Page 23

Odessa

I ’ve braided and unbraided my hair seven times already before deciding on a low-slung French braid that I could pull off to the side. No one had come to take me away in the night, so I assumed, for now, I was safe from that wretched guard.

My fingers shook trying to pull my hair into place, which is why it had taken me so many tries. My nerves were on edge, and I knew that every second was bringing me closer to when we’d be taken down into those tunnels.

I found a way to keep the dagger on me by shoving it into the side of my boot, hiding the outline with a thick sock.

It wasn’t much, but it would have to do for now.

Leaving the dagger wasn’t an option. And if I had to use it, I’d pretend I’d found the thing in the catacombs.

All items within were fair game after all.

Thoughts of my family. Of Marley and Jean, Papa and Mama flittered around in my mind like a caged butterfly. And Theo… Fuck.

I knew that they were waiting on me. That I’d promised to make it back to them, and I always kept my promises.

But being here had made me realize that the life I’d been living— the one I planned for and loved, wasn’t as great as I thought it was.

I’d been living my life according to their rules.

Fitting into a box they provided for me.

Making myself small to appease everyone around me.

If I did make it back, I didn’t think I could just go back to that.

I was different now. Stronger. Would they accept me for who I was becoming?

Would Marley still wrap her arms around me if I wasn’t the sister she remembered?

Would Papa? Jean? Would Theo and I survive as a couple now that I’d been finding myself pulled to another?

So many questions that had no answers.

All I knew was that all of it had to wait. The most important thing was getting through the games.

My body felt exhausted. Over the last several days, the training and anticipation had taken a toll on me.

The masquerade would have been enjoyable under any other circumstances.

But with the heads of the fallen contestants watching over us, it was a constant reminder of what we had to face today.

And every breath I took, reminded me of my own mortality.

I spun my engagement ring around my finger nervously, the light from the fireplace catching against the simple diamond.

When Theo had given me this ring, I’d accepted whole-heartedly.

Knowing that in doing so, I would be making my family proud.

He’d planned a small meal for both our families at our favorite restaurant, which was a huge splurge for my family, but par the course for his.

My Papa had told me not worry about the cost because it was a special night.

I remembered the way the waiters all gathered around our table waiting expectantly as I pretended to be surprised by the ring floating in my champagne glass.

Marley had spilled the beans and told me that Theo was proposing that night.

Her exact words were, “Please don’t make that butt wipe my brother-in-law.”

But what I remembered most of all was the feeling like I didn’t have a choice and a nagging question inside of me that wondered what it would feel like if I just said no.

Both our families were watching us with unwavering attention as he asked me to be his wife, knowing that their plans of putting us together had worked.

My face had pulled into a smile I had practiced many times over that it was second nature when I did it again to say yes to the man kneeling before me.

If I made it through Nocturne, I’d be expected to pick up right where we left off. With wedding plans and a future that felt like it no longer fit.

Could I really go back like nothing had happened?

There was a rapt knock on the door and my stomach sank.

The games were about to begin.

We were made to change into a uniform, so all that preparation this morning was for nothing.

The outfits were long sleeved, black jumpsuits that cinched at the waist. The material was thin enough that it was easy to move around in, but heavy enough that it would keep us warm in the chilled catacombs.

I left my suitcase behind as instructed. They told us that if anything happened to us, they would send our personal affects home to our families. It was clear that’s all they would be sent back, because our bodies belonged to the gods now, and if we died down here, here we would remain.

Reaching the end of the maze alive was the only way out.

I carefully hid my dagger as I changed, swapping the sock I was wearing for a different standard issued one. It fit snuggly in my new black boot, hidden with the help of the jumpsuit.

We were then given a matching knapsack, filled with gear that we might need.

There were food rations wrapped in silver packaging, one small canteen like the ones we used in training, flint to start a fire, and a blanket.

The pack had a belt that clipped around the front of our middles, keeping the weight evenly distributed.

Killian popped open one of the food rations and sniffed it before taking a bite. “Ugh, tastes like cardboard.”

“Nutritional cardboard,” The captain’s voice rang out, making us all stand taller. “That stuff is your lifeline between starvation and living, so treat it accordingly,” she warned.

Killian sheepishly wrapped the food back up and placed it back in his pack.

“As you may recall, Team Spades, will be getting a five-minute head-start.” My gaze instinctively found Dex where he stood with his thick arms crossed over his broad chest.

He’d saved my ass last night, helping me cover for the dagger that almost slipped right out of its bindings. He could have made sure I was eliminated right then and there, letting it clatter to the ground, but he didn’t, and I wasn’t sure why.

Maybe he felt ending me like that was an unfair advantage, but there was a secret underlying part of me that hoped it was for other reasons.

Despite the fact that I knew nothing could happen between us, I still found there was a deep part of me that wondered what if.

Which was incredibly stupid of me. We were rivals.

Enemies. Both of us competing for the same outcome— to win these deadly games. But only one of us here could win.

“Follow me,” the captain ordered.

And we did. Down into the tunnels, with nerves settling like a rock deep in my stomach.

Guards flanked us on all sides. There was nowhere for us to run and hide.

We had no choice but to walk forward into what could be our own demise.

This was it. Everything we had been training for the past few days.

Gods, had it only been a few days since I’d been brought here?

Time felt so elastic and untethered here. The constant darkness that surrounded us made it feel like one long perpetual night.

We stopped right outside what was known as ‘The Alchemist’s Gateway’.

It was an arched section of the tunnel that had been changed over time to resemble the open mouth of the gods.

With teeth bared and sharp as if we were being swallowed whole.

There we were shoved against the wall into our four teams. Each team had its own alcove where we were placed on top of a platform.

Stepping onto it, I could feel the springs beneath my feet, shudder with our collective weight. I swallowed hard.

Dex was right across from me, waving.

I rolled my eyes that he would find this so amusing to wave at me right now when all I wanted to do was vomit.

Then, two guards strode over to where a large wheel sat right outside of Dex’s team’s wall.

I recognized one from when they had ripped me from my room.

He’d urged that scum Davis to not torment me, but now when he looked over at me, there was nothing but contempt behind those eyes.

Those bastards seemed to be enjoying seeing us off like this— all nervous and off kilter. Not knowing what to expect next.

The guards gripped onto each end of the wheel and began to turn. As they turned, Dex and his team were lowered into the ground.

The only tell that he might be anxious was the quick rise and fall of his large chest as their team inched further out of sight.

Now we had to wait.

Each second that ticked by felt like torture.

Nat, Killian, and Reed all looked as nauseous as I felt.

I adjusted the pack on my back, trying to get comfortable with the new weight digging into my shoulders.

No one said a word as we waited for our turn.

We all seemed locked inside our own heads, playing out imaginary scenarios and trying to prepare ourselves for what lay a few feet beneath us.

Just when I thought I couldn’t stand the silence anymore, the captain motioned to the guards.

“Show time mortals. Enjoy the games. Try not to die,” she said with a menacing smile as we were lowered into the catacombs and swallowed up into the inky black darkness.