by G. Bailey
“Are you okay?” His dark tone and pinched eyes make me shiver.
I cross my arms, taking two more steps closer to him. “Could be better, Professor Mune, not gonna lie.”
“Call me Scott here.” He also takes a step but then he pauses, and his expression darkens just like his tone. He leans against the desk and grips the sides with his large hands, his knuckles turning white. “I know you didn’t do what they said you did. It’s all bullshit, Izora, and I’m going to find a way to get you out.”
My heart skips a beat at the words.
Fuck, if hearing my sexy History of Magics teacher talk like this isn’t hot.
From the moment I entered his classroom at the academy and saw him, all rugged and bearded with his tattoos and silver hair, I wanted him. I planned to seduce him. Never in a million years did I expect him to come to my rescue.
“Why do you care about me so much?” I ask, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.
“Let’s just say my brother is here and he didn’t do what he was accused of. He was the same age as you when he was falsely convicted.” He grunts, running a hand through his slicked-back hair. “When I found out what happened here, I applied for a new part-time job. It was easy with Gage already working here once a week as the therapist.”
“Gage as in Mr Michaels?” I ask incredulously, and Scott nods. “Is your brother still in here?”
He nods again, but his eyes make it clear I won’t get a name.
“Once a week,” he says in a dangerously low voice, “you will spend a day here with me. I plan to keep you safe at least for one day. Now, tell me what it’s like in here. I’m not allowed to leave this room.”
“Other than the Blood Trials, it’s pretty normal.”
“The Blood what?!” he all but roars. “You mean the ancient tradition the first Dark Fae King created? They are still doing that in here?”
Shivering, I think back to the line of bodies I saw. “Yep. They just treat the inmates like cuts of meat. It’s brutal.”
“It should have been stopped years ago, but I guess Queen Narah doesn’t want to end them or she would have.”
I shrug at him, muttering. “Who knows what goes on in the minds of the fae?”
“Nothing good, that’s for sure,” he answers, his eyes intent on me.
“Wait. Do you know how Corvina Charles and Sage Millhouse are doing?” I question. “It must be year two for them now.”
Something dark crosses his features. “Corvina Charles has made a name for herself. Did you know she was fae?”
“Corvina is fae?” I repeat, my eyes bulging in disbelief.
“Not just any fae. Why don’t you sit down and I will tell you everything I know?”
I nod and drop into the seat by his desk, ready to hear what my friends have been up to.
By the end of the day, I know it’s not just my life that’s getting complicated.
It’s my friends, too.
“Do you really need to follow me everywhere all of the time?”
Luke flashes a wolfish grin as he holds my cage door open. “Not everywhere and not all the time.”
I grumble at his retort. “It’s not that I don’t enjoy your company, but…” I slide by him, his scent invading my senses. “You constantly draw attention my way. Like, all the time. Also is that cologne I smell?”
“Au naturel,” he says, closing the gate. “And good. Then they’ll know not to come near you.”
Au naturel, my ass. For some reason, he’s put on some fancy spiced cologne today, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s for me. It’d mean my charm is beginning to rub off on him. His words from the other day play through my head, and I smile down at the floor as I follow him to the mess hall.
‘I wish I saw you like a simple prisoner instead of the wild, silver-haired girl from Shadowborn Academy that I had a crush on once.’
I should really only feel relieved to know that a) he remembers me and b) sees me more than a prisoner. But I feel more than I should—excited, flattered, and giddy, to name a few. He also caught my attention at the parties. I just never expected him to notice me. I need to be careful with this Shadow Warden. He’s still keeping me trapped here at the end of the day. Dammit. Why does my captor and, hell, even the governor, need to be sexy?
When we reach the hall, the two wardens who usually guard the doors are noticeably absent. Instead, there’s a whole swarm of them hovering by the entrance. Not until I slide past a few of them do I realise what’s going on.
They’re preparing for the Night of the Moon.
“The festival is tonight?”
