Page 49 of Souls of Steel
“By someone who is trained, yes,” Brendan shot back. “But Selene, no matter how much you hate it, you don’t have that training. You have a lot of potential, but that’s not enough to endure something like this.”
Selene smiled, and a secret knowledge glinted in her eyes. “Trust me and stay with me. Can you do that? Please. Don’t let me go. Don’t lose faith.”
“Selene…” Knox whispered, and his voice held something so broken and lost it almost shattered what little composure I had left.
It had a similar effect on Selene. Her expression twisted into an unhappy grimace, but she never once faltered. “I know what you wanted to do,” she said. “I know you wanted to break my heart, to send me away. And to tell you the truth, I’m not mad. I understand why you made that decision. It’s logical.
“But at the same time, I think that what’s logical isn’t always what’s best. It might sound crazy, but I’m convinced that, with your help, I can do this.” She pressed her hand to her chest, on the exact spot where the number 1000 had been. “They’ve branded me. I know it. I can feel it. This isn’t random. It’s for a purpose. And I’ll be damned if I’ll let them get away with it.
“That woman in the alley… I couldn’t help her. But sometimes… Sometimes, I can still hear her cries. I have to take a stand, otherwise this brand we carry will never disappear. And yes, I know I’m not omnipotent. I’m just a random Terran who happened to be chosen by a chimera. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m here, now, and I have a chance.
“So please, trust me. Help me. We can do this.”
Brendan cursed viciously under his breath. Her words had gotten to him, because this wasn’t just about Selene’s desire to win. He wanted to help, to change things as much as we did. But it was still too dangerous. “Selene, this isn’t the only way to make a difference. They’re forcing you into this position, but you don’t have to accept it.”
“I do,” Selene answered. “Didn’t you hear what your father said? This is a symbol, to honor the power that was granted to us. If I refuse, they’ll say I insulted your system and the gift I was given.”
I could actually see that happening, but I still wasn’t willing to abandon hope. “They might say that anyway. Even if you do go out there, even assuming you pass this trial, it won’t solve anything. If they’ve chosen such a drastic course of action, they won’t just give up.”
Selene fell silent, contemplating my words. For a few seconds, I dared to hope that she’d seen sense. I really should’ve known better. “I know. You’re right, August. There’s something deeply wrong here and I don’t understand it. But if I want to get a chance to find out what it is, I have to take a step forward, not back.”
In the reddish light of the stadium corridor, Selene’s hair looked like dancing flames. She was so beautiful it hurt and the thought that I might never see her again tore me apart. But this wasn’t about me and what I felt. “This is useless. You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?”
“Of course, but like I said, I’m not crazy. I know I need some help.” She grinned, a twist of lips that was almost naughty. “Not to worry. I have a plan. Here’s what we’ll do.”
Mirrors of Death
Selene
“Please welcome Selene Renard, the first ever female chimera tamer and the pilot of the Sphinx.”
As the announcer’s voice rang out over the stadium, I took a deep breath and did my best to squash my remaining nerves. “Good luck, Selene,” August murmured behind me.
“Thanks,” I replied, winking. “And don’t worry about me. Gaia and Tartarus are by my side.”
My lovers didn’t look convinced, but they’d understood and accepted my plan. That made me strangely happy. I should’ve been afraid, considering what I would be up against in only a few minutes, but instead, I was filled with an odd joy.
I’d known my lovers cared about me. I’d known they were sexually attracted to me. But trust and respect? I hadn’t been so sure about that. It didn’t come naturally to them, not when they’d been taught all their lives that women were weak. In a situation like this, they’d chosen to follow my lead and I appreciated that more than I could ever say.
I wouldn’t fail them. I would keep my promise to them, to my parents, and to everyone who was watching and hoped that I’d live.
In the stadium, my appearance was greeted with silence. A lot of spectators were confused about my identity. They were all related to the space force, people who lived on other bases, staff or nobles from the Moon or neighboring asteroids. But my existence hadn’t been advertised before the tournament. The first stage of the event might have introduced them to me, but there had been a lot of people in the labyrinth and the spectators must’ve only caught a glimpse of me.
I didn’t let their lack of enthusiasm intimidate me. I had a plan, and I’d go through with it. I hadn’t spent my time at the academy idle. I hadn’t bonded with a chimera, just to die here.
“Ms. Renard, are you ready for your trial?” the announcer asked. I didn’t recognize him. Was he someone who’d come here specifically for the tournament? If so, I’d make sure to give him quite a show.
“I am,” I answered steadily. It was half-true. I wasn’t the first person to compete, but I hadn’t gotten the chance to see how the people before me had fared, as I’d been busy making plans with my lovers. The scent of scorched flesh wasn’t encouraging. But I knew I couldn’t back out, not now.
“You understand that, during this trial, you are risking your life? There is no guarantee that you will come out of this unscathed.”
“I understand,” I answered.
“Let the trial begin then.”
The blast came out of nowhere. I couldn’t see who had shot it, but in the end, it didn’t matter. It hit the first mirror, then the second, the third, and so on. By the time it reached the top, the tachyon light finally became visible to the naked eye and it was so blinding I almost had to look away.
I didn’t. Instead, as the fire rushed toward me, I followed the advice of the king and embraced it. He might not have meant it literally. He might have believed it would destroy me. But I knew better.
