Into the Fire

by Cheree Alsop

  No one wandered the halls at the late hour. I checked every door I passed, but they were either empty or housed Galdoni I barely remembered from the Academy. It seemed like so long ago that I had fought for my life against them. Forgotten shreds of hate and regret stirred in my chest, but I shoved them aside; nothing mattered except getting to Alana.

  By the time I ensured that Alana wasn’t at my level of the building, I had to lean against the wall to keep walking. I nudged open the door to a stairwell. I wanted to cry at the sight of stairs rising above and below me. I sank to my knees on the landing. I was never going to find her. I tipped my head against the brick wall and closed my eyes in defeat.

  The door snicked softly open. “Saro?”

  I opened my eyes to see Kale watching me.

  “Don’t you ever sleep?” I asked.

  He answered with a smile. “That’s what I thought you were doing.”

  I shook my head. The rough brick against the back of my skull reminded me of the gravel beside Jake’s car. “I need to see Alana.”

  Kale crouched next to me. “She’s sleeping.”

  I shrugged, a minute lift of the shoulders. “Just the same, I need to see her.”

  He nodded. “Alright then.” He ducked under my arm and helped me to my feet.

  “How did you know I was here?” I asked tightly in an attempt to hide the pain at the movement.

  He gestured to a small camera in the corner of the stairwell. “The Galdoni have enemies. It helps to be prepared.”

  “I’m glad we made it,” I admitted somewhat grudgingly.

  “You’re sure about that?”

  A wry smile touched my lips at his tone. “For Alana’s sake.”

  “Good enough,” he concluded as he helped me carefully down the stairs. When we reached the door, he opened it without waiting for me to ask. Even the pressure of the bandages on my burned hands made them throb almost unbearably. I could only imagine what I would be left with after they healed.

  “They’ve kept Alana in a coma state to help her heal. The bullet removal was touch and go, but Dr. Ray is the best physician on our staff.” Kale gave a small smile. “He saved my life and my wings. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.”

  The heaviness to the way he said it spoke of a lot more that he was leaving out. I didn’t know why he bothered to confide in me, but it meant something. The fact that he felt I was worthy to talk to after everything shook me.

  Our pace was slow. I figured Kale would probably rather be sleeping, but he set a speed I could keep up with and didn’t ask me to push myself harder than I was able. I wasn’t used to such consideration. I broke the silence to clear my uneasiness.

  “You didn’t ask where we came from.”

  He glanced at me. “Officer Donaldson told us what he knew about the robberies. I figured you would fill me in on the rest when you were ready. For now, we should concentrate on yours and Alana’s recoveries.” His gaze was troubled despite his light tone.

  “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

  We stopped in front of a window. Alana slept on the bed, an oxygen tube in her nose and other tubes running to various machines. Monitors showed numbers and I could hear soft beeps through the glass, but I didn’t know what they meant. I rested my forehead against the window, grateful to find her sleeping and out of pain.

  Kale watched her for a moment in silence, then said, “You weren’t the only Galdoni roped into theft.”

  I glanced at him. His eyes were on Alana, but his gaze was distant. “There were others?”

  “There are others,” he corrected. “There’s an entire theft ring of Galdoni led by the most well-known criminal filth on this continent. We’re working with law enforcement to track down the leaders, but it’s been a slow process.” He met my gaze. “You’re the first to actually break free.”

  “I was a fool,” I said with all the self-loathing I felt.

  Kale shook his head. “You were misinformed.” I looked back at Alana without answering. I saw Kale nod toward her out of the corner of my eye. “But you brought us something we haven’t had before.”

  “Alana?” I asked.

  He nodded. “We know there are other female Galdoni in the underground trade, but as of yet, she’s the first who has actually gotten out alive.”

  The fact made my stomach twist. “You’ve seen other females?”

  Sorrow filled his face, answering my question as much as his words. “Whenever there’s a bust, we find the females already killed. They’re hiding something and I’m hoping Alana can give us answers.”

