Steel Rose

Chapter 3

Isabelle Pov 

   Its too hot  in here. The combined body heat of this room is too much for me right now. Few girls take notice, as they sit on cushioned seats, and sip crisp water, or snack on small sandwiches. But they glance up, every once and a while to look at the screens. To see their competition, to see the flaws in us. I am not in the mood to sit, or to eat, or glance. I have no desire to converse with the girls right now, as I see no real reason why. None of us would commit to a real friendship, something I already have enough of with my brothers.   

   Sweat collects at my hairline.My lungs expand with each large breath I take. My  jumpsuit sticks to my body from even more sweat. Being a swift comes with it's consequences, sweat and all when you run too long too hard. It's Queenstrial, I was born to win. Well, want to win. I would accept the prince's hand in marriage, of course. But I know it's a long shot, if he offers. 

   Evangeline Samos, is the last girl to go. I know she has already won. She is a favorite with the royals. I am no fool, and know my chances of winning are slim. The Samos family has been one of the favorites for generations. Evangeline is the sister of the man I meet last night. I still can't think of his name, but I don't try too hard either. From his display of attitude last night, and Evangeline's permanent sneer on her face, I have officially come to the conclusion that bad temper and sly rudeness runs in the family. 

   I watch the large screens in the corner, as she arrives in the center of the arena. The place has nothing left, dust and multiple sizes of rock, and destroyed statues. Evangeline doesn't seem to care, not that it matters. I watch her, two fingers to her brow, one for the royals, the other for her family. 

   All the rest of the girls are quiet around me. I cross my arms over my chest, to hide. Not anger, or resentment. Just plain annoyance. Here we go, another girl to show off. I feel someone stand beside me, and I glance over. Sonya Iral. She scowls at the screen. "She has already won," she says only to me, she looks at me. Her dark eyes, meeting my light ones, "you are aware of this, correct?"

   "Of course," I tell her, "I've always known,"

   Sonya smirks as we watch Evangeline's father stand alone and announce his daughter. His voice rings out over the garden. "Magnetron," Like that wasn't obvious. The man I ran into last night sits by Lord Samos, but he is staring at his sister down below. Most definitely his son. I turn my attention back to Evangeline as the  iron studs from her jumper rocket from her body, landing in the electric shield, and in the walls around her. 

   Her own family claps, including other houses. Mine does not. Pride swells in my chest, and I smirk to myself. We watch as Evangeline smiles to herself as the garden begins to rumble, somewhere from down below. Some of the other girls stop what they're doing to look around. Sonya beside me, only rolls her eyes. 

   Spikes bursts from the ground, and around her, the sound is deafening, as some girls cover their ears. The garden begins to shake, and the camera zooms in on Evangeline's face. She could be laughing, the noise is to loud to hear anything. The room shakes earning a few surprised yelps from the group. 

   Years of training on balance and footing, Sonya and I don't need to hold on to anything. I watch cups fall off the boxes and onto the shield to be destroyed. Evangeline is still grinning, as she turns her attention to the upper boxes. She is laughing, as the crunch and smash of metal grows louder. 

   She takes her time, as the boxes start with a slight change in balance, a small shake, then the box lurches forward. She grinds her teeth and furrows her eyebrows, as more plates and cups are lost to the shield. The people in the box begin to panic, scurrying like fat yellow rats to get away from Evangeline.