my fear, my hesitation. I had no doubt that a single drop of blood would be enough for them to tear me to pieces. "My name is Stella," I introduced myself in a calm voice, thankfully giving nothing away. My gaze met that of a brunette who was talking to another woman. She got up from the bed and walked towards me. The first thing I noticed was that she was older than me. In fact, everyone looked older than me.
The woman stopped in front of me, her hazel eyes analyzing my face before she held out her hand to me, "Esme," she said with a slight smile. I looked down at her hand; it was trembling. I looked back into her eyes and saw my reflection there. My feelings, my fear, she was as afraid as I was. I slipped my hand into hers. It was cold and clammy, like mine. She was like me. They were all like me. I smiled back at her as our trembling hands clasped together. I had chatted a little with all the girls. There was Esme, Diane, Ava, and Wendy. They were all friendly except for Wendy, who was cold, but it wasn't personal; she behaved the same way with all of us. An hour later, the door opened and two women and a man entered. One of the women was the old lady who had accompanied me. "Welcome, ladies. Line up," said the second woman in a confident voice, her eagle eye scanning each of us as we lined up like little puppies. She was tall, over five foot seven, andmust have been in her forties. But unlike the Mother, who had made great efforts to hide her age, this woman remained elegant. Her natural beauty was captivating, not to mention her blue eyes that were tinged with gray. Her graying brown hair was tied back in a strict bun at the nape of her neck. She furrowed her pretty eyebrows and scanned us once more. "One is missing. Where is she?" she asked, glancing at the old woman, who looked around the room before stopping at the bed at the far end. She limped over and opened the bedside cabinet. My breath caught in my throat as she dragged a young girl by the arm to us, even more so than I already was. The old woman pushed her next to me and she let herself be led, trembling, her eyes fixed on the floor. "Good," said the elegant woman. "I am Joana, the madam. I will be responsible for your training for the next ten months," she introduced herself before nodding toward the old woman. "This is Olga. If you have any problems with your rooms, your food, or your clothes, tell her. And this is Igor. He is responsible for security," she pointed to the man behind her. He was tall and muscular and looked younger than Joana. I didn't like the vibe he gave off. His eyes scanned us one by one, lingering on me when his gaze met mine. I didn't look away, holding his dark gaze. I ignored my fear, ignored my instincts screaming at me to lower my head. I couldn't be afraid, I couldn't hide, otherwise I would never be able to save my sister. I had to become a monster, and what better way than to stare at one?
Igor smirked before leaning down toward Joana and whispering something in her ear, his gaze still fixed on mine. Joana's gaze slid back to me and she nodded. Igor finally left the room, whistling. "All right, ladies, over the next ten months you're going to learn a lot, and there are two ways to go about it," Joana continued, folding her hands behind her back. "Either you follow my rules, obey orders, and pass all your exams. Oryou do it the hard way, and believe me, it will be painful," she explained, starting to walk in front of us. "For the next ten months, this is where you will live with your roommates. There is a second group like yours that will take the same classes. Any fights between you or between the two groups will be punished very severely..." "Why would we fight?" I asked without thinking. Joana froze with her back to me, tension suddenly filling the room as all the girls held their breath while Joana slowly turned and moved slowly in my direction. I stood up straight, my chin raised, my gaze locking with hers as she stopped right in front of me. She was much older than me, both in age and height. "What's your name?" she asked me, sizing me up with her dark gaze. "Stella," I replied through clenched teeth, ignoring the disgust that gripped me as memories came flooding back, the Master's hoarse voice repeating it over and over again as he assaulted me. "My name is Stella," I repeated more confidently. Joana looked at me for a few more seconds before her lips slowly stretched into a smile that revealed beautiful teeth. "So you're the Master's new favorite?"" she asked, her eyes now shining. "Mother told me about you, nine days in isolation when you're diabetic, hats off to you," she continued as she sized up the other girls out of the corner of her eye, and I frowned, not understanding her little game. Because yes, something was going on, my instincts were screaming at me.
She suddenly leaned toward me, her perfectly manicured hand grabbing my jaw, her nails digging slightly into my cheeks. "You're smart, that's good. You'll need it to get out of here alive," she whispered before backing away with a smirk on her face, while mine itched, but I refrained from touching it. There was no way I was going to show any sign of weakness. "At the end of your training, you will become Stars. You will be our Master's little spies, slipping into the beds of the most powerfulmen in the world and extracting their deepest secrets," Joana continued as I let out a shaky breath. "This year there are only two classes, which is more than enough considering the Stars already present. You will replace those who are too old or unable to charm these dear gentlemen with their outdated bodies," she concluded, dusting off her haute couture skirt. "And what happens to the Stars who retire? Do you offer them vacations in Fiji?" I asked sarcastically. I couldn't help myself, I refused to let anyone dictate my destiny without doing anything about it. I was going to fight. I was going to make life hell for those who wanted to control mine. Joana's eyes lit up and she did something I didn't expect. She started laughing, "I take back what I said. You're far too clever, little Stella, and with that rage shining in your eyes, it's not going to end well. For you," she added before continuing to laugh while I clenched my teeth so hard they gritted. "Olga, take them to wash up before you take them to the infirmary. They must be in good health, otherwise they're of no use to us," she ordered the old women. "Don't forget to count the ones who are virgins," she added, as if she were talking about a herd of animals, before leaving the room, her hips swaying in a way that clearly showed she knew what she was doing with her body.
