Electus (Regnum Series Book 1)

by K. M. Link

  Tia runs in front of the door four down from where she was at as the lion gains momentum. It is only inches away from her when she opens the portal, allowing it to run inside. Tia shuts it as hard as she can muster and leans against it to ensure the lion won’t escape. The audience applaud her while she catches her breath. All Tia can think about it is surviving this stage and moving somewhere safe.

  The doors disappear, and Tia finished the second obstacle. All around her, white trees with blue leaves pop up. The grass grows beneath her feet. It really does have that blue hue to it. The fog settles in. Tia is now inside a vast forest. She can no longer see the crowd. It’s just as breath-taking as Javan described it with the dew covering the leaves on a nearby tree. She knows immediately that this obstacle was designed by him.

  The air is cool, and she allows the breeze to brush against her face. It’s refreshing after all the heat her body generated from the last two obstacles. The fog rolls in thicker, almost a little too thick. It’s difficult to tell where she is walking. Tia wanders through the forest, the air is even cooler than before. She zips her jacket up all the way, trying to keep warm. After the first two tests, Tia wonders what twist this will have. Will he try to hurt someone? Javan seems too gentle for anything like that.

  As if they read her mind, someone cries out in the distance. Tia turns, attempting to find where the noise originates. However, the fog is too thick to see anything but two inches in front of her face. Tia has a sensation of suffocating in the white haze. She hears the cry, a second time. The voice rings familiar.

  “Fera!” Tia calls, hoping she will answer. There is no sound, nothing but the rustle of the trees.

  “Fera!” she screams again. Then, she hears Fera moaning in the distance. Tia runs towards the noise, almost hitting a few trees. “Fera!” she yells as loud as she can muster. She continues to cry out for Tia to hear her. Tia keeps her speed, her heart racing at the thought of something happening to her friend. Finally, she spots Fera tied to a tree.

  “Tia, oh thank god. I don’t know how I got here.” Fera appears weak and pale.

  “Are you hurt?” Tia questions her, releasing her from the tree.

  “No, not a scratch,” she responds. “Thank you so much.”

  Tia glances around the forest, her back to Fera. “The fog hasn’t lifted. I thought this was the obstacle, but it must not be complete.”

  “That’s because it’s not,” Fera voices from behind Tia. She turns around to catch Fera holding a rock above her head, ready to strike.

  Chapter 12

  She moves out of the way just in time to miss a blow to the back of the head.

  “What are you doing?!” Tia screams. Fera appears to be in some sort of trance. Her eyes are glazed over. She doesn’t answer, just continues to swing at Tia.

  “Fera! It’s me Tia!” She takes off running with Fera at her heels. She weaves in and out of trees as the fog remains thick. Tia is completely confused as to what she needs to do. I can’t hurt Fera. I just can’t fight back. What if I kill her? Her mind is racing through everything that Javan said the past few days. Something is telling her that he left a hint for her in their previous conversations. Fera is drawing closer behind Tia now, attempting to grab at the hood on her jacket. Think, Tia. Think.

  Her mind examines every conversation. Why would he do this to me? He told me that I can trust him. Trust him. That’s it. I need to trust him. That’s what he is trying to test me on. She stops, putting her hands out to Fera and hugs her as tight as she can. Fera drops the rock and returns the embrace.

  Everything around her disappears, including Fera. Tia can see the crowd, once more, as well as the arena. It doesn’t take long for the next challenge to form. This time, walls rise, surrounding Tia. Before she knows it, she is inside a maze with black reflective panels. There is an opening with Start, carved in gold letters, on the wall beside it. A door shuts and seals the opening. The top is enclosed with a glass ceiling.

  She follows the long wall, before veering right. Its’a a short wall, followed by another corner. Tia turns and walks along the path, hoping this is the right direction. She reaches a dead end. Tia has no choice but to turn around.

  Suddenly, Tia senses a dampness in her shoes. Glancing down at the ground, Tia finds water rising inside the maze. Tia realizes that it won’t take long for the maze to fill up, especially if they sealed the ends.

