by Kenna Bardot
I ignored the feeling of eyes on my body, clad only in a bra and underwear. Or tried to, anyway. The Majele looked me over in interest, and I realized he was finally seeing me close to naked.
Perhaps if I'd only stripped off my clothes on Collection Day, I'd still be at home. Collecting plants for shampoos and spending time with Serenity and Corrine, watching Varo grow.
His sapphire blue eyes dragged over my body, and I held my head high quirking an eyebrow at him as if daring him to say something. I could practically feel Shep's thunderous eyes on me, the oddly possessive Descendant probably wanted to strangle me for revealing myself in such a way.
I wanted to believe it mattered, but I knew better than that. Some males just didn't like to share their toys.
The Majele smirked, glancing his eyes over the other humans who had mostly decided to keep their clothes on. Like modesty was more important than survival in a place where they let themselves be used.
The Sutre God nodded and pointed at me, Annalee and Ryder. We stepped forward, and he nodded in satisfaction.
"Begin," he said simply. Ryder and I ran for the water neck and neck. The water made my feet hurt with the first splash, my ankles throbbing under the intense cold. By the time water lapped at my waist, I dove under. I emerged with a deep gasp for breath as I gave myself only a moment to take in the intense and sharp air. It felt like daggers in my lungs, a torture of the senses. I heard Ryder falter behind me, the cold too much for him. Leaning forward, I swam.
And swam.
And swam.
I didn't dare turn to look behind me, didn’t dare to check if they’d let the other humans finally jump into the late and how soon after they had, the Kampos had been let go.
The silence permeated the air and was so thick and heavy it was a wonder I could still acquire oxygen. No one had the breath to scream. The ability to push through our own torment was something that hovered just beyond reach.
I strove for it anyway, knowing that if I slowed too much, the Kampos would be all too willing to devour me slowly after I drowned in the freezing water that cut like a blade. I didn't look back, didn't let myself care about who might die behind me or what might happen to them. All that mattered was nobody passed me but for the cold gust of wind.
The Kampos had plenty of food to distract them. I'd never seen one, only heard tales of the legendary creatures that somehow combined a puffer fish with a kelpie. Their bodies were said to be so bloated, so hideous and impossible to maneuver, that all traces of their horse-like cousins were completely lost.
My arms throbbed, getting tired as I fought against the lake water that seemed to get rougher with every stroke. Still, I pushed. Waves crashed, and I turned my attention to the shore to find the Tempestas judge weaving a storm in the water.
I coughed, heaving up the water that tried to burn my lungs from the inside as it slid down my throat, and just when I thought my legs would freeze in place, lock up and doom me to a watery death, my toes touched the sandy bottom of the lake.
I stood from the water, letting my weakened legs guide me out one step at a time as my lungs heaved. Cold water dripped down my body, my skin faintly blue as I shivered, and my teeth chattered despite my best efforts.
But I walked. I strode out of that lake with a tenseness to my jaw and ignored the shocked gazes of the Descendants as they landed on me. When my foot touched the platform, balmy heat coated my skin so instantly it was like I passed through a barrier.
I bit down on my teeth, gritting against the pain as the sudden change in temperature took my breath away for a different reason. The Gods standing on the platform, the remaining Gods who were not working on the lake, stared at me with a mix of impressed disbelief and incredulity all but that damned Majele.
He smirked, and the others turned their attention to him. I could only imagine the conversations they'd had, the wagers they must have placed on our lives.
Rehan Sutre walked forward. "Congratulations, Mireyah Bolstad. You've placed first in the Third Challenge and secured your reward."
“Well done, Miss Bolstad,” the Majele spoke up with a smile as he clapped slowly.
I stared him down, daring him to show that he might expect me to be grateful for his favor. He didn't.
"Can I put my clothes on now?" I hissed out a breath, but I tried to sneer, anyway.
"I suppose so." He smirked back. "But blue suits you. It will be interesting to see if you take the Majele colors when you Ascend." A hush quieted the crowd’s whispers, and I glared up at him, at the insinuation that he might become my Sire. My husband.
"It's possible, I suppose," I said sarcastically. "There are an awful lot of Gods running around with Majele blood in their veins." He grinned in the face of my dismissal, and I cursed myself inwardly. I should have learned my lesson, should have stopped challenging him.
"Someone bring Miss Bolstad her suit," he called out even as he snapped my bracelet back - we’d reached the part of the lake that was within Godsvail grounds.
I didn't glance behind me to see who would fulfill the action, didn't think it mattered. And it was at that moment that Ryder crawled out of the water on his hands and knees with deep, gasping breaths. We watched as it took him precious moments to make his way to his feet, stepping onto the platform finally and falling to his knees immediately when the heat rushed over his skin.
"Congratulations. You've taken Second Place in the Third Challenge and you too will be rewarded."
Ryder glared up at me from his knees, and it appeared I'd made a true enemy that day. Whereas before I'd been a theoretical opponent, winning meant I was in his way. I turned away to ignore him, aided by the delivery of my suit. I'd expected a human to deliver it.
Not Ashric Tovenaar.
