Philip hung onto every word, and nausea churned deep in Christian’s gut. He was moving into the part of his story that no one—not even Gemma—knew about. He took a deep, shaky breath.
“The Falaichte turns hunting into a sport. They take bets on whether the person being hunted will win or lose.”
Ahna interrupted him. “Wait, did you sayperson?” When he nodded to confirm, she let out a long exhale.
“For a while, the one being hunted was chosen randomly. Then once I realized that by refusing to play you would essentially volunteer yourself, it was almost always me. Butwhen it wasn’t . . .” He shut his eyes, pushing back the memories. “You’re not allowed to kill anyone. But you can do anything else to incapacitate the target. And I meananything. And if you didn’t give those who bet a good show, Paulo had his ways of punishing you. So, the hunted would be set loose, and an hour later, the hunters would go after them.”
Philip was frowning now, a deep line forming between his brows, as if he didn’t want to hear any of this as much as Christian didn’t want to tell it. But in a strange way, sharing it was cathartic. He needed to continue his story.
“I’ve seen things done to people that I can’t even explain.” He gripped the arms of the chair tighter. “I’d tried to leave after my first hunt, but Paulo promised he’d take it out on Dad and Lysa if I did. So, I was forced to play this sick, twisted game. Always afraid if I screwed up for one second, my family would pay.” His voice cracked. “And then came the day that Cho was chosen, and the things they did to her for ‘the show’ . . .”
Christian squeezed his eyes closed as the memory of Cho’s assault entwined with that of his mother’s. He’d been too young to get revenge on the men who’d brutally murdered his mom, but those who’d molested Cho had felt his vengeance. Only the thought of Paulo’s wrath against his family had kept him from murdering the men. If he’d taken out Paulo’s hunters, Christian’s dad and sister would’ve paid the price.
Christian released a shaky breath before opening his eyes. Philip’s horror-struck gaze never moved from Christian’s face. His entire body was still as stone.
Christian shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. “It was that day I decided I was done playing. If I wasn’t already so injured from the previous hunt that I couldn’t compete, I’d volunteer to be the one hunted down. And I got really fucking good at self-defense and taking pain. By the time I was sixteen, I’d learnedhow to win the hunts and put on a good enough show that Paulo didn’t care that I was always the one on the defense.”
“And you did that for four years?” Ahna asked, her voice laced with sorrow.
He nodded. “And between hunts, I’d fight in the ring to keep my skills up and win enough money to pay off my dad’s debts. To make sure Lysa never even had to think about following in my footsteps in order to get off Reva—our mother’s dying wish. I’d saved up so much money that by the time my Trials came around, I had three-years-worth of creds to make sure Lysa made it to her Trials. So, I told her enough that she’d understand why there was a rifle in her floor and why she had to keep the money quiet, even from our dad. Then I left, praying I’d never have to come back.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me all of this before we were in the field,” Ahna said, her tone becoming more accusatory. “We’re partners. I trusted you with my life.”
Christian turned his head toward her. “And how the fuck would I have started that conversation?”
“All right, enough.” Philip’s hands were raised when Christian returned his attention to the governor. “There is already enough at stake here. Infighting is not acceptable if you want to remain on this team. Is that understood?”
Ahna’s nostrils flared, but she stood tall, her arms behind her back. “Yes, sir.” Christian repeated the phrase.
“Good.” Philip turned his attention to Christian. “Mister Holm, I did not get to where I am today by falling for misinformation. The few details we do know about the Falaichte track with your story. I should have you arrested for breaking several laws by being part of that organization.”
Christian swallowed, his eyes burning.
“However,” the governor continued, “I am inclined to believe the actions you took were against your will. So, I am absolvingyou of any wrongdoing. You are a free citizen of the United Planetary Systems now, and you will remain that way.”
Christian relaxed in his seat, his arms falling slack against the armrests. A wave of overwhelming relief passed through him. For years, those memories had lived like parasites beneath his skin. To hear them now, spoken aloud without being met with scorn or disbelief . . . It was like breathing after the noose was loosened.
“There is one other thing I do need to know,” Philip stated. “How closely are the Falaichte and Dissent aligned?”
Christian’s brows knit together. “I don’t know, sir. I never witnessed the internal workings of the Falaichte. I was just a fighter.”
Philip tapped his chin before speaking again. “Then we need to find out. Let’s see if we can convince Cho to help us.”
Gemma found a quiet alcove just off the main corridor, half-shaded by a carved archway and with enough distance from the clamor of scientists to make the silence feel real. She sat down, letting her backsack slide off her shoulder, and it hit the stone floor with a dull thud. Her head was still buzzing from Doctor Liebher’s revelation.
She tapped the comm on her wrist. “Send message to Christian Holm. ‘Hope all is well down there. I found the spot where the orb used to be. They’re already crawling over it like savage beasts. I’m okay. I think.’ ”
Several minutes passed with no answer. Her leg bounced asshe began to worry. He’d been quick to answer the last time she’d messaged him.
Gemma tapped her comm again. “Call Christian Holm.” The repetitive beep of the outgoing call rang in her ear, but Christian wasn’t answering.
She exhaled, sharp and shallow, pressing her palms to her eyes until white stars flickered in the dark.He’s busy on a mission. Or resting. Or dealing with something urgent. He’s totally fine.
She lowered her hands, leaned forward, and stared out at the scientists and archaeologists running to and fro. What had she really done by touching that orb? Had she awoken something ancient, or just broken herself in a way no one could fix? There were so many questions churning through her mind, and she couldn’t answer any of them.
Footsteps approached, quiet and unhurried. Gunner dropped into a crouch a few feet away, his arms resting on his knees. “You don’t look like someone who just made a massive archaeological discovery.”
Gemma gave a humorless smile. “And what does that person usually look like?”
