Torn: Sequel to Ruthless

Chapter 9

I wake to Apollo's strained voice telling me to wake up. For a moment, I'm not sure where I am. Then I know. I'm in the arena, lying on the ground of the train station. I'm the last one up, and as soon as we pack our supplies, we set off. Off to kill more tributes. 

Throughout the morning, we kill one tribute, a girl, before stopping for a break. We share a tiny bit of food before setting off again. I'm secretly hoping that these games will be shorter than usual. I've been here for a day and I'm tired of it. The next few hours are boring, with our alliance not coming across any other tributes. Until Kai, who's leading the group, suddenly stops, which sends me, who's behind him, crashing into him. My face turns red. 

"Listen," he whispers, turning toward us. 

I cock my head and shut my eyes for a moment before I hear it. The sound of high laughter. My eyes snap open. Rubie. I nod my head, signalling to the others that I can hear it. Holding my sword in front of me, I creep toward Rubie's voice. Then I hear another voice. A male's voice, a pained voice. Seena, who's at the back of the group, gasps. 

"Bark," she whispers. 

Must be the boy from 7, the boy she loves. 

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. 

A sudden, dark blur shoots out from the safety of a cement pillar. Wonder. I barely have time to process what's happening when Wonder lunges at Seena from the shadows, tackling her to the ground. The force of the impact is brutal, sending Seena's sword flying out of her grip. She cries out as she hits the ground, Wonder's weight pinning her down, his hands already circling her neck, pulling her into a chokehold. 

"Seena!" I shout, running forward, but Kai's arm shoots out, stopping me in my tracks.

"Wonder's fast," he mutters through gritted teeth. "Too fast."

Seena struggles beneath Wonder, kicking and thrashing, but Wonder is relentless. I can hear Seena gasping for air, the sound filled with pain. I don't hesitate this time. I wrench my arm away from Kai's grip and run toward them, sword raised. 

"Get off her!" I scream, my voice desperate.

Wonder looks up just in time for me to swing my sword. He twists, narrowly dodging my strike, and he leaps back, releasing Seena. For a split second, I see his eyes—cold and calculating, as if this is all a game to him. Then he disappears into the shadows again, just as quickly as he appeared. Seena lies on the ground, clutching her throat and gasping in pain. Her breaths are shallow, and her face is twisted in agony. I kneel beside her, dropping my sword and pressing a hand to her neck. There's blood, and the small crescent marks of fingernails. Not a lot, but enough to make my stomach lurch.

"Seena," I whisper, panic creeping into my voice. "Are you okay?"

She winces, trying to sit up, but I gently push her back down.

"Stay still," I mutter.

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 locks eyes with Bark, and her expression crumples. She reaches out toward him, her lips trembling as if she's going to say something. But before she can, Rubie raises her sword-a sharp, bloodied one-and stabs Bark in the bicep. Bark screams, a sound filled with heart-wrenching pain. Seena tries to crawl toward Bark, but her body is too weak from the when Wonder strangling her. I hold her back, my own heart breaking as I watch Rubie twist the weapon, a sinister grin spreading across her face. Bark lets out a broken gasp. His body goes limp. He's passed out. 

With renewed strength, Seena gets up, grabs her fallen sword, and charges at Rubie. Rubie's surprised by this, and she doesn't have anything to defend herself with, because her sword is still in Bark's limp form. Quickly, she snatches it from his arm, holding it out in defense. The thing's still dripping blood. Rubie's fast, but Seena's faster. Much faster. The girl from District 4 manages to stab Rubie's stomach on her first parry, sending Rubie to her knees. 

"This," Seena starts, with a shaking voice, "is for Bark."

Then she jams the sword through the girl from 1's back. Again and again. 

The cannon fires.