Grimm Games

Chapter 37: Lucky One

The Piper's grim words shot adrenaline through me, but I knew better to run. First, I didn't know where to run to, nor did I have the time to take in my surroundings and get a beat on any landmarks that could guide me. And a hoard of unusually large, sharp teeth rats chasing me through the set didn't sound appealing either.

"Allow the Piper of the Grimm variety to see what's inside of you." Her eyes glowed like a wild, stalking feline in the night.

"Stay away from me." I lifted the blade in my hand, ignoring the radiating pain that shot from the wound on my palm and up my forearm. "I swear I won't hesitate to take you down." Although I hesitated, I meant every word.

The rats lunged forward startling me, but instead of attacking they scurried by, small rodent paws pummeled my feet as they scattered.

When I looked up at the Piper, a different set of familiar brown eyes looked back at me. "Sis?" Millie's eyebrows raised with curiosity as she whispered, "You alight?" She held a broken chair leg in her hand and gave me a once over with her eyes.

"Millie?" I wasn't sure if it was truly her or my imagination, or even the shadows of the darkness playing tricks on a fragile mind. "Is that you?"

Her response was to rush forward and hold me in a tight embrace. "I thought I was gonna find you dead out here."

As I embraced her back, I searched behind her for the threat. "Where did she go?"

"That's what I was gonna tell you, I don't know. Sonya's out here somewhere and Dylan's in really bad shape," Millie murmured, finally breaking the hug to stare into my face. "Are you okay? What happened? You seem a bit...off."

"The Piper," I looked over my shoulder. "Where did she go?"

Millie shook her head, checking our surroundings as well. "The Piper? Who?"

"The Grimm Piper, she was just here." When Millie's lips tightened, I continued, "You didn't see her? The rats? Her glowing eyes?"

She placed her forefinger to her lips to encourage me to keep quiet. "I didn't see anything, sis. Only you standing out here in the open like live bait, rocking back and forth and acting weird. The fog must've really got to you."

She didn't see the Piper or the rats? They were right there in front of me in physical form. What was going on?

"I'm confused." I brought my good hand to my temple to ease the headache that was forming. "I need to get back to Jade."

"Ugh." Millie sighed. "About that—"

"What?" I paused and looked up. "What happened?"

"You passed out and the fog was so close that Spencer and I ran to keep away from it," she explained. "I didn't have a choice and Dylan was too slow and decided to stay back so we could run to safety, so—"

"What happened to Jade?" was my only concern. "Is she alive? Is she okay?"

"She's gone." Millie sighed again and shrugged. "Missing. The fog was all over this place but when it cleared, I went back to the safe zone, but no one was there."

My heart raced with adrenaline and fear and my mind did the same with scenarios. "Goddamnit."

It was eerily silent, but I was thankful that Millie didn't mumble some sly remark about cursing. I finally looked around to get my bearings. "I need to find her."

"Spencer thinks they probably took her."

I couldn't stand still. I headed back toward the arena. "Where is Spencer?"