Page 55 of A Kiss From Death
He licks his lips, looking more exhausted than I’ve ever seen him. “I honestly don’t know. I guess I’m tired of holding everyone’s secrets, and this one seems harmless enough. For some odd reason, I trust you, Nyxi. Trust does not come easy to me, so don’t prove me wrong. Since the day I met you, I’ve felt this weird pull, like I’ve known you in a different life. It sounds silly, but I have always listened to the greater call in life. It has yet to fail me.”
I nervously swallow and catch him watching the dip of my neck. Nodding back, I try to unravel this bomb of a confession. I find it weirdly comforting knowing he has felt this same indescribable pull that I’ve been failing to push aside. I’m not sure I believe in destiny, but since day one, there’s been something nagging under my skin when it comes to Hade. It’s unfamiliar, as if my body is telling me I can trust him before my mind has caught up. I usually try to scramble away from others, but my body seems to notice his presence before my eyes have even spotted him, like it knows something I’m not privy to yet. Just what that is, I’m not so sure of.
“Your secret is safe with me, Hade. I promise.” I shoot him a soft smile to try and draw the stiffness from his body, the torment from his face.
He relaxes, letting his shoulders drop and his strides soften. “Thank you,” he replies softly.
We walk a comfortable silence this time. Approaching my door, he turns and abruptly grips my face in both hands. He searches my eyes for answers I’m not sure I could give me, trying to pluck the meaning of this pull we feel straight from my very soul. My heart pounds in my ears as I look up at him with wide, vulnerable eyes, willing him to find the answers he wants. He looks like he can taste it on the very tip of his tongue before he sighs, frustrated. Slowly, he plants a soft kiss on my temple. “Sweet dreams, Nyxi.” And then he disappears to nothing right before my eyes.
Age 12
I noticed a small, intricate marking on Mama today and asked her what it was. She sat me down and explained to me what an Eternal is. She told me her and Papa are Eternals, so they share identical markings that signify their bond. They share a bond stronger than what the wordlovecovers, and this marking signifies it. It was destiny that brought them together, a greater power drawing them to one another since the day they were born. I asked her how she knew she and Papa were Eternals, and she looked me straight in the eyes and said the world changesthe day you find your Eternal, like an awakening. Your lungs intertwine with theirs, so if they breathe, you breathe, and if they don’t, oxygen ceases to exist to you. Once you find your Eternal, your fate is set, and you are connected for life, however long that may be. She explained some Eternal bonds are so strong, if one dies, the other to passes away from a broken heart shortly after. I asked her how strong her and Papa’s bond was, and all she did was smile down at me with watery eyes and kiss my forehead. She pulled me into a hug and whispered that she prays every night I will be lucky enough one day to find my Eternal, that I will have someone I can trust to watch over me, to love me when she and Papa can no longer. This made me cry, and I asked Mama why she would ever leave me. She just brushed away the wet strands of hair sticking to my face and told me the world isn’t always a kind place. I don’t want Mama and Papa to ever leave me.
“Congratulations, contestants, on making it to the second round of the Reaper Crucible.” The Empress stands before us, wearing one of her signature red silk gowns. Her hair is pulled back into a high slicked ponytail, and rings adorn each of her fingers like pieces of art. Her voice is amplified, her face smug.
“Your hard work has paid off for now, but do not get too comfortable. You have fared better than two of your competitors, but today is a new day. Keep your wits and never underestimate any player. Each round is designed to test a different skill to find the most well rounded among you. The first round tested your stamina, speed, and agility. Today’s round will test not only your brain, but your strength. You cannot excel in one without the other.” She looks down the line of us.
I’m not the smartest here, seeing as Cartwell is a certified genius, but I’ll bet on myself any day over those like Tank. He’s allmuscle with nothing going on up top. I’m also confident enough in my strength and light enough to hold myself up if need be.
Hade stands next to the Empress once again, but this time, he avoids eye contact with me, which sets me on edge. I miss the way his gaze feels like a warm presence, like a piece of him is with me, watching over me. It’s embarrassing to admit, but his lack of attention has soured my mood. I shouldn’t be upset over this, though, because every time he tries to get close to me, my instinct is to be a bitch and push him away. It’s my default setting, a visceral reaction to being backstabbed and left to rot one too many times. At this point, I don’t know any other way to live life.
Drawing my eyes away from the man who seems to attract all my attention, I focus back on the Empress. “I will now announce this week’s rankings before explaining this round.”
The Empress motions above her as an Illuminist projects the rankings. I squint against the harsh sunlight pouring in and look for my name. Tank and Jade sit at the top of the leaderboard, and I’m angered that their names are even on there. Scanning down, I see my name with Aeron’s in the middle again. Yazi and Ray sit at the bottom, which makes my heart break a little for my friend. My intentions were to ally with Ray and help her out, but the circumstances didn’t allow such opportunities.
“For one to be deserving of the power magic holds, they must be sharp, strong, inquisitive, adaptable, and a leader. Today’s game will test some of these traits to weed out the weak.” The Empress snaps her fingers, and two towers of wooden blocks are unveiled. The crowd outside scoots closer to get a better look, chattering loudly.