  I watched her in silence. It hurt to see her so still. She was so filled with life, so happy despite all she had gone through. Seeing her asleep on the bed attached to all manner of equipment felt wrong. My hands clenched into fists beneath the bandages. I gritted my teeth at the pain. “Jake will pay for shooting her.”

  Kale let out a slow breath. “Death is the way of the Galdoni.”

  I looked at him in surprise. “You don’t approve?”

  He crossed the hall and slid to a sitting position against the wall across from me as if he guessed I was on the verge of collapsing if I didn’t rest. His black wings spread out on either side, a sharp contrast to the white bricks behind him. I followed his example, easing my weary body to the floor. It hurt to lean back against my bandaged wings, but I let out an inadvertent sigh of relief for the rest.

  Kale gave an understanding smile. “You’ve been through a lot.”

  “No more than those female Galdoni. We need to get them out,” I replied hotly.

  Kale lifted a hand. “We’re trying; trust me. I want them out as badly as you do, and the rest of the Galdoni besides.”

  “If they’re caught up in this crime ring like I was, maybe they don’t deserve to be here.”

  Kale’s eyebrows rose. “You don’t think you should be here?”

  I shook my head. “Alana should be. She’s the only reason I came.”

  Curiosity touched Kale’s eyes. “Where would you be if not here?”

  “Taking down Jake and whoever else he was working with.” The pieces began to make sense. I had never asked Jake why he lived in a rundown apartment when he could have afforded several mansions with all the money I had stolen for him. At first I had put it off to the atrocious amount of the fees for keeping a Galdoni out of the Academy, but after I met Alana and learned the truth, I knew there must have been something else I didn’t know. The fact that Jake was under the management of someone else made perfect sense. He must have owed somebody a great deal with all we had taken.

  Kale nodded. “I appreciate the sentiment. Revenge consumed my thoughts when I first got out of the Academy. After I learned the truth about the Arena battles and the gamboling, all I could think of was getting back at them.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  Warmth brushed the Galdoni’s face. “I realized not all humans were the same. I made friends and fell in love.”

  I turned my face away with a snort of disbelief.

  Kale chuckled. “As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. Love can focus your drive and help you understand that there is more to life than fighting.”

  “Fighting is all we’re good for,” I replied.

  Kale opened his hand in concession. “Alright, a different sort of fight then. Instead of revenge, I’m focused on the survival of our race.”

  “Do we deserve to survive?”

  Again, a ghost of a smile followed my question. “I believe so, and so does the Constitution that eventually enabled our freedom.”

  I tried to make sense of his words, but my mind was muffled by weariness. I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes, an action against every training regime at the Academy; right behind ‘Never reveal weakness to an enemy’ was ‘Never let your guard down’. It said a lot about the condition I was in that I did so with only a slight tremor of wariness running through my limbs.

  “I’m still g
oing to stop him,” I said with my eyes closed.

  “I hope so,” Kale replied. I heard him push up to a standing position. “Come on. Let’s get you back to your bed. You need to rest.”

  “I’ll rest here,” I said without opening my eyes. It didn’t feel right to leave Alana alone. I would rest more soundly within range of her call if she needed me, even if it was on a cold floor. I had slept on worse.

  “She won’t wake up for a few more days.”

  I nodded.

  Kale took a few steps away; his shoes squeaked slightly when he turned back. “I’ll have the staff bring a couch to Alana’s room. Scars and the cold floor don’t mix well.”

  Chapter Twelve

  True to his word, a couch was brought up a few minutes later. I was embarrassed that such a fuss was made with my comfort in mind, especially at such an early hour of the morning. If the humans who brought the couch minded, they didn’t show it in the least. When the couch was set, I attempted to get back to my feet, but my burned hands and the truthfulness of Kale’s statement about cold floors and old wounds brought me back to my knees.

