Page 40 of Faithless
Once that happened, you were already dead.
14
RORI
14. Rori
“Here is the spa,where we have the mostamazingskin treatments and massage options. There’s also a nail salon and a lash, brow, and wax studio if you ever need any regular maintenance.”
“Mm-hm.” I held onto Torr’s arm, already bored by this tour, but plastered on anOoh, yes! Very interestingsmile every time Nella turned to look at me.
“And right next door is the gym with all of the state-of-the-art equipment.” The suited woman opened the door to let us look through.
Torr let out a low, appreciative whistle, his eyes flicking around to all of the weights, squat racks, and barbells. “Definitely gonna spend some time in here.”
“Meathead,” I teased with an elbow to his ribs.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side as he dropped a kiss to my temple. “Just keeping the goods in shape for you, honey.”
I gave him my best glare when Nella turned her back. He was making me pay for calling him honey before, and being especially smug about it, since I couldn’t tell him to eat a dick while Nella was around.
He turned me toward his chest with the arm around my shoulders, bringing me closer to talk privately. “What are your thoughts so far?”
His breath tickled my ear and the weight of his arm was comforting, grounding. Whatever fancy cologne Gwen had sprayed him with smelled amazing, and I hated that I wanted to press my face to his chest and inhale him.
“This place is fucking creepy,” was what I told him instead.
The path under our feet was mosaic tile in a dazzling colorful pattern. The different areas of the resort were carved into the sides of canyons, accessible by elevators and ornate bridges. Everywhere we went had stunning views of the canyon walls and the colosseum, which was probably the whole point. Rich people paid big bucks for nice views, it seemed.
“Here’s the cafe, right next to the aviary.” Nella gestured to an open patio with spotless white furniture and dozens of green plants to amp up the tropical look. Beyond the patio was a large, dome-shaped cage.
“We have the largest collection of exotic birds in the world,” Nella explained. “Many of these species are already extinct in the wild, but you can enjoy their songs during your morning coffee, afternoon tea, whatever suits you.”
I couldn’t get over how sad that was as we walked on to the sounds of many different bird calls. How hopeless would that feel to be the last of your species and caged in a desert canyon far away from home? To be nothing more than exotic background noise? My gaze lifted skyward, but I saw no sign of Astarte. It sure would be sweet, karmic justice if she dropped a little present in one of the patio guest’s drink.
“You two are quiet.” Nella turned to look back at us as we followed the mosaic path around the cafe and aviary. “Is everything to your liking?” She looked directly at me, still all but ignoring Torr as she had since she approached our car.
“Yes, it’s beautiful!” I chirped, spreading my lips wide into another performative smile. “It’s all just…I don’t know where to begin.”
“I’ve saved the best for last.” Nella beamed. “The colosseum entrance is just up ahead. We can go directly to the sand pit in the center and see the gladiators perform their morning training.”
My brain scratched over that last bit of information like the vinyl record player in Bryce’s bar. “Did you say gladiators?”
“Of course! They’re our biggest attraction. To fill up the colosseum, we sell tickets to the fights without granting access to the rest of the resort. But our resort guests, like yourselves, have private VIP boxes that offer the absolute best views of the action.”
“These areactualgladiators?” Torr piped up. “Like, slaves that fight to the death, gladiators?”
Nella frowned at him over her shoulder. “If you have ethical concerns, sir, I assure you that these fighters are among the worst criminals in the world. We are doing humanity a favor by allowing them to release their pent-up aggression on each other rather than innocent victims.”
Torr and I exchanged a look. Yeah, she soundedwaytoo sure of herself. Also, what a convenient explanation for a bunch of men to have gone missing.
The ornate mosaic tile turned to concrete as we went through the colosseum’s underbelly. The open, airy space of the canyon gave way to dark corridors that soon opened up into brightness again.
The sun was high, directly over the colosseum, and I had to squint against the glare on the bright sand. Across the sand pit, roughly thirty men were either sparring with practice weapons or exercising alone. Nella said something to another staff member, the first male one that I’d seen. Actually, it looked like all of the colosseum staff were men, with holsters on their belts that carried tasers, handguns, and police batons.
The uniformed man nodded sharply, then brought his fingers to his mouth to let out a shrill whistle. Immediately, all the gladiators dropped their practice weapons and came jogging across the pit toward us. When the male staff member held out his palm, they stopped.
“Line up,” he barked.
