by Arden, Mari
I watch the pipes pulse in frenzy, and the gurgling sounds get louder. Unexpectedly, something bursts from the bowl. My eyes widen in shock.
"We have to go, Kenna!"
Blood spews forth like a fountain. Within seconds crimson liquid fills the bowl, brilliant against the stark white.
"Now!"
All I can think about as Nymphora pulls me away is my first thought about this place had been right.
The color red means death.
Chapter 19
We're running, moving as fast as we can. Nymphora pushes the door aside, and Chloris's panicked face greets us.
"Get out!" she hisses. But we're already moving. Nymphora slides through, and I go next, trying to shove the hard door back in place.
"…to line up when you are finished," the guard is speaking, his voice low and deep. My heart is beating with panic because the door is stuck. I'm pushing with all my might, but it isn't moving.
"Kenna!" Nymphora's voice is strained. "Turn around. Bow your head!"
I face the guards, desperately trying to catch her eyes, but she's a deceptive picture of demureness, her gaze trained on her toes. Someone's looking at me, and I have no choice but to drop my head, hands clasped loosely in front of me. We've moved into a crowd of bodies, but luckily no one notices our reappearance. Everyone is too focused on the guards.
The door isn't closed, and though the crack is small, the shadows from the opening would be noticeable next to the white walls. I swallow nervously, trying to hide what I can with my body.
There are three guards. The one in the middle is speaking. He has reddish hair with a strong chin. His eyes don't glow as much as the other two, but the air of authority around him is potent. All three hold clean red dresses in their hands. The one speaking lifts a dress up, offering it to a taker. He's scanning the room, waiting, but no one moves. The women look petrified, and remain frozen.
Taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart, I try to look less winded. When I close my eyes images of what I've just seen bombard my mind, flickering on and off like a switch. So I blink, opening my eyes rapidly, drinking in the sight before me to block the pictures. It's no use though. The scream haunts my mind, and I hear it as a broken song. Resisting the urge to cover my ears, I clutch the towel to my chest, feeling the rapid throbbing of my heart. Please don't notice us.
"You." The voice is loud in the silent room. He points to us. I freeze. "In the back. With the green scales. Come here."
Chloris lets out a squeal of terror she can't disguise, and my heart goes from beating like a drum to almost stopping. Everyone's turned to look, and I'm shaking, praying they don't notice the unclosed door behind me.
Chloris' steps are tentative, painfully so. Her dread is so palpable the girls move to the side, creating a wide pathway for her to walk by. Her tail flickers nervously behind her, and we all watch with bated breaths as she stands in front of the guard who called for her. I notice he's the same one who watched her earlier, whose gaze was too intense.
He hands her a dress from his arms. "Go into the stalls and change," he orders. A couple sneers trickle from the two Saguinox behind him, and she shrinks back. He raises an eyebrow, daring her to resist. Silently, she takes the dress, and clutches it to her chest as if it can cover her from their gaze. Her quick steps take her into a stall, and there are fluttering sounds as the towel drops.
He points to another, a strawberry blonde with faint freckles covering her skin. "You. You're next." The girl cowers, bowing her head pitifully. "Come now." The guard's voice is soft, almost patient. He talks to her like she's a wounded animal. Looking at her wide blue eyes, she is. "You won't be harmed."
Yeah right.
Nymphora can barely contain her snort, and her nostrils flare out. We watch carefully, suspicion still rampant. The girl lifts her hands for the dress. Her towel isn't tight, and when her fingers leave her chest, the red cloth nearly drops. Swiftly, the Saguinox guard catches it, moving closer to hide her body with his own muscular one. He says something to her, bending his head until his forehead's almost touching hers. She's looking up at him as if she can't make up her mind. I can't either. What sort of trick is this? I expect him to pull the cloth from her thin body at any moment, but he moves back instead. He gestures, and the girl goes into a stall, quiet as a mouse.
No one is sure what to make of what we just saw. The tension lessens since we know we won't be harmed, and each girl takes the offering without a sound. The guards point at women, commanding them over like they're ordering dinner. I'm repulsed, but also relieved. The commotion is enough to cover what I want to do, and turning back, I attempt to push the door back in.
