The Blood Racer (The Blood Racer Trilogy Book 1)

by Winchester, Matthew

  “No!” I cried. It was no use, though. She wasn’t listening to reason. She wanted me dead, and she was about to finish the job herself. I kicked my legs, but she wasn’t budging. There was nothing I could do. She was so much stronger…

  “Hey! What’s going on over there?” the voice sounded like it came from far away, but was close enough for both of us to hear it. Audra whipped her head around to look for the man who had shouted, and then immediately sprang off of me, dashing away into the shadows in just a matter of seconds.

  All I could do was draw deep breaths and wince against the aches all over my body. As I slowly rolled onto my side, jogging footsteps closed in on me, and I flinched away, briefly thinking I was going to be attacked again.

  “It’s all right, miss,” said the male voice. Looking up, I saw it belonged to tall, broad-shouldered dock security guard. I was unbelievably glad to see him. He had undoubtedly saved my life. If he had been a few seconds later, I would have been bleeding out right now.

  Reaching down, he scooped me effortlessly off of the docks and stood me up, shining a lantern in my face as he looked me over. “Are you all right, miss?” he asked. “Do you know who attacked you?”

  For reasons I’m still not sure of, I shook my head.

  “Do you need medical attention?” he asked, leaning down to look my swollen jaw.

  “No,” I said, focusing on his thick eyebrows so my vision could stop swimming. “No, I’m fine.”

  He looked suspicious, but didn’t press me about it. Instead, he bent down and retrieved the book I had been carrying. “Is this yours?”

  I nodded and took it, feeling my head pounding violently. “Yes, thank you. Listen…do you know who I am?”

  The guard, who I now noticed was probably only in his mid-twenties, shook his head. “No, ma’am. I don’t.”

  “My name is Elana Silver,” I told him. “The -”

  “Blood Racer!” he finished for me. The concern on his face morphed into excitement instantly. “My word…Albert’s never going to believe me.”

  I nodded, holding up my hand. “I need to ask you a favor.”

  “Anything!” he said enthusiastically.

  “I need you to watch my ship,” I said, gesturing behind me. “Someone was trying to break in, and I need to make sure no one else does. Can you do that?”

  He squared his shoulders and gave me a solid nod of the head. “Absolutely, Miss Silver. No one will come near this ship. You have my word.”

  I patted him gently on the shoulder. “Thank you…um…”

  “Donovan,” he said, shaking my hand violently. He seemed to have already forgotten that I’d just been attacked.

  “Thank you, Donovan,” I said. “I’m…in your debt.”

  He smiled and stepped around me to stand with his back to the Cloud Kicker. “Have a good night, Miss Silver.”

  I gave him a parting nod and began staggering my way back to the warehouse. My head was still aching, but by the time I arrived, my balance was basically normal, and the only sign that I’d been in a scuffle was the small lump on the left side of my jawbone. I walked into the room and stopped for a moment, taking stock of those around me. I was much more wary than usual, like I was going to get attacked again at any moment.

  I briefly scanned the room for Audra. Darby and Killian had gone to rest for a bit, and Rigel was still entertaining the bright-eyed Celina Villefort, who was clearly enamored, but I didn’t see Audra anywhere. It took me a moment, but I eventually remembered that she actually lived here in Shiloh. She had probably gone home for the night. It would be crazy for her to come back here after just having tried to murder me, and all. I was relieved at this thought. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about her tonight.

  Keeping my head low, I scurried through the room and to the far wall bunk, where I slipped back into the comfortable sheets and pulled the blanket up over me. Everyone in the room seemed to be having a decent time, but I was still rattled, and I needed something to take my mind off of it. I had brought Nichols’ book to look over, to possibly pick up a fact or two about the Dominion, something that might help me in solving the clues that we were given. That would do nicely. Rolling onto my side, I cracked the book and flipped to the chapter on Shiloh. It was as good a place to start as any.

