Chapter 4
Charisma
Hours melted away after 226688’s repaired my nose, and now the deep, inky blackness of night had settled outside. While I was awfully aware of how important it was to rest—considering the first trial began tomorrow—I could not stop thinking about my mother.
Did she take her pills? Was it a good day or a bad day? Did she eat? Did Dad do something to her again?
My blood boiled in my veins, and fingers clenched into fists at the thought.He would not hurt her again, not as long as I live, was the promise I’d made to myself all those years ago. To keep it, I couldn’t afford to just stand here any longer. I wouldn’t find a better moment than this: night had arrived, which meant everyone was asleep, the trials had yet to begin, and I held a tiny, possibly trivial, means of self-defense.
It was now or never.
There was a way out—that I knew for certain—and the idea was only supported by the fact that Zeus had cast a spell over the other eleven contestants to not even attempt to search for escape.
As soundlessly as possible, I slipped my hand under the pillow, grabbed the dagger and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. My teeth sunk into my bottom lip when I gripped the boots between my fingers, tip-toeing toward the exit.
I held my breath, my hand brushing against the door handle. All I had to do was open it and then I wouldn’t have to worry about the 226688. I pressed down and?—
“Where are you going?”
My lungs drew in some air. Goddamn it. I closed my eyes for a moment before turning around and finding him between the shadows of the night.
“Going for a run. It helps me clear my head,” I said, deciding the half-truth was the way to go.
His wings batted as he neared me. “In your nightwear?”
I glanced down, the carpet tickling my bare toes as I surveyed the luxurious satin pajamas he’d conjured onto my bed with a mere snap of his fingers not long ago.
“Yes. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Mm-hmm.” He dragged the sound out, and with a flick of his fingers, I was back into the uniform I woke up in. “That’s better. You won’t mind if I join you?” he asked, stopping mid-way for a yawn.
“I would mind. I’d like to be alone.”
“That wasn’t a suggestion, mortal. I know I’m a small guy, but do not try to fool me. I know what you’re doing.”
Without even meaning to, I arched a brow. “And what is that?”
226688 sighed loudly. “Don’t you get it? There’s no way out. Stop searching for it.”
“See? Now I know you’re lying.”
“And you reached that conclusion, how?”
I paid him no mind, slipping my feet into the boots and then securing the laces. One minute later, I dug my palms into thefront pockets of my pants and walked out of the room with one destination in mind: the exit door.
“You’re wasting your energy and time when you should be focusing on training! Last night you didn’t train like everyone else.” He paused for a breath before he shook his head. “And now she’s staring at a wall. Just so you know, your survival skills are lacking.”
I squinted. “I amnotstaring at a wall. It’s a door,” I said, with my eyes pointed at the fairy. I twisted my wrist on the doorknob and listened to the rusty hinges creaking as the door swung open.
“You’re worrying me,” he whispered, biting his fingernails.
“What?”
“You are worrying me.”
“I heard you the first time. I’m just not sure what exactly it is about me that worries you.”
226688 glanced between the door and me, a gleam of something in his eyes, as if some critical detail had escaped me. “Perhaps the fact that you see things that aren’t there?”
