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Odessa

S o, this is how you watch us in the games? By using our masks? I asked the voice as I followed the flickering flames that lined the tunnel walls.

Figured that out, did you? Kage responded with a chuckle.

I didn’t know why I’d never considered the possibility that they’d be able to keep tabs on us through the masks.

It was their power after all that we had access to because of it, but what else did that allow?

So far, I knew that the gods could communicate through it, and they could see what we were doing through them.

Could they also control us through them? My stomach soured at that thought.

The tunnel began to narrow and become shorter as I walked on. I could still clear the ceiling, but it was a close fit.

Dex would have to duck if he were here, I thought.

That one thought of him sent a pang through my heart that I brushed away quickly. I made the right choice. Walking away when I did was the only smart option. If I let myself be around him until the end, then I’d be forced to fight against him, and I didn’t have it in me to do that.

So, what are you all gathered together drinking nectar, betting on our lives, or what?

Aren’t you a curious little thing?

That wasn’t an answer. I quip.

Gods he was irritating.

The tunnel dipped down at an angle. I was headed deeper underground when the tunnel came to an end, opening into a large room with stone bunk beds carved into the walls.

I eyed them cautiously, but there were no bodies lying in them.

There were, however, initials with hearts around them painted on the sides.

D+A, C+T, J+Z, and then one that had been scratched out.

The history of these tunnels was endlessly fascinating. So much of it seemed to span the time of the games, reaching back before they began governing us as a people. I wondered if these initials were the same. People from before that had used this place. My fingers lazily traced one of the hearts.

Keep moving, there isn’t time to dawdle. Kage instructed.

Jeeze, alright. I’m going. I didn’t know what to make of the god that spoke inside my head.

Everything I knew about the god of shadows was mere myth.

He was known to be almost as elusive as the god of death, but far more approachable.

While the god of death was greatly feared, Kage, was respected by many for his use of shadows.

He was favored by thieves who used those dark corners to hide their wicked dealings.

He was also a favorite of the rich, who reveled in nighttime pleasures that were far too sinful for the daylight.

“There you are,” Dex said from behind me, startling me.

My mouth dropped open and I backed up, arms raised and ready for a fight.

I told you to keep moving, Kage said with a resigned sigh.

“Surprised to see me?”

“I guess I am,” I said, jutting my chin up.

“You fucking left me,” Dex said. Every word dripping in venom. I deserved his ire, but he hadn’t earned my trust.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“You wouldn’t tell me what you planned to use those powers for, Dex.”

He stalked towards me, caging me against the wall. From what I could see of his features, it looked like his face was pulled into a sneer as he looked down at me with fire in his eyes and rage in his heart.

“Haven’t my actions spoken for themselves, Odessa? That I would have killed anyone that dared to harm you?”

“I don’t know that,” I said weakly.

“You do, but you just don’t want to admit it. You thought you would leave me, win Nocturne, and go back to your shitty fiancé. Isn’t that right?”

I shoved him square in the chest, but he hardly moved. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Don’t I?” His smile was full of malice.

I’d never really considered that Dex could cause me harm.

On an abstract level, I had, but in reality, I didn’t think he would, until he looked at me just now.

Devoid of any warmth that once lived in those blue eyes of his.

Now it was pure ice like he could watch me die right here, and not even blink.

A chill ran over my skin as we stared at each other until the ground began to shake from under us.

“What the hell was that?” I asked, looking around.

Three large black bears with razor sharp teeth and enormous paws were rushing straight towards us.

“Fuck! Stay behind me!” Dex called, raising his hand and unleashing a wave of power at the beasts.

But they didn’t stop.

The middle one let out a deafening roar as it led the charge.

Some kind of meat hung from its jowls, and I wondered if it was another contestant that had the misfortune of encountering the beasts. And if so, were we next?

Light burned from Dex’s hands, but the bears were undeterred.

“Try something else!” I called.

“I am!”

“They’re getting too close!” I screamed. Another few steps and we’d be goners.

My knees shook, but I found the courage to sidestep Dex’s protection and use my own magick.

Come on, work for me, I begged.

And it did.

An onslaught of dark shadows poured from my hands like an inky black river full of power.

The shadows wrapped around each bear’s throat and squeezed with such force that I could hear their individual bones snap.

The shadows dropped their still forms with a thud and I stood there gaping at what I had just done.

“Holy shit, Odessa,” Dex said in awe.

“See, I don’t need you,” I spat out.

He turned on me so fast that I nearly fell over.

“You keep telling yourself that, princess. We both know the truth. You ran from me because you were scared.”

“There can only be one winner, Dex. We both know that truth,” I said in a flat tone as to not give away how close to the mark he had come. Maybe I was scared of him in more ways than one. Scared of how much he made me feel. Scared that if I were to make it out of here, I wouldn’t return the same.

A little late for that, don’t you think? A snarky Kage said into my mind.

Shut up.

“You can either admit the truth or you can keep walking away from me, but I won’t follow you this time.”

“Good! I didn’t ask you to follow me this time!” I shouted back with my hands firmly planted on my hips. Dex took a step towards me, and I took one towards him. Our chests were nearly brushing together with a crackle of electricity running through us.

Another rumble of the ground rocked through my feet. I whipped my head to see what was causing it this time.

The fucking Pyro had found us, and a wave of fire was wrapped around his body. He tilted his head as he looked over at us and the fallen bears before he raised his arm and shot out a wall of fire right towards us.