Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“You should be with the rest of us.” His rough voice cut through my oppressive thoughts once more.
He was right, of course. Sitting here wouldn’t do them or me any favors.
I chugged enough water to chase away the scratchiness lingering in my throat before rising from the sofa.
“What about him?” I recapped the bottle and nodded in Dion’s direction.
“I’m only here for you.”
Our height difference forced me to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. I peered up at him, finding nothing. It was beyond frustrating.
His penetrating stare was as cryptic as ever. I might as well have been studying a wall of stone covered in hieroglyphics. It seemed to be the opposite for him, despite my best efforts to remain guarded. The way he looked at me, it was as if he could see all the truths I was trying to keep hidden, everything I wasn't ready to confront or reveal.
I took a few steps in the direction of the table and then paused when he remained exactly where he was.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ll be right behind you,” he retorted in his usual tone, a combination of ice and grit.
I withheld a sigh and moved past him, ignoring the heat that seemed to jump off his solid frame. Like a shadow, he followed without a sound. I should’ve known better than to bother asking. Ever since we’d been dumped in this forsaken place, he always seemed to be no more than an arm’s reach away.
Lana looked up from whatever she was studying as I approached, flashing me a brief smile. Kyrous moved from behind me and wordlessly took position on the other side of the table, right beside his brother.
“Are you okay?” she asked, concern evident in her brown eyes.
“I’m fine,” I replied, offering her a brighter smile in return.
I couldn't tell if she remembered anything simply by looking at her. She had a remarkable ability to compartmentalize her thoughts and push through any challenges without missing a beat. I had always admired that about her. And it wasn't just Lana--Melantha who shared the same strength of will. As I thought about it, I realized this was something we were trained to do. In a way, it helped us survive in the dangerous games we were forced to play.
I looked down at the table and saw the impressively detailed map Brody had produced an hour or so ago. “Where did this come from again?”
He ran a hand through his thick mass of brown curls. “I’ve had this bad boy for a while, was just waiting for the right moment to bring it out.”
“This lovely group of gentlemen had a plan this entire time and now they’re letting us in on their elaborate scheme,” Mel suddenly spoke up.
I looked over just as she opened her eyes—the grey in them a little darker than usual--and tossed me a pained smile. “Don’t quote me on that. It’s the gist of what I’ve gathered while in and out of sleep.” She swung her legs over the side of the loveseat and stood up. Even with her colorful hair in a messy ponytail, and swimming in Maverick’s hoodie she was strikingly beautiful. My heart clenched as she made her way toward us. It was obvious she was in pain. There wasn’t anything any of us could do about it. I quickly masked my emotions and focused on the map before she could see them.
Mel hated being fussed over regardless of how warranted it was.
“What’s the big building you circled?” I asked partially to distract myself, but more so because of genuine curiosity.
“That’s where we need to go,” Maverick explained. “It’s a town hall of sorts.”
A town hall? Unlikely. Nothing here was as it seemed. The entire city was one big stage for sadistic games orchestrated by unseen puppeteers. I retraced the lines that had been drawn to the building and noticed it was blocked by another. “What’s this place in front of it?”
Lana was the one to answer this time. “They don’t know.”
“Really?” I was surprised by that. So far it seemed like they knew every in and out of this place.
Charon chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, really.”
“You mean you guys aren’t all-knowing with answers for everything?” Mel joked, placing one hand on the table.
“Unfortunately, no. We’re pretty close, though,” he countered in the same manner. “This building was under renovation until recently. It finished its test runs when you three were brought onto the show.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I kept that to myself. It was just as likely they didn’t want us to know yet. We’d have no choice but to face whatever challenge it presented head-on without hesitation, or risk dying in some horrific manner.
“Something you want to say, Puppet?”
I glanced at Lana, then Ciaran, who was staring at her with a perceptible glint in his eyes.