Page 7

Odessa

T he rotunda was a spacious room with a large, vaulted ceiling and a glowing red rose chandelier hanging from the center illuminating the space in a sinister, crimson light.

The red beaming light was a stark reminder of all the blood spilled in this place.

The gods were stationed a level above us dressed up in their finery, milling about with drinks in their hands and laughter on their lips, their faces covered by golden masks.

We were nothing more than this year’s entertainment to them.

A passing thrill. They loved to see mortals play with a drop of their power, fighting amongst each other for a chance to cling to it.

Disgust churned deep in my chest at the unfairness of it all.

I was more than just some disposable mortal, and I was determined to prove it.

The energy in the room was a mix between nerves and excitement.

It was clear which contestants were chomping at the bit to compete, and which ones were wishing they’d never been summoned.

Seeing their faces flickering in the red light filled me with dread.

So many faces, all people with a life. Maybe loved ones back home just like me.

How am I supposed to kill any of them? The concept seemed inconceivable, but if I wanted to make it home to my family, I might not have a choice.

My knees quivered knowing that they’re probably thinking the same about me.

A loud crackling boom of a microphone attempting to connect to the speakers ripped through the vaulted entombed area, making everyone cover their ears simultaneously. The music cut out suddenly and my spine straightened on instinct.

“Sorry, sorry,” a short statured lion uttered into the mic from above.

His scraggly mane was beaming in the red tinted light and his large snout twitched as he stood looking down at us.

Talking magical animals were usually only found in the first arrondissement, coveted for their unique talents and hints of magick ability.

Animals that were non-speaking were used to perform services , or as pets to those that could afford such a luxury.

I’d never been in the presence of such a creature and felt a bit awestruck.

“Now, in just a few minutes, you will be escorted to your rooms one at a time, where you will inhabit until the start of the games. You will have the opportunity to train with your teams, or on your own. This will give you time to acclimate to your new powers. Remember, you can only accommodate a new mask, and subsequently its power, by killing the wearer.” A few of us shifted uncomfortably at the reminder.

“There is to be no foul play or fraternization with your fellow contestants while during the training period. Which means you keep your hands to yourselves. No sleeping together and no killing one another. Once the games begin, then all bets are off, and you are free to interact as you see fit. Anyone found guilty of breaking these rules will be subject to forfeit the games and sentenced to a lifetime of servitude to the gods.”

I swallowed hard, glancing around the room. Across from me stared the guy from earlier, his smirk firmly in place as he stared directly at me. I glanced away quickly, not wanting to already have been making an enemy. Why was he so fixated on me anyways?

“Please come forward when your name is called and choose your mask.”

A procession of women clad in black fabric wrappings with harsh cut outs showing pieces of their skin with their faces obscured by the sheer fabric walked in.

Each were holding a plush velvet pillow dipped in crimson with a golden mask affixed to it.

The women circled the room once, then twice showing off the masks, tilting them to the contestants.

You could almost feel the power pulsating off them as they passed by.

My eyes snagged on the one representing the healer’s magick – The Mender.

I licked my lips nervously. So much was hanging on this one moment.

My own survival depended on making the right choice.

If I chose wrong, it could mean signing over my soul to the god of death himself.

The air tightened in my chest and my heartbeat pounded as the first contestant was called.

“Magnus Hartfield.”

The name boomed loudly, and the gods stationed above erupted in polite applause. A blond-haired, well-built man wearing a tailored suit stepped forward with confidence and headed straight towards the mask named, The Enforcer. The power of strength.

As he placed it on his face and tied the ribbons behind his head, a blast of light enveloped his body shooting out of the tips of his fingers. It was nearly blinding, and I had to avert my eyes as the power settled into his veins. The glow dimmed and he took his place back in line.

A ripple of apprehension ran through me, wondering if I’d be the next name called. No such luck.

The next name out of the lion’s mouth was the timid girl with dirty blonde hair that I had observed earlier.

Her name was Lilly Perkins. She snatched The Ghost, granting herself the power of invisibility.

The same effect happened once she placed the mask upon herself, and the gods applauded in response.

They talked amongst themselves in a hushed whisper.

I wondered if they were placing bets on us as they observed us.

Name by name was called and my stomach grew into a tighter knot, knowing that as each power was picked, my chances of survival became less and less. The Medusa, The Pyro, The Timepiece had all been claimed, but the healer was still up for grabs.

“Dex Bourreau.”

The dark-haired man whose made it his mission to make me uncomfortable, stepped forward, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he considered his options.

He took his time, weighing his options. He stopped over The Mender mask and every muscle in my body tensed.

Almost as if he sensed my reaction, he looked up at me and held my gaze.

Those icy blue eyes of his twinkling with mischief.

Internally, I was begging for him not to choose that one.

Any other one but that. His hand slowly reached over the pillow as my stomach plummeted past my knees and sunk deep into my toes.

At the last moment, he diverted and snatched the one next to it— The Stag.

A mask shaped like a skull with demon like horns coming out the top, giving him the power to reanimate bones.

And in a place surrounded by over six million human bones, he’d have a lot at his disposal.

“Marcela Peroit.”

A girl with wine-red hair and a prominent wobble to her step shuffled forward and made a beeline for The Mender mask and my hopes of being able to obtain the one thing that could save my mother from her illness, crumbled into a million pieces before my eyes.

I didn’t have time to mourn the loss before I was called next.

“Odessa Deveraux.”

The sound of my name jolted my entire body as I felt the eyes of everyone around me swivel towards my shaking form. Walking passed the glittering gold masks— I weighed my options.

The Bird, The Siren, and The Onyx were all solid choices.

Controlling flight or water could come in handy.

And the ability to control shadows might be able to make me as close to invisible as I could without that exact power.

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth as I passed Marcela, seeing the mask I had originally wanted firmly affixed to her face.

The only way to get that power now, would be to kill her in the games. Her violet-hued eyes caught mine and a moment of uncertainty passed between us before I focused my attention back on the remaining masks and their powers.

My hand hovered over The Onyx, noticing the prominent swirls etched along the face. The two holes for the eyes stare directly at me as if daring me to choose it. Before I even knew what I was doing, I felt my hand clasp around the mask. Choice made.

With a deep breath, I tied the ribbons around the back of my head, careful not to snag my hair in the knot. It tightened on its own securing itself in place. I braced myself for the blinding light, but it didn’t come.

Murmurs from above began to reach my ears.

Did it not work? Was it broken or out of magick?

Just as I went to adjust it, wondering if I didn’t tie it tight enough, the room plummeted into total darkness all around us.

My entire body felt like it was set on fire and a scream ripped free from my mouth.

I didn’t know for sure what was happening around me because the pain was so overwhelming, but I was distantly aware of bodies rushing about in the darkness running into each other in utter chaos.

Shrieks are drowned out by my own scream.

Power like I’ve never known rattled across my teeth and down into my every nerve ending.

It was all consuming, dragging me down into its inky depths of untapped potential.

Beckoning me to unleash it into the world.

Whispers filled my ears urging me to give in.

Release, release, release!

Large hands gripped into my shoulders and as suddenly as the room darkened, it dissipated, returning to that eerie red glow from the chandelier above. The pain felt as if were sucked straight out of my body leaving me feeling dizzy and unsteady on my feet.

When my eyes finally focused, I saw the person holding onto me was none other than that cocky gorgeous bastard, Dex.

His head was tilted to the side and the slits of his mask showed his icy blue eyes staring down at me with an intensity I felt all the way to my toes.

His grip tightened a fraction of a second before he released me and returned to his spot in line like nothing just happened.

The lion cleared his throat, “Right. Well, if everyone can take their places.”