Crux Year

Chapter Twenty - Shay

"Wake up!"

I bolt upright in bed, my heart hammering in my chest, to find Trace standing in my doorway. Last night comes flooding back to me, making me want to sink back into my bed and dream of something other than my reality. Rubbing at my eyes, I groan and gesture at my best friend.

"Why are you here and so early in the morning?" I mumble, scowling at him. "It's Saturday."

Trace bounds into my bedroom, his eyes wide and his face pale. I'm sure the entire city is buzzing with the drama from last night. After the guards took Royal to see his father, my parents took me home. I'd fallen asleep exhausted.

Now, unfortunately, I'm wide awake.

"Did you hear the news?" Trace asks, plopping down on the end of my bed.

"Who hasn't? The outsiders bombed the city walls and stormed inside."

He frowns at me. "Not that. Of course you know about that. I'm talking about my match."

My blood runs cold. Royal is mine. Not Trace's.

"What about..." I can't say match. "Royal?"

"It's not fair," Trace huffs. "What did I do to deserve him?"

I smack at his arm. "Stop complaining and get to the point."

He rubs at his arm, gaping at me. "You're a prick in the morning."

"Trace."

"Whatever," he murmurs. "It just sucks you got the hottest, most popular match and I got the reject of Rock City."

"He's not a reject," I snap, quickly losing my cool. "Just stop."

He studies me for a beat. "You like him. My match?"

"Does it matter?"

"I just want to know."

"I'm not allowed to like your match." I pin him with annoyed expression. "This is a pointless conversation."

"Where did you go last night?" Hurt shines in his eyes. "Were you with him? Is that why he's...."

"He's what?" I demand, panic crawling up my esophagus, leaving my voice sounding ravaged and raw. "What, Trace?"

"You know how my dad, Carlos, who works in wall security?"

I nod, a chill sweeping down my spine. "Point Peak Headquarters. He took us there one weekend when he got called in for work. Made us sit in the break room for like an hour."

Carlos took us out for ice cream after, so it ended up being a fun day.

"He got called in last night after the breech," Trace says, leaning closer as he lowers his voice. "He saw Royal."

"Royal went to see his dad," I offer.

"He did," Trace agrees, "but then they took him down to The Hold."

"What's The Hold?" My tone is shrill. "Is he in trouble?"

"It's a secret, underground prison," he reveals with a hiss. "Big trouble if he ended up there."

"Someone needs to get a hold of Mr. Ever then. Vince will get him out." I may not like the guy, but at the end of the day, he's still Royal's father.