“Tomorrow,” Luke corrects me, herding the way through the other wardens. “There will be a party here after sunset. The Gov’s big on celebrating our holidays. This one is his favourite.”
That certainly explains all the moon and star decorations hanging in the hall. The entire ceiling is being covered in them, and they’re each moving and shimmering like the real night sky. I bet it’ll look wonderful at night time. I wonder if we’ll be allowed outside to bask in the moonlight? That’s what the tradition calls for. It’s the one day a year when there’s a Blood Moon, and the whole forest celebrates it in honor of Selena, our Goddess of the Moon. Helios has a similar tradition, Day of the Sun, for their goddess Danica. They’re both spectacular events, and for the first time since I arrived here, I’m a little excited.
I head over to the servery and grab some food. Much to my relief, Luke doesn’t hang around like I was complaining about earlier. He actually gives me some space and talks to a colleague while I sit down to eat. I’m blissfully enjoying this moment alone when a looming shadow eclipses the corner of my eye.
I put my carton of juice down and look up at six beefy dudes towering over me. The guy I punched the other day is wearing a neck brace. Poor little baby. I almost laugh at how pathetic he looks. There’s no way he really needs that. Even his suppressant collar is squeezing the foam which I bet isn’t at all that comfortable.
What a fucking idiot.
But that’s what he gets for touching my body without consent.
I look him up and down slowly. “What’s wrong, handsome? Come back for round two?”
He steps forward, but the biggest of the group puts an arm out to stop him. This guy is at least a foot taller than the rest and his face is covered in scars, some of them superficial, but others, like the vertical one denting his cheek, are deep. His almond-shaped eyes flash towards me, one black and one blue.
“You think you’re funny, don’t you, fresh meat?”
I shrug casually, though inside my heart rate picks up. “I don’t know about funny. I do have a good aim, though.”
The guy’s face contorts into an ugly smile. “Well isn’t that something.” His gaze flickers up to Luke and back again. “You won’t always have your precious Shadow Warden around to protect you.”
“That might be true,” Axel growls, dropping into the stool on my left, “but she’s got me. Go take your little mutts for a walk, Coen, and piss off. This one is ours.”
Memphis steps around me and flaps a big hand dismissively. “Shoo the fuck away.”
A strained silence stretches between the men. I half expect Coen to attack, but I remember what Luke said about Axel and Memphis ruling the roost, and right enough, Coen backs down. Casting me a generous glare, Coen and his cronies return to their chairs a few tables down.
Shuddering, I turn to the guys. “When you said ‘this one is ours’—”
“We’re claiming your sexy ass,” Axel explains with not a flicker of hesitation.
My stupid heart skips a beat. “Why?”
“So none of those fuckwads will give you any hassle,” he explains, throwing a sharp glare Coen’s way. “They won’t be bothering you no more.”
I follow Axel’s gaze. Coen is still staring at me. Honestly, I don’t think he’s stopped since he sat down. What a creepy guy.
“What does that make me to the two of you?” I ask, looking b
etween them.
A wicked smile pulls at Axel’s lips—one that makes my legs clench. “To me? Nothing you don’t wanna be, cutie.”
I grin at him, turning to Memphis. “What about you?”
He hesitates for a moment, then drags a hand through his hair. “I’m just looking out for you, kid. You’re a good egg. I don’t bat for that team, though, if you get my drift.”
Dang it.
Figures he’d be off the table.
But Axel… now that’s someone I’m definitely happy to hear about.
“Let’s go, jaybird,” Luke interrupts, just as the conversation is getting interesting. “Time to get you a job.”
I push back from the table, nodding. “See you guys later.”
Axel turns in his seat. “Hold up now. We’re lookin’ for a trainer,” he says to me, causing the warden to stop in his tracks. “Just someone to help around and give those unlucky bastards a fighting chance in the arena. Think you’re cut out for the job, kid?”
“I don’t see why not,” I say, glancing at Luke, who doesn’t seem eager to agree.
