by Kenna Bardot
"So toss her back to the masses and pick another. Perhaps one of your classmates can find some use for her." His amused grin revealed for just a moment exactly why the Descendants acted the way they did - their elders provided stellar samples.
"I'll take her on," the Tovenaar purred from across the room. He'd been same one who'd delivered the worst of my beating; thus I knew he would have no qualms about rape. Not that I thought Hollis did, he just wanted to convince himself that he didn't like the way I fought and struggled and wanted to break me down from the inside out. The Tovenaar would break my body first and knew my mind would follow. Tovenaars had a reputation for enjoying the broken.
"I want to see how she fares in the Challenge. Maybe it will teach her a little humility." Hollis grinned.
"You're one to talk about humility, you arrogant fuck!" I hissed, getting to my feet as gracefully as I could manage despite the patchwork of bruises my body had become. The few humans in the room gasped, but I ignored them. I was so bloody done with playing these stupid games. "You play with life like it doesn't matter. Like we're all nothing!"
"Finally, you speak truth. Humans are nothing," Char piped up in that low disinterested voice. He grabbed me around the waist and plopped me into his lap while I struggled. As I wriggled, I felt the bulge grow in his pants. Perhaps not everything about him was as disinterested.
What the fuck was it about these pricks that they were constantly horny?
Hollis stood and leaned over me. Between the two of them, I felt caged in - trapped. He took my face in his hand, squeezing my cheeks hard until my lips pursed tightly. He stared at my mouth in fixation, red eyes darkening. I flushed as my thoughts turned towards what he was undoubtedly remembering - what my mouth had done for him not very long ago. His eyes returned to mine, and he snapped himself out of whatever brief hiatus his brain had taken.
"Humans are nothing," he snapped, lowering to whisper directly in my face so that his breath touched my cheek like a hot desert wind. "You are nothing, my pet."
I sucked in a breath that he took from me anyway by what he did next. He leaned forward to press his lips to mine in a demanding, filthy kiss that plundered my mouth with his. When he'd finished with whatever statement he sought to make, he bit my bottom lip harshly enough that I felt blood well and pulled back.
I snarled at him. "We'll see if I'm still nothing when I win, Hollis."
Char chuckled darkly behind me, and Hollis' eyes gleamed with challenge. "I guess we will."
The God at the front, Rehan Sutre as I'd just learned, glared at me, taking in my position between the two Descendants with disgusted eyes. He asked again, "How certain are you?"
"I'm sure. I name her the tenth," Hollis reiterated.
"Very well." the God sighed, having no choice but to accept the nomination.
I didn't have any desire to be a Sylfe. Not when it meant being a plaything to the Gods until one of them made me his wife.
But given that the alternative was death, I didn't have much choice.
I had to win.
Fucking shit.
✽✽✽
I had to be thankful somewhat for Hollis' nomination. It meant that while I was still in his service; I had a legitimate reason to escape him and his friends. Which was a plus, really. Because it was never a fun time to be in their presence as they were cruel and constantly tormenting. They'd become worse after Hollis had nominated me - laughing when I proved weak through their ministrations.
Talk always centered on how weak and embarrassing I would prove to be. I accepted it all in silence because I wanted to show them I could, rather than insist on it with words. They talked of which human they would next take as an attendant in place of me, like my death was a foregone conclusion. I'd gritted my teeth and determined that I would do everything in my power to live as long as I did. Not to make my way to becoming a God but more to prove them wrong in their estimation of me.
But as we all gathered - me and the nine other humans who had been nominated by their masters, I could see I had a tough challenge in front of me. Being the tenth meant that they looked at me with suspicion and hatred. Looked on by even more anger than what I had when I'd been made an attendant not even a month after I'd arrived in Godsvail.
We stood in that same room where Annalee had been nominated by Charolais - that moment I'd thought for an instant he'd nominate me instead. Even while foolishly knowing that he couldn't. The ten of us stood in the middle - the only humans in an entire room surrounded by Gods and Attendants alike. It almost made me forget that I was in an Academy. I presumed that watching the weak humans was something far more exciting than going to class. It was obvious that they didn't think too much of their lessons.
Rehan Sutre stepped forward, and I swallowed my trepidation. His orange eyes burned like fire with the way they twinkled, thrilled at the prospect of entertainment I was sure we presented. He held out his arms to silence the crowd.
"Fellow Gods. Descendants," his voice thundered, quieting the room that only moments before had been full of the sound of chattering voices. He gestured at us. "With the declaration by Hollis Svadeni of Mireyah Bolstad as the tenth, these are the humans you have chosen to fight for the right to become a Sylfe. Take a look for these are the humans you think would deserve to perhaps be Gods alongside myself. Alongside possibly some of you."
The cheering and the jeering started, so loud that they drowned out my thoughts.
"Please, please. I know it's exciting." He made a patting motion in the air. "However, they will first need to endure." Laughter from the crowd. I was sure they thought of us scurrying about like the weak animals we were was something they looked forward to being amused by.
