Page 112 of A Kiss From Death
Clearing his throat, Tank grunts, “I’ll take the shorter course.”
“As you wish!” the Empress purrs. Flicking her fingers, Hade strides up to her side, passing over two small clear vials. He lets them go reluctantly, his body physically recoiling at being an accomplice to whatever is inside them. My body mirrors his unease for what’s to come.
“There isonelast thing I should mention.” She walks closer, a smile that could only be described as the devil incarnate shines brightly across her smug face. “Before each of you begin, you must both drink the contents in these vials. They are of crucial importance to this final game to test your strength and willpower to persevere through the toughest of trials. These,” she taps the clear small vials, “will decipher who has what it takes to be the toughest of this year’s contestants and take it all.”
I don’t like the sound of that one bit. I assume some type of drug is in the vials, but to what extent? Will it knock me out?Weaken me? Turn me vicious? Make me sick? I really would rather not find out, but if I refuse, it’s a sure death sentence.
Reaching forward, I pluck a vial from her hands. Here’s to hoping this option won’t also be a death sentence. Pulling the cork, it pops out easily, and a faint floral scent rises to my nose. Hand slightly shaking, I wait for Tank to grab his and the Empress to nod for us to continue. In one swift movement, I shoot the drug back like alcohol, the cool liquid burning the back of my throat. Dropping the vial to the sand, I stomp my foot, shattering the glass. Lifting my gaze, I stare the Empress straight in the eyes, not a lick of fear to be seen.
Today, I’m staring death straight in the face, making it fear me instead.
“Very well.” She claps happily. “Let the final round of the Crucible commence! Good luck to you both, and may death not claim your soul today.”
Cheers erupt again as a float flanks us, flying us into the air up onto our respective hopscotch courses. Landing with a heavy thud, my head spins slightly. Harshly, I blink to catch up with reality.
Turning to thank the Vanquisher, his face starts to morph, his mouth suddenly in the place his nose should be. Rubbing my eyes, I open them again to find he’s back to normal. I find it weird but decide to move on, having more important things to worry about right now.
“Thank you,” I mumble. My lips are slightly slower to react than the signals my brain is sending them, so it comes out a little slurred. He shoots me a worried look then nods and floats back down to the sand.
Turning to face the obstacle in front of me, my head dances, as if jumping from cloud to cloud. I grit my teeth, trying extra hard to focus until the course comes into perfect view.
Peering over at Tank’s course to my left, I notice his is at least half the length of mine. A queasy feeling lurches in my stomach,but my muscles slightly relax when I notice over half of his spaces are marked with Xs.
Looking back to my own course, it seems about only a quarter of the squares are marked as dangerous. I like those odds. I may have to travel further, but I like my odds of avoiding the danger. One wrong step could mean life of death, and I like having more options to misstep and avoid hitting an X, unlike Tank. His size alone is a giant disadvantage; his large feet will most likely take up almost the entire length of each square.
Movement catches my eye as the Empress comes into view between our two courses, escorted by a float.
This is it, Nyxi. Just one last challenge. One more obstacle to prove your worth and extract your revenge. For Theo, I can do this. For Theo I can doanything.
“Lunaria, my citizens, are you ready to witnesstheentertainment of the year? Who will take it all? And who will perish in the others’ success, ripped away for the rest of eternity? A race of life or death. A game of luck and skill. The final test to decide this year’s Reaper Crucible champion.”
Looking us both in the eyes with a sickening seriousness, she finishes with, “Let the final round of the Crucible commence!”
Grunting, Tank takes off at full speed, jumping onto his first square as the Empress floats back down, leaving an Illuminist in her place.
Taking in my course, I map out a clean path to weave between the scattered Xs. Satisfied, I leap to the first row of three squares, the one in the center marked with an x. Spreading my legs, I plant each foot in the outside spaces, avoiding the danger in the center.
“Nyxi!”
I would recognize that voice the same as the feel of my own skin. Gasping, I drag my eyes up and spot… No, that can’t be right.
Theo stands at the end of my course. My Theo, alive and here with me. He smiles, jumping up and down while waving hishands like a maniac. Everything fades away, and the permanent frost surrounding my heart melts withone single smile. His smile is a remedy I so desperately was looking for. His smile could solve world peace. That one smile single-handedly fused every fissure and ache riddled into my dying corpse of a heart.
Happy tears spring to my eyes, and a laugh bubbles up my throat. “Theo, you came back to me!” I gasp. He came for me like he always has.
My protector.
Myhome.
All the air leaves my lungs, and a blood curdling scream rips from my throat as the giant flaps of black tattered wings sail in from behind him.
Necroshriek.
I try to warn him to turn around. To run. To not let history repeat itself.
“Run, Theo!” I scream. “Please, I can’t lose you again.”
My feet move on instinct, and I launch into a run with only one thing on my mind. I have to save him this time. I need him. I won’t survive losing him a second time. My heart couldn’t bear it.
