powerful. Resilient. I could fight back. Here, I was deprived of humanity, robbed of anything that made me believe I was strong, leaving me feeling weak and defenseless.
Fumbling with the machine, I heard a small cough to my right. At the third cough, I glanced over. A petite Asian girl with dark, silky hair tied back past her shoulders wore a yellow uniform. Her large, dark eyes drilled into me with intention, her head bobbing slightly to her hands.
She moved slowly, with purpose, threading the machine, her delicate fingers tapping on things, subtly showing me how to do it.
Tracking her movements, I copied them step by step. She would guide me with slight smiles or a shake of the head, her gaze always darting to the guards, watching so we didn’t get caught.
Every time one passed us, her head would snap back down to her work until they walked off, then she’d return to helping me.
The fact she was willing to risk punishment to help me, cared to assist a human, made my heart swell with gratitude, which confused me. A fae was helping me while the human on my other side spat and glared at me, leaving me for the wolves.
The room was a mix of sexes and species, though I noticed a bigger ratio of humans here. This was probably all they thought we were capable of. Servant work.
Hours went by, and I worked until my ass, fingers, and back throbbed along with my cheek and stomach. A healer had come in and crudely covered the reopened injury along my ribs and put cream on my face, bitching I was getting blood on the clothes I was mending.
While others munched on moldy cheese and bread and drank a small cup of water from a dirty communal bin for lunch, I had to keep working, only getting one bathroom break before the dinner bell rang. Because of the lack of food, crippling pain, and loss of blood, I could barely stand when we were free to leave.
“You all right?” A soft voice barely made it to my eardrums as I gripped the table, pushing myself up onto my legs, my body complaining and revolting against me. Turning my head, I spotted the girl who had helped me. She was no more than five foot two, her persona cautious and shy, probably hoping to dissolve into the walls. She didn’t seem like someone who’d be at Halalhaz.
She nodded at my face. “Be careful of Hexxus.” Her dark gaze slid to the demon who had beat the crap out of me. He must be the top dog in here by the way the other guards bowed to his word. He had whipped three more people by the end of the day. “He gets energy from torturing people. Thrives off it. He actively seeks it out. Try not to give him a reason.”
“I wasn’t trying to.” I hobbled for the door.
“You won’t have to.” Her voice was so soft I barely heard her over the jabber and movement of people heading for the mess hall. “It will find you.”
“Find me?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Danger and violence want you.”
My head turned to the tiny girl who barely looked older than seventeen—not that you could tell a fae’s age by looking at one.
“They hover around you.” Her black eyes almost made her look like she had no irises. “And you welcome them.”
A figure clipped my shoulder, causing me to stumble. “Get the fuck out of my way,” a woman snarled, shoving past me. “Watch yourself, new fish.”
It was the human woman who had sat next to me. Blinking, I watched her graying-blonde bun move through the throng, her brown eyes glaring at me. What the hell was her problem?
“See,” the girl said next to me.
I sighed, turning back to my fae companion.
“I’m Laura,” I lied.
“You can call me Lynx.”
“Well, thank you, Lynx. For helping me.”
“Don’t die.” She blinked at me, then turned and walked away.
“O-kay.” I shook my head and let it go. My mind focused on actually getting food this time. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t last more than a week, and I had a feeling I had only experienced the fluffier side of prison life.
This was a game of survival, and winner took all.
Chapter 13
Cries, screams, chants, bellows, and stomping of feet boomed through the arena, ricocheting off the walls, creating a frenzy of noise in my head. I cringed against the smells of blood, piss, and sweat. Every sense was assaulted and