Olga motioned for us to follow her, and we did so in single line. I let the others walk a few steps ahead and turned to look at the girl who had been dragged to my side. "How old are you?"" I asked her point-blank, and she looked at me with her dark eyes wide with surprise at my sudden interest. "Thirteen," she replied in a weak, childish voice, and I felt my legs tremble.Thirteen?"What? Why?" I asked breathlessly, nausea rising for the thousandth time. She shrugged with such a childish gesture that I felt my stomach tighten.Oh my God."My dad had debts, so he said I had to help him pay them off," she whispered in a weak voice as I stared at her in horror. "What's your name?"I asked, resisting the urge to stroke her dark hair. "Mimosa," she replied, and the nausea rose again. "No, your real name. What's your name?" I asked again shaking my head as she pressed her lips together hesitantly. "Valentina," she finally replied, and I smiled gently at her. "I'm Sienna," I confided, holding out my hand. She looked at it for a moment before slipping hers into mine, so small, so fragile. I squeezed her hand as a new feeling joined my rage, an instinct to protect her. Maybe I could help this kid while finding a way to help my sister.
I stared at the hot soup in front of me, the voices of the other girls a hubbub in the background. I looked up and met Wendy's gaze at the other end of the table, a smirk stretching her lips. I clenched my jaw and grabbed my spoon with my trembling hand before dipping it into the red liquid. My throat tightened and I swallowed as the memory of two days ago came flooding back. Someone had poisoned my food, I had vomited for hours, someone had tried to kill me. I didn't know exactly who the culprit was, but I suspected there were several, since I had been subjected to dirty tricks since my arrival, from my clothes being torn to my sheets being soiled. I understood what Joana had done when we arrived two months ago. She had put a target on my back by talking about the Master's interest in me. She had encouraged the other girls to hate and envy me for something I hated with all my being. And she had made that target even bigger by talking about my illness, so they had started attacking my food, the only thing I couldn't control. I brought the spoon to my mouth and stopped as it brushed my lips, my breathing quickening as I began to sweat coldly. Nausea surged and I dropped my spoon, splattering food on the table before rushing to the bathroom. The laughter behind me continued to echo in my head as I fell to my knees in frontof the toilet. But only acid rose up; my stomach was empty. The liquid burned my throat as tears escaped me. I wanted my sister. I wanted Selina to hold me close. I let myself fall against the wall as my body was shaken by sobs, my head spinning and my body trembling. I bent my legs and hugged my knees to me, hiding my face in my arms, my hair covering me, cutting me off from the outside world. I wanted to go home, go to Italy, eat my mom's lasagna, watch the stars with Dad, and read with Selina. I wanted us all to lie down in the same bed and tell each other about our days and fall asleep holding each other close.
I jumped when something brushed the top of my head and I looked up to see a handkerchief. Looking up higher, I met dark eyes, a narrow gaze. It was a boy, a little taller than me but as young as me. He was slim, dressed all in black, with a shaved head, standing beside me. It was the first time I had seen a boy other than the security guards in the building; it was normally forbidden. I grabbed the handkerchief without a word and blew my nose into it without restraint. He suddenly knelt in front of me, his gaze analyzing my body. "You shake," he said in broken English with such a strong accent that I almost had trouble understanding him. I didn't know why, but it make me laugh. I started laughing so hard that my empty stomach hurt. Where did this guy come from? "Of course I'm shaking. I haven't eaten anything in almost two days, and I'm a type 1 diabetic. And I don't have access to my injections because those sons of bitches have them," I blurted out, clearly seeing that he was only catching every other word. "And I have to act like a real lapdog to get them if I don't want to die."" I continued with an honesty that I had abandoned in this cell two months ago, and damn, it was liberating. For two months, I had been acting like a puppet, burying all my feelings to stay strong. I wiped the new tears that had escaped from my eyes with a trembling sigh as he took something out of his pocket, and I froze whenhe handed it to me: a lollipop. A strawberry lollipop, my sister's favorite. I slowly raised my gaze to his as he waited silently, his face expressionless, and something inside me broke. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his waist and knocking him onto his backside as I hugged him tightly. He didn't push me away as I started crying again, crying so hard that my whole body shook. "I want to go home, I want to save my sister," I sobbed against his shoulder, and gently his arms closed around me and he hugged me back, making me cry even harder. I clung to something in this darkness, I clung to him.
