- Onyx's Pov -
The morning of the Choosing always felt heavier than any other day. I woke up to find Jax and Lira already sitting in silence. None of us spoke, but the air between us was thick with unspoken fear. It was the same every year—a tense wait for the inevitable.
The thing is, the odds stack against you with every year that passes. Your name is added to the draw once when you turn ten, and then it doubles every year after that. Lira's name was in the bowl eight times this year. Mine? Sixty-four. And Jax? One hundred and twenty-eight. To say I was worried was an understatement.
We headed for the town square in silence, the sun barely rising over District 8. It was like walking to a funeral—your own. Everyone gathered in front of the stage where the Choosing took place, a stage that looked too grand for the grim event it hosted. The square was packed, the faces of our neighbors tight with fear and anxiety. But still, we lined up like obedient sheep, waiting for the slaughter.
Then they started their all-mighty speech, the same one every year, dripping with fake enthusiasm.
"Welcome to the 98th annual Blood Games. We're going to begin the Choosing, but don't forget—'May your blood never stain the Circle.'"
Note the sarcasm.
"Ladies first, as always," the announcer said, strutting to the glass bowl like she owned the world. She dragged it out, moving slower than I thought possible, probably to build tension. My heart pounded as her hand dipped into the pile of names. She pulled out a slip of paper, unfolded it slowly, and walked back to the microphone.
"Lira Reed."
The world stopped. My heart plummeted into a pit so deep I couldn't see the bottom. Lira. No. Not Lira.
She would die. The thought alone threatened to tear me apart.
I had only one choice, and I knew it the moment her name was called. It had never been done before, but I didn't care. I couldn't stand by and watch her march to her death. I had made a promise the day Cas died—to protect my family at all costs.
"I volunteer as the Fated!" I screamed before I could stop myself. My voice cracked, the tears threatening to break free.
Everyone turned to stare, their eyes wide with shock. No one in District 8 had ever volunteered. It was insane. But I couldn't watch my sister die. I wouldn't. I pushed through the crowd, my legs weak but my mind set. The stares burned into my skin, but I didn't care. All that mattered was Lira.
I stepped onto the stage, my heart still racing as I faced the announcer. She looked me up and down like I was a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out. "Your name, miss?" she asked, her voice smooth and detached.
"Onyx Reed," I replied, my voice steadier than I expected.
The announcer's lips curled into a smile. "Will everyone congratulate our Lady Fated, and the first-ever volunteer!" She turned back to the crowd, her voice dripping with amusement. "Now, for the boys."
I barely heard her as I searched for Lira in the crowd. When I found her, she was staring at me with wide, terrified eyes, tears already spilling down her cheeks. I gave her a small nod, using a gesture we'd made up long ago—a secret code that meant "I love you, may we meet again." I hoped she understood. I hoped she knew I was doing this for her.
But then Jax's voice cut through the chaos, louder than I had ever heard it before.
"I volunteer as the Fated!"
No.
My head snapped toward him, disbelief crashing over me like a wave. No, he couldn't. He was doing this for me, just like I did it for Lira. We were both going to die. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to live. I volunteered so that he wouldn't have to.
Jax climbed onto the stage, his eyes locked on mine the entire time. We both knew what this meant—what we had done. He had always been my protector, ever since we were kids, and now he was throwing himself into the fire to save me.
The announcer, still smiling that sickening smile, looked at Jax. "Name, young man?" she asked, though her tone was filled with mocking delight.
"Jax Reed," he said firmly, his voice void of any emotion.
"Oh, how sweet," she chuckled. "A little brother-sister time in the Circle. How fun."
I could feel the bile rising in my throat, but before I could say anything, we were grabbed by the Gamemakers, their cold hands gripping our arms as they dragged us off the stage. The crowd had fallen into a stunned silence, the weight of what had just happened settling over them.
The announcer's voice echoed in the distance, "May your blood never stain the Circle!" followed by the sharp sound of whistles cutting through the air—the ritual that marked the end of every Choosing.
I looked over at Jax as we were led away, the reality of what we had just done sinking in. We were both doomed. Both destined to enter the Blood Circle together, where only one of us could survive. But I had already made up my mind. I would protect Jax at all costs. Even if it meant my death. I'd die for him.
I caught his eye as we were dragged into the waiting room, a place where the Fated prepared for their journey to the Blood Circle. "What the hell were you thinking?" I whispered, my voice breaking under the weight of my fear.
He didn't answer right away, just stared at me with that same determined look he'd always had. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady. "What were you thinking, Onyx?"
"I was thinking I couldn't let Lira die."
"And I was thinking I couldn't let you die."
I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes. "Jax, one of us has to make it out."
He didn't respond, just reached out and squeezed my hand. I knew what he was thinking. We both knew the truth.
Neither of us was making it out alive.