  One of the humans knelt beside me. “Can I help?”

  I wanted to say no, but another hour of trying to rise didn’t sound appealing. I hesitated, then nodded.

  He helped me up and assisted me to the couch. I stood next to it, unwilling to let down my guard in his presence.

  He smiled as if he guessed my thoughts. “Not too keen on humans, huh?”

  “You’re perceptive,” I replied dryly.

  He glanced at Alana. “Kale told me about her. Can’t say I blame you in the least.” When I didn’t move, he asked, “Would it help to tell you I felt the same way about Kale when we found him?” He grinned. “I even slept with a knife under my pillow during the first week he was at Dr. Ray’s.”

  “Like that would have helped,” I replied before I could stop myself.

  He chuckled. “I know, right? The one time we got into a brawl, I was lucky to get off with a few bruises.”

  “You fought KL426?” I asked incredulously.

  “That’s Kale out here,” he corrected with an amused smile. “And I wouldn’t say I fought him. More like I attacked him when I thought he put my sister in danger, and he proceeded to throw me around like a rag doll without any effort.”

  I laughed at his dismayed tone. “You got off lucky.”

  “I know,” he said, “But I felt like I’d been trampled by bulls the next morning.”

  His references suddenly fit together. “You’re Brie’s brother?”

  He stuck out his hand. “Jayce.” I lifted a hand to indicate how they were wrapped. He chuckled. “Sorry about that.”

  I shrugged. “No big deal. I’m Saro.”

  He nodded. “I know. You’re all anyone’s talked about since you arrived in such style the other night.”

  I grimaced. “Not my finest moment.”

  “What is?”

  Caught off guard, I studied him. He watched me expectantly, his expression easy-going. It didn’t seem to occur to him that it was three o’clock in the morning and time for most normal humans to be asleep. He seemed perfectly happy leaning against the arm of the couch talking to me. I realized I didn’t mind the distraction from the beeping monitors around Alana. It kept me from wondering if she would ever awaken.

  Against all instincts, I eased down warily on the couch cushion furthest from Jayce. He didn’t say a word, but I could tell by his expression that he knew it was a strange move for me. I still felt on edge, but I was tired of keeping up my guard at all times. I was tired of everything, actually, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

  “So what was your finest moment?” he pressed.

  Shaken out of my dark thoughts, I studied the floor for a moment. A memory surfaced, one that I had kept inside so long it felt strange to think of it again. I closed my eyes. “I don’t know if you would consider it a victory.”

  “Sometimes surviving is a victory,” Jayce said.

  Surprised, I glanced at him. He shrugged. “Let’s just say that working here has given me some insight into what you guys went through, and it isn’t pretty.”

  I nodded and let the memory settle over me. “It was a practice battle in the Arena. We weren’t supposed to kill. At least that’s what we were told.” The bitterness of reality colored my voice. “Apparently I had caused enough trouble in the training rings to get my name on the red list.” I glanced at Jayce. “I had my own way of fighting the enforcers didn’t care for. They said it was too scrappy. I realized after I got out that too scrappy meant not showy enough for the cameras.”

  “What’s the red list?” Jayce asked, his voice flat as if he guessed exactly what it meant.

  I met his gaze. “It’s one of those lists you don’t realize you’re on until you’re ready to fight with a wooden sword and realize everyone else has been given metal weapons.”

  Jayce grimaced. “That sucks.”

  I nodded. “I held my own with my scrappy style even with the wooden sword until Blade’s cronies ganged up on me.”

  At the Galdoni’s name, Jayce sat up straighter. I let myself fall back to that moment. “They tore the sword from my hand and had me pinned.” I felt the brush of the Arena sand against my arms and legs. I tried to fly, but a Galdoni stood on each of my wings, holding me down. They beat me until I could barely move. Gashes littered my chest and sides. I bled freely from at least half a dozen wounds that would require stitching. Blade leered at me, his smile twisted and his eyes alive with the joy of seeing a helpless victim.