“There are plenty of other jobs,” he argues, clenching his jaw. “Safer ones.”
The edge of Axel’s lips twitch. “But they ain’t got us. Why don’t you let your prisoner decide, warden? After all, we get to pick our jobs, not you. Or are you taking that away from us now, too?”
Luke’s hand quickly falls to his taser. Before things get ugly, I put myself between them.
“Come on, fellas. There’s plenty of me to go around,” I joke, but only Memphis acknowledges it with a grunt. “Maybe we can check the job out? If it’s too dangerous, fine, I won’t do it.”
Luke finally peels his eyes off Axel and looks at me. After a strained pause, he nods. “All right. But you’re not going alone.”
The three of them walk me to the training room. It’s already full of men and women fighting dummies and slamming each other onto the mats. Axel places his palm to the small of my back and a spark ripples through me.
“There are two arenas at this prison. One is where you go to train.” He motions around the room, then points to where I know the auditorium is on the other side of the wall. “The other is where you go to die.”
Memphis nods. “And while we can’t save everyone who steps into the Blood Trials, we can at least give their sorry asses a chance by training them.”
“Have you ever fought in the Trials yourself?” I ask curiously.
The muscles in Memphis’ face harden. “The Fae Tryouts were enough for me.”
I gape at him. “You competed in the tryouts? What happened? Did you win? My friends are competing this year. Guess I’ll have to support them from here. What was it like? Give me all the deets.”
“Later, kid. We’ve got jobs to do. Are you ready to help?”
I nod, a rush of excitement filling me. “Sign me up!”
Axel laughs. “At least she’s enthusiastic.”
“Go on.” Memphis motions for me to join the others with a flick of his chin. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
I look around the room, wondering where I should start. Most of the people here are working in pairs if not teams of three. Luke points me in the direction of the back of the room. There’s a young girl trying her damnedest to fight one of the dummies. Even though it’s only a hologram, it repeatedly outmaneuvers her, much to the surrounding wardens’ amusement. I toss my braid over my shoulder and walk over, watching as she falls clumsily onto the floor.
“If this dummy was a dog, it’d be taking you for a walk.”
She looks up at me, her brown eyes wide. “So? I still can’t give up.”
“And I admire that. Here…” I offer her my hand. She takes it and I pull her on her to her feet. Wow, she weighs practically nothing. How old is she? Fifteen at a push? That’s way too young to be in here. “What’s your name?”
“It’s Abigail,” she answers meekly. “Or Abbie. Whatever floats your boat.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Izora.”
“I know who you are. You’re the girl who knocked that guy out at the induction ceremony.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah. You wouldn’t think I’d be able to do that, just by looking at me, would you?” She shakes her head. “Looks can be deceiving. Many use it to their advantage. What are you good at?”
Her long, awkward pause doesn’t fill me with much hope.
“Right. Umm. What’s your weapon of choice?”
Abigail turns her back on me and watches the others kicking ass. “I’m not really a fighter.”
No shit.
“Then why are you entering into the Trials?” I probe subtly, hoping there’s still a way for her to back out. I can certainly give her some tips but I can’t train her in a day.
At this rate, she won’t last a second.
“Because my brother…” She hesitates, turning back to face me with tears in her eyes. “My brother died in the arena last week. He enlisted so he could get me out of here. I told him not to, but Kenneth, he…he was always so stubborn. I want to win so I can use my reward to get him a headstone.”
“A headstone?” I repeat in a quiet voice.
“Life means nothing here and neither does death. They just burn the bodies once they pull them out of the arena. I really want to get him a headstone. He deserves that at least.”
“Well…” I trail off, taking stock of how little chance this girl stands, and yet admiring her bravery at the same time. “I’ll try my best to help. Let’s get started…”
There’s something harrowing about training people that may not live to see the next sunset. I spend most of the evening preparing inmates for the Blood Trials, and with every person I help, I wonder if I’ll ever see them again. It’s a little stupid, really. For all I know, they’re locked up in here for the most vicious of crimes. And yet I wish them luck all the same before calling it a night.
