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CHAPTER TWELVE

WYNTER

M y heart is breaking. It’s the only way to describe the pain that’s sitting in my chest as Martha dishes the breakfasts up while she hums to herself. “What’s that song?” I ask, and she lifts her head to meet my eye and smiles.

“I used to sing it to my daughter.” Her smile immediately fades.

“Your daughter? You have children?”

She gives her head a slight shake. “Not anymore.”

“What happened?”

“My husband happened,” she mutters. “He wasn’t a nice man.”

“What does that mean? He killed her?”

“He may as well have. In the real world, things work differently,” she explains.

“There are laws you can’t break and things you can’t do.

And children are protected by laws, and if those laws are broken or the child is hurt by an adult, there’s an organisation called social services who take your child away if you can’t keep them safe. ”

“Where do they take them?”

She smiles sadly. “Sometimes they care for them in a home filled with other children, and other times, like in my daughter’s case, they give them to a new family.”

I stare wide-eyed. “But she had you. Why didn’t they let you have her?”

“I had to make a choice,” she almost whispers, “and I chose wrong.”

“You chose your husband?” She avoids my eyes as shame washes over her expression. “My mother did the same,” I say with a shrug. “I wish they’d sent me to a new family.”

“You do?”

I nod. “Everyone deserves a chance at being happy.”

“I used to think if I ever got out of here, I could try to find her.”

“It’s the first thing we’ll do when we get out,” I tell her, squeezing her hand.

I take the trolley and go through to the warriors’ rooms. I can’t shake the pain in my chest, and the thought of seeing Wrath again makes me feel sick. I go to Abe, smiling as I place his tray down. “Morning, Abe.”

“You really don’t like my name, do you?” I see the hint of a smirk.

“Should I call you Michael?”

He glances at the door nervously. “What is wrong with you?”

I shrug. “I don’t have anything to lose anymore, Abe. I guess I’m in self-destruct mode.”

“I’d appreciate you imploding alone and not taking me with you.”

“How does it feel?” I ask, pouring him a cup of water. “The ceremonies?”

He frowns. “Why are you asking?”

“I just want to know. I’m curious.”

“It’s like a relief,” he tells me, biting into his toast. “They build me up, so when I finally get there, it’s a relief.”

“I wish we could talk longer,” I say as I back out the room. “I like our chats.”

He grins. “I hate them.”

“Liar,” I sing-song as I leave. I can feel him warming to me, and as I enter Max’s room, I’m smiling while thinking about how different things would be if we all got out.

“Do you ever think about leaving?” I ask as I hand him his tray.

Max narrows his dark eyes. “Huh?”

“You must dream of getting out. Wrath does.”

“Wrath?”

“You might know him as Ares,” I say, watching his face closely for a sign of recognition.

He bites into his toast, his eyes still dark and angry-looking. “I know him as Wrath. Don’t use his real name again.” He sighs before adding, “There’s no way out.”

“Do you remember how things were before you came here?”

“We’re not allowed to remember,” he snaps. “Why are you asking me these questions?”

“You can remember,” I tell him, pouring his water. “They can’t stop your thoughts.”

“Maybe not, but I’ve spent years trying to get to this point, and you’re not ruining that and having me back in fight club.”

“What’s that?”

He narrows his eyes again. “It’s how warriors get here, by fighting day and night to be the best.”

“And remembering your family, your mother, they’ll stop you being at the top?”

“It does no good thinking about them,” he mutters. “They can’t help me here.”

Zeus is glaring at me as I pass him his tray. “No treats today?”

I laugh. “I’ll try to get some for lunch. How are you?”

“What?” he scowls.

“How are you?”

“Why are you asking?”

I laugh. “You really have to stop being so suspicious. I’m a nice person, honest. You look tired.”

“I don’t sleep well,” he mutters.

“Maybe I can help? I’ll visit the pharmacy later.”

“I don’t like pills,” he snaps. “No more pills.”

I nod. “Okay. I can ask for liquid form.”

When it’s time to see Wrath, my heart is beating wildly. I half hope he’s cooled off and is ready to talk, but deep down, I don’t think he’s the cooling off type.

