Page 76 of The Blood Rites

The world has gone quiet, almost peaceful. I close my eyes and listen to my heart, waiting for it to slow down.

Marissa whispers, “Are we alive?”

“Just barely,” I manage, nodding weakly.

My mouth tastes of salt, and I blink against the sensation of sand and grit beneath my burning eyelids.

We drag ourselves up and over a nearby ledge, and I see that we are much closer to the Mother Shard than before.

From up here, the shape finally makes sense. The island is divided into sections circling the Mother Shard. The closer we get to the centre, the less ground we'll need to cover when the next wave comes.

I don’t see Rask or Orla anywhere. The Mother Shard still bears a shining one, so they must have survived the wave somehow too.

“Let’s go,” I say.

Marissa doesn’t respond. She just takes my hand and follows.

The world feels empty except for the sound of our breathing.

The rocky corridors twist left and right, narrowing with every step. The island seems determined to herd us towards the centre, but we resist as best we can. The closer we get to the Mother Shard, the more likely we are to find other Offerings. Or be found.

I think about Callen, surrounded by enemies. I try not to relish the thought. Instead, I focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Eventually, we emerge from a narrow pass and nearly trip over the Airborn boys. The three of them are sprawled beside a deep pit in the rock. Fen is on the ground, knees tucked to his chest. Alaris has him gripped by the collar, while Sorin paces nearby.

"What’s going on here?" I ask.

Fen’s head whips up. His eyes are bloodshot—feral.

“He won’t let me fucking do it,” he screams.

Alaris looks up at me, teeth gritted. “He’s lost it. He tried to jump.”

The pit yawns beside them.

Fen laughs and the sound is ugly. “Why shouldn’t I?”

No one answers.

"We're all dead already."

"Shut up," Alaris snaps.

"No. You shut up," Fen says as he tears himself loose. "I don't want to do this anymore."

The clearing falls silent. Even Alaris doesn't have an answer for that.

Marissa speaks for the first time in ages, her voice frail and tired. “I don’t think you’re allowed to... to—um, kill yourself, that is.”

Fen stares at her. “I’ll do whatever I want. My family will get their gold, and I’ll be dead. Why is everyone making it so complicated?”

Marissa shakes her head slightly. “The Overseers said on the very first day, death must come at another’s hand.”

Fen spits at the ground, then turns his gaze to me. “Then someone else kill me.”

His eyes find mine. "Please."

I shake my head, unsettled by the desperation in his voice. “I don’t want to kill anyone. What makes you think I even could?”