My body aches from all the workouts. Luke lets me take a quick shower in the girl’s communal bathroom before dinner. I hope the warm water helps to soothe my muscles, but when I step out and get dressed again, I’m still a bit tender. I think I overworked myself in the hopes to impress the guys, especially Luke and Axel. Axel spent quite a few sessions helping me train, and the way he watched me sent shivers down my spine. I so badly wanted to prove I’m cut out for the job. I just might have overexerted a little on the first day.
Back inside my cage, Luke hands me a tray of food for dinner, sparing me from the mess hall, much to my relief. I’m surprised to find two painkillers next to my glass of water. I slip the pills into my mouth and take a swig of water, grateful once again for Luke’s kindness.
“What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” I ask him, digging into my bowl of food. Mmm, watery casserole. Just the way I like it. Not. I guess beggars can’t be choosers, though.
“It’s the festival. The party will start at dusk,” Luke states, returning to his usual spot by the gate.
“When you say party…” I trail off, arching an eyebrow expectantly.
“No booze. He’s not that generous.”
“Damn.”
Luke screws up his face, somehow making himself even sexier. “You really think it’d be a good idea to get all the inmates drunk? There would be a riot.”
“Good point,” I grumble. “Guess I was just wishful thinking.”
“You’re not at the Devil’s Drop anymore, jaybird.”
I finish off the last of my dinner, saying after a drink, “The best parties were always held there, weren’t they? I miss them. Just being able to dance and forget everything.”
The side of his eyes crinkle into a nostalgic smile. “Yeah. I miss them, too.”
He takes my tray away and I watch him leave the room, wondering if I’ll ever get to see that carefree side of Luke again.
It’s time to celebrate the life and death of our almighty goddess, Selena. Since it’s a special occasion, I try to pick out the best outfit I poss
ibly can. I pull on my tight grey jeans, a plain white blouse with a sweetheart neckline, and my tattered leather boots. I don’t have anything silver to wear, which is usually customary during this festival. Oh well. I’ve done what I can. I finish the look off by unbraiding my damp hair and I let the soft curls drape down my back. A loose strand gets caught in my collar and I pull it out, looking over at the door as Luke enters again.
His gaze strays up and down my body, lust glittering within his cobalt eyes. “Are you ready?”
I give his own outfit a slow once over. He’s wearing casual clothes this time, with his weapons still attached to the belt around his waist. His crisp white shirt is rolled up at the sleeves and held in place with a blood-red tie and matching braces. His dress trousers are dark like his shiny leather shoes, and I can smell his fancy cologne again. The bar holding his tie and shirt in place is silver, just like Selena’s stars.
“Yeah,” I reply, swallowing down my desire. “I’m good.”
He opens the gate and motions me to come out. As I slip past him, I meet his gaze only to find that his eyes are rooted on my lips. An intense desire percolates between us, so powerful I can almost hear it cackling like magic. My stomach flips under his gaze. Falling for my prison warden? Not a good idea, Izora. Yet I can’t seem to help myself.
I shake my head and follow him outside. The distant music carries to my ears. The corridor is filled with inmates making their way to and from the hall, with guards standing by at all times, ever silent and watchful. When we enter the hall itself, I’m surprised by the transformation. The decorations I saw at breakfast now adorn the walls and barred windows. The ceiling really does look like a sea of stars gleaming in the night sky. It’s far too beautiful a display for a prison. The Night of the Moon really is Gold’s favourite holiday.
I wonder what the other ones will be like? The Feast of Zorya is my personal favourite. It runs from the last day of winter to the first day of spring. When Selena and Danica were alive, they had a great feast on these days and both kingdoms came together to celebrate what had died in winter to make way for spring. I always enjoy it because it meant that even our darkest moments plant the seeds to new beginnings. It gives us hope. Sometimes hope is all we have to hold on to.