"Nymphora," I whisper loudly for her attention. "The door's stuck. Hurry!" She gives me a startled look, swishing her tail.
"You've got to be kidding!"
I grunt, pushing. "Not. Kidding. Help. Me!"
She makes an aggravated sound, and together we pull and push, heaving with our efforts. The women are slowly disappearing into stalls, and I know it's only a matter of time before we're noticed.
"It's broken," I finally tell Nymphora, halting her movements.
"No, it's not. We just used it!"
"Stop." I grab her arm anxiously. "Look, we're wasting time. We just have to make sure they don't notice."
"And how are we going to do that?" she asks angrily.
I take a deep breath because I don't like what I'm about to say. "By creating a distraction."
Her eyes open wide like I'm out of my mind. "That's going to get us killed faster than you can say the word!"
I take another deep breath, hating my next thought. "Not if it's a distraction they like."
"What does that mean?"
I nod to the two guards who are too busy gawking to notice our stares. "Look at how they look at us. The dresses make us beautiful- desirable."
She raises an eyebrow then gestures to the red towel clashing horribly with her blue skin.
"It does," I insist, remembering Rhys's sharp intake of breath when the dress was put on me.
"Personally, I think it makes them want to eat us," she interjects.
I shake my head, ignoring her. "We can, oh, I don't know," I murmur, thinking out loud, "maybe flirt with them?"
Her mouth drops open for a solid five seconds. After that moment of astonishment passes, she laughs.
I ignore her outburst, and struggle on. "You, me and Chloris," I say, valiantly trying to speak over her snorts.
Nymphora looks at Chloris, who is incredibly timid leaving the shower stall. She plucks at the dress, lifting it like she wants to hide inside. Nymphora looks back at me, and laughs harder. "Forget it. That's not going to happen."
"Fine," I snap, irritated. "I'll do it."
She's looking at me, amused, which only annoys me more. I straighten, determined to prove her wrong like our lives depend on it, which they do.
Everything I've ever seen Bree and other popular girls at our school do flitters through my mind. Images of girls lowering their lashes in playful shyness, and lightly touching in flirtatious gestures tumble in my mind, rolling into each other like sand. They always made it look smooth, easy even. I attempt to move with more grace, swaying my hips slightly like I had seen women do in movies.
I glance up, but no one other than Nymphora watches me. She's giving me an I-told-you-so look, and I clench my teeth. I need to be noticed now, more than ever. Boldly, I walk straight to the red haired guard, whom I'm almost positive is the one in command.
"Excuse me." I attempt to make my voice thick and husky. I point to a scarlet dress. "May I have one," I gulp, "H-honey?"
He's looking at me in utter shock, and for a moment I feel like his mouth is going to stay open from pure astonishment. His cheeks flush, and he bites his lower lip. Something in his eyes glint, and he blinks, hiding it before I can understand it.
"Yes," he says, swallowing hard. He looks a little embarrassed. He's taken off guard, and it's making h
im speechless. For some reason that knowledge makes me more confident.
I edge closer. Ancient womanly instinct kicks in, and I lock my eyes with his. I have no idea what I'm doing, and the whole time I'm acting this out, another part of me is cringing, wanting to hide under a rock. But I don't back down. I keep my gaze level with his.
I stand tall.
He catches his breath, staring at me, and for the second time in my life I wonder what a man sees when he looks at me.
"Here," he finally says. He hands me the cloth, careful not to touch my fingers. I'm clutching the towel to my chest, and I see his eyes glance there quickly, before he looks into mine.
"Go change."
I hold the dress limply in my arms.
Swiftly, he gives me his back. "Boys," he calls out, his deep voice rumbling in the quiet room. The other two guards look up. One looks slightly annoyed at being interrupted. When he has their attention, he says, "You two go ahead. I've got it here."
"You sure? I don't mind staying longer," the one who looks the most annoyed offers. His eyes never stop moving, staring at us in a way that unnerves me.