—
"All right, ladies, I've gathered you here for an important announcement," Joana told us as the twelve of us girls stood in a line in the middle of the reception hall. This was where our dance classes took place. We were taught every dance imaginable, every dance designed to attract men. "We have some new arrivals," she continued as the door to the room opened and Igor entered, followed by several young men, strangers to us. They were as young as we were. They lined up in front of us, their hands clasped behind their backs, legs apart, like little soldiers. "These young men are in training, just like you, ladies. Their roles will be very important to you, as they will become your Shadows," Joana continued. "Their mission will be to accompany you wherever you go, to protect you. Think of them as your personal bodyguards," she explained before turning to the boys. "But there is one golden rule that must be respected, otherwise the repercussions will be very painful for all of you," she warned us in a sombre voice. "No physical contact between a Star and a Shadow, ever," she ordered as she walked between the two rows. There were twelve men, one for each of us, and my gaze suddenly fell on one of them. He was the smallest and slimmest of them all, somuch so that he disappeared between two burly men. It was him, the one who had given me a lollipop. The one I had cried against for a good quarter of an hour before abandoning him when I heard Joana's voice calling me in the hallway. I didn't even know his name.
"All right, ladies, choose your Shadows. Make the right choice, because a Star and a Shadow are for life, it will never change," announced Joana, stepping aside before motioning to the girl at the head of our line. One by one, the girls chose one of the boys by pointing at them, and Joana introduced them by telling them their respective " surnames" before allowing them to go out into the garden to get to know each other. My turn came when there were only three choices left: a tall guy with blue eyes, a second guy who was smaller but just as muscular, and the one who had helped me. He looked like a child next to the other two. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wendy getting impatient. She was last in line, and I knew exactly what she was thinking. She didn't want the little guy; she wanted someone strong, and she was right. If Joana was telling the truth, then one of these men might save my life one day, so I had to choose the strongest one. But if I had understood one thing over the last two months, it was that it wasn't Stella's body that needed protection, but Sienna's soul. So I raised my finger and pointed at the slender boy. His eyes met mine, but no emotion showed on his face. "Interesting," commented Joana. "Stella and Wraith, go ahead." Wraith. I knew the meaning of that word. It was Scottish. I had seen it in class during a history lesson on myths and legends. In Scottish tradition, it was a spirit or ghost that appeared just before or after a person's death.
I walked towards the door leading outside and frowned when I didn't hear him follow me, I turned around and gasped whenI bumped into his chest. How could he walk so quietly? I frowned and started walking towards the exit again. I opened the door and lifted my face to the sky, breathing in the fresh air, we rarely went outside, staying locked up and acting like perfect dolls. I walked over to the bench under one of the few trees in this shitty desert before sitting down and waiting for Wraith to do the same, but he remained standing next to me, his hands crossed behind his back. "I don't bite, you know?" I asked sarcastically, crossing my legs in a way my body had learned in two months, in a way that lifted my skirt, revealing my thigh. My eyes remained locked on Wraith's, and I smiled when I saw his eyes remain on mine, without even glancing at my legs for a second.
"No, you strangle," he replied with a straight face and broken English. He was joking, and I burst out laughing, throwing my head back. Seriously, I loved this guy. "It's called a hug," I smiled before patting the spot next to me. "Come on," he stared at me for a moment before finally sitting down next to me, sitting up straight as a board. I leaned forward to see his face. "The least you can do is look at the person you're getting to know," I insisted. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply before turning slightly toward me, which was better than nothing. "Are you Korean? " I asked without a hint of embarrassment, with everything I had seen over the past two months, nothing really embarrassed me anymore. Between the positions in bed that Joana had taught us and the way we had to dress provocatively. "No, Japanese," he replied curtly, glancing at me. "You Russia?" he asked, much to my surprise, so he knew how to talk after all. "Russian? Me? Yuck, no. I'm pure Italian," I replied with a grimace, my eyes widening when I saw a slight smile on his lips. His eyes analyzed my face at length. "How old?" he suddenly asked, and my good mood slowly faded. "Sixteen," I replied, and he pressed his lips together, noddingslowly. "And you?" he frowned, and I saw him thinking before he finally raised his hands between us. He had long, slender fingers, and he showed me the number ten, then seven. "Seventeen?" I asked, and he nodded. "Seventeen," he repeated the number, which sounded strange coming out of his mouth, as if it were the first time he had ever said it. Which was surely the case. He was only a year older than me. How had he ended up in this hole? So far from his home country? But I could see from his gaze that he was asking himself the same question about me. We were two kids who had no business being here.