And it was just then that he deigned to look at us. "Humans. I hope that you've all given proper thanks to the Descendants who dared to nominate you for the honor to become a Sylfe." He raised an eyebrow at us and out of the corner of my eye, I could plainly see that some of my fellow humans were nodding or bowing.
I wanted to puke.
I knew the Sutre God's eyes passed over me when he spoke up again and this time with what I could only call amusement, "Or not. Well, you are here, and we will see how long you will last and which one of the ten of you would remain standing even after being presented with our own Gods. But that will be months yet. Let us talk about your first task - the initial challenge. To test your mettle, your strength and your intelligence. That is if you have even any intelligence in your tiny human brains."
The crowd laughed - a cruel sound I'd come to associate with these immortal beings. The anger coursed through me - hot and impotent. There was nothing I could do but feel. Nothing I could but follow their whims.
Either way, I knew I would not come out of the experience the same Mireyah I was that stood there. Or I would not come out of it at all.
Whatever happened, it would be a rocky few months.
"Prepare, darling humans the best you can. Dream of your life when you become a Sylfe, fully knowing that it is a fate that will come to only one of you."
The crowd clapped even as he took his bows, like he'd been the impressive one. "You are dismissed," he announced, gesturing to the crowd. They walked out, laughing. Those who noticed us - and there weren't many - pointed and laughed to our faces. I knew they looked forward to watching us fight for our lives. Found amusement in our imminent deaths.
"Humans, you will still perform the duties to the Descendants who have chosen you. However, should you desire to train, if you feel that will help you, we are gifting you the use of the adjoining room." He pointed at a door I only then noticed. "It has equipment that you may use to train. As to what you will do during the first challenge, you will be given further instructions in the morning of. This will be in exactly twenty-one days. Until then, enjoy what could be what's left of your already short lives. You too are dismissed."
And with his final words, the Sutre God walked out of the room with no other emotion or reaction. I knew the
moment he turned his back, he no longer gave a shit about us.
The moment the God was gone, the other humans spoke amongst themselves, their voices thick with fear but also excitement. As they talked, they would turn towards me and glare or smirk.
Layla was there along with her friend Ryder. It could have been why they walked around with that skewed sense of superiority. Because they were set to compete in the Challenge. One step farther from humanity and one step closer to Demiorgo. One step closer than us.
But now, I was one of them.
And just like I'd told them that day, I wanted nothing to do with them and that would always be the case. I slinked out of the great room and escaped towards my quarters.
I had a lot of preparing to do and not all of it was physical.
Chapter 12
Mireyah
I scurried away as fast as I could towards my room, not looking at anyone as I passed. The humans I stared at me, whispered to their companions - some in awe, others - most of the others in disbelief.
I wanted to escape before Hollis required my presence again. Which was sure to come soon. When I reached the staircase that led down to my quarters, I heaved a sigh of relief. I was close, so close.
Not wanting to attract any attention, I sped up but refrained from running. At my door, I used my key to unlock it and walked inside, allowing the door to swing to a close behind me. But I didn't hear that telltale sign that was the door, closing so I spun around and came face to face with Annalee - beautiful face hard, lips curled in a sneer. She walked in even though I hadn't asked her to. Hell, she hadn't even asked if she could.
"What do you want, Annalee?" I sighed out warily.
"Just wanted to check how you were, really." She shrugged, making herself at home as she leaned against the now closed door. She crossed her arms as she stared at me.
"Why do you even want to know?" Ever since that day that she had proven that her loyalty would always be to herself and Char, I wanted nothing more to do with her.
"Well, mostly, it's because no one expects you to win." She laughed, taking a step towards me. "Okay, honesty. No one expects you’ll make it beyond the first challenge. Just wanted to check how you felt about that." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Unsurprised." And I was. That had been what the guys thought. What I was sure the God he'd given my nomination too had thought. Now the confirmation that the other humans did was of no surprise to me.
"Well, you're self-aware, anyway. Fair warning though. The one thing - the one thing that we look forward to the moment we become attendants is the chance to join the Challenge so we can eventually become Sylfes and, with some skill and luck, become Gods. There is nothing - absolutely nothing - that any of the other nine you are in the competition with would not do to ensure their victory.
My blood ran cold, like a bucket of water had been thrown over my head. Because she'd said nine, and I was the tenth. "Is that a threat?"
She laughed, throwing back a hank of her dark hair. "No. Just a fact. Thought you should know."
Before I could reply, my phone rang. Of course, it was just my luck that I would have absolutely no time for myself before I had to go serve the pricks. I turned to it, dismissing Annalee. "Do you mind? I have to take this."
"Fine. But trust me, I'm not exaggerating." As she flounced out of my room, I shook my head.
No, I absolutely didn't trust her, but I knew that she spoke the truth.
The moment Hollis had spoken my name to nominate me, he had doomed me, and the sad fact was that it wasn’t even likely to be the challenge to actually kill me.