  I don’t know how long I lay there reading silently to myself and trying to ignore the aches in my face and head, but it definitely helped to clear my mind of the attack earlier. As it turned out, there were plenty of things about Shiloh that I didn’t know. It made me wonder just how much I didn’t know about the Dominion itself. What about Adams? I wondered if there was any secret that place still held from me, some small bit of information long forgotten by everyone. As I turned the final page in the Shiloh chapter, the next one caught my eye.

  “Helios,” I whispered, reading the chapter heading.

  Before I could even read a single word, however, I became aware of a person standing next to my bunk. Reflexively, I flinched and gasped loudly, my adrenaline suddenly spiking.

  Darby stood before me, looking just as shocked and frightened as I was. “I’m sorry!” she said quickly. “Just me. I…just wanted to come see how you were.”

  I sighed and took a deep breath, feeling my body relax. “It’s okay. You just…surprised me, is all.”

  She smiled nervously and sat down on the edge of my bed. “Sorry about that. I just went to put Georgie back in the Foxfire, and thought I’d come say hi before I went to sleep.”

  I nodded. “Oh, thanks. Yeah, I’ll probably be going to bed soon. Just wanted to do a little reading.”

  Immediately, Darby’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, like a book? What book is it?” She apparently had a fondness for reading.

  I held up Nichols’ book. “Just one I got from my boss. I was just reading about fancy-pants Shiloh.”

  Darby eyed the worn, faded cover. “I’ve never heard of that book. It looks very old.”

  “I’m pretty sure it is,” I agreed. “My boss like old things. If it’s grubby and beat up, he’s all over it.”

  “Grubby and beat up?” Killian said, strolling over from behind Darby. “I hope you’re not talking about me.”

  I chuckled. “No, we say much worse things when we talk about you.”

  He laughed loudly. “I don’t doubt it.”

  “So did you learn anything interesting about Shiloh?” Darby asked. She leaned forward attentively, like she was truly interested.

  “I - well, uh…” I stammered, flipping back over the pages I had just read. “Okay, here. The population is just about a hundred thousand people, um…they smelt and distribute metal to the Dominion, and…oh, the big dome in the middle of the city, the Citadel, they farm seafood in there now.”

  “Seafood? Really?” Killian asked, his eyebrow arched with intrigue.

  “Yeah, fish and oysters and lobsters, and stuff,” I said, scanning over the print in front of me. “But it used to be some political building, I guess.”

  “A hundred thousand people?” Darby said incredulously. “That’s amazing. How many people in Ravencog, Killian?”

  He frowned for a moment and then shrugged. “I don’t know. Five or six hundred, maybe. How about Adams?”

  “Maybe a couple thousand,” I answered. “Nothing like this place, though.” I leaned forward just a tad, enough so that I could peek around Darby’s shoulder and watch Rigel, who was listening intently to whatever story Celina was telling. I must have been making some sort of face, because Darby followed my gaze, and then looked back at me with a smirk and a knowing look.

  “Hey, Killian…do you think you could grab one of those fruity drinks up there?” she asked him. “I want one more before I sleep.”

  He nodded, giving her a smile. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

  Without a second’s hesitation, he stood up and began strolling toward the refreshment table.

  “Nicely done,” I said.

  She smirked. “Well…he’s cleve
rer than he seems. So does Rigel know?”

  I closed the book and stared up at her. “Does he know what?”

  “That you like him,” she said simply.

  I looked at her for several seconds, waiting to see if she would start giggling and say that she was just joking. Judging by the way she was looking at me, though, she was clearly serious.

  “I…really? Why would you…even say that?”

  She gave me a friendly smile. “I suppose that’s a ‘no’, then.”

  I was blushing again. Hard. I felt like my face was going to suddenly erupt into flames. I searched for a way to change the subject.

  Talk about something that isn’t Rigel! my brain screamed.

  “No, he…we don’t…what does she see in him? She’s a rich girl!”

  Aaand you failed.

  Darby suppressed a snicker. “Well, he’s…kind of rough-and-tumble, he’s…roguish and funny, he’s really nice, probably charming…cute, too-”

  “I get it,” I said loudly, cutting across her.