"My name is Sienna, nice to meet you, Wraith," I said, holding out my hand, his eyes dropped to my hand and I saw him hesitate, Joana's golden rule echoing between us, but I didn't give a damn, seriously. Since meeting Wraith last night, I felt like I had found a small part of the old Sienna that had disappeared when Esteban left. I smiled at him and raised my eyebrows, and he finally slipped his warm hand into mine. "Kenji," he said, gently squeezing my hand, and I felt my frozen heart gradually warming up.
A light knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. I quickly put my mother's pendant away in my closet, got up, and tiptoed to the door that I opened it quietly and smiled at Kenji on the other side. I went out to join him and closed the door gently behind me as he took my hand and we walked quickly down the silent hallway, our footsteps as quiet as possible. He did it as if he had been born with this power, while I was wearing socks. We climbed the stairs to the third floor, my eyes lingering on the cameras. "Are you sure the cameras are turned off?"" I whispered, he glanced at one of the cameras and shook his head. "No red light, camera no work. I hack system," he replied calmly with his improved English. I took advantage of our daily encounters to teach him, and in three weeks he had madetremendous progress. I loved his personality, he was discreet and sometimes even shy when I pushed him a little, but he made me laugh. “Not working” I corrected him as we finally stopped in front of the door leading to Joana's office. I slowly lowered the handle and let out a sigh of relief as the door opened. Joana hadn't locked it, we slipped into the room and I headed straight for the oak desk. I opened the second drawer, where I knew I would find what I was looking for. I grabbed the small burner phone with trembling hands and turned it on. Thank God it was charged. I quickly dialed the number I had memorized and the ringtone echoed in my head. My eyes fell on Kenji, who had stayed at the door to stand guard. "Hello," my sister's voice suddenly answered on the other end of the line, and tears immediately welled up in my eyes. "Selina!" I gasped, my hand resting on my heart, which was beating wildly. "Sienna?!" Oh my God, where are you? I haven't heard from you in three months," she began to sob, and I couldn't help but do the same. Hearing my sister's voice reminded me of who I really was, Sienna, Selina's nosy and annoying little sister. "Ohmia sorella, if only you knew how much I missed you," I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand to stifle my voice. "I missed you too," she sniffed. "Where are you?" I pressed my lips together, the truth threatening to burst out, but I held back. There was no way I could tell her. She would beg Antonio to get me out of there, becoming even more of his slave. "It doesn't matter, but I'll come, Selina, I promise. Wait for me, I'll save you," I whispered, and she sobbed harder on the other end. "Oh, Sienna, it's too late," she whined, and I froze. "What's wrong, Selina?" there was a long silence on the other end of the line before she took a breath. "I'm pregnant, Sienna, four months," she cried, "I don't want this. I want to die," she blurted out, and my heart exploded. The nausea rose so strongly that it burned my throat. "What?" I gasped, and my tearful gaze met Kenji's, who looked at me withconcern when he heard my voice. "I don't want it, Sienna. I don't want this baby. It's the result of rape. I don't want it, I want to die," she repeated, and what remained of my sanity turned to dust. I shook my head vigorously. "No, Selina, I... I'll come. I promise, please wait for me. I'll get you out of there," I said, my voice trembling as my world darkened.
"Who are you talking to?" Antonio Rasili's voice suddenly rang out on the other end of the line, and I heard my sister whimper, "Don't come near me," she screamed as her voice faded away from the phone. "Selina?! Selina!" I called out before the phone hung up, I shook my head before redialing the number, but there was no answer. No, no, that wasn't possible. I had to do something. I had to get her out of there. I turned to Kenji when I heard him swear in his native language. "Guard coming. See camera off," he said, grabbing my arm to pull me along with him, and I let him do it, too confused to realize what was happening. We quickly went down the stairs, avoiding a guard, as footsteps echoed on the first floor, getting closer. Kenji pushed me toward the hallway that led to my room. "Go bed," he said, pushing me again when I stood frozen in place. Seeing the panic on his face, I nodded and ran toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms as his footsteps receded toward the boys' wing. Out of breath, I turned into the hallway where the bedroom was located when I froze, coming face to face with Olga. She was standing in the middle of the long, dark hallway, her eyes analyzing me. Her dark eyes widened when she saw the phone in my hand, the phone I hadn't put down. I forgot. My lips trembled as she walked toward me with a firm step. I was dead. She was going to tell Joana and Igor, and I was dead. Oh my God, I hoped Kenji hadn't been fooled too. Olga grabbed me by the arm, and a sob escaped me. Her dark eyes plunged into mine, and she pressed her lips together, then she glanced over my shoulder into the hallway and at the camera above our heads, which was still off,before suddenly pulling me towards my room. She gently opened the door and guided my trembling body to my bed. She snatched the phone from my hands before forcing me to lie down and pulling the blanket up to my chin. I listened to her footsteps recede, heard her ruminate for a moment behind me, but I didn't dare turn around and look. I tensed when the door opened again and Joana's voice echoed softly in the room. "Are they all here?" she asked, and Olga replied without hesitation. "Yes, ma'am, they're all asleep." I squeezed my eyes shut as hot tears soaked my pillow. "Good. Come with me, we have to finish the preparations before he arrives," Joana continued, and I heard her footsteps and Olga's footsteps recede before the door closed. I curled up under the covers, rocking gently and stifling my sobs. Selina was pregnant, Antonio had raped her, and she wanted to die. And I was stuck here, powerless, while she... I cried and cried, until the moon disappeared and gave way to the sun.
