𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆

The boat rocks as we all pile in. I have exchanged my usual suit for the purple costume. Fear eats at my heart but I push it away. The cold water seems to want to grab me with its claws. Embed itself in my skin and drag me safely to the bottom. I take a shaky breath in before adorning my face with a hackle mask. The prison is a very large fortress of high black towers looming over the foggy horizon. The eery feel makes my skin crawl, then I remember we are at a prison. It's not exactly meant to be welcoming.

Out boats blend in perfectly with the other tourists. To them, we are a part of their large group. We enter the main doors after being thoroughly checked for weapons or anything suspicious. Gladly, they didn't check too thoroughly. After we all get through, we travel through the corridors with the other people dressed in their costumes.

When we reach the arena we sit two stories above the pit. A large circular hole has been dug and covered in a layer of sand. Cages line the walls and a large wheel sits in the middle and a man with a round face stands there smiling and waving to the crowd. He calls a name and the boy spins the wheel. The boy is dead within minutes. I begin to zone out after a while.

Kaz POV

I see Emris and Jesper emerge over the horizon. Their arms are linked and she smiles. It feels private, I avert my eyes and take to ushering Inej and Nina in a boat together. As the pair grow closer I use my cane to push Jesper into a boat with Rotty. I climb in after Emris.

Emris is no help rowing. He stares at the water and the sky. She keeps her face calm and composed but I know the fear lurking beneath her skin of iron. Her eyes tell me everything I need to know.

She is wearing the hackle costume I chose. She is wearing a sheer purple blouse and tight purple pants. The outfit exposes her scars but a black cloak Inej stole from my wardrobe hangs loosely on her frame, acting as her shield. On her brow is a purple crown of feathers. The feathers run down her spine under my cloak. Her face is painted with black designs under her chin and cheekbones.

We quickly get inside and are pushed along with the crowd. Our group settles at the edge of the fighting pit. Emris almost immediately sits down and dangles her legs over the edge. She watches the show with great interest as I watch her.

She is intriguing, her brows are furrowed in concentration. Her hands grip the railing till her knuckles grow white. She operates with a charm, no matter the situation. It is dazzling and horrifying. And I think Nina has noticed.

Emris POV

"How can you sit there like nothing is wrong?" Nina says, appalled.

"It's their fault they're in here," I say, Indifferent. "They all signed up for this."

"What?" Nina is terrified of my explanation.

"The prisoners sign up to fight. If they don't die they win better housing and better food and shower time." Nina wrinkles her face in fear and confusion. "It was their choice to fight, Nina."

"I know that now. Thanks, Emris."

"Your welcome, Nina," I say with venom.

"Matthias Helvar." The announcer calls our targets name.

I perk up a bit and watch the man work. The man is built like a bull. Tall and muscular and blonde. I grin at myself. Not bad taste Nina. Not bad at all.

Helvar lands on wolves. Nina gasps and I ignore her, kicking my legs like a child over the pit. The man gets beat half to death but seems to be alive, for now. The wolves all lay dead at his feet and he bows his head. He says some sort of prayer before the announcer excitedly grabs his hand and escorts him out of the arena.