He bites his bottom lip, then says, “Thirteen.” His arm tightens around my waist, and his free hand pushes strands of damp hair away from my face. “I still want to believe in her—that she didn’t mean it.”
I nod, because I understand that need to believe in those who are supposed to protect you—not hurt you. “She’s sick, Caben. And you have the chance to make amends for your father and her by ruling your kingdom with both duty and love. Nothing is lost. You can have what you desire.”
His eyes penetrate mine, and his hand stills in my hair, cupping the back of my neck. “But what if what I desire is unattainable.”
The atmosphere of the cave steals the air from my lungs, crushing my chest. Before I can reason a response—any rational reply—Caben presses his forehead to mine and inhales deeply. His eyelashes brush against mine, and I close my eyes, feeling his breath against my lips.
His mouth lowers closer toward mine, and as the warmth of his breath smolders my lips, I take his hand and begin inching it downward. Toward my chest—toward the casing of the clamp—and part my lips to meet his.
A cry pierces the silence.
Our trance is broken. It’s followed by another wale, deeper and more desperate.
We jerk our heads in the direction it came from. Another sector; one of the other leagues. He glances at me, fear igniting his blue irises, just before another scream shatters our secluded cocoon.
I splash toward the edge of the pool and lift myself out of the water and onto the cold rock slab of the cave floor. The scream is muffled now, but just as disturbing. I attempt to ring out my tunic, the sound coming from the back of the cavern causing my hands to tremble, and instead reach for my pants.
Caben steps before me and places them in my hand. He doesn’t say anything as we yank on our clothes. My eyes can’t help but wander to the toned muscles of his arms and legs as he fights into his pants. I give my head a hard shake, tearing my gaze away, and another high-pitched wale sounds out, capturing my full attention.
He grabs my hand, and we hunch down and hustle through the opposite tunnel. We splash though the shallow stream as a grinding noise echoes off the rock walls. The high whirring sends a shiver splintering though my system, and my skin prickles.
Up ahead, a dim light peeks through a crack. I drop the light-stick down the front of my sopping tunic, dousing our light. As we reach the opening, the noise rings out in clear rhythmic buzzes. Some kind of tool—a drill.
Caben drops to his stomach and angles his head over the ledge. I tug his arm to pull him back, but he holds up his hand. “They can’t see us.”
I’m not so sure about that. If it’s Otherworlders down there, their eyes are made for this dark world. I bet they can see down here just as clear as we can see in our bright world.
But my curiosity wins out, and I lie down next to Caben, the water soaking my pants.
Below is an exact replica of our training room. For a moment, I wonder if we’ve simply went in a circle until I catch a glimpse of a contender that I don’t recognize. He’s strapped to a chair, his bright yellow hair fanned out over the back. Two Otherworlders stand on either side of him, one holding a tool with a sharp point to the contender’s open mouth. The other forcing the yellow-haired guy’s mouth open as the drill fastens metal wiring to his teeth.
I grind my own teeth to keep from shouting out.
The piercing shrill of the drill drowns out the contender’s screams as the Otherworlder adds more metal to his mouth.
It’s barbaric. Caben reaches over and grips my hand. Whether to offer comfort or to keep me from jumping down there and killing them, I’m not sure. Maybe both.
Finally, the man’s screams stop, but the drill doesn’t. He’s either gone into shock or he’s too drained to fight anymore. When the Otherworlder pulls back the drill, I get a full view of what’s been done to the contender.
His mouth has been transformed into a killing device. Silver razor-sharp teeth glint against the ultraviolet light. The Otherworlder holding the contender’s mouth closes his jaw, testing his bite. It snaps shut with a sickening snap.
I’ve seen many inhuman things from the Otherworlders since they invaded my city. But this mutilation makes the mercury fire through my veins like a heat-seeking projectile. It’s too much—too callous—even for them. Bax might be a part of their evilness, but I could never imagine him doing this to one of his contenders.
And with this thought—
Lilly.
Oh, Alyah. What have they done to her?
Every muscle in my body tenses. I release Caben’s hand and spring to my feet, pushing myself into a position ready to launch.
Caben draws up and wraps his arms around me from the side, pinning me to the wall of the tunnel. “Kal,” he breathes next to my ear. “Focus. There’s nothing we can do now.”
I wrestle one arm free and grasp his jaw, turning his face toward mine. “Lilly is down there—”
“She’s tough,” he snaps. “Think about it. Why would they tamper with a Nactue?” His eyes widen, begging for my reasoning. “They won’t chance weakening her before a match. That contender is a low rank—a Dark Horse. Remember? They have nothing to lose with him.”
Caben’s right. Bax told us that Tobias was to battle an equally ranked contender: Metal Mouth. I shut my eyes and release my death grip on Caben’s face. Then I slam my hand down, sending my anger into the rock floor.