The next morning, we were all gathered in the reception room, the girls lined up in front and the boys behind us, each behind their own Star. Joana entered the room, her heels clicking on the floor. I frowned when I saw her wearing more makeup and dressed up more than usual. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" she said, standing in front of us, Igor still behind her like a good guard dog. "We have two important things to discuss today. First, we have a guest of honor who joined us this morning. Someone very important," she said as the door to the room opened, and I felt my limbs go numb when I saw the Master enter the room, followed by Mother and two men. Painful memories came flooding back, my body swayed and I felt like I was falling, but Kenji's hand on my back held me up. I closed my eyes, trying to calm down, focusing on my friend's brief and discreet touch, warm and reassuring. "Master, welcome to our institute. It is a great honor," Joana greeted him,bowing slightly. "Ah, Joana, my beautiful trainer," replied the Master, pulling her toward him before planting a loud kiss on the woman's lips. His voice made me want to vomit, seeing him was worse, I clutched my skirt between my trembling fingers. My fear was stronger than my rage, I was so scared.
"Mother, welcome," Joana continued, looking at the woman who had tortured me for nine days. She was as provocative and vicious as ever, a single glance was enough to understand that. "Joana, I'm glad you're still alive in this godforsaken hole," she replied in her seductive voice, barely deigning to look at our trainer. So Mother and Joana didn't get along? My thoughts vanished when the Master's eyes fell on me and a slow smile stretched across his thin lips. I held my breath as he began to walk towards me, I felt Kenji tense up behind me, but he didn't move. What could he do, after all? "Ah, Stella, if only you knew how much I missed you," he said, cupping my face in his hands, and I grimaced. I was going to throw up. "But I get the impression that the feeling isn't mutual," he murmured, leaning toward me, his smell of sweat and cigarettes reaching me. I said nothing, just pressed my lips together and kept my eyes downcast as his hands slid gently around my neck. Suddenly, his hand grabbed my hair, lifting my face, and he looked deep into my eyes and smiled, a slow smile in the face of my look of hatred and disgust. "Ah, there she is," he whispered before kissing me. His tongue plunged into my mouth and I stifled a gag as I squeezed my eyes shut, my nails digging so deep into my palms that I felt the blood wet them. He finally pulled back, letting me breathe, his hand in my hair tightening its grip, his gaze analyzing my disgusted face as my ragged breath escaped my bruised lips. "Magnificent," he whispered, his hand around my neck tightened one last time before he pulled back to join Mother and Joana, who were talking. I felt the other girls' eyes on me and stopped myself from wiping my mouth. I was strong,I was strong, I had to be. A single drop of blood would be enough for them to destroy me. So I stood up straight, chin up, looking the Master straight in the eye, which made him laugh. "Master, about last night..." "Leave it, I'll take care of it personally, Joana," he said, his gaze never leaving me. Last night? Had Olga finally spilled the beans? Joana hesitated for a moment before nodding. "As you wish, Master. The girls have class if you'll allow us," she continued, and she motioned to us once the Master nodded, turning to his men. It was with trembling legs that I followed the line, ignoring Kenji's insistent gaze. I was ashamed, so fucking ashamed.
