Page 18 of Run of Ruin

He met my gaze for a brief moment, he looked like he was going to say something, but then stopped himself. Finally, he spoke. “We’re always rooting for our favorites.” It was a Praxis response, but it seemed… wrong. Like he didn’t really mean it.

I glared at him. “And so what, you’re going to help her?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Weare.”

I folded my arms, jaw clenched, waiting.

“I can’t fight in those trials with you,” he continued. “But I can shift the narrative. I can make the world fall in love with her. I can turn her into a fan favorite, give her momentum.”

“And me?” I asked, voice like flint. “What do you expect my part to be in all this?”

Zaffir’s eyes gleamed like he’d been waiting for that question.

“I can make you into the quiet soldier. The brooding protector.The guy who doesn’t give a damn about the cameras or the glory, only her.” He looked at her again, and for a split second, I wasn’t sure who he was pitching the story for, me or himself. “If we play it right, the viewers will eat it up. They’ll root for her. Fight for her. They’ll want you there to protect her.”

He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice again. “And maybe… that’ll be enough to keep her alive.”

My breath slowed. The possessiveness hadn’t faded, but it was tempered now by something colder. Smarter.

The more people who cared about her, the more shields she'd have in this game.

Still… “What’s in it for you?” I asked, watching him like a wolf watches another circling too close to the kill.

That glimmer in his eyes returned. That look, lust tangled up with fascination. “I just want her to survive this.”

“You like her,” I said, quietly.

He gave a half-shrug, unapologetic. He didn’t deny it. Didn’t even try. “Can you blame me?”

Jealousy twisted again in my gut, but it didn’t settle. It burned itself out with the realization that the more allies she had meant more chance for her safety. And the truth was…no, I couldn't blame him.

“Fine,” I said, quietly. “Tell me what I need to do.”

CHAPTER

SIX

Bex

The train cameto a screeching halt, and for a moment, all I could hear was the rapid pulse in my ears, drowning out the usual noise. My body tensed, a mix of anticipation and dread wrapping around me. The fabric of my outfit clung uncomfortably to my skin. It wasn’t the usual loose-fitting comfort I was accustomed to, everything felt tighter. Every curve of my body was on display, and there was no escaping the way it felt, especially when I could feel my own breath hitch in the tight corset around my torso. My chest felt like it was being pushed forward, and my face, once again coated with layers of thick makeup, seemed almost foreign to me. I hated it. I hated the way it made me feel like an object, something to be admired and scrutinized.

I would have argued, protested the way they’d dressed me up, how they’d painted me into this character, if I hadn’t seen the looks Ezra and Zaffir gave me when they thought I wasn’t looking. I caught the way their eyes lingered, scanning mybody like it was a prize they were trying to figure out how to claim. I pretended not to notice, keeping my gaze averted, but their stares burned into me. It was subtle, but undeniable. The heat in their eyes was clear, and full of appreciation, desire, and lust. And suddenly I didn’t want to shrink away from it, to protest, but rather indulge in it.

It had been so long since anyone looked at me like that. Since anyone noticed me with that kind of hunger in their gaze. Maybe I shouldn’t feel the way I did, considering the situation, but I couldn’t help it. That didn’t stop the rush of warmth their gazes elicited in me. I could feel myself soaking it in, almost greedily. How much longer would I even be alive to feel it? To be looked at? To be desired? I may never feel that kind of affection again. And that thought made me sick with longing.

“Now, when we step off the train, there will be a warm welcome. I advise you to make a good impression,” Nova’s voice was cheerful, almost overly so as she led me toward the exit. Her steps were quick, her heels clicking against the metal floor of the cabin, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to change. “Nexum saw you last night during your segments, but they need to get to know you now. Really get to know you.” Her smile was wide. “Just smile, wave, and follow me. We’re headed to the welcome party for all the Challengers.” She clapped her hands with enthusiasm.

I could hear the bustling crowd just beyond the door, the chatter, the laughter, the low hum of excitement. My stomach twisted. I wanted to take a deep breath and mentally prepare myself, but I couldn’t seem to focus.

I glanced at Ezra, whose eyes were locked on me. He leaned in closer, his shoulder brushing mine, grounding me in this moment. His touch was solid, like an anchor in the chaos of this manufactured world around us.

“You okay?” His voice was low and gentle, a stark contrast to the manic energy of Nova’s commands.

I looked up at him, a soft smile tugging at my lips despite myself. “I’m not sure,” I answered honestly, my voice betraying the nervousness I was trying so hard to hide.

He nodded slowly, his expression falling into the stoic mask he wore during the vote. But in his eyes, there was a fleeting glimmer of the warmth he'd shown me last night, tucked away in the quiet darkness of the train car.

For a moment, I felt a strange sense of pleasure. There was something oddly satisfying about knowing that the softer side of him, the part of him that was open, vulnerable, and real, was something I was getting to witness when no one else could.

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