Page 54 of Pet: Genesis

“Then why not do it? Why not just destroy us all and be done with it? Why waste time here, putting yourself and us through obvious misery when you know you will never allow us freedom?” I ask. Remus leans into me, his lips inches from mine, as his purple gaze pins me to the spot. The center of his eye quivers as it threatens to dilate. He’s fighting for control.

“What a marvelous suggestion, Iris. Maybe I will.” His voice is dripping with malice as he speaks, and I know I’ve pushed him too far.

“Freedom is a silly illusion people put in place to control the indigenous. It doesn’ttrulyexist,” he says. His gaze shifts behind me as he focuses on Margot passing by. He smiles softly, but it’s filled with malicious intent.

“I’ll prove it to you.”

The trip to our destination is swift. Wherever we are, Remus felt the need to bring Margot along, making me nervous. I tense as the door to our destination slides open, revealing a magnificent room with equipment I can’t comprehend. It’s obviously from his home world, the objects not familiar in the least. But as I look around, I notice Leviathan using each of these machines vigorously. My eyes widen as I slowly realize what it is.

It’s a training ground for the Leviathan.

I watch the strongest of their society train among each other, some using weapons I’ve never seen before. The terrible twisting of my gut grows more intense the deeper we move into the building, my eyes focused on Remus’s back as he walks with his head held high. The Leviathan around the room quickly notice their leader’s entrance and stop what they’re doing to bow and greet him, none batting a lash at my and Margot’s presence.

“This is one of many training facilities we’ve put in place. It is equipped with the most advanced technology our society has tooffer.” Remus speaks ahead of me, and I feel my stomach clenching in terror as we approach a room surrounded by glass.

Remus steps through the door, and the sound of combat assaults me. I look past him to the large ring that stands on an elevated floor in the center of the room. Zaya is in the center of the ring, easily dodging punches of a Leviathan much bigger than her. He throws another wild hit, and she uses his momentum, grabbing his arm to flip him over her shoulder. He hits the ground with a loud “thud,” her knee pressing into his throat as she wordlessly ends the fight.

Remus claps from below and begins speaking to her in their native tongue, pulling her attention. Her face beams as she smiles at his presence, greeting him with the same fervor the rest of her people have on the way in here. She moves to the edge of the ring, leaning against it to speak to him. She once again has a comfortable demeanor around him, as if she’s completely at ease when speaking to him. Her eyes shift to me as they speak, her smile widening, and she vigorously nods her head. I don’t know if Remus brought me here to witness the vast difference in strength or to watch him train, but a heavy nagging is glued to the back of my mind from his words before we left.

“I’ll prove it to you.”

I tense when Margot silently moves next to me, making her way to the elevated arena. My eyes widen. Surely Remus isn’t going to pit Margot against Zaya? Margot reaches the steps, and I quickly rush behind her, grabbing her arm out of instinct. Instead of herusual reply to not touch her, she halts, looking at Remus. I follow her gaze, and he’s watching us both with a cold expression.

“What is this?” I ask.

My voice trembles as my mind runs a mile a minute, trying to calculate what is happening and how I can counter it. But as Remus eyes the both of us, I feel despair closing in. Margot begins walking again, her expression blank as she moves into the arena. I try to hold her back, pulling with all my might, but she’s insanely strong in this state, dragging me into the arena with her.

A light blue beam rises around the edge of the arena, and I feel Margot’s rough grip around my arm as she wrenches herself from my hold. I cry out in pain as she shoves me, her expression still lax of any emotion.

I look at Remus in a panic.

“What is this?!” I screech. He slowly approaches the ring, his eyes never leaving mine.

“This is your chance to earn your ever-elusive freedom. Kill her, and I will let you walk free. If she kills you, she will walk free. Isn’t that what you want?” he laughs before finishing his sentence, “freedom?”

I shake my head in disbelief, not knowing what to do.

“No!” I quickly counter, and he frowns.

“No? You would take that decision away from her though? You want her to stay trapped in her prison, never being able to live freely or even have the option to try?” he asks. I look between him and Margot, my head spinning.

“No...,” Iwhisper.

“She’s lived a harder existence than you, Iris. Remember how we found her. Remember where she was. And understand that the mind is a fragile thing,” Remus says.

The center of the ring opens as a weapons table rises to reveal itself. There are man-made weapons atop it. I look at Remus with tears in my eyes.

“Why...?”

He doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t have to. I know why. I tried to assert myself and my race as having the upper hand. And now he’s once again proving to me that, like freedom, that is a horrible illusion. I’ve grown too comfortable. And he’s ready to snuff that comfort out.

“... Iris?” I tense when I hear Margot’s voice, my eyes shifting to her. She’s watching me. Her eyes are normal, her gaze confused as she looks at me. I choke on a sob.

“Margot...”

Zaya steps between us, throwing a blade down in front of her. She stands over Margot, narrowing her gaze.

“You want your freedom? Kill her, and you shall have it,” she says.

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