—
I washed my hands as the smell of onion clinging to my clothes burned my nostrils and eyes. Cooking class was the last class of the day. I glanced at the showers behind me, wondering if they would allow us to shower first. Suddenly, I jumped when the door to the bathroom slammed shut. I turned and frowned when I saw Wendy and two other girls enter. The other two girls were part of the other group of students, and to be honest, none of them liked me. "Well, look who it is, the Master's whore," Wendy sneered, making her two sidekicks smile as I gripped the lever behind my back. "Tell me how you did it. Did you suck him off well?" she continued, approaching dangerously as I felt the adrenaline gradually rising in my body. This story was going to end badly, very badly, but I was going to be the last one standing. I had to be. I was going to fight no matter what life threw at me. I wouldn't give up until Selina was saved. "Maybe she let him do it from behind," retorted one of the girls. All three of them were bigger than me in size and age, but Kenji had taught me that it didn't matter. One blow in the right place was enough. I clenched my fists, spread my legs, and took a defensive stance as they slowly surrounded me. "Well, let's check," laughed thethird, raising her arm to grab mine, but I dodged her, grabbed her wrist, twisted her arm behind her back, and kicked her, sending her flying to the ground. The second one didn't waste a second, grabbing my hair and pulling, but I already had my hand against her throat, hitting her windpipe. She choked, releasing me and wrapping her hands around her throat as I drove my elbow into her stomach and she fell to her knees. As I stood up, something hit my temple and I flattened myself to the ground, my vision darkening for a few moments. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the metal trash can rise above my head again, and I rolled on the ground to dodge it, my clothes getting wet from the damp, stinking floor. The trash can hit the tile floor with a deafening noise, but I had already kicked Wendy in the shin, causing her to lose her balance. She fell face first next to me, and my arm wrapped around her neck, squeezing her and cutting off her breath as blood flowed from her nose. She began to struggle, but I didn't let go. It had to stop. I couldn't defend all fronts at once. The girl who had tried to grab my arm got up and tried to help Wendy by trying to make me let go, but I didn't let go. I dodged Wendy's hands as she tried to scratch my face. I could feel her weakening against me as I tightened my grip. "Move!" growled the second girl, pushing his accomplice violently, and I didn't have time to dodge his foot, which hit me square in the face. The taste of blood exploded in my mouth, and I growled, loosening my grip. Wendy got up, coughing, while the pain disoriented me. Another kick hit me in the kidneys, and tears of pain welled up. "What's going on here?" Joana's voice suddenly echoed through the room. The three girls got up and lined up against the wall while I tried to get up, but my back was so painful.
"You three, get out. I'll deal with you later," Joana ordered, and the girls scrambled away without hesitation while I struggled to my knees. I spat the blood in my mouth, touching my lip with myfingers. I grimaced; it was wide open. "Looks like you're going to need stitches," Joana said suddenly, stepping toward me. I looked up at her and met her pitying gaze, "what were you thinking? That you could get the Master's attention without any consequences?" she muttered, raising an eyebrow. "I don't want his attention," I spat as my body began to shake from the adrenaline that was slowly dissipating. "I'm afraid it's too late for that," she sighed, her gaze following the blood that continued to drip from my chin. "Olga!" she called, and the old woman appeared a few seconds later at the door. "Take her to the infirmary. And have her shower there. I don't want her to see the other girls before bedtime. We can't afford such behavior while the Master is here," she said, giving me one last look before leaving the room, her heels clicking on the floor. I gritted my teeth as Olga approached and grabbed my arm to help me up, and I let her. I was in pain everywhere, damn it, I was going to get those bitches. Two hours later, showered and stitched up, I stared at the clock on the wall, my legs dangling in the air as I sat on the bed in the infirmary. She had said I had to stay here until bedtime, as if I were the problem, the one who needed to be isolated. I jumped when the door suddenly opened and sighed with relief when I saw Kenji come in. His eyes widened as he scanned the room before settling on me, and in two strides he was in front of me. His gaze first stopped on my lip, where two stitches had been placed, before moving up to my temple, where a bruise was spreading. My fingers clenched the leather of the bed as his gaze darkened. "Who? Wendy?" he asked, his voice deeper than I had ever heard it before. I shook my head. "It doesn't matter..." But he stopped me, his hands sliding gently against my cheeks. "I your Shadow, watch over, protect, and guide," he said, repeating the motto of the Shadows, which he had modified to suit himself. Originally, it was to watch, protect, and control. "You're not my Shadow yet, Kenji, you're still intraining," I replied with a slight smile, which I immediately wiped away when my lip hurt; the anesthetic hadn't lasted long This time it was him who shook his head. "I become you Shadow when choose me," he said, and my heart skipped a beat. I closed my eyes and gently rested my forehead against his shoulder, his fingers sliding through my hair, massaging it gently. His scent and warmth soothed me. I was so tired, so damn tired. I didn't know how long we stayed in that position, but I jumped when the door opened again and Kenji moved so quickly that he knocked over the nurse's stool. Olga stared at us with wide eyes, she had seen us, she had seen that we had broken Joana's golden rule. "It's time to go to bed, Stella," she said simply, opening the door wider as I climbed down from the examination table and groaned when my legs protested. Kenji took a step forward, but I shook my head. We couldn't push our luck. "Good night, Wraith," I said, following Olga out of the room as Kenji's voice echoed behind me, wishing me good night in his native language. As we approached my room, Olga suddenly grabbed my arm and pushed me against the wall. I groaned as pain shot up my back. "Don't confess," she whispered. "They don't know it was you. Don't admit it, don't fall into the trap," she whispered as I froze. Admit it? She was talking about yesterday. Before I could say a word, she released me, resumed walking toward the room, and opened the door, letting me pass as my gaze tried to catch hers, but she quickly left.