I try to search my mind for any clues. Growing up in an orphanage, I wasn’t allowed the opportunity to play many games as a child, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t hear others talk about the most popular ones and how fun they were.
“I’m sure none of you are unfamiliar with the classic game of Tumbling Towers, but you may be confused. In classic form, this game is much smaller and involves zero strength or danger. Where’s the fun in that, though?” She gestures to the crowd outside the Bubble. “So, I decided to turn up the heat. We have increased the size of the blocks, making them large and awkward to carry. Now, they tower high above even your biggest competitor, Tank.” She points over to him, his cheeks turning a rosy red.
She walks forward to stand next to the closest stack of blocks, gesturing to it. “You will be randomly split into two groups of four, going head to head with three of your competitors. You must choose wisely as to which block you select to slide from the tower using your hands. You may climb up the tower to pull any block. If you knock the tower down at any time, the game is over, and you lose.”
With the help of a Float, the Empress waves her hand at a block sitting in the center of the stack, and it slides out, floating over to her. “Once you have successfully chosen a block, you will notice a trivia question burned into its face. You must read it out loud and guess the correct answer. If you guess correctly, you will then have to climb up the stack of blocks holding your chosen piece and stack it back at the top without making it tumble.But, if you fail to answer correctly, you must pull another block until you get one right. You then must stack all the blocks you’ve pulled at the top. You will take turns until one person on each team knocks down their tower. Be precise, thoughtful, and keep your wits about you, because if you fail this task, then you are sentenced to death at the hands of the Cardinal. Once both towers have been knocked over, the game will be finished.”
After finishing her speech, she quietly asks each of us if we have come up with an answer to her riddle. Of course, we all shake our heads in defeat. Her eyes seem to snag extra long onmine, and I catch the faintest clench of her jaw in disappointment. I brush it off and focus back on the game.
I’ve definitely never played this game before, but it seems simple enough. The tricky part will be trying to balance the oversized block on my shoulder while simultaneously climbing up the tower to stack it. I have scaled many buildings while on spying missions, so I feel confident in my light feet and grippy fingers. My small frame will fare better over some of the men, who can easily topple the tower over with just their body weight.
Making a game plan, I decide most of my competitors will probably start at the bottom of the stack, pulling the easier blocks in hopes it won’t make it back to them again. My plan of attack is to lean on my climbing abilities to scale the tower and pull a block towards the top of the stack. As long as I can answer the question correctly, I will only have a small section to scale while holding the block before stacking it. My competitors will have to scale a majority of the tower holding their block if they pull from the bottom. My only challenge is the trivia question. Knowing the Empress, she has not made them simple by any means.
The Empress calls out our names, dividing our group. As I line up in front of the right tower, my mind wanders back to what the Empress said. While this round will be less dangerous than the first, two people will still die today. Not only will they die, but they will sit there knowing their fate after the game has ended and can do nothing about it.
Hade, the mighty Cardinal, oversees sentencing the two losers to death in any way he chooses. My heart races at the thought of him taking my life like it’s nothing. Will he do it right away in front of everyone, or in private later? Will he make it fast and painless, or brutal and painful, slowly dragging it out over hours or days? Will he feel guilty, or will he carry on like it’s just another task to check off his list? Would he look me in the eyes as he drains the life out of me? For some reason, I feel at peace knowing if I were tolose my life today,Hadewould be my demise. The truth is, I think Hade has been my demise long before today.
Looking around, I spot Sierra, Rayah, and Tank lined up next to me, leaving Aeron, Yazi, Cartwell, and Jade standing in front of the left tower. A Vanquisher approaches us, holding his palm out, four stones nestled in the center. We each grab one and flip it over to reveal a number on the backside, giving us our playing order.
Looking down, I see the number one etched into my rock. I’m more than okay going first; the tower will be at its peak sturdiness for me to climb. Looking up at the tower in front of me, I look around for any blocks that look less wedged in than others. I feel a pull towards the top left of the tower, my body turning me on its own to look.This one, it seems to tell me, and I notice a block three rows down from the top that, if you look at just the right angle, is slightly hanging off the edge.
“Those who have selected rock one please step forward now.” The Empress stands between the two towers, her face the personification of evil. She enjoys this too much. Stepping forward, I line up in front of the tower, craning my neck to look up to the top.
“May the brightest and strongest competitors come out on top.” With that, she claps twice and gracefully strides out of the Bubble, Hade and the other Vanquishers in tow. The citizens outside scream, chanting for their favorite competitors.
The sun makes my palms slick with sweat, so I drag them down my legs, attempting to dry them off. The last thing I need is for one of my hands to slip off the side of the tower, bringing it tumbling down, my life with it.
I bounce back and forth on the balls of my feet, warming my body up. My adrenaline is at its peak, fueling my body. I feel like I could take on a beast right now with the way my body hums to life. Looking over, I see the Empress settle into her throne chair, nodding to the Illuminist standing between the two towers tocapture all the drama up close for all of Lunaria and Fallout’s viewing pleasure.
Of course, Aeron has also chosen rock one, standing in front of the tower next to me. He shoots me a heated wink; I roll my eyes at him, laughing softly. Leave it to Aeron to lighten the mood, even when faced with potential death.