  She grinned sympathetically. “I’m just saying…to her, he’s new and exciting. He’s a racer. That means he’s adventurous. He’s brave. To a cooped up, proper girl like her, he’s a heartthrob.”

  I gave an unnecessarily loud scoff, but couldn’t think of anything sarcastic to say in response. All the things she’d said about Rigel were true, I had to admit. But still, why would some spoiled princess like Celina Villefort be interested in a dock worker from the Gap? I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it one bit.

  “I should go over there,” I said.

  Darby placed a firm hand on my shoulder, making sure I didn’t even rise up out of the bed. “Don’t worry. She’s leaving.”

  I looked over at the pair of them once more. Sure enough, they were standing and saying their goodbyes, both of them smiling stupidly at one another. What were they saying? I couldn’t tell, but I was glad to see her go. As she exited the warehouse, Rigel turned from the door and scratched his head, still wearing a dopey grin on his face. He scanned the room for a moment before his eyes fell on us, and he made his way over.

  “Hey,” he said. “I gotta admit…I like this place.”

  “Do you?” I asked, my voice harsh. “Or do you just like your pretty new blonde-headed friend?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “What? Are you jealous, or something?”

  I mimicked his facial expression. “Are you stupid, or something?”

  Rigel laughed and sat down at the foot of my bed, prompting Darby to rise to her feet. “I’m gonna go have that last drink,” she said, giving me one last supportive smile as she went.

  “She was just curious about Adams,” Rigel said, waiting to speak until Darby had left earshot. “She’s actually never been out of Shiloh.”

  “Oh, pardon me while I weep for her. Living in wealth and security every single day must be torture.” I stared up at the top bunk above me, letting my frustration ebb from me in the form of angry comments.

  With a sigh, Rigel stood up and made his way over to my head. “Well, I think I’ll get some sleep.”

  “Night,” I said curtly.

  I still wasn’t looking at him, but in my peripheral vision, I saw him crouch down beside me. “Come on. She’s nice, and all…but she’s no Elana Silver.”

  Before I could reply, he leaned in, placed a quick kiss on my cheek, and then stood to walk away. I blinked up at the top bunk, resisting the urge to place my hand over the spot where his lips touched my face. What was that about? Never had Rigel ever made such a display of emotion toward me. Maybe that’s because it didn’t really mean anything. He was probably just trying to make me feel better. And for that matter, what was Darby talking about? Did she really think I liked Rigel? What would have given her that idea?

  With a groan, I turned my back to the room and fluffed my pillow. I didn’t feel like trying to answer all of those questions. I just focused on sleeping…and trying to pretend that I didn’t still feel Rigel’s kiss lingering on my skin.

  The next morning was subdued, but the excited spark in the air had returned. People were awake relatively early, chattering amongst themselves and eating the breakfast feast that had been provided for us. I tried to keep my eyes shut for as long as I could, tried to fall back to sleep and pretend that the race was over, and I wouldn’t have to go through another few days of torment.

  But no. I couldn’t sleep through the noise, so I joined my friends for a small meal as everyone prepared for the second leg of the race to begin. I didn’t eat much, though. I was never very hungry in the mornings, and I was feeling slightly nervous about what the day would have in store. I had gotten this far on my wiles, and an enormous amount of luck, but I wasn’t sure if that would hold out. Plus, with Rigel getting a fifteen minute head start today, I didn’t know if I would have to contend with him for first place. He was obviously a better pilot than I had originally thought, after all. And after his stunt yesterday, I still wasn’t quite sure if I could depend on him to uphold our alliance.

  I didn’t voice any of these concerns, of course. I just picked at my plate of fruit and pastries, making jokes and small talk with my companions. As we sat at the table, though, I spied Beatrice Montgomery in the corner of the warehouse, right by the door. She was in deep conversation with someone, and judging by the look on her face, she was serious about something. She was trying to be subtle about it, but she was definitely incensed, murmuring through gritted teeth. As I continued to watch her, I saw that the person she was talking to was actually Grace Buchannon.

