My power had him frozen before he had the chance to move. It settled deep into his bones as his eyes went wide in shock. The thing about some of these guards is that their position has made them think they’re untouchable. I was more than happy to shatter that illusion.
“What’s worse than a guy who assaults women?” I asked, moving around him, yanking his knife from his belt. It was cool to the touch as I raised it to his throat. “Anyone who excuses and supports that kind of behavior,” I said, slicing clean across his jugular.
He went down clawing at his neck to no avail as he bleed out at our feet within seconds.
I turned on the assaulter who was cowering.
“Listen, man. I’m s-sorry. I didn’t hurt her. Swear.”
“I really don’t care what your opinion of the encounter was. I heard you. She wouldn’t fuck you. But you’ve got me instead. And while I won’t fuck you, I will make you wish you’d never been born.”
“Fuck—”
I slammed my powers into him, using all the force I had to break him apart bit by bit until his bones were emulsified and his skin looked as if he had been melted.
To get rid of the evidence, I turned that light power on so high that their bodies dissolved into piles of ash.
All that was left of the guards could be swept away by the maids.
Now I just needed to prepare myself for the start of the games in the morning. From the sounds of those guards’ conversation, it was even worse than I was imagining.
With the guards’ now dead, I was able to sneak the masks back where they belonged, hiding their powers deep inside me to use when the time was right.
Four powers down, twelve to go.
Chapter 17
Odessa
I’ve braided and unbraided my hair seven times already before deciding on a low-slung French braid that I could pull off to the side. No one had come to take me away in the night, so I assumed, for now, I was safe from that wretched guard.
My fingers shook trying to pull my hair into place, which is why it had taken me so many tries. My nerves were on edge, and I knew that every second was bringing me closer to when we’d be taken down into those tunnels.
I found a way to keep the dagger on me by shoving it into the side of my boot, hiding the outline with a thick sock. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do for now. Leaving the dagger wasn’t an option. And if I had to use it, I’d pretend I’d found the thing in the catacombs. All items within were fair game after all.
Thoughts of my family. Of Marley and Jean, Papa and Mama flittered around in my mind like a caged butterfly. And Theo… Fuck.
I knew that they were waiting on me. That I’d promised to make it back to them, and I always kept my promises. But being here had made me realize that the life I’d been living— the one I planned for and loved, wasn’t as great as I thought it was. I’dbeen living my life according to their rules. Fitting into a box they provided for me. Making myself small to appease everyone around me. If I did make it back, I didn’t think I could just go back to that. I was different now. Stronger. Would they accept me for who I was becoming? Would Marley still wrap her arms around me if I wasn’t the sister she remembered? Would Papa? Jean? Would Theo and I survive as a couple now that I’d been finding myself pulled to another?
So many questions that had no answers.
All I knew was that all of it had to wait. The most important thing was getting through the games.
My body felt exhausted. Over the last several days, the training and anticipation had taken a toll on me. The masquerade would have been enjoyable under any other circumstances. But with the heads of the fallen contestants watching over us, it was a constant reminder of what we had to face today. And every breath I took, reminded me of my own mortality.
I spun my engagement ring around my finger nervously, the light from the fireplace catching against the simple diamond. When Theo had given me this ring, I’d accepted whole-heartedly. Knowing that in doing so, I would be making my family proud. He’d planned a small meal for both our families at our favorite restaurant, which was a huge splurge for my family, but par the course for his. My Papa had told me not worry about the cost because it was a special night. I remembered the way the waiters all gathered around our table waiting expectantly as I pretended to be surprised by the ring floating in my champagne glass. Marley had spilled the beans and told me that Theo was proposing that night.
Her exact words were, “Please don’t make that butt wipe my brother-in-law.”
But what I remembered most of all was the feeling like I didn’t have a choice and a nagging question inside of me that wondered what it would feel like if I just said no.
Both our families were watching us with unwavering attention as he asked me to be his wife, knowing that their plans of putting us together had worked. My face had pulled into a smile I had practiced many times over that it was second nature when I did it again to say yes to the man kneeling before me.
If I made it through Nocturne, I’d be expected to pick up right where we left off. With wedding plans and a future that felt like it no longer fit.
Could I really go back like nothing had happened?
There was a rapt knock on the door and my stomach sank.