His black eyes glittered as he stared down at me, fixating on the remnants of the bruises covering my torso and chest. He handed me my suit, and I made quick work of stepping into it.
"You've done well," there was no disbelief in his tone, no pride, only an odd interest given the fact he had tormented me while Hollis and the others watched.
"It would seem that you're watching me too closely, Sir," I spat, recoiling from the way his dark eyes lit in amusement. There was something so off about him, something so cruel. It went deeper than the nature of his Necromancy powers, like he too was caught in the grips of death.
"Better than Annalee," he continued as if I hadn't spoken. "I suspected she would be disappointing. She has consistently been uninteresting to play with." I swallowed when his hand touched mine, pressing into one of the bruises and watching my face for a reaction that I struggled against.
"She screams so easily, so loud. I imagine it would be fun to try to pry a scream from your lips, little Northerner." That hand trailed up my arm, pressing into the darker bruise on my shoulder. Again, I gave him nothing. "She doesn't even bruise as pretty as you."
Then he turned and stalked off, leaving me floundering as the third contestant heaved herself out of the water.
Hollis and Shep hadn't been the ones to deliver Annalee's punishment.
It was much worse. Char and the others had let the Tovenaar have her.
Pity flooded through me. I could only guess at what she might have suffered at his hands. Wondered if Char had put any limits on what they allowed him to do with her.
When soft steps hit the platform, her warm brown eyes landed on mine and her nostrils flared in annoyance.
She knew as well as I did, that her suffering was because she wasn't me.
Chapter 22
Mireyah
Only one other human survived the swim. So only four contestants remained. Less than half of those than we’d started with. Against the majority of people’s expectations, I survived.
Hell, I thrived.
The moment Annalee heaved herself out of the water, she stomped off, but it was plain to see she did so with a limp. I didn't know if it was because of the swim, the Kampos in the lake or whatever the Tovenaar had
done to her, but it was clear she felt a significant amount of pain.
Shaking some moisture from my hair, I also started walking towards the Academy. The wire was back around my wrist, but I hoped I would live to see the day when it would never be shackled around my wrist again.
As I neared the entrance, I noticed Shep stalking towards me, his face just as thunderous as the storms he and his kind could call up with a thought. He threw me a towel without a word and while there was an underlying anger to it, I took it and rubbed my hair dry gratefully.
"Thanks," I muttered, because he didn't look like he was in the mood for my gratitude.
"Okay, I’ve refrained from asking, but how the fuck do you know the Majele?" He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards an empty alcove that crawled with vines.
"He was there during my Collection day. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m here thanks to his interference." I could still remember the way he had argued for me to be chosen. How I had hated him for his decision. "I spent a lot of time hating him."
"He seems to have taken a fancy to you," Shep bit the words out and staring up at the Tempestas, I could see clearly the hard set to his jaw.
"Only in much the same way you and your friends do. I showed him how little I think of him and his kind. I assume I intrigued him for differing from everybody else." I shrugged because it was true.
Shep ran a hand down my cheek. "That you are, Snow. Very different. He seems to want you as his wife. So much so, he was willing to let others hear his intent."
"Yeah. Lucky me. Should I ever become a Sylfe I suppose it means I won’t stay there and become an Unwanted."
He tightened his hold around my wrists. "There was never a chance that would happen."
I laughed. "Ow."
He let me go with an apologetic grin. "Sorry. Really, I am."
I nodded and then remembered someone else who had injured wrists. "Shep, I was hoping to talk to you."
"And this isn't?"
"And Hollis," I cut off. "Please."
Those violet eyes stared down at me, intense and wondering before softening. "He should be in his room alone. Let's head there."
As he had before, he held my hand in his. He liked touching; I was understanding that. So even given the conversation we needed to have, I squeezed back.
When we reached Hollis' door, he knocked before opening it and walking in.
"Since when did you knock, Shep?" Hollis stood from his bed when Shep entered but his eyes immediately landed to where our hands were joined. "Ah, Mireyah. I figured you'd want to rest first. That was a terrible challenge. And we didn't really prepare you for it, did we?"
I smiled because, no; they hadn't. I didn't particularly mind though. "My entire life in Wintercairn prepared me for that. No amount of training could have prepared anyone else. With or without the advantage, not being used to debilitating cold would have slowed me down significantly." I smirked and crossed my arms over my chest. "Being a frigid bitch helped in this case."
Hollis reached up and scratched the back of his head casually. "Just so we're clear, that was Ryle who said that."
I laughed and couldn't help but pinch his cheek. The look of sheer surprise on his face coupled with Shep's uncontrollable laughter in the background lightened the mood.
I was going to be very sorry to have to somber it up again.
"I wanted to talk to you two specifically. Remember that night I came here all beaten up because of Annalee and her friends?"
Hollis' bright red eyes darkened, lips pursing. "How could we forget?"
"Right, right. You were furious, and I didn't make too much of it back then, but did you do something to them? Or to her?" I played with my fingers and watched the action, so I had an option not to look at them in the eyes.
Hollis put a hand on my chin and tilted my head until I could no longer escape the gaze. "Mireyah. That day, you arrived, and you were hurt so bad I worried you would faint from it. Hell, you eventually admitted that you'd fallen asleep in the middle of the hallway before your former roommate woke you up."