He’s at his table waiting, and I breeze in with his tray and place it down.

“Good morning.” He doesn’t reply, and my heart twists.

“Did you sleep well?” Nothing. “I didn’t.

My mind was racing.” Nothing. I sigh and pour his water.

“You might hate me, Wrath, but I can’t hate you, so I’m going to pretend like we’re friends still and keep talking like we are. ”

I head out and close the door quietly, leaning against it and groaning. It’s too hard to pretend we’re okay when we’re not, but he’ll give in eventually. I know he will.

Midmorning, I take a walk into the village to grab some things for Martha.

Alex goes into the butcher’s and bakery for me because I can’t face seeing the families of Abel or Jade.

I head for the pharmacy, and I’m surprised when I find a man behind the counter and not the woman who asked me to pop in and see her.

He looks up, and I force a smile. “Is there anything I can take for not being able to sleep?” I ask.

“Insomnia?” I nod. He looks back at the shelves behind him.

“But not tablets. I can’t swallow them very well.”

He gives a stiff nod and takes a bottle from the shelf. “Try this,” he says, handing it over.

“Thank you. It can go on the Sanchez account,” I tell him, and he smiles wide.

“Of course.”

Medicines are one of the things we have to pay for, and that’s usually left for a man because they have access to money. The forefathers have an account.

Next, I call into the grocer’s and pick up four apples. “On the Sanchez account,” I tell him because fruit is also limited and any extra on your rations must be paid for.

At lunch, I call in to Abe, holding up the green apple with pride. “See what I got you?” He goes to take it, but I snatch it away. “But first, you have to accept my friendship.” He smirks, and I hand the apple over. “Enjoy.”

He bites into it and groans. “I don’t remember the last time I had one of these.”

“I’ll try to get different fruit each time I go out,” I promise and place his tray down. “Do you ever think about the times before you were brought here?”

He shakes his head. “Why would I?”

I shrug. “Don’t you miss that life?”

“I was only young,” he says. “And my life before was no different to how it is now. I was yelled at and locked in my room a lot.”

“I’m sorry,” I mutter.

“But if you find a way to get us out, I’d leave.”

I smile. “Me too.”

Zeus stares at the small bottle with two spoons of medicine inside. “Just drink this at bedtime and it should help.” He smiles. “But don’t let anyone find that bottle. I’ll collect it in the morning and refill it.”

“Thank you, Wynter.” I nod, smiling wide as I leave.

Max bites into his apple eagerly too. “You’re good at breaking rules,” he says.

I give a small bow and laugh as I head out.

Wrath doesn’t even look at me as I hold up his apple.

I place it on the table, and he sighs, moving it away and waiting for his tray.

“You don’t like apples?” I ask. He stays quiet, picking up his boiled potato and biting it in half.

“I can try to get something else for you.” Nothing.

“Sometimes they get strawberries in.” Still, he ignores me. I roll my eyes and head for the door.

“It must be easy to get that stuff when you’re a Sanchez,” he mutters.

I pause, his words stabbing at my already wounded heart. “I never get anything for myself, Wrath,” I say his name clearly, letting him know I heard his request to not use Ares.

“You’ll get us into trouble if you’re caught. But I bet you didn’t think about that.”

I bite on my lower lip before saying, “If you’d prefer, I can have Anna bring your meals again.”

He tucks into his food, making sure I know he’s done talking.

Wrath

I eat the apple the minute she’s gone, enjoying every juicy mouthful. Desperate to tell her how good it tastes. Desperate to offer her a few bites.

I groan. Her name means nothing and yet I’ve made it mean so much. It doesn’t define who she is, and she’s more than proved she’s here to make things better for us all.

But it’s that name. His name. Sanchez.

That man chose me to fight for his family name and made it perfectly clear I couldn’t fail him. His hunger for power makes him a dangerous man, and I thought it better to be on his side, even if I am kept at a distance. But the things he’s made me do to prove I’m good enough make me sick.

He’s the reason this place is still going.

He’s the reason we are all trapped here.

He’s the reason my life remains miserable and empty.

At least it was . . . until her.