"Yes," the red haired guard replies, his voice hard. I see his shoulders stiffen ahead of me. "Go." The command is harsh. "Now!" The two walk off, sending irritated glances back, but they don't argue.
He doesn't look back to acknowledge me as he walks to the entrance. Even though I'm left standing alone, I don't feel rejected. I can't describe the feeling coursing through my blood, but it's something powerful. I glance at Nymphora, who's looking at me with a slightly awed expression.
I hide a secret smile.
It's quiet for the rest of the time we're there; but this time the quiet isn't one filled with fear. At one point, it even feels calm. I keep my eyes trained on the Saguinox guard as I disrobe, but he never turns back to stare at us. Not even once.
I think about what Nymphora said about how like humans, shape shifters are all different, and I begin to wonder if the same can be said about the Saguinox. Rhys's golden eyes flash in my mind. A flutter runs through me.
Without thinking my mind calls out, Rhys?
As soon as I say his name, I want to take it back. I don't know what he can do in my head, and I'm scared he might see what Nymphora and I did. I wait with rising panic, but I don't feel his presence in my mind. A minute passes by, and still, I don't sense anything. Strangely, I'm relieved and disappointed at the same time.
I'm one of the last to enter the lines. I walk behind Nymphora like I've done since yesterday. Looking at the floor, I notice faint swirling designs. It's obvious that this place was built with care, yet one hundred feet over these halls is a gloomy and rundown prison. I mentally shake my head again at the paradox of our situation. It must have something to do with the Saguinox culture, I think. Cleanliness and beauty before an ultimate gruesome death, I conclude. A chill washes over me that has nothing to do with the thin shift I'm wearing.
Abruptly, I feel hot hands grabbing mine. Chloris grips my fingers, squeezing them before letting go. I gaze at her with surprise. She's breaking an unspoken rule: never leave your spot in line. She pulls the girl in back of her to the front, and she's so surprised she doesn't resist. Then Chloris is beside me, breathless and nervous.
Her eyes are wide, and tremulous when she says, "We're getting out of here tonight."
Chapter 19
We're running, moving as fast as we can. Nymphora pushes the door aside, and Chloris's panicked face greets us.
"Get out!" she hisses. But we're already moving. Nymphora slides through, and I go next, trying to shove the hard door back in place.
"…to line up when you are finished," the guard is speaking, his voice low and deep. My heart is beating with panic because the door is stuck. I'm pushing with all my might, but it isn't moving.
"Kenna!" Nymphora's voice is strained. "Turn around. Bow your head!"
I face the guards, desperately trying to catch her eyes, but she's a deceptive picture of demureness, her gaze trained on her toes. Someone's looking at me, and I have no choice but to drop my head, hands clasped loosely in front of me. We've moved into a crowd of bodies, but luckily no one notices our reappearance. Everyone is too focused on the guards.
The door isn't closed, and though the crack is small, the shadows from the opening would be noticeable next to the white walls. I swallow nervously, trying to hide what I can with my body.
There are three guards. The one in the middle is speaking. He has reddish hair with a strong chin. His eyes don't glow as much as the other two, but the air of authority around him is potent. All three hold clean red dresses in their hands. The one speaking lifts a dress up, offering it to a taker. He's scanning the room, waiting, but no one moves. The women look petrified, and remain frozen.
Taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart, I try to look less winded. When I close my eyes images of what I've just seen bombard my mind, flickering on and off like a switch. So I blink, opening my eyes rapidly, drinking in the sight before me to block the pictures. It's no use though. The scream haunts my mind, and I hear it as a broken song. Resisting the urge to cover my ears, I clutch the towel to my chest, feeling the rapid throbbing of my heart. Please don't notice us.
"You." The voice is loud in the silent room. He points to us. I freeze. "In the back. With the green scales. Come here."
Chloris lets out a squeal of terror she can't disguise, and my heart goes from beating like a drum to almost stopping. Everyone's turned to look, and I'm shaking, praying they don't notice the unclosed door behind me.
