Page 17

As they start to file in, I mutter, “Showtime,” under my breath. Silla doesn’t notice me as she enters, because she’s looking around the room, and to be honest Sidney, Ayden, and I blend in well. I notice that her shorts are still a little small, but manage to cover her a little better. Someone definitely mistyped her sizes on purpose.

“Everyone come in, and find a seat, please,” Sidney says, circling his hands around his mouth to help project his voice.

Silla flinches slightly at the sound, finding a seat quickly. This room is meant to carry the voices of those standing in front, so I don’t have to yell.

Stepping forward, I grin at them like the psycho that I am.

“Welcome to your first day in Section B. The Queen created this program to work in tandem with the hackers and intelligence specialists that will support your efforts to find and retrieve information. All of you are smart in some respect, but you’re also pretty,” I smirk as I look around the room.

Silla’s attention is on me, and even though I know she’s not going to like what I have to say, I continue. Not one of the people in this room knew what this section was until I started to explain it. “I like to call you the Queen of Forbach’s whores, because you will fuck who she tells you to and when. Peace is kept because between the hackers, spies, and whores, you find out the secrets of those that want to hurt our kingdom.”

Silla’s face drains of color, and her hands squeeze together tightly, as if it will help hold her little world together. Not once do her eyes leave the chair in front of her, and I want to know what she’s thinking. I want to see what’s going on behind her eyes, see if I’m getting any reaction at all. This girl hides so much, the things I do notice feel like clues to her soul.

Why do I want to be privy to this, when my goal is to break her?

Ayden takes a step forward, surveying the group that says nothing, because they are stunned. “We have the fun job of making sure you’re great in bed, discreet, and experts in poisons when it merits it. What happens here is not to be discussed outside of this room, it’s part of hacking what we dish out. Don’t complain to the other inmates, they won’t believe you. Bella,” he booms, and the poor girl startles so hard, she almost falls off her chair. “While you fuck like a porn star, I have to say your form needs a little work.”

Anger and embarrassment blooms across her cheeks, and the room snickers.

“You will all need to be able to fuck men and women, so no matter what your preferences may be, keep your options open. Silla,” I say cruelly, a smirk curling over my lips. “I look forward to tasting that sweet pussy again."

Sidney takes over the class from there, and I ignore the girl who I’m sure has a million questions.

Five

SILLA

Ifeel as if someone’s tossed freezing water over my head. My ears are ringing, my eyes sting, and I’m not sure I can feel my fingers. I’m dissociating from what’s going on after the many land mines she triggered around me.

“The Queen’s Whores” rings loudest in my ears over and over, along with the realization that the sexy dream about my roommate wasn’t a dream. She’s not even my roommate. The bitch was looking for an easy hookup to humiliate me with later.

I’m not really sure what she got out of it, other than the satisfaction that she got one over on the new girl. I’ve never even been kissed, and from my hazy memories, I still haven’t been.

I have so many questions, but I hold the truth that for now, I still belong to myself. I’ll do what I need to for survival… which means pulling myself together long enough to rise from this panic attack I’m in the throes of. I need to know what’s expected of me, and what kind of hell I chose.

Squeezing my toes tightly together, I revel in the intense cramping sensation as the ringing in my ears begins to recede. Someone pinches my side, and while I would usually lash out, I use it to push the last of my panic aside for now.

Slightly flinching, I bite back a hiss, leaning back into my chair to move away from whoever is pinching me. It does help, regardless of that person’s motives, because sound rushes back around me as the man next to Andrya’s brother drones on.

“You are required to attend instruction daily. There are days it will be very hands on,” he says, waiting for us to understand what he means. “None of you are innocent here, especially after taking a look at the crimes that have landed you at Forbach Reform Camp.”

I want to curse the prostitution charge I was slapped with, because I don’t know why the prosecution would have lobbed this at me. More and more I’m wondering if I pissed someone off, and who decided to punish me.

Cinder is someone who would have that power, but we haven’t spoken in months. She wanted to marry me to an old fool for her political gain, and I told her off. I never wanted to be anyone’s pawn.

Now I’m not getting a choice in the matter.

“Sidney and I enjoy theShow and Telldays of class, because in all honesty you have to know what you’re doing when you’re working a con. Women are very adept at sensing when someone is full of shit, so it’s harder to pull the information needed from them. Men are a bit easier if you’re pulling their soul from their bodies with your mouth or pussy,” Andrya lewdly states.

Gods… I’m sure she’s right, but outside of smiling and simpering to keep the attention of a nobleman before stealing his wallet, I don’t have any experience with this.

I keep my face as impassive as possible, even as I know color is creeping along my cheeks. I’ve always hated how telling this is, because I can typically shut down all external manifestations of my emotions.

“The other part of your training will be poisons,” says Ayden with a smirk. “You will all need to become quick studies at this, because a wrong step means you’re dead. We have been known to leave you to die, there is no sympathy here, and not even a nurse can save you. So take this seriously, learn the antidotes, and don’t fuck up.”

Sidney rolls his eyes at the theatrics, but nods. I’m not sure how long he’d been talking while I was having a moment of crisis, but I can only hope I’ll be able to figure it out.

“You will be issued textbooks to study from. If you lose them, that’s your loss and responsibility. Take care of your shit,” Sidney reminds us.