by KC Kean
My phone has been going off with calls from the guys but fuck them. I check every time because if Rafe does call I’ll have to answer, any form of head up would be useful.
I stand in my lounge letting the rage consume me. I’ve decided against trying to gain control of myself because I haven’t a chance in hell of that happening in time, and the fury in my veins will take out all of the emotion of whatever is about to happen.
I warm my body up and practice moves around the open space. I’m firing on all cylinders. My body ready to go and my mind focused only on the fact that they’ve taken Red.
I attach the blade holsters to my shorts, and I feel as ready as I’ll ever be to get this over with. I don’t even know where I’m going so here’s hoping someone does.
Grabbing my phone in case Rafe calls I’m heading out. Outside a Rolls is waiting for me and I’m thankful Ian is the driver.
“Miss Steele, I’m here to take you to the event when you’re ready,” he says quietly, as if he wishes he didn’t have too.
“Anything you can tell me, Ian?”
He considers me for a moment before he opens the car door for me. Thinking that’s a big fat no I begin to climb in as he whispers in my ear.
“I don’t know what’s going on inside Miss Steele, if I did I would tell you, all I know is that people are going to die today. I pray you aren’t one of them.”
With that he leans back and shuts the door.
Settling into the chair I imagine I would usually feel sick to the pit of my stomach being told something like that, but all I’m focused on is survival and the fact that they took Red.
“Miss Steele, I’m also aware that Rivera, O’Shay, Fuse and Parker were stopped on entry back into the grounds and forced straight to the Combat building,” he adds.
So that’s where I’m going, and apparently there will be an audience.
“Are there many others there?”
“The whole Academy Miss Steele, and another driver just mentioned The Ring are here, although some do not seem too happy, as they were unaware of these events.”
Okay, this is way bigger than I thought which is a clear indication of how crazy this is going to get. I don’t ask any more questions and he doesn’t divulge any more information. We ride in complete silence.
When we pull up outside the Combat building there are a few people milling around, but the sight of the Rolls has them rushing inside. Probably to get a good view of the shit show that’s about to go down.
Ian opens the door for me, and I’m greeted by West. Before I can tell him to fuck off he’s guiding me by the arm whilst turning the screen of his phone in my direction.
I’m wired to make sure I don’t tell you anything. I’m sorry this is happening. You will get through this Moon.
Fuck him and his apologies. I know my brain has closed my past off to me to deal with the pain but he’s just like the rest of them keeping secrets, there is no difference. They can give me whatever excuse they want.
I knock the phone away discreetly, saying nothing just letting him drag me along. As we get to the main doors, I can hear everyone on the other side. West lifts my chin forcing me to meet his stare, but he must be able to see that something has triggered me, because he strokes his finger near my eyes, knowing why they look so different, so bleak. He places a gentle kiss to my head, and I’ve had enough, pushing back from him.
“Are you ready?” he asks and all I can do is shrug my shoulders.
Am I ready? No.
Do I need to do whatever it takes to survive and make sure I have Red with me? Yes.
With that he opens the door and the screams of the crowd fills the air. I don’t know where to put my eyes first.
The students are sitting on bleachers, like this is a fucking sport. Adults mixed in among them with fear in their eyes as they stared at the center of the room. Below them are two boxes with The Ring members split between them. Dietrichson, Rico and my fucking mother in one, with Wren sat with a smug grin on her face. Why the hell is my mother not sitting with my grandmother? Why is she sitting with the enemy? I shouldn’t be surprised with her shit.
In the other box is Maria, Juliana Gibbs, Betty Morgan and Reggie Rivera. I don’t know where Mr. Fuse or Mr. O’Shay are, but their sons are with Parker and Roman who are in the box with my grandmother, along with Rafe. The grief on their faces is visible from here but I don’t feel it. I still can’t see Red though.
The main attraction in the room is literally a pyramid of fighting rings. Three going up both sides with a final one on the top. That one is set back from the crowd with something covered in front of it. There is someone in each ring except the final one. Is that where I’m supposed to fight?
Before I can try and run different scenarios through my head, the tap of a microphone rings out in the air drawing everyone’s attention.
“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us here today, for this special occasion.”
Barbette Dietrichson greets the room, that fucking name fuels my fire.
“It isn’t very often a new addition is added to The Games but it is with our greatest honor here at the Academy to run the trials when the time does come,” she says so sickly sweet I want to vomit. I think I hear West make a noise beside me too, but I don’t turn my gaze away.
“In previous years, the Academy has allowed people to put themselves forward to be a part of such an event, but this year we decided to take a different approach. If a student pulled a wild card, it entered them into the trial. Today we have eight students who were lucky enough to pick those cards, and I’d like you to give them a round of applause please.”
She doesn’t even clap herself. I wish she would just get on with whatever it is we’re supposed to be doing here.
“As you can see we have a pyramid formed out of rings. In the three rings either side of the pyramid you will find a student present, and behind the curtained top is another ring which is currently empty.”
