Underland(53)

Kira swung in a makeshift hammock.

Zeke was standing pretty far away from the girl. A little too far away. And she kept casting him awkward glances. Yeah, Zeke liked her, and was trying to hide it from him.

Zeke came forward and started to sort through the stuff in the box. “What happened?” He didn’t seem at all interested. He could have been asking instead what was on TV.

“The rumble last night. It was a massacre.” The most recent game had cost so, so many lives.

Zeke paused and glanced up at Kira, his face a blank mask. “How many?” He asked the silent question that only they knew. How many were drafted as well.

“Too many. There’s never been that many that fast.” Den answered. “The Gamblers’ Market was empty when I went by. Everyone had been ordered to the event—old and young. By decree of the Underlords.”

“You need to let me compete.” Zeke turned and grabbed Den’s shirt front. Den’s body thudded against the wall.

Den could have easily fought back, but he stuck to his wits and spoke calmly. “You can be sure Remus will send his best to try and take you down. Especially now, because of her. I think we have to sit the televised ones out. Low profile. That’s what. We can still win our way up, become a champion another way.”

Zeke kept glancing the girl’s way, but he didn’t make any effort to include her in the conversation. “I can handle myself—doesn’t matter the event, Den.”

“Listen, you. You fight when I want you to fight. I don’t want to blow your cover too soon. We need patience.” Den slowly uncurled Zeke’s fingers from his shirt.

“We need tokens.”

A loud knock rang through the silo. Both males froze.

“You expecting company?” Zeke asked.

“No. If it was Alice, she’d just come through the wall.” Den reached behind his neck, and pulled out the katana from its sheath. With slow, controlled movements, he slipped over to the door and pushed it open. Light spilled in, and the familiar form of Chaz stepped through.

In a flash Den had his sword at Chaz’s throat.

“Hey, hey, I surrender!” Chaz’s hands went straight up in the air. “Is that even sharp?” He gave Den a grin but it faltered. “I guess I could do with a bit of a shave, but not too much, kay?” He looked pretty beat up. Sported a couple cuts and bruises across his face, and a long cut on his shoulder.

“What do you want, Chaz?” Den dropped the sword, but he cut off the lycanthrope from entering the silo any further. Zeke moved so his body blocked Kira from Chaz’s site.

“Your gang tried to poison Kira, which you know is against the rules.”

“Wait, what?” Chaz’s smile dropped. “No, that wasn’t me. That was Holly and her coven—on Remus’s orders. I’m not with them anymore. Actually”—he lifted his wrist—“I’m a Paladin. As of the rumble last night. And I’m positive Remus didn’t intend to let me earn my freedom. So…I can’t go back. No loyalties, no allies. Unless you’re looking for one.”

“I don’t trust you,” Zeke spoke up.

“I’m the one who smelled the poison, right?” Chaz looked around Zeke and tried to spot the girl. “Tell them, Kira. I could have kept my mouth shut and watched you keel over, but I didn’t. I helped.”

Den looked over to her and she nodded. “Yeah, he did save me.”

Zeke stepped to the side so Kira could be part of the conversation. But he stayed close. “Doesn’t answer our question. What are you doing here? How did you find us?”

Chaz grinned. “Easy.” He looked over at Kira and winked. “I marked her with my scent.”

“What? Ew!” Kira groaned and started patting her clothes.

“No you didn’t,” Zeke growled out. His patience was done.

Chaz swallowed and dropped his head to his chest. “The ghost girl.”

Kira sat up. “Alice. Is she okay?”

Chaz shook his head. “No, she didn’t make it. The demon dog got her. I’m sorry.”

Den swore under his breath. He motioned for them to get going. “We have to go. Now. We can’t stay here any longer. If he got her, he got a taste of our blood too. He won’t stop until we’re dead.”

“You’re wrong.” Chaz tossed Kira’s jacket and the rest of the bloodied clothes on the floor in front of them.

“You fool!” Den yelled. “You’ve led him right to our doorstep.”

“No,” Chaz turned and looked at Kira. “I killed him.”

“Impossible.” Den moved to the door to watch for the dog.

“I was there when the ghost girl died.” Chaz looked sad, but then he squared his shoulders and met Den’s eyes. “I took the bloodied clothes and got Dip off your trail. I avenged the girl, and then I made sure Remus’s demon couldn’t come after me either. I killed Dip.”

“How?

Chaz looked a little unstable on his feet, but then he shrugged proudly and winked. “Dogs may be stronger than cats, but don’t forget”—he tapped his head—“cats are smarter.”

“How did you kill the demon dog?” Den repeated.

“I led him down into the salt pit. Surrounded by a circle of salt, a demon dog can be killed.” He licked a wound on his shoulder. “Although getting that kind of salt in your wounds burns like the high heavens. But it was worth it.” Chaz shrugged.