  Tia takes off in a run, heading toward an opening. She sees two paths, one wall appears to be another dead end as her reflection stares back at her. Tia decides to run down the other side, water now surrounding her ankles. Her heart is racing as she turns right, wandering down another course. Tia has no clue if this is correct, relying completely on instinct.

  She reaches several corners, each one leading her towards a new opening. The water is up around her knees now. She is beginning to panic as she hits another dead end. Tia heads back, turning down one more path. Once the water reaches her thighs, Tia decides to swim along the remainder of the maze. Even though it continues to rise, there appears to be a subtle current. She turns a corner, letting the water be her guide.

  “This girl could steal the show this year. She has excelled in so many fields. Rumor has it she was top of her class. Still, we all know that the first event with stage fright might cost her points in the long run,” Carmen yammers on over the microphone.

  Swimming vigorously along the current, Tia finds another door. On the wall next to it is carved Finish in gold letters. It’s the end of the maze, but she is not sure how to open it. Then she sees there is a small opening at the bottom of the door, where the water barely sneaks out.

  Tia takes a huge gulp of air and dives down to the bottom to push the door upward. No matter how hard she tries, she can’t lift it. Tia swims toward the top, the water still rising enough that she is almost floating to the ceiling. She holds her breath and swims down to the door, once more. This time, she notices a sliding puzzle on the door. Tia swims up to the top to get some air, then heads back down to concentrate on the image she needs to put together.

  She slides the pieces around as quickly as possible. Her lungs burn, as she keeps hold of her breath. Just a few more pieces, she thinks. With the lack of oxygen, it become more difficult to move the pieces. She shoves the last piece into place, revealing the symbol of the Electus. Tia is ready to pass out as the door opens, releasing her into the dirt floor of the arena.

  Tia takes a deep breath and the maze disappears. She stands up, her side aching. Only one more to go, she thinks to herself. Unsure of what is coming next, Tia examines the arena, nothing happening. All she notices is the audience and the box above the crowd with Carmen and the leaders. She swears, she spots Javan smirking at her.

  Finally, she peers down at her feet where grass replaces the dirt. She ambles around, wondering if she needs to perform a task in the grass. Then, she steps on something hard. She moves backward, and glances down where her foot was. In the high grass is a glimmer of gold. Tia leans over to grab a golden egg. It fits in her palm perfectly. An egg hunt? Tia wonders.

  She examines the egg in her palm. It is plain, except for the carving on the bottom. The inscription reads, rub me. Tia rubs the egg with her other hand. It shakes violently, then cracks open. Out pops a cloud of smoke with a voice reciting a riddle, Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it, you will die. What is it?

  The egg seals up and vanishes, along with the crowd. She is now inside a room with white walls and ceiling. The floor is made of a wood laminate. The walls are bare as they inch towards her, slowly. In a panic, Tia attempts to dissect the riddle. She wonders what poor people would have that rich people would need. Maybe a sense of fear, however you can’t eat fear and why would anyone need fear, she mulls over, the walls closing in.

  Her heart is pounding. She tries to process what she grew up with that someone like Javan didn’t grow up with. An old wooden house? Nah. The walls are a few feet aw
ay, now. She can not seem to pin point what she would have that a rich person wouldn’t. There’s nothing. Wait nothing. I grew up with nothing. Humans want or need for nothing. If you eat nothing you die.

  “The answer is nothing!” she screams. The walls disappear from sight. The crowd re-appears, cheering for her, and the arena is back to its usual form. She is relieved. All the pain is finally over, and her fate is officially out of her hands at this point.

  “Looks like she made it through, ladies and gents! Conscientia Trumble shines yet again.” Everyone is applauding as she bows and exits the arena. Quade is waiting for her back stage with a smile. Oh boy, she thinks. Now is not a time Tia wishes to speak to him. Unfortunately, she knows she has no choice. Before she can ask him what is going on, he grabs her hand and pulls her into a back room, shutting the door behind them.

