Chapter Thirteen

Tori’s POV

My back hurt, but it was still better than lying on my stomach in a moment like this. I shifted slightly on the bed, my face tightening as a dull ache spread through my body, forcing a quiet breath out of me.

Then the light started blinking again.

My brows pulled together immediately as I pushed myself up, my heart picking up pace. That could only mean one thing.

Her. She was here again. This was the same thing that happened last time.

I got to my feet quickly, ignoring the pull in my muscles as my fingers curled at my sides. The blinking grew faster, more intense, filling the room in uneven flashes before it suddenly went off.

Silence followed.

I took in a slow breath, my fingers pressing into my palm as I stood there, waiting. The light came back on. She was already there.

Sitting at the corner like she had always been there, a wide smile resting on her face as her eyes locked onto mine.

The sight of her made something twist inside me, anger rising so quickly it almost slipped out, but I forced it down.

I needed to stay calm.

"How is your stay here? How has everything been so far?" she asked, her voice light, almost like this was some normal conversation.

A bitter smile almost formed on my lips.

"Brutal," I muttered, my jaw tightening as I held her gaze. "I’ll ask this as calmly as I can. How the hell do I get out of here as fast as possible? I’m tired of staying here."

Her expression didn’t change.

"I only have a few minutes with you," she replied, her tone steady. "You don’t want to spend that time repeating what we’ve already discussed."

My shoulders dropped slightly as I exhaled, frustration settling deep in my chest. Of course she wasn’t going to answer me directly.

She never did.

Silence stretched between us for a moment before she spoke again.

"You have five requests," she said, watching me closely. "I will grant your wishes until you leave this place. Anything except something that takes you out of here, harms someone, or disrupts the system."

My brows furrowed immediately as I took a small step forward.

"What?" I asked, confusion flashing across my face. "So I can make a wish right now? And what if you’re not here?"

"You will say the words," she replied simply.

Her hand stretched out toward me, holding a piece of paper. I hesitated for a second before taking it, my fingers brushing against it slowly like it might disappear.

"Recite it," she added. "And it will be done."

I stared down at the paper, my eyes scanning the strange words written on it.

Sometimes, I wondered what she really was. She didn’t feel human. Not even close.

"I have to go now," she said suddenly, her voice softer this time. "Don’t be surprised if things start to feel different."

My head lifted quickly.

"What does that even mean—"

She was gone before I could even complete my question. What the hell was wrong with her?

Just like that. I wasn’t able to ask her how long it was going to take for me to stay here. Sad.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space she had just been in before my gaze dropped back to the paper in my hand. My fingers tightened slightly around it as I read the words again, slower this time.

Nothing about this felt normal, but then again, nothing here ever did.

I let out a quiet breath before whispering the words under my breath, my voice low but steady as I repeated them exactly the way they were written.

Nothing happened, my body still felt sore. My ankle was swollen and it was a struggle standing or trying to move.

I stared at my hands for a second longer before letting out a small breath, folding the paper carefully and slipping it into my sleeve.

If it worked or not, there was only one way to find out.

********

The next morning, I woke up slower than usual, my body still heavy from everything that had happened the day before. For a moment, I didn’t move, my eyes fixed on the ceiling as I braced myself for the pain I knew was coming.

Then I shifted. My brows pulled together instantly.

.

I pushed myself up carefully, my movements slow as I waited for the sharp ache to hit, but it didn’t come the way I expected it to.

The pain was still there, but it felt distant, like something had dulled it, like my body wasn’t reacting the way it should.

My fingers moved to my ankle without thinking, pressing lightly as I tested it.

I should not be able to move like this.

A quiet breath left me as I sat there, my mind going back to the night before.

I didn’t say anything, but something inside me knew. That shit really worked. I could really get to use any of my wishes? Woah!

I got to my feet slowly, my posture straightening as I tested my balance. There was still weakness, still a dull ache under my skin, but it wasn’t enough to stop me.

Let’s see how things really go today.

*******

The moment I stepped into the arena, the noise hit me immediately.

Voices filled the air, loud and restless, mixing with the tension that sat heavily around the place. My eyes moved slowly, taking everything in as I stepped forward.

I looked forward and there were indeed spectators just like Riven had promised. This shit is crazy! They all looked like they were excited to be here.

The ground was worse than I expected.

Mud covered almost every part of it, thick and uneven, making every step feel uncertain. It looked like they all had a thing for muds here.

It wasn’t just about fighting this time, it was about staying on your feet long enough to survive.

Some of the girls were already there, their expressions tense as they looked around. I noticed the way a few of them adjusted their clothes too carefully, like they were hiding something, and I didn’t need anyone to tell me what that meant.

They came prepared. My jaw tightened slightly, but I didn’t react. This place didn’t care about fairness. It seemed like the girls already knew what they were getting into.

My gaze lifted slowly, drawn upward without thinking. The brothers.

They sat above like always, watching everything like it was nothing more than entertainment.

Kael leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable, while Riven had that same smirk resting on his lips like he was already enjoying the outcome.

I didn’t want to look at the three brothers But my eyes moved anyway. I maintained eye contact with Kael, the expression on his face was really unreadable.

I wasn’t sure if he wanted something like this to happen anyways.

Riven was quite happy to be there. The reaction on his face could say everything.

Kael broke eye contact with me looking at the other side. My eyes slowly traced where he was staring at only to see someone walking up to them.

I really couldn’t tell who the person was, but his back seemed familiar. He greeted the three brothers, his face still turned against us.

My steps slowed, my body going still as my gaze fixed on him. At first, it didn’t register, my mind refusing to process what I was seeing, but the longer I looked, the clearer it became.

No.

That wasn’t possible. He couldn’t be here.

My fingers twitched at my side as my chest tightened, my breathing changing without me realizing it. I blinked slowly, then again, like that would somehow change it, like he would disappear if I looked hard enough.

My heart started beating faster, each thud heavier than the last as memories I didn’t want pushed their way into my head. The last time I saw him, the look on his face, everything that happened right before my life ended—

Kieran. My ex is right here with me.