"Sienna!" Valentina exclaimed, getting up from the bed when she saw me come in. She ran over and threw herself at me, making me groan in pain, but I held her gently against me. "Oh my God, what happened to you?" Esme asked worriedly as she joined me, followed by the others. "I'm fine," I tried to reassure them, but my face spoke volumes. "Is it Wendy?" Diane asked in her soft voice as her hand rested on Valentina's back, who was still clinging to me. I didn't answer. I didn't want to lie tothem, but I didn't want any feelings of hatred to arise within the group. That's what they wanted, the Master and his dogs. They wanted us to compete, to fight each other, preventing us from trusting anyone and isolating us. But I refused to bow to his rules. I refused to fight like a racehorse against people who were so similar to me. "It doesn't matter," I whispered again and frowned. "Where's Wendy, anyway?" I asked, not seeing her anywhere. My anger had dissipated, my rage still present but my thoughts clearer, I knew it wasn't directed at Wendy but at those who had put us in this situation. At those who had manipulated her. "We don't know. Mrs. Joana took her away after her shower. Did you give her that bruise around her neck?" Esme asked, and I just shrugged, my gaze dropping to Valentina as her weight began to weigh down on my body. She was falling asleep. I turned her toward her bed, guiding her as she staggered, Ava made a move to help me, but I shook my head and walked toward the little girl's bed. I laid her down and rummaged through her closet to find her socks, which I put on her feet. It was cold at night, so I pulled the blanket up over her frail body. "Mommy?" she called out in her sleep, and a heavy silence fell over the room as we stared at Valentina. Her thin eyebrows furrowed and she fidgeted. I took off my shoes and quickly slipped under the blanket next to her, and she wasted no time in snuggling up against me. "Let me know when Wendy is back," I said before closing my eyes, taking advantage of Wendy's absence to get some sleep. Without the risk of suffocating or being stabbed in my sleep.
"Stella," someone called, shaking my shoulder, and I woke up with a start, my gaze meeting Joana's. I had fallen into such a deep sleep, it must have been because of the anesthesia. "Get dressed, I need you," she said, opening my closet to take out my depressingly gray spare dress. She also took out my blacksports jacket that we had to wear when we ran outside. "Hurry up," she urged me as I gently removed my arm from around Valentina's body and got up, quickly getting dressed. I put on my shoes and left the room, braiding my hair as I followed Joana to the exit. I glanced over my shoulder and caught Esme's eye as Joana closed the door. I gestured to her, pointing to Valentina, and she nodded, indicating that she would take care of her until I returned. I followed Joana to the ground floor, and my steps became hesitant when we went outside, where a car was waiting for us. "Where are we going?" I asked, a bad feeling tightening my throat. "Don't ask questions, just get in. We don't have time to waste," she sighed as she slid into the back seat. I looked at the car while my instincts screamed at me to turn around and go back to Valentina under the warm blanket. I opened my mouth, ready to refuse, when the front door opened again and Igor and Kenji came out. The tension in my shoulders eased slightly when I saw him. "There you are! We've wasted enough time. Come on!" Joana complained. Igor walked around the vehicle and slid behind the wheel while Kenji and I looked at him. He looked as lost as I did. "Come on!" Joana snapped, and we had no choice but to get in. I slid in next to Joana while Kenji got in the front. The car accelerated, leaving behind the institute where I had been locked up for almost three months. After half an hour on the road, I saw the lights of Las Vegas in the distance, their spotlights illuminating the sky, but we weren't heading towards the city. On the contrary, we drove deeper into the desert, leaving the city behind us. My bad feeling grew stronger. Where the hell were we going? After an hour's drive, the car finally came to a stop. I leaned over and looked through the windshield. There were two cars parked in front of us, both illuminating the dark desert with their headlights. There were some guards walking around the vehicles. "Get out," Joana ordered us as she left the vehicle, followed by Igor.
"Kenji," I whispered as fear began to slowly take hold of me. His hand slid gently over the console and I grabbed it without hesitation. "Together, Sienna," he whispered. "Together, Kenji," I replied before opening my door to get out. The cold desert air hit me hard, making me shiver. Kenji waited for me to pass him before following three steps behind, as was the rule. I joined Joana and Igor, who were standing in front of the light cast by the car headlights, just in front of a cliff. We were on the edge of a fucking cliff ! "What are we doing here?" I asked, rubbing my arms as the wind swept through the strands of hair that had escaped from my braid. "What we're doing here, my pretty Stella," a voice suddenly echoed, and I froze, my eyes slowly settling on the Master who appeared out of the darkness followed by the Mother. "We're going to punish the guilty," he continued with a slow smile stretching his lips. My nails dug into my upper arms through my useless vest, my whole body froze from the inside, I was petrified with fear. I didn't dare look at Kenji, I didn't want to draw the Master's attention to him. Why had he brought him here too? It was me he wanted to torture.
"Last night, someone broke into Joana's office and stole her spare phone," said the Master, slowly approaching me, "do you know who it could be, little Stella?" he asked, his gaze analyzing my bruised face. He suddenly grimaced. "They really didn't miss you, did they?"" he said, brushing my lip with his finger, and I stifled a moan of pain. "Don't worry, my Stella, they've been punished for touching what belongs to me," he whispered, and my breath caught in my throat. "Punished," I repeated without even realizing it. Where was Wendy?