  “What’s going on?” she pries, as Quade releases her. He has some minor cuts on his arms and neck, most likely from the event. His hair is tousled as usual and his eyes are warm and inviting. This is the Quade Tia knows, the guy she misses.

  “I need to talk to you about us. It’s nearly impossible to get away from Kira and you seem to be mysteriously disappearing, lately,” he answers, sitting down on a couch.

  “Where is Kira now?” she questions, her brow furrowed.

  “She had a difficult time, I guess, with the one obstacle. They took her to get examined. Luckily she made it through. Apparently, one girl died, from what Daniel told me.”

  “Oh my!” Tia places her hand over her mouth. “Who was it?”

  “Some girl from Otium, she was the one with the lisp,” he replies, shrugging his shoulders.

  “How did it happen?”

  “Well, when the tongue is misplaced in the mouth...” Quade begins.

  Tia rolls her eyes. “Not her fucking lisp, Quade. How did she die?”

  “Oh, she, um, drowned,” he responds. Tia is still in shock. It isn’t that she hasn’t seen people die in the Electus before, but she was hoping it wouldn’t happen this year.

  He leans forward. “Tia, I wanted to apologize for the other night. I wasn’t myself. To think what could have happened without your consent.” His eyes are wide, as though he is frightened she will yell at any second.

  Tia wants to tell him it doesn’t matter at this point, that someone else already had the same idea Quade had the other night. Only difference is that Quade would have at least been remorseful.

  “I know you wouldn’t hurt me on purpose, Quade. Also, I know you were not yourself the other night,” she sits down next to him on the couch.

  “I talked to Fera, yesterday, and she made me realize that I might have led you on or gave you mixed signals. Therefore, I believe we both have things to be sorry for. Also, I should have been honest with you about where the dress came from. You have to know, nothing is happening with Javan the way it appears. All I can say is that I do miss your friendship, but that is all I am looking for from you.”

  “Right,” he stares at his feet. “I figured that already. I’m also sorry Kira answered the door yesterday. I didn’t want you to find out that way, it’s just, I was upset. She came over and it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  Tia sets her hand on his arm and smiles. “You don’t owe me any explanations. I’m happy for you.”

  “Yeah, she is nice and all,” he shrugs.

  “So, how was it?” she probes.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know... sex. What was it like?” When it’s consensual, she thinks. Tia folds her arms and crosses her legs, reminding her of the painful experience from last night.

  “I don’t remember much to be honest. Kira did most of the work. To tell you the truth, I don’t think it lasted long. You know...quick draw,” he mumbles, raising an eyebrow.

  Tia giggles. “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you.”

  “I see how it is,” he laughs as well. “It feels so good to talk to you again. I really missed you these past two days,” he responds and places his arm around her shoulder. They lean back on the couch, just enjoying each other’s company, once more.

  “I missed you, too. You are the best friend I have, I don’t want to lose that,” Tia admits.

  “I thought I was your only friend,” he teases, his thumb stroking her shoulder. Tia takes a deep breath as her mind wanders to Javan.

  “Something like that,” she responds with a smirk. For the first time this week, they feel like pals, again. Tia hopes it can stay that way.

  After the last person completes the obstacles, Tia decides to join a group of candidates for dinner at a local bar and grill, called Dry and Fry. Tia believes the dinner will be a great distraction. She doesn’t jump into the conversation much, just enjoys a nice meal and listens to the other candidates discuss their adventures this week.

  Tia sits next to Delilah, since Quade is otherwise occupied by Kira’s tight hold. There are possibly ten of them at the table. However, Kira keeps a close eye on Tia, who is distracted by making bubbles in her water with her straw.

  “You know, I enjoyed your magical demonstration last night. It was nice to see something so rarely performed. It was really beautiful,” Delilah mentions to Tia.

  “Thank you,” Tia responds. Her face is now pink. She is not comfortable with compliments.