Get to it for fucks sake.
“We have two additional students who are standing towards the sides, I’d like to introduce Miss Luna Steele and Mr. Tyler Bishop.”
At the sound of my name my back straightens.
“The aim of the game is for both Luna and Tyler to make it past the three rings to fight it out at the top, the winner there must complete the final act before winning The Death Pyramid,” she shouts with glee.
Death Pyramid? The gasps around the room are audible even to me, trapped inside my shell of a body right now. I’m glad I’m in this current state of mind otherwise I don’t know how I would approach all of this. Instead I let it wash right over my head and crack my neck ready to go. I don’t bother looking to Tyler, that’d be pointless.
“In each ring they must battle to the Death or at minimum one of them must be unconscious before they can move on to the next ring. The third ring is where their weapon of choice will be coming into action and not a ring before. If a pupil who is already in the ring defeats our main runners, then they will continue the trial for survival instead. Everyone’s lives are literally at stake. Isn’t it fantastic?”
She begins clapping but very few follow suit, even those who do aren’t sure why they are following her lead, likely out of fear. Looking over to the boxes I see Rico and my mother clapping profusely, and I’m not even surprised.
A bang sounds from the other box gaining everyone’s attention. It’s Parker, red in the face, screaming and yelling but I can’t hear what he’s saying, but it’s most definitely to me or about me. Rafe has to pull him back and calm him down. The smallest part of me registers that he’s hurting right now but I don’t care enough in this state and look back to the bitch.
“To add extra incentive for the main runners to win I would like to now remove the cover from the top of the pyramid,” she pauses, waiting for them to drop the sheet.
A few screams sound around the room and I reluctantly raise my eyes to see what was hi
dden.
These vile pieces of shits.
I’m going to fucking ruin them.
Tied up to a pole is Red and Becky. I couldn’t give a fuck about the latter but the fear in Red’s eyes fuels my anger. All I can see is Red, both literally and figuratively.
“The final act I mentioned earlier is to save someone who matters to them. We pulled both Jessica and Becky from our runners’ rooms earlier today, in the exact state we found them in, and would you look at that Wren, Becky was naked in your boyfriend's room. Aren’t you glad they were fucking behind your back, so you didn’t have to take to the stand?”
Looking at Wren she’s white as a ghost, but she nods along with her mother's joy.
She’s an evil bitch.
“As the battle commences below the two girls at the top will slowly start to be hung. They must reach the top and cut the rope in time. Now I think I’ve covered everything. Shall we begin?”
I take one last glance at the box where everyone is and Rico catches my eye, blowing me a kiss and a wink like he had some involvement in all of this, but I don’t respond.
I keep my focus on Red now.
Her life is in my hands, and I’ll destroy everyone on my path to her.
(Parker)
“Somebody better fucking explain to me why the hell this is happening right now?” I scream as they drag me away from the glass.
I’m thrown into a chair furthest away from seeing the pyramid, but I’m never going to forget this. She’s been thrown in the deep end for no reason at all. I hear everyone scream and I smack Rafe’s hand away so I can see what’s going on.
Whatever little color was left in my face is drained now, as I look up to see Jessica tied up.
Rafe tried to explain the shit my girl has to deal with in her mind, which led to her getting triggered, because Roman called her a nickname her father used. It guts me when I look at her and see nothing back, it’s as if she doesn’t recognize me. My beautiful angel is in there somewhere, I just can’t see her on the surface.
Rafe said it usually takes a day or two for her to come round but putting her in this situation, while she’s in this mindset with her best friend strung up who knows what’ll happen.
I just wish I could be with her to ease some of the pain, but apparently my association to Roman gets me on the shit list. West said everyone will be on her shit list right now irrelevant of involvement, but I know when she pulls herself out of the dark hole she’s in it won’t make a difference. She’s done with us, with me.
All because Roman is a fucking idiot.
I can’t even look at him right now, none of us can.
I get some of this wasn’t his story to tell, but omitting that he was her childhood friend and bonded by bloodline agreements, no wonder she fucking stormed off.
“Who fucking created this damn game?” I ask the room.
I don’t really expect an answer, but Luna’s grandmother looks to me with pity in her eyes.
“Your father did.”
My heart stops, I’m sure I’m dead. If not I may as well be.
The blood that runs through my veins is the same blood cruel enough to come up with this, and put my queen through it in the process.
“None of us are saints Parker. We have all added our sins to Featherstone, as we will all continue to do. It is the way of this life, and whether you like it or not you are a part of it. You have to decide what your sins look like, and what values the people around you believe in,” she offers.
“Rules set before us are difficult to change in this world, unless every member of The Ring are in sync with each other. As you can see that is not the case here, so we must follow those rules or we all lose our heads,” Romans father adds.
“I can hear a lot of words yet none of which are telling us how to help Luna,” Roman growls.
“That’s because she has to do this herself, whether we like it or not. It was destiny when she chose the wild card,” Maria Steele murmurs.
