Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 69923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“You’re done for the day,” Catherine continued. “We’ll pick this up tomorrow. But just know, that trick won’t work twice.”
I scraped myself off the ground, hugging my chest tight. My unwanted limestone back-scrubbing tore holes all throughout my tunic. I felt as exposed as Sirena after a shift.
And I’ll have to do this all over again tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that until I defeat a woman who runs faster than I breathe.
“Gods, you’re pathetic.” Sirena crashed into my musing. “Why that beast didn’t rip out your throat and do the world a favor, not even the Moirai can answer.”
My cheeks flushed under the pressing heat, popping pinpricks of sweat on my aching body. It invaded the cuts on my skin and cheek, stinging worse than ever. Alexander tracked my approach—expression revealing neither pity nor anger. Was he hoping I’d get close enough to make it hurt?
“Do everyone a favor and volunteer for hard labor before they have to drag your worthless ass out of here.” She knocked my shoulder shoving past. “It’s the kindest sentence you deserve for daring to live when Galen died.”
“Enough.”
Sirena halted, muscles in her back tightening. I noticed this out of the corner of my eye. Alexander brought me back to him with that scorching, intense stare.
Something deep inside told me he was making his mind up, and it wouldn’t serve me well to have my back to him when he came to a decision.
“Excuse me?” she hissed.
“I said enough. You get to know a lot about monsters when you’ve lived with one, and deep down, they’re all lashing out because they’re broken inside. If you think you’re currying favor with your cheating boyfriend by attacking and cutting me down, I suggest you try a new tactic,” I said to her, but gazed at Alexander. “If he cared that much, he’d be staring at you, not me.”
His eyes narrowed to slits. Ever so slightly, his fingers twitched.
I think he’s made up his mind.
“How— I’m not—” For the first time since I met this unpleasant woman, she faltered. “You can’t talk to me like—”
“No, you can’t talk to me like that. I didn’t trade one miserable existence with a monster to come to another prison and put up with your garbage. You want all of Alexander’s attention? You can have it. It won’t be missed.”
His lips peeled back, sounding the warning bells in my head. But under that blazing sun, clutching my aching body while the echo of Sirena, the handmaidens, and the goddess’s laugh rang in my ears, I couldn’t stop.
“I’ve got bigger things to worry about, so stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.” I said it to Sirena, but my gaze was still on him. Always on him. “Trust me, you won’t be missed either.”
Giving them my back, I limped out of the stadium.
“Hey— Hey, come back here! Don’t walk away from me, bitch! No one speaks to me that way.”
Sirena’s shouting, fussing, and carrying on followed me out onto the grass.
“How I admire your fire, my little pet. Even though your attempts to defy my will displease me, I will enjoy watching you make enemies along the way.” That strange tsking laugh. It would follow me to the day I died. “The harder you try to save them, the more they’ll prove they don’t deserve to be saved.”
I DIDN’T MAKE IT TO the mess hall that afternoon. After the beating I took in the arena, I dragged my battered body into a hot bath and soaked until I wrinkled. All my friends were lounging on their beds or in the common area when I returned to the dorm.
Daciana wasn’t among them. I had no idea where she went after leaving history, but she was entitled to stay there while she worked out what she was going through. It wasn’t like they could execute her for skipping training for an army she’d never join.
“We’ve got to spend every spare minute on these scrolls,” Ionna explained. “We brought you something to eat though. Hope you like sausages and artichokes with poppy seed pastries for dessert.”
I more than liked it. I scarfed it down in between picking up my own books and getting to work on my scrolls about harpies. Our textbook only had two chapters on the creatures. I ran out of things to say five scrolls in.
Eventually, we put aside our impossible task and headed out to the grayed-out section of our schedule. My friends led the way to the atrium, where they turned right instead of left. My eyes drifted against my will, finding the spot where I held Galen as he died. Memories took me, leading my mind away though I continued on and outside.
I bumped into Nitsa’s back, nearly sending us both toppling down the marble steps.