"Yes, my beautiful, we'll discuss it later once you've satisfied me," he said, his hand resting on my waist, but my body moved on its own. I grabbed his wrist firmly and pushed him away, breathless. He looked at me with wide eyes, massaging his sorewrist as his guard dogs took a step towards me, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kenji do the same, but the Master's laughter stopped them all. "You learn quickly, Stella, that's a good thing. I hear you excel in all your classes. There are some I can't wait to see for myself," he continued, his gaze sliding down my body, his thumb scratching his chin. I crossed my hands behind my back for fear that they would act again before my brain could react. They were itching, maybe with one well-placed blow I could kill him. A fall from this height would be fatal, right? "But first, let's finish the most important thing," he resumed, clapping his hands together, which made me jump. "Do you know who stole the phone?"
Olga's voice suddenly echoed in my head. She knew the Master was going to question me, which was why she had told me not to confess. He didn't know it was me. I simply shook my head, keeping my face impassive. "Are you sure?" he insisted, and I nodded. "Ah, you're loyal to your friends, my little Stella. But don't bother, I already have a culprit." He laughed as he signaled to his men, and two of them walked over to one of the cars. They opened the back doors and pulled out two people, a woman and a man, their faces hidden by the bags they wore over their heads. The Master's men forced them to kneel before him while my heart pounded against my temples. He signaled again and his men removed the bags. I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands. It was Wendy. I barely recognized her. Her face was so bloody and swollen. Tape muffled the words she tried to say when she saw me. The man next to her was her Shadow. I didn't know his name, but he too was disfigured, his dark gaze fixed on Kenji, who had approached me. My Shadow's face gave nothing away, while mine clearly expressed my horror. "We found the phone in her closet," Joana declared, her hard gaze fixed on Wendy, while my brain was racing a mile a minute. In her closet? Olga had put it there, that's why she told me not toconfess. She had blamed Wendy, an innocent girl. I shook my head, the truth burning in my throat, ready to come out, when I felt Kenji's fingers brush against mine behind my back. I pressed my lips together but I couldn't do that. Wendy was innocent.
But my mouth didn't open, my voice didn't speak the truth. Instead, it was my sister's voice that echoed in my head,"I don't want to, Sienna, I want to die."I pressed my lips together, my gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding Wendy's. "Did you hear her leave the room at night, Stella?" the Master suddenly asked me, and I simply shook my head. "Speak, Stella!" he suddenly shouted, making me jump. "No," I said, clenching my fists, the Master nodded, sliding his hands into his pants pockets. "All the evidence points to you being the culprit, Wendy. Do you have anything to add?" he asked as Mother abruptly removed the tape. "It wasn't me! I swear, Master! Sienna, Sienna, please tell them I was asleep that night," she sobbed, saliva and blood mixing on her face, and I pressed my lips together. I had to save my sister, I had to save Selina. Nothing could stop me, nothing. So I simply looked away, my nails digging into my skin. "Sienna?" Wendy sobbed again. "Well, we're not stretching," the Master suddenly said, nodding his chin. Suddenly, one of his men pulled out a gun and positioned himself behind Wendy. Blood spattered across my face as I screamed, Wendy's lifeless body falling at my feet, her eyes wide open, staring at me. "A Shadow without a Star has no place to be," the Master continued before a second shot rang out and Wendy's Shadow fell in turn, his eyes now expressing fear, now lifeless. Two innocent people, because of me. Nausea rose so quickly that I couldn't hold it back. I doubled over, acid burning my throat, clinging to Kenji's arm, who didn't move an inch as I emptied the contents of my stomach. I fell to my knees, my head spinning, as Wendy's blood and her Shadow began to flow into the earth. I didn't even know what his Shadow's name was, and he was dead, because of me.
"Come on, Stella, don't get so upset, my dear," said the Master, kneeling beside me and wiping my lips with a handkerchief as I tried to breathe but felt like there wasn't enough air. "And then, I still have to show you something," he added, reaching behind him, and Joana placed a tablet there with a video open. The Master pressed play, and Joana's office appeared. It was from a camera hidden between books, a hidden camera. A moment passed, then two figures appeared, Kenji and me. You could clearly see me walking around the desk and picking up the phone while Kenji stood guard. I slowly raised my horrified eyes to the Master's jubilant face. "You knew," I whispered as madness flashed through my mind. He knew I was the culprit, and yet he had killed Wendy and her Shadow, two innocent people. "You knew!" I cried, straightening up to grab his jacket, but his hand was already around my throat, pinning me to the ground. I heard Kenji scream as he tried to reach me, but the Master's men overpowered him, forcing him to his knees. He struggled, but in vain.