As though she understands that those are the rules, but deep down she doesn’t like this.
“Destiny?” fumes Kai, catching everyone off guard.
He hasn’t said a word since Luna walked out of the hotel room.
“There is no destiny in this. They forced her to take all three cards because someone decided it was a good idea to push three bloodlines on to her.”
“Fuck,” curses Reggie Rivera as he looks to the other members of The Ring in here.
“It was all a setup wasn’t it? Her bitch of a mother came in convincing us it was the right thing to do, to strengthen Luna in a world she didn’t yet understand, and we agreed expecting it not to pass all the members anyways.”
Another lady I believe is West’s grandmother slams her hand on the table next to her.
“Those imp bastards. They agreed because they wanted to force her into this trial. Cut her out before she could make a difference, I’ll fucking castrate them wankers myself.”
“That still doesn’t get her out of this,” adds Oscar.
“It won’t my dear, we can’t stop what has already been set in motion here today. We can only hope she has the strength and will to survive,” Luna’s grandmother murmurs, but her posture is rigid and her hands are clenched.
“So, I’m just clarifying that you want us to stay in this box whilst our girl has to face four other bloodlines? She pretty much has to fight to the death to survive whilst also trying to save her closest friend from dying? And I repeat, we stay here and do nothing?” Roman furiously questions the members of The Ring.
It is completely silent, no one mutters a word, and that there is our answer.
“Is that what it is like in the real world of Featherstone? Constantly attacking and defending alone?” Kai asks.
“No, it is not, but it can be like this in The Games. Unless you have already gained allies it is very lonely in there. Every man for himself, and as this is a trial only members chosen can participate in, she has to stand alone, unless anyone in those rings are her allies,” answers Mrs. Morgan.
“If she gets through this I want a full list of who can and can’t be trusted here at this Academy, do you understand? If she doesn’t survive it won’t matter because I’ll burn the whole place to the ground,” Roman explodes.
Luna’s grandmother stands tall and glares at Roman.
“Let me make something very clear Mr. Rivera, there are no if’s around here, if you do not believe in Luna then she is better off without you anyway. I sacrificed a relationship with that girl to avoid all of this, all for her mother to screw everyone over anyway. Yet I looked in her eyes last night and saw my son shining back at me. There is strength in her heart, determination in her eyes and the will to survive in her soul. Do you understand me?” she grits out.
Nobody speaks, taking in her words. We have to be positive, for Luna and ourselves.
Finding my voice, I look Maria Steele dead in the eyes.
“Luna Steele is my Queen. I will always give her my strength, even when I’m not close enough to touch her, she will know.”
A small smile creeps over her lips, but she says nothing at all. She doesn’t need to.
A siren calls and everyone turns to look to the center of the hall, seeing Tyler and Luna make their way to the first ring.
My blood is pounding in my ears and I wish it was me in there, fighting for her, but I wasn’t exaggerating when I said she was my Queen.
She has the strength to rule us all, and I’ll happily follow her to hell if I have too.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
(Luna)
I haven’t even seen Tyler, he’s blocked by this monstrosity taking up the space around us. It doesn’t matter anyway, it seems I have to kill or be killed. What a lovely day.
West is still standing with me, I can feel him constantly trying to get my attention with subtle nudges but I’m not interested.
I just need to focus.
I need to survive this.
Y
et still be able to find myself at the end of it all.
“Please, our two runners if you could step up to the first ring in preparation,” Dietrichson calls, and the rest of the room goes silent.
Watching, waiting for this to all unfold.
I slowly step up to where she is asking me to be. West stands in front of me so I’m unable to block him out any longer.
“I believe in you, my moon. In more than just this challenge, in life, I believe in you. I always have, I always will.”
He squeezes my shoulder and places a swift kiss to my forehead. With that he walks away, I don’t know where because my eyes are set solely on Red.
“May the best bloodline win,” Dietrichson declares, as a siren sounds in confirmation this shit show has begun.
Climbing into the first ring, a girl I don’t recall stands rigid in a fight position. Fear written all over her face, but I can’t let it get to me. There are more important things on the line here.
She attempts to circle around me a few times but it’s clear she has no clue what she’s doing. As lost as I am right now I can still recognize that at least this round doesn’t have to be brutal.
“What’s your name?” I ask quietly.
She considers me a moment before she whispers back.
“Trudy Byrnes.”
“What block are you in Trudy?”
“Clubs,” She answers, still keeping her stance in place.
She may not know what she’s doing but at least she isn’t dropping her guard. A Club won’t be missed by these people, they won’t see her for the person she actually is.
“I don’t want to kill you, Trudy,” I offer, which causes her to shiver behind her guarded arms.
“I don’t want to have to kill you either.”
I raise my eyebrow at her.
“Let’s be honest here Trudy, we both know that isn’t going to happen.”
I’m not trying to be rude but there’s no point trying to sugar coat this. Her eyes are searching mine frantically, she’s petrified.