Torn: Sequel to Ruthless

Chapter 9

Octavia

I wake to Apollo's tense voice urging me to get up. For a moment, confusion clouds my mind. But then it all comes rushing back: the arena, the blood-streaked ground of the train station. I'm the last one awake, and as soon as we gather our supplies, we set off, each step laced with the silent promise of more violence. More death.

The cameras witness our first kill of the day—a girl who barely makes a sound before she falls. We share the meager rations we have before pressing on. My heart silently begs for this nightmare to end quickly; I'm already weary after only a day. Hours blur by in uneventful silence until suddenly, Kai, leading our formation, halts mid-step. My momentum carries me into his back, my cheeks flushing at the collision.

"Listen," he whispers, eyes narrowing.

There, faint and high-pitched—laughter. My eyes snap open. Rubie. I nod to the others, confirming that I've heard it. With my sword raised, I inch forward, my senses heightened. Then, another sound—a pained, male voice slices through the tension. Seena, at the back of the group, gasps.

"Bark," she breathes, her voice laced with dread. 

Seena charges toward Rubie without hesitation, a look of pure rage on her face. The other three of us, surprised, go for Wonder. To our dismay, he's not there. He has disappeared. We scan the surrounding area for him, but he's gone. 

Suddenly, a shadow detaches itself from behind a cement pillar. Wonder emerges like a specter and lunges at Seena, tackling her with brutal force. The impact sends her sword clattering away as his hands find her throat. She cries out as she hits the ground, Wonder's weight pinning her down and pulling her into a chokehold. 

"Seena!" I shout, rushing forward. Kai's arm lashes out, holding me back.

"He's too fast," Kai warns, his jaw clenched.

Seena's struggles weaken as Wonder's grip tightens. A red haze clouds my vision. I wrench free of Kai's hold and charge, my sword slicing through the air. Wonder's eyes meet mine at the last second, sharp and calculating. He releases Seena and dodges my strike with a snakelike twist, disappearing back into the shadows. Seena crumples, clutching her bruised neck, gasping for the air that was nearly stolen from her. I drop to my knees, my hand hovering over the angry, crescent-shaped marks on her skin. Blood seeps from the cuts, small but enough to send a shiver through me.

"Seena," I whisper, my voice cracking. "Stay still."

Her eyes search mine, glassy with pain. She tries to speak but only manages a strangled sound. The laughter erupts again, sharp and taunting. I whip my head toward it.  Behind us, Rubie continues to toy with Bark, unaware—or perhaps uncaring—that her ally just attacked Seena. Kai and Apollo stay near, their eyes scanning for any sign of Wonder, ready to defend us if he returns. Rubie's laughter cuts through the air again, and I snap my head in her direction. Bark is barely moving, his breathing ragged, his eyes pleading as he looks up at Seena from the ground. His body is shaking, and I can tell he doesn't have much time left.

Seena's face hardens as she meets Bark's pleading gaze. Determination flares in her eyes, even as she pushes herself to her feet, unsteady and shaking. Rubie lifts her sword, gleaming and blood-slick, and plunges it into Bark's arm. His scream is guttural, and I wince as he crumples, unconscious.

"No," Seena whispers, renewed fury overtaking her pain. 

She grabs her fallen sword, steadies herself, and charges. Rubie's eyes widen in surprise; she has no time to react. The blade in her grip is still lodged in Bark's limp body. She yanks it free, but it's too late. Seena's sword drives into her gut, and Rubie crumples, a strangled cry escaping her lips.

"This," Seena chokes out, tears mixing with sweat, "is for Bark."

She drives the blade down once more, and Rubie's body shudders before stilling. 

The cannon fires.