✽✽✽
I rarely dreamed because I much preferred reality. However, it felt like a dream first, the sound of it causing fear to shoot through me and chill my blood - a shuffling, a thud and the sensation of eyes staring at me. Wishing bad things to befall me. It had the vague feeling of being a nightmare even as my eyes shot open, quickly adjusting to the light that streamed from the hallway.
I sat up quickly when I realized how that should not have been the case. When I slept, I usually turned off the lights and slept in complete darkness - only finding comfort in that complete absence of light. So, it in my room was surprising. It was only then that I noticed the door to my room was wide open, which explained the light streaming in from the hallway.
Had I not locked it before I'd gone to bed? I was sure I had and even if I hadn't; I was certain I hadn't left the door wide open like that.
I remembered the nightmare and realized that it probably hadn't been happening in that twilight world of dreams I never really went to but happened in the waking world of reality.
Inexplicably, my eyes tracked towards my wooden dresser and there it was, a knife gleaming dully against the dim glow. Whoever had put it there had stabbed it straight into the wood. And it stood straight, a very tangible, real threat. They stabbed it straight through the red belt I wore that marked me as Hollis' attendant.
In the creepy, eerie atmosphere of the diffused light, it looked as though it had stabbed straight through thick, fresh blood. I pulled my knees to my chest and crept towards the very corner of my bed, turning to face the door and watch if anyone else came through.
I didn’t go back to sleep that night.
✽✽✽
My eyes drifted closed as I picked up after the mess in the guys' common area. Hollis sent me there to clean after I'd done his own rooms, and I was exhausted. The guys hadn’t bothered me as I'd expected they would after the orientation. In fact, they'd been watching me warily, but I didn't know what they were so eagerly expecting. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I dropped a cup I held as I yawned and bent down to pick it back up. Tate and Shep sat on one couch, and I knew they watched me. I just ignored them, too used to the way they were always there. Always watching. Every single one of the five. Yes, they still teased and tormented me - at random moments springing something on me to get a reaction. But the problem was, I barely reacted. And not because I didn't care, though that was partly the reason, but more because I was just too exhausted to muster up a response.
Since that night I'd woken up to the sight of a knife stabbed to my drawer, there was no comfort or safety to be found in my room. I'd had to sleep with a chair propped up under the doorknob, but still I didn't feel any safer.
"Are you scared that the challenge is drawing closer, Mireyah?" Shep, who lounged in a huge armchair looked over as I tripped over a pile of laundry and dropped the load I held.
I yawned again. "It'll happen whether or not I'm afraid."
Tate laughed. "That's true. You look tired. Have you been training during the night instead of sleeping?"
I'd honestly considered it, but I didn't want to encounter any of my competitors. All I knew was that I would wonder which one of them had thought fit to invade my privacy and gift me with a knife.
"I haven't, no."
"Well, what's wrong with you then?" Tate asked, reverting to the original Tate who I had mistakenly thought was a nice guy.
"Why ask when you don't care?" I dumped the garbage I scooped off the coffee table into the bag and folded the messy clothes before piling them on a chair.
"How do you know I don't care?" Tate looked at me and his eyes were a warm silver. I was pulled in and had to shake myself, remind myself about what he'd done the last time - building me up only to tear me down when I was at my worst.
"Because none of you ever does. The only thing this place has taught me is that you can trust no one. Human or otherwise." I tied the bag closed and did a quick turn to inspect the room. "Do you need anything else? Sir Hollis has asked me to do something else, but that I should finish everything here before I do."
"We'll earn your trust yet. But go ahead and run," Shep spoke up, those violet eyes never leaving mine.
I broke eye contact first and left.
If there was nothing else I could keep, I was content to keep my convictions.
Chapter 13
Mireyah
I went to Hollis' rooms the morning of the First Challenge as ordered. Given it was Hollis' responsibility to provide my clothing for the Challenges, I had very little hope of wearing much of anything.
Finding his rooms empty despite the early hour, I felt my stomach sink in spite of myself. I didn't want to care that he'd spent his night elsewhere, but I did.
For some unknown reason, it bothered me.
Fury pulsed through me, hot and hard. The nerve of him demanding I touch him and then going off with another woman. It didn't even matter that he shared my torment with his friends.
I spun around quickly when the door opened behind me, wincing and trying to wipe the disappointed fury from my face when I realized it wasn't Hollis at all.
Charolais, Tate, and Shephard strode into the room like it was their own.
For all purposes, it was. They might not have spent their nights there, but from what I'd seen, the Descendants spent most of their time in one another's rooms. Mostly Hollis', but sometimes Char's. Given that the two had personal attendants. It just seemed the most logical for them to spend their time in the spaces that Annalee and I cleaned constantly and religiously.
There was no way the daytime cleaning staff could keep up with the daily cleaning their personal rooms required if they spent their days in them.
"Are you ready, little Northerner?" Char sneered at me, stepping into my space until his chest brushed against the front of my dress.
"I need my clothes. My supervisor said that it was Hollis' responsibility to provide my clothing for today," I whispered, hating the way my voice broke.
The Challenges were dangerous. People died. If they made me face that naked, I thought I'd just lay down and let it happen.