Chloris' steps are tentative, painfully so. Her dread is so palpable the girls move to the side, creating a wide pathway for her to walk by. Her tail flickers nervously behind her, and we all watch with bated breaths as she stands in front of the guard who called for her. I notice he's the same one who watched her earlier, whose gaze was too intense.
He hands her a dress from his arms. "Go into the stalls and change," he orders. A couple sneers trickle from the two Saguinox behind him, and she shrinks back. He raises an eyebrow, daring her to resist. Silently, she takes the dress, and clutches it to her chest as if it can cover her from their gaze. Her quick steps take her into a stall, and there are fluttering sounds as the towel drops.
He points to another, a strawberry blonde with faint freckles covering her skin. "You. You're next." The girl cowers, bowing her head pitifully. "Come now." The guard's voice is soft, almost patient. He talks to her like she's a wounded animal. Looking at her wide blue eyes, she is. "You won't be harmed."
Yeah right.
Nymphora can barely contain her snort, and her nostrils flare out. We watch carefully, suspicion still rampant. The girl lifts her hands for the dress. Her towel isn't tight, and when her fingers leave her chest, the red cloth nearly drops. Swiftly, the Saguinox guard catches it, moving closer to hide her body with his own muscular one. He says something to her, bending his head until his forehead's almost touching hers. She's looking up at him as if she can't make up her mind. I can't either. What sort of trick is this? I expect him to pull the cloth from her thin body at any moment, but he moves back instead. He gestures, and the girl goes into a stall, quiet as a mouse.
No one is sure what to make of what we just saw. The tension lessens since we know we won't be harmed, and each girl takes the offering without a sound. The guards point at women, commanding them over like they're ordering dinner. I'm repulsed, but also relieved. The commotion is enough to cover what I want to do, and turning back, I attempt to push the door back in.
"Nymphora," I whisper loudly for her attention. "The door's stuck. Hurry!" She gives me a startled look, swishing her tail.
"You've got to be kidding!"
I grunt, pushing. "Not. Kidding. Help. Me!"
She makes an aggravated sound, and together we pull and push, heaving with our efforts. The women are slowly disappearing into stalls, and I know it's only a matter of time before we're noticed.
"It's broken," I
finally tell Nymphora, halting her movements.
"No, it's not. We just used it!"
"Stop." I grab her arm anxiously. "Look, we're wasting time. We just have to make sure they don't notice."
"And how are we going to do that?" she asks angrily.
I take a deep breath because I don't like what I'm about to say. "By creating a distraction."
Her eyes open wide like I'm out of my mind. "That's going to get us killed faster than you can say the word!"
I take another deep breath, hating my next thought. "Not if it's a distraction they like."
"What does that mean?"
I nod to the two guards who are too busy gawking to notice our stares. "Look at how they look at us. The dresses make us beautiful- desirable."
She raises an eyebrow then gestures to the red towel clashing horribly with her blue skin.
"It does," I insist, remembering Rhys's sharp intake of breath when the dress was put on me.
"Personally, I think it makes them want to eat us," she interjects.
I shake my head, ignoring her. "We can, oh, I don't know," I murmur, thinking out loud, "maybe flirt with them?"
Her mouth drops open for a solid five seconds. After that moment of astonishment passes, she laughs.
I ignore her outburst, and struggle on. "You, me and Chloris," I say, valiantly trying to speak over her snorts.
Nymphora looks at Chloris, who is incredibly timid leaving the shower stall. She plucks at the dress, lifting it like she wants to hide inside. Nymphora looks back at me, and laughs harder. "Forget it. That's not going to happen."
"Fine," I snap, irritated. "I'll do it."
She's looking at me, amused, which only annoys me more. I straighten, determined to prove her wrong like our lives depend on it, which they do.
Everything I've ever seen Bree and other popular girls at our school do flitters through my mind. Images of girls lowering their lashes in playful shyness, and lightly touching in flirtatious gestures tumble in my mind, rolling into each other like sand. They always made it look smooth, easy even. I attempt to move with more grace, swaying my hips slightly like I had seen women do in movies.