“I…” I clear my throat after croaking the single word. “I earned this bed.” It’s only now that the room is lit up that I realize the placement of the cots. They are formed into a concentric circle, with him in the middle and me in the row closest to him. I’m guessing I’m the only one stupid enough to be this close, since the three other beds in my row are flat and bare. Too bad I didn’t notice that in the dark.
He rises to his full height, and I tip my head back to watch him. “I’m guessing you’re the reason Taggert is gone,” he notes.
“I don’t know who Taggert is, but I was told I was traded,” I admit.
He nods once. “How did you wind up here?” He moves closer to me, close enough that I know he wouldn’t have any problem spanning the distance between us to attack. As hard as it is, I hold my ground.
“I bested Hawk in the dregs.” I don’t take my eyes off the male in front of me. It’s clear he’s the leader of this floor. There’s no chance of me challenging him and ascending to the next level, which brings an even more sobering thought.If he’s the top dog here, then what the hell are the elites like?
A slow, nasty smile curls the male’s lips. “I would have liked to have seen that.” His dark gaze sweeps over me, maybe seeing me in a new light or assessing what power I may possess. Little does he know, I have none. “We have rules in the nest.”
“I’m listening,” I tell him, though I’m not willing to commit to anything before hearing it.
“No attacking anyone while we’re here. If you want to challenge someone, you do it outside these walls or in the ring.”
It’s more than I could have ever hoped for, and it seems too good to be true. “What’s the catch?”
“The minute you walk out the door, all bets are off.”
I’m still skeptical. There’s a part of me that thinks he is only telling me this so I’ll lower my guard, but if he’s telling the truth, then it’s a rule I can accept as long as no one else attacks me first. “Okay,” I agree.
“If you use your powers on anyone to get them out of the nest, or break the rules in any way, all bets are off.”
“We’ll all take turns cutting you up, so none of us can take the blame alone for killing you,” a female chimes in.
“I’m not going to challenge anyone,” I say, but I know they don’t have a reason to believe me.
“I bet Hawk would argue.” The voices are coming from all around, so it’s nearly impossible to know who’s speaking. Besides, I’m not all that eager to take my eyes off the leader of the group.
“He came for me. I was just trying to find a dark corner to sleep in.”
“Nah, you must have caught him by surprise.”
Arguing won’t get me anywhere, so I don’t bother. “Whatever you say. Am I good to bunk here, or do I need to find somewhere else to sleep?”
“You chose your bed, so now you can sleep in it.” The sentiment is met with sounds of agreement from several people in the group. Clearly, they think there is a reason to keep their distance from the big male and I made a poor choice in location, but I’m not so sure I agree with them. For one, I’ll be able to keep an eye on him, and I’ll be able to benefit from his separation. Ifthere’s a reason to be afraid to break the rules, then he’s one of them.
“You better get moving. Our time in the tavern starts in about five minutes, and you’ll want every minute you can get to eat,” he warns.
“Is that your way of getting me to leave the nest?” I try to make light of the situation, but I’m not sure it resonates with him or anyone else.
“Just because we won’t attack you here doesn’t mean you’re safe. The tutors don’t take too kindly to us when we miss lessons, and missing a meal, especially for someone as small as you, would be stupid. There are quicker ways to self-destruct that don’t risk getting the rest of us in trouble with the tutors.”
I can’t argue with that, not that I would anyway. Self-destruction isn’t usually my style… for the most part. “My name is Briar. What can I call you?” I rise from the bed slowly so he doesn’t think I’m a threat.
“Tank,” he supplies without pause.
The only thing I can do is hope he isn’t planning on stabbing me in the back the moment we walk out the door.
BRIAR
The noise in the nest picks up after the strange introduction, making me think the silence from only moments ago was an unintentional byproduct of them waking up with a stranger amongst them.
Now that the immediate threat is over, my body’s needs make themselves known. I finally have enough liquid in my system that I need to pee. I can ignore it for now, but after eating, I will have to figure out where the bathrooms are.
I can feel eyes on me from every angle, but I pretend to be unaffected. When I notice a female standing alone off to the side, not even trying to hide the fact that she’s examining me, I finally give her my attention. As if that was the cue she was waiting for,she steps forward but makes sure not to get too close. I’m not sure if it’s Tank that keeps her at bay or myself.
Clearly, there’s something she wants from me, and there’s something I need—the bathroom. “How did you do it?” she asks then bites her bottom lip as if there’s more she wants to say, but she stopped herself.