  “Are you going to drink with us tonight?” Delilah asks, finishing her appetizer.

  “I don’t drink much,” Tia replies. Delilah stares at her. “Usually.” Tia recalls the first night they met and her decision to down three shots of whiskey.

  “You should try a margarita, then. They are so good,” she suggests, her smile intact. Delilah is a kind person once her guard is down.

  “That sounds great, I’ll try it.”

  That is the first, in the long line of alcohol consumed by Tia that evening. After the margarita, she decides to order another one, which disappears amongst the laughter at the table. Tia begins to feel at ease with Delilah and Nathan, who seem to be hitting it off. Daniel also tags along, and Tia takes a stab at being sociable.

  “How did you think you did today at the um...” Tia is feeling the alcohol take affect on her speech.

  “The obstacles?” Daniel finishes her sentence, obviously having a higher tolerance than her.

  “Yes,” she smiles.

  Daniel laughs and sips his beer. “You don’t get out much, do you?”

  Tia shakes her head. Daniel waves the waitress over to the table. “Could you get my friend, here, another drink? It’s on me.”

  “Thank you!” Tia acknowledges, rather excitedly. Daniel laughs, “Quade told me how little you let loose, just figured I would help you out.” Tia giggles but is unsure why.

  “This should be fun,” he responds, sipping his beer.

  After a few rounds, locals offer to pay for the candidates drinks, treating them like celebrities.

  “Can I get a picture with you?” one woman requests. “I’ve been watching this whole week and you are just a doll.” The woman is slightly younger than Tia’s uncle. She has her hair up in a pony tail and has her sunglasses resting on top of her head.

  Tia feels a little uncomfortable. Usually, she does not receive this kind of treatment from humans. Once people notice the mark on her neck and her hand-me-down attire, they tend to snub her.

  “Sure,” she responds, since the woman is being so kind. They pose and the lady takes a picture with her camera. A couple from Otium, there for just the event, offer to buy her and a few other candidates another round. From the sights of the couple, they are not too concerned about their wallets. The man can barely stand and the woman is beginning to disrobe. Tia decides to try something new and allows the couple to make a suggestion. It’s a tall dark bottle of their favorite brew.

  It’s not at all what she expected it to taste like, however, she doesn’t want to be rude and finishes it, anyway. Before Tia can order herself anything else,
she is handed a new beverage, someone bought her. This time it is a glass of orange juice with vodka in it. She isn’t sure if she will enjoy the taste, but after she takes a sip, realizes it is better than the beer. There are a few more shots that Tia vaguely remembers. Before she knows it, she is up for the bathroom, the fourth time in the past hour.

  She climbs out of her seat and almost falls over. Someone bumps into her and their elbow hits her stomach. Tia yelps in pain. Her side was sore earlier, however, she forgot about the pain with all the excitement. Tia is now frightened. Everyone she knows is either severely drunk or left for the evening. Tia makes her way to the bathroom, her body slumps on the toilet seat.

  After she is done, she attempts to sit back on the stool, but her side aches too much. She needs help, but has no way of reaching Allison. Tia pulls out the necklace that is under her shirt and presses her thumb into the pendant. It doesn’t take long for Javan to respond with his print, then in writing appears her address. Tia thinks it must be the alcohol in her system that is causing her to hallucinate.

  Tia feels an excitement build inside her. Javan is coming for me, she thinks, wandering out the front door of the bar. There are no benches to sit, so she just lays down in the grass, beside the sidewalk. It feels cool against her back, and she soaks in the scent. Tia starts to feel rather cold and upset that she forgot to bring a jacket. Still, nothing can move her from that spot until Javan’s car pulls up, outside the front of the bar.

  “Tia?” he calls, his voice stern.

  “Hi!” She waves, rather excited to see his face.

  “Are you alright?” He pulls her up, and she winces a bit. “Are you drunk?” he asks, appearing slightly irritated.

  “Maybe,” she puts her finger on his nose. “Are you?”