The Alliance

Chapter 12

Sahar's booming footsteps led us to the hall that held the unpleasant memory of the branding on my neck.

It seemed to tingle in remembrance. But instead of me in front, it was now Michigan. Scorpions were filling in the seats again. And all I could wonder was what the fuck did Sahar have up his sleeve this time.

"Ah, always the woman of the hour Ariah." He grinned maliciously, "Please do enter."

I walked towards him and I couldn't help but want to just shoot him already.

"There comes a time in all of our lives that we must make a choice. No matter how hard it may seem at first." This man. "They say the hard choice is often the right one. Today we ask Ariah Rmah to make that choice."

I widened my eyes in realization. "We ask of her one of the hardest things to ask of someone. To pick a side. Phoenix or Scorpion."

My steps faltered. He was going to make me-

"With a single bullet we ask her to prove her loyalty to the Scorpion House." With desperation in my eyes I searched for Ebrahim. Or Imaan. Or anyone who could see that this was complete madness, that this man was a psychopath who truly deserved a bullet to stop his heart.

Ebrahim's eyes held sorrow. Imaan's held her usual neutrality. And the rest of the Scorpion's held anticipation.

Did they really hate us that much?

There was no other option, maybe there would've been if there weren't people watching, but Sahar Gani always had an audience.

Phoenix or Scorpion. I walked towards the small girl that had long since stopped crying.

From now on this was how it was going to be. I was always going to be expected to choose one or the other but funny enough- my choice didn't feel like much of a choice at all.

The gun in my hand seemed to burn, as I loaded it with the single, silver bullet.

I looked into her eyes one last time. Silently apologizing. She nodded as though she'd heard it. We both took deep breaths. I aimed the gun to her now combed hair. A tear slid down my face.

I remembered meeting her for the first time. Gia, one of our own who was a social worker had recommended her to me; 'She's the brightest sixteen-year-old I've ever met.' were her words. And she truly was. Whether it was her ripe age or just her in general the House felt so much better with her in it.

Never had I ever imagined that I'd be here today. Standing with a gun to her head.

"May the only reason you fall be to rise." Her voice made my eyes open. Through my blurry eyes I saw her.

I saw as the woman she'd grown up to be in just the two years I'd known her. Here I was about to put bullet in her head and she looked fearless.

I want to be like her when I grow up.

The bullet left its vessel.

A scream left my mouth. Raw and hysterical as I finally settled and took in the disastrous state of my room. The tears that left my eyes were hot as they rolled down my pink cheeks.

A light knock sounded on the door. "Go away." I said, my voice scratchy and barely audible. But the person on the other side was persistent.

"Ria, it's Jo and I." Uraya's soft voice filtered into the space of my room. I got up on weak, shaky legs seeing as I had hardly had an appetite at all these past few days.

I slowly walked to the door to grant my best friends entrance. Their eyes widening as they took in the state of both me and my room.

"Good to see that you're coping." Uraya nodded with pursed lips. I scoffed.

This was not coping. My idea of coping would be finally getting my hands on Sahar Gani but my therapist had advised me to not rampage when I'm angry. I had half a mind to listen to his words.

I flopped down the messy bed and breathed out a sigh. My life was undoubtedly a shit show.

"On a scale of 1 to 10." Joeline's soft voice asked, and I couldn't contain the dark snicker that rumbled in my chest.

"She was only eighteen." I choked on my tears.

"A ten then." Uraya confirmed. Joeline pulled me in for a hug as she glared at the Indian who mouthed an apology before joining the hug.

"We know. Trust us we can all feel her absence."

"Everyone probably hates me." I wailed, hiding my face in the crook of Jo's neck.

"Hey," Uraya pulled back, "Nobody hates you Ria."

"They don't blame you either. We know you had no choice." Joeline comforted me as she patted my back.

"We can see what you have against Imaan now." Uraya pointed out, "She didn't even do anything."

"What could she have done Ray?" Jo asked, "Not only would she have been going against her uncle- but she would've also given the Scorpions a reason not to respect Ariah as their leader. Making your mark is important, that's what she did. Michigan was just the price she had to pay." I leaned back to look at my friend incredulously.

"How could you say that, Jo?" Joeline wore a confused expression on her face. "Speak about Michigan like that."

"I'm sorry Ariah, but it's true." I moved away from her, "Even if you brought her home would things have ended any differently?"

"Yes, yes they would've."

"How exactly? Do enlighten me."

"Oh, I don't know- maybe I wouldn't have her fucking blood on my hands." Her face fell. The penalty would've been death but at least it would've been someone else's burden to carry. "So yeah. Fuck you." I grabbed the key to my car off of the bedside table. Slamming the door behind me as I rushed to get away from everything.

I sped through the hallways at an almost unfathomable pace, rage moving my legs.

"Ariah." My father's voice called out. I was just about to ignore him when he roughly grabbed my forearm.

"Let me go!" The yell travelled from the depths of my stomach as I let it out. Shaking myself out of his tight hold. I carelessly tripped over my own feet and landed painfully on the hard floor. My hands shuffling my trembling body backwards.

"Ariah, get up." My father commanded but his words didn't register. My mind span relentlessly with thoughts I didn't have the energy to sort through. The poisonous feeling of resentment was deliciously eating away at me. The only thing I could process was how much I wanted vengeance.

"Ariah, get up!" I looked up at him, his eyes cold and- and- and- disappointed.

I couldn't keep the frustrated tears at bay. My breathing coming out rapid and uneven.

Black blotches littered my vision and the last thing I saw were blue eyes before the world went dark.