I lifted my head and caught the unwavering stares of Lily, Brenn, Aeva, and Serene. They had formed a barricade with their bodies across the hall, keeping me from passing them.
I watched as Lily dug into her pocket and pulled out a knife. A knife with a familiar handle and blade angle.
“That’s my knife,” I said through gritted teeth. “You went into my room and stole it.”
Lily pretended to examine the blade, stroking her finger against its spine as a taunt. “Did you know that none of the doors to our rooms lock?”
My eyes never left the blade in her hand. My posture grew rigid as an overwhelming icy sensation froze me in place. There were red smudges on parts of the blade and handle.
Bright red.
Lily looked down at the blade, at the fresh blood that had caught my attention, and twitched her lips upward.
“He didn’t even fight back. Isaac, that is. Pathetic really.” Lily twirled the tip of the knife on her finger.
This wasn’t Lily. Lily hated me and wanted me dead. That much was true, but the woman standing before me was a hollow, unfeeling shell. The Lily that I had ventured here with stood up for her fellow culled and viewed herself as their unofficial leader.Thatwoman wouldn’t have turned on her own.
“Why?”
“It was him or us. Just like it’s you or us.”
“What are you talkingabout?”
“It’s all a test, Mavis. They want to see who is the strongest among us. I can feel it—whatever they’re doing to us—surging throughout my body. I’m brimming with unlimited power. You should consider what we did to Isaac as a mercy. He never would have survived the program.”
“It’s strictly forbidden to harm others unless in self-defense. It’s punishable by death.”
“Gods, Mavis, you’re so dumb sometimes. It’s a test! Everyone cheats on tests. You just have to make sure you don’t get caught.”
Lily turned to Serene and handed her the knife. Serene glared at me with hatred shining bright.
“It’s going to look like you killed Isaac,” Lily said. “I mean, it’s your blade after all. And after you killed him, you took it really hard, like that time with the Veiler on the mountain. So hard that you took your own life to end the suffering.”
I looked at Serene, pleading.
“You don’t want to do this. Taking a life taints the soul. It follows you forever.”
She was beyond hearing. Her brown eyes had darkened, and all that I could see was hatred. Even her sweet voice sounded sour.
“Oliver is dead because of you. He was weak and unable to withstand the truth sessions. But he wouldn’t have had to endure them if you hadn’t betrayed us. You are the reason I’m not home in bed right now. You are why I’ll never again taste my mother’s cooking, hear my father tell a story, or watch my little sister grow up. I’m going to die here, and it’s all because of you!”
All rationality had left her. Only anger and hostility remained. She lunged for me as I quickly pivoted and took off running down the corridor.
“Hold her down!” Lily shouted.
I could hear the clatter of shoes scuffing, chasing after me. My breath came in short pants, much weaker than usual, and my heart felt ready to leap from my chest. I focused on my strides, not daring to look back at how close they were. My best chance was to get to a populated area. I would be safe there.
I tripped over my foot and hit the floor hard. I cried out as my knees were nearly crushed by the fall’s impact. Cradling my knees to my chest, I looked up to see Brenn smiling down at me.
“Aw, someone tripped.” Brenn laughed as Lily, Aeva, and Serene approached.
Brenn kicked me onto my back as Serene advanced toward me. I turned my head to the side and closed my eyes tightly, preparing myself for what I knew was to come. It would all be over soon.
For a moment, my brain refused to understand. A crack like a snapped branch. A thud. A choked gasp that never became a scream. My eyes flew open, and the only person standing was Rowan.
His gaze held a murderous fury, unrelenting. He walked over to me and pulled me up by my arm. I winced at the sharp pain in my knees as I finally found my balance. He gazed at me as I let my eyes drift downward. Not a drop of blood had been spilled, yet four motionless bodies now littered the floor.
I saw Serene’s petite, lifeless body and felt crushed by the weight of it. Her distended neck and vacant eyes would haunt me forever. The little girl who once delivered fresh bread every Saturday was gone. Just another innocent casualty in a game of power and delusion.
