Marked By Pain (The Marked #2)(12)

And in this moment, I think I love him for it.





Chapter 7





Mackenzie





“I didn’t expect to find you ready and awake this morning, Mackenzie,” my father says as he opens my door. I meet his eyes in the mirror I’m staring in.

“I have training,” I reply with a neutral voice. I look back at myself in the mirror, pulling my long black hair into a high ponytail. I smooth down the black leggings and tank top I found to wear. I have knee high black boots on that I found and fell in love with, and after applying a little makeup, I think I look decent. I need to look halfway good to have the confidence to get away with all the pretending I have to do today. I’m not letting them beat me anymore, I’m damn fucking stronger than this, and East needs me to be strong enough to get us both out of here.

“It’s good to see you are coming around to our ways, maybe we could have dinner tonight?” he asks and I turn around, smiling, and hoping it doesn’t look as fake as it feels.

“That would be lovely,” I reply, and he turns around, walking out my room with the guards following. I walk out, shutting my door behind me, before following him down the endless corridors to the training rooms outside.

“Good luck today, my daughter,” he says, smiling like he’s won the lottery. I walk into the training room and the door shuts behind me with a loud bang. I hold my head high when I see Ryan, Enzo, and the twins talking in the middle of the room. They all turn to look at me slowly, hearing the door shut, but I don’t look away. Remembering the same thing I told myself last night as I couldn’t sleep. I’m stronger than anything they can throw at me.

“Kennie, you came back,” Ryan comments and smiles widely as I walk over. I don’t reply as I go to the middle of the first row of seats and sit down on a chair. I cross my arms, leaning back in my seat, and raising my eyebrows at them all as they stare at me.

“This is training, right? Or is it just making pointless statements class? Or staring at me class?” I reply. Enzo chuckles darkly, before coming over and sitting in the seat directly behind me. Locke and Logan give each other a worried look, before going to sit behind me next to Enzo.

“Today’s training is going to be—” Ryan goes to say, before the doors open once more, cutting him off. I turn to see Verity walking in, her high-heeled boots clicking across the floor, and she’s dressed in all leather again. Her brown hair is up in a bun, her face is covered in makeup, and I hate to admit that she looks good.

“I’ve decided to join the training class today, Ry,” she tells my brother, using a friendly nickname that makes me grit my teeth. She then moves to sit in the row of seats behind me. I turn to see her sat right next to Enzo, her eyes trailing up and down him before turning to look at me, with a small smirk. I catch Enzo’s dark eyes as I turn around, noticing how they watch me and the fact that he didn’t look once at her. It only makes me feel a little better, before it makes me remember how I’m not meant to like him. He betrayed me.

“Fine, Verity,” Ryan says, moving in front of the white board again, “Today’s class is going to be about learning how to use your powers in combat. We will pair off, and take five minute rounds before switching,” he says and I jump when Enzo kicks the back of my chair. I turn in my seat to glare at him, but pause when I see Verity’s hand on his arm.

“Kennie, you’re with me. Come on,” Ryan tells me as I stare at her hand, anger burning through me, and all I can think about is pulling her stupid high heeled boots off, and stabbing her with them.

“Kennie?” Ryan asks as Enzo moves Verity’s hand off his arm and I look up at him. He shakes his head, before kicking my chair once more.

“Are you deaf?” he asks me.

“No, I just can’t hear people that speak constant bullshit. All the people in this room seem to have a talent for it,” I say and then mutter more quietly, “That and being brainwashed idiots.” I get up before Enzo can reply to me. The twins watch me, both of them look like they are bursting to say something, but can’t. It’s weird. I walk over to where Ryan is waiting by the whiteboard. I look back to see Logan and Locke walking off together, and Enzo with Verity. I try not to let it bother me, even if it takes everything in me to look away from them all.

“Let’s go outside for training, it’s a nice day, and you might want some air,” Ryan suggests.

“Oh, so we’re allowed outside? Here I was thinking I was a prisoner, but apparently I got it all wrong,” I say in an overly sarcastic voice, as I walk next to Ryan towards a door on the other side of the room.

“Kennie, I know what your twelfth power is. I know that you need this rebellion to survive. You’re acting like such an ungrateful brat for everything my father, your best friend, and everyone else that cares about you has given up, just to keep you alive,” he snaps at me, before walking faster towards the door. I stop in my tracks, anger burning through me as I call my air mark, slamming a gust of air into the mats leaning against the wall and sending them flying into his side. He falls to the floor, the mats falling on top of him, and he pushes them away with his own air power.

“You’re such a brat. Are you ever going to grow up?” Ryan huffs as he stands up.

“I’m the brat? Me?” I laugh as Ryan stomps over to me and grabs my arms, shaking me lightly.