Page 15 of Rogue: Planet Athion
“Rogue. Rogue!” Arms around me, warm breath on my cheek.
No. Not lime and zest. Not the arms I wanted.
Xavier.
Xavier was holding me, wrapping me in a lavender fragrance that forced my blood to slow and my vision to clear. I bucked and twisted, but he held me tight.
“Stunning display … Victory, House Ryzer,” a voice boomed across the arena. The voice of the “man,” of the bastards who ran this show.
A show.
It was just a show to them.
My vision blurred, and a scream bubbled up my throat to shatter the air. My knees hit the ground, and Xavier came with me, holding me, cradling me against his chest while my vision sharpened and took in my surroundings. Jurak’s twisted body lay to my left, Ripper was sprawled right in front of me, and another Trad lay dead to my left. Where, where washe?
There … Anton’s empty, glassy gaze was turned my way, his mouth parted as if on a sigh.
Dead. He was dead. He was …
Xavier lifted me off the ground, his arm still holding me steady. “We need to go. Hold it together. We need to go.”
I let my feet carry me toward the exit cage, let the cheers wash over me, let the pain fill me, let the grief swell.
Dead; he was dead.
6
“Hush, hush.” Marlon wrapped me in his huge body, rocking me back and forth, rocking me just like Anton had done a few hours ago. A few hours ago when he’d been alive.
His glassy-eyed stare filled my mind.
Dead.
“Hush, Rogue baby, hush.”
Someone was sobbing.
Me.
Was that me?
“Here, I got her some water,” Killion said.
“Drink,” Marlon ordered.
The lip of a cup was pressed to my mouth, and I drank obediently and was suddenly way too thirsty. The water was gone too quick.
“We need to get her washed up,” Killion said.
Marlon stood with me in his arms, and I curled into him, blocking out the world. Wanting only to melt away, to sleep. Yes, sleep was good. Maybe sleep would stop the ache in my heart.
Warm water lapped at my skin. Wait, when had we gotten here? It felt nice. Hands rubbed at my skin and massaged my hair, and all the while I clung to Marlon, my face pressed to his shoulder.
“Okay, I think that’s good,” Killion said. “Fuck, she’s healing already.”
“Let’s get her back to her cell.” Marlon’s chest vibrated with his words, and his arms tightened around me.
The water slipped away, and then my body began to tremble.