"That's true," I began, but he cut me off with a held-up hand.
"They did it because they could. Because they thought their actions would not have any consequences, and it was imperative that a lesson be taught, and a very clear message delivered."
I'd been afraid of that.
Been afraid they'd done that.
And my heart broke because they'd done it because of me, and I would have to live with that.
"What did you do?" I whispered the question because a part of me didn't want me to ask; didn't want to be confronted with further proof of the taint that possessed their souls.
"I did what I usually did and warned off all those who liked her. Said she was a new social pariah until we saw fit. Showed her how it felt not to have any allies," Shep explained.
I turned surprised eyes his ways because the way he explained it was, oddly, sensible. Almost acceptable. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the conclusions that had been forming in my mind.
"And that's it?" I tilted my head questioningly towards Hollis. "And you?"
"Mostly, I had her flirt and express interest in those people or Descendants she didn't like. The more she didn't like it, the flirtier she got."
"And?" I gestured vaguely with my hands.
"That's it." Hollis nodded and I took his face in my hands so I could look at his eyes. He let me, a trust and intimacy I doubted he would normally allow a human.
What I saw in his eyes sent relief coursing through me as I sighed out. "The Tovenaar. The Tovenaar took her and did things to her I could only imagine were awful given how scary Ashric is."
"Given how much you talk about choice, Mireyah, we would not avenge you by having her experience the same thing that we hurt you with the most." Shep rubbed a hand over my back even as Hollis nodded his agreement.
I believed them. That was the simple fact of it.
It might damn me; break me.
But I figured if I could spend even a moment believing that they cared, it could be worth it.
"You did it for me."
"Yes. We care for you."
I smiled - bright and without irony and I could plainly see the surprise in Hollis' face as I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his face and crushing my lips against his.
Because it wasn’t just words this time. Not just words. And given how clear I felt, no fog and no nausea in my brain, I believed him.
"Dammit, Hollis. What are you doing? This isn't exactly the way we show her how sorry we are." Shep's angry voice broke through, and I surfaced laughing.
"It wasn't him, Shep. I know what it feels like not to have a choice. And this is me. All me." I jumped from Hollis' grip towards Shep, who let out a sharp breath before gripping my hips hard. I kissed him with the same fervor as I had given Hollis. When we did eventually break apart, I laid my forehead against his and smiled before turning towards Hollis, who watched us with that intense gaze.
"Your kiss given freely is delicious, Mireyah." Hollis touched the tip of his finger to his mouth. "Do you forgive us?"
"I do. You've shown me you understand how painful it was for me, what happened. Thank you." And that’s all I needed because I knew they couldn’t really take it back. And I didn’t want them to.
"Okay." His smile was brilliant, a smile that Shep echoed.
"Can we please take it slow?" I held my breath as I asked because I was still a human and they were still the beings I served. It seemed presumptuous to make demands.
But I was making them because I had a feeling they would understand.
"I want you all, but I'd rather enjoy this without the sex first. So that when I give myself to you the next time, you know it's me, a hundred percent. No Svadeni powers or Kastroj calming necessary. Just you, both of you, because you're Hollis and Shephard."
Shep took my hand and he and Hollis shared a long look before Shep took my hand in his and kissed. "We can wa
it."
Hollis took a step forward and played with my hair, caressed my cheek. "But I presume kissing and touching is still allowed?"
I bit my lip coyly. "Of course. Want to start now?"
Shep nipped at my ear. "Thought you'd never ask."
I giggled and settled my head onto Shep's shoulder as I pulled Hollis' hand to draw him closer.
But before we could do much, the door burst open.
"Dammit, Shep, we should have locked the fucking door."
✽✽✽
The twins burst in and Tate and Ryle were in high spirits. I quickly extricated myself from Hollis and Shep, feeling a little annoyed. In fact, as they just smiled at the twins, I had a feeling that they were taking the interruption better than I did.
Shep squeezed my hand just a little too hard before moving forward, and I saw his jaw tightened.
Okay, maybe I was wrong.
"Hey guys, we should celebrate! Mireyah won the fucking Challenge. She was amazing! We should call her and surprise her with a party."
Hollis chucked and cleared his throat. "Ah, well..."
I walked forward and into their view. "Guys, thanks for the thought, but I doubt I'd be very much surprised."
Tate walked forward and gave me a bouncing hug. "Mireyah! You're here! Shouldn't you be resting?" He threw Hollis an accusatory glare.
Hollis held up his hands. "She came to me. I didn't summon her."
I laughed and grabbed his hand. "He's not wrong. I came of my volition." And because Ryle's look at our interlocked hands was a little too intense, I changed the subject. "So how are we celebrating?"
Ryle shook his head and took a bottle from behind his back. "We have champagne."
I laughed, because it felt appropriate for how light I felt. "Okay. Pop it.”
Ryle did with a simple flick of his thumb. He thrust it at his brother to hold and came over to me.
He picked me up easily and squeezed me just a smidge too hard. "Congratulations, Northern girl. We're so fucking proud of you."