Page 50 of Pet: Genesis

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from growling out loud and turn around.

Remus is dressed in his all-white once again and has a high-collared shirt with a cape that latches using two jewels similar to the ones I wear on my waist. He wears a sleek silver crown around his head, and his hair isn’t in its usual place, held out of his face. It’s free, with no pins holding it as it flows down his back. I draw in a breath as I study him from where I stand. Remus would never fit into our society. Everything about him screams otherworldly.

He makes his way toward me, and Margot steps aside as he approaches. His eyes are focused on my arm, and he doesn’t hesitate to grab my hand and place a familiar object around my wrist. It’s the same bracelet he made me wear the night of the ball. The night he tortured me within an inch of my life.

His deep, purple gaze travels up to my face.

“I believe we are beyond threats. You have such a strong will to protect those around you. And if I continue to test that will, you may very well get yourself killed in the process. I will not hinder your defiance because it is something I have come to admire about you. But I will no longer tolerate it. Especially today.”

I stare at the elegant bracelet that sits on my wrist.

“Why do you keep bringing me to these events? Why, if you know that I will be disobedient?” I ask. His eyes brighten at my question.

“I don’tknowyou will be disobedient. You have all the prerequisites that come with compliance, and I bring you with the intention of the evening going according to plan, with no outbursts from my pet...” his hand presses lightly against my cheek as his eyes bore into my own, “and you prove me wrong... every single time.”

His hand slips from my cheek to my throat, lightly squeezing as he speaks his next threat with terrifying conviction.

“I’m done playing games with you. I will break you, and I will prolong the pain. I will not heal you, and I will let your feeble human body go through its own slow and painful process of repairing your body back to its near-perfect condition. And if your body cannot do that, then I’m afraid I will have to let death take you.” Remus’s eyes glisten with the promise of his spoken threat, and my body takes heed to his warning, shivering in his presence. It’s hard to imagine that he willingly hugged me only last week.

Thankfully, a servant interrupts us, her timid voice carrying over the room as she speaks to Remus in the Leviathan language. Remus stands tall, his eyes never leaving mine as he quips his responseto her. He watches me for a moment before a sly smile spreads across his lips.

“You can also try to earn the language if you’d like. I’d love to see how you’d earn that.”

The trip to the venue is short and sweet.

Remus’s mind seems to be elsewhere today. He even passed up the opportunity to tease me on the ride to the massive coliseum. It’s interesting to see that some ideas span across galaxies. While the coliseum itself rivals any that humanity has ever made, especially since it seems to float on its own, the structure still centers around the circular shape that the Romans fell in love with.

I watch in awe as the craft we’re in docks in one of the landing bays, an array of Leviathan ready to greet their terrifying leader. Remus doesn’t speak, nor does he offer me a last-minute warning as he exits the craft, expecting me to follow behind. I walk silently behind Remus while the Leviathan that greeted him speaks to him with excitement in their voices. Remus’s answers are short and cold as we make our way through to the main event.

Once we reach the large glass door, the Leviathan bow to Remus before stepping further away from him. He finally turns to face me, and I note that his features soften only slightly as he steps into my personal space.

“Obedience. That is all I demand of you today. Don’t test me. Don’t test my patience. I am not in high spirits,” he says. He places his finger under my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his, and I feel my blood run cold at the sight of his eyes. The black of his eyes trembles violently, threatening to dilate as he silently warns me. My instincts kick in, and I realize that I am trembling.

“Okay,” I whisper.

Seemingly satisfied with my response, Remus steps away from me to the opening doors. I have to fight the urge to cover my ears from the deafening roar that blasts through the doors. It takes me a moment to decipher the noise. It’s his people. My eyes widen as Remus steps ahead of me onto a leveled balcony, my eyes widening even further when I see the interior of the coliseum. I regret ever comparing it to anything a human has made throughout history.

The massive interior holds thousands of Leviathan, some of which are in floating rooms while others are seated in the semi-circle around the edges. The interior itself is a beautiful landscape. The ground is abundant with perfectly leveled grass, and the surrounding columns spew water, forming a waterfall around us. Remus steps forward, and with a wave of his hand, the roar grows increasingly louder.

A large and vivid display forms in the center of the domain, rising up in the air for all to see as Remus’s face appears in full view for the spectators.

I’m pulled out of my awe as a Leviathan tugs on my arm lightly. When I look at him, he is motioning for me to step onto a rectangle with Remus’s symbol. I slowly step onto it, and it gradually rises,taking me to a balcony that’s been carved into what looks like a mountainside inside of this coliseum. When I reach the top, a light blue ray of light spreads over the edge, and it doesn’t take an expert to know that this is a barrier.

My eyes shift to Remus as he walks among the Leviathan, his expression as hard as stone. He looks more regal than ever in this setting. From the reaction of his people alone, I can see the amount of power he holds. He reaches his throne and takes his seat as an announcer begins speaking in their language. I note that there are two empty seats next to Remus, and six more are in the row beneath him.

After a lengthy entrance, more Leviathan enter the coliseum, waving as they make their way up the path leading to their seats. One I immediately recognize as Zaya. She greets Remus, crossing her fist over her chest as she bows before taking her seat in the row beneath him. Each of the following Leviathan do the same until all six chairs are filled. And yet, the seats next to Remus remain empty.

“It’s different, seeing their customs up close, huh?” I look to my left at the sound of Jude’s voice to see him standing next to me on the balcony. We are separated by the blue beam of light but still close enough to speak. There are pets of the other Leviathan leaders that are being brought to the same perch as well. It’s disappointing to see how many of us have caught the eye of one of them.

“It’s sick. They have us on display like we are some kind of prize,” I hiss in irritation. Jude laughs next to me.

“We are prizes, Iris. We are the conquered—the planet’s living inhabitants. We are the greatest prize this world has to offer,” he says bitterly.

“This festival is a weeklong celebration of the arrival of their gods. Xion, Ezra, and Remus,” he explains.

My eyes widen.

“Gods?” I repeat in shock. Jude’s gaze grows distant as he watches Remus.

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