  “This is honorable?” I asked, struggling against their hold.

  “You’re vermin,” Blade replied. “There is no honor for vermin.”

  “You’re a coward,” I spat. “You don’t dare to face me alone.”

  Anger sparked in Blade’s eyes. I thought for a moment that he would command his cronies to step back. I would have a chance, even with my wooden sword. Then he lowered his weapon. “Scream for me, SR029.”

  He angled his sword along my side so that the blade rested near my spine. The metal felt cold to my bare skin. With agonizing slowness, he drew the edge along my flesh. It bit through to the muscle beneath, opening my side and spilling my blood on the sand. I screamed. There was no way to hold in the cry as he continued to work the blade around, drawing it in a half circle up toward the middle of my stomach.

  “Pathetic,” he sneered, pulling the weapon away.

  I watched my blood gather along the blade. Drops fell with mind-numbing slowness. The dull spat they made when they connected with the sand echoed loud to my ears.

  “Want me to cut his head off?” LH308 asked.

  Blade smiled. “Leave him. His death from that wound will be slow and agonizing, just the way he deserves it.”

  They stepped off my wings. The fog that filled my thoughts numbed the pain I knew I should feel. That alone terrified me. I remembered the sensation of my lifeblood slipping through my hands as I tried to hold the gaping wound closed.

  “How are you still here?” Jayce asked, his quiet voice drawing me back.

  “They carried me to my cell.” I gave a bitter smile. “Apparently they didn’t want any deaths in the Arena that weren’t broadcasted. They deposited me on the rags that made up my bed, and left me to die.”

  Jayce shook his head. “I don’t know what I would have done.” He paused, and then concluded with a smile, “Probably died.”

  I chuckled. “I was tempted to just give up, but then they would have won.” The memory of the pain stole my breath. I fought back the urge to clench my hands. “I needed to bind the wound together. I didn’t have thread, so I tore my blanket into the smallest strips I could manage. I had to make the holes first with a scrap of metal from a fork tine, then I used the tine to shove the blanket scraps through. I tied them the best I was able.”

  Jayce face was white when I glanced up. He shook his head. “I definitely would have died. I understand wh
y surviving was your finest moment.”

  I shook my head. “That wasn’t my finest moment.” I smiled. “That came two weeks later in the training hall. It was all I could do to walk there; if Blade had known how weak I was, he would have finished me right then.”

  I remembered the slide of metal against metal as I pulled the sword from the container near the wall. It felt heavy in my hands, and I knew it was from my lagging strength. I would have to be quick.

  Blade was in a practice ring sword-fighting against PF220, another of his cronies. I climbed in and leaned against the chains. It took all my willpower to stand up straight. “Blade,” I shouted. I hit the chains with my sword.

  The shock on Blade’s face when he turned around and saw me alive filled me with strength. He had left me to suffer an agonizing death, not the honorable clean loss of life from a sword. I hefted the blade. His eyes narrowed with hatred. “You were supposed to die, vermin.”

  I lifted my lips in a snarl. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

  “Guess I’ll have to finish what I started.”

  The sword I held had a dulled edge for practice; the same applied to his. I held my side tight and raised my weapon.

  Blade blocked the blow with a laugh. “You’re a weakling. Why don’t you just die?” He swung his sword low in an attempt to hit my side. I had expected him to do just that.

  I grabbed the blade with my right hand and turned into it, pulling the weapon from his grip as I spun. I lashed out with the knife I had kept hidden along my arm as I held my side. It bit deep into Blade’s back. I yanked it around, carving a half circle identical to mine. A scream tore from his throat.

  Blade stumbled back, his eyes wide. Blood pooled around his hands as he fought to hold the wound. I watched him with a dispassionate gaze. “Good luck with that,” I said. I ducked under the chains and made my way through the Galdoni who had stopped their practice when our fight started. They let me pass without a word; their stares said everything.