  What could the two of them be talking about? Grace was the daughter of an Archon, so I guessed that it probably wasn’t unusual, but they looked to be arguing. After a few more moments of spying on them, I saw Grace’s head spin around as she looked in my direction. Quickly, I lowered my gaze to my breakfast plate, hoping she hadn’t seen me watching. Hurriedly, the two of them opened the door and left the warehouse, probably vacating to somewhere they could talk privately. I didn’t know what they were arguing about, but I had a terrible feeling it involved me. I couldn’t even guess at what they were saying, so I couldn’t be positive, but the dread in my gut felt awfully sure.

  After the feast had been worked over, all of the racers were instructed to gather our belongings before we were ushered out of the warehouse. I stayed with my friends, but I kept glancing around at the different contestants, searching for a glimpse of Grace. I was also worried about seeing Audra. Just how many enemies was I going to make in this race?

  Once again, just like the night before, we were crammed together at the docks, huddled against one another to fend off the chilly morning air. The sun was shining brightly, though, and it helped a bit to warm us. Hopefully, the temperature would rise before long.

  In front of the group, the Archons were together again, standing in front of the same podium that they had used last night. Instead of Beatrice speaking, however, Gideon Chambers was the one to step up and address the contestants. He was dressed in a striking black overcoat, topped off with a deep blue scarf that wrapped around his neck. He tapped the microphone three times before clearing his throat.

  “Good morning, all of you,” he said, slowly looking over us. “Once again, on behalf of my fellow Archons, I want to express how proud of you we are for making it this far, and that you, likewise, should be proud to be a part of it.”

  “Don’t count on it,” Rigel muttered beside me. I fought the smile that tried to creep onto my face, but I squeezed his hand to let him know I approved.

  Ahead of us, Gideon droned on.

  “This race is a milestone, you know,” he said dramatically. “This is the seventieth holding of the race. Seventy times, braves souls have gathered, and volunteered to compete. By the end of tomorrow evening, there will have been seventy winners. One of you…here before me…will be that person. I must admit, I do enjoy meeting the hardy few who can accept the challenge of the race. It’s one of my greatest pleasure as an Archo
n. And I am also proud, and humbled, to have been able to host you all at my fair city. Since its inception, Shiloh has been a part of every race. Yes, it’s true that the citizens here pride themselves on several things: our exquisite food stock, our top-of-the-line technological devices, and the metal workings and machines with which we have supplied the Dominion for over two hundred and twenty-nine years. Above all of that, however, we are most proud to be a part of the race, to be part of such a powerful tradition, and to allow you courageous few to remind us what the race is really about. It reminds us of all the things we’ve strived for, as a nation: our freedom, our sovereignty, and the knowledge that our way of life survives. For this, we are all of us grateful. So thank you!”

  The audience burst into applause at this, which was surely intentional. The racers clapped along, as well, but none of us shared the fervor of the spectators. As the bodies around me shifted in their places, I caught a momentary flash of Audra a few yards in front of me. She was wearing her ridiculous cape again, but this time, I could read the writing that was printed on the back. It looked like ship names. Just beneath her shoulder blades, I saw one that I recognized: The Endurance.

  I was immediately confused. I must have spaced out, though, contemplating the meaning of it. Beside me, Rigel nudged me with his elbow. It wasn’t painful, but it got me to refocus on Gideon Chambers, who was still speaking in front of me.

  “To start the second half of the race, you will need one of these,” he held up a small, metallic sphere, no bigger than the palm of his hand. “There are dozens of these hidden throughout the city. To make it easy, none of them are further than the Wall of the Fallen. You must find one, for it contains the next clue. Once again, citizens are forbidden from assisting the contestants, and I believe one of you gets a head start.”

  From the podium, Gideon removed a pocket watch from his jacket as his sharp eyes zeroed in on Rigel. “Mr. Campbell,” Gideon said, pointing dramatically at him. “You have fifteen minutes…..Go.”

  The heads of every contestant turned to glare at Rigel, and for a moment, he looked like he wasn’t going to move at all. While it would have been an interesting way to prove some kind of point, it would have been pretty stupid to waste such an opportunity. After a moment, he seemed to gather his thoughts and turned toward me.