The tension in the training hall was suffocating, ready to explode at any moment. Everyone wore grave expressions except Belial, who stood smirking as if this were all a game. Just then, Eliana entered, flanked by Dane and Theodore.
Isaak, standing near Cobra, felt a brief moment of relief. He'd feared she might try to escape. But the relief was short-lived once he actually saw her. Eliana was dressed like she was about to walk down a runway rather than fight for her life. She wore tight leather pants and knee-high black leather boots with stiletto heels. Her off-the-shoulder crop top clung to her figure, her hair was pulled into a high ponytail with two loose strands framing her face, and light makeup accentuated her sharp features. The entire outfit was mourning black for the life she would probably lose today.
Eliana had asked Dane and Theo if they had something else for her to wear instead of the ugly grey sweatpants. If this really was her last day on earth, she wanted to at least feel good and look pretty. They led her to a huge garderobe where hundreds of outfits were for when an assassin needed to go undercover for a mission.
"What's going on?" Cobra whispered to Isaak, unable to see how she looked.
"The girl's lost her mind. She dolled up for the tournament," Isaak muttered with a sigh. So much hope placed in the wrong person.
Belial let out a low whistle as his eyes roamed Eliana like a predator stalking prey. Dane noticed and instantly pulled her back by the arm, slamming his mouth against hers in a rough, possessive kiss.
"You are not dying, okay?" he said against her lips.
"I am totally dying, Dane," she replied flatly and stepped away from him, joining the line of other recruits.
She could feel eyes on her, dozens of them. Some filled with curiosity, others amusement. But none made her skin crawl like Keith's glare. He looked like he wanted to finish what he'd started weeks ago.
Isaak's booming voice cut through the tension as he stepped forward. "Today marks the midterm training tournament before the main exam at the end of the year. We have special guests with us—Lucifer, head of the academy and the assassins, and Belial, his right hand."
Eliana's eyes snapped to the front of the hall. Lucifer stood tall and cold, exuding a suffocating aura. His jet-black hair was tied back, his skin pale as bone, and his eyes—a chilling blood-red. Next to him stood Belial, all smugness and malice. His mismatched eyes and snow-white hair gave him an inhuman edge.
Isaak's voice turned sharp. "Everyone kneel."
One by one, the recruits dropped to their knees. Even the mentors bowed their heads. Eliana couldn't suppress the scoff that slipped out. This was ridiculous. A hundred people here and they were all acting like spineless sheep. Just overwhelm the tyrant and take him down. It shouldn't be that hard.
Her eyes locked with Lucifer's. Danger radiated off him, but she didn't back down. She was already going to die today, what did it matter who killed her?
A sudden force yanked her down. A firm hand on her shoulder shoved her to her knees. She looked to the side and saw Damon.
"That man is the reason for our suffering. He's the one who blinded Cobra. He had you brought here just for fun, to see how an outsider would fare. He's a monster. So unless you're ready to fight him right now, don't provoke him," Damon hissed in her ear.
Her breath caught. She was here because of Lucifer? Her entire nightmare began with him. Anger burned in her chest as her eyes darted back to Lucifer, but Damon's grip tightened, forcing her to bow her head.
"I thought you five were strong," she whispered to Damon. "Why don't you fight back?"
"We tried. We failed. He implanted chips under our skin, the recruits and all the other assassin's after out failed attempt to overthrow him. One wrong move and boom—we're gone. Can't remove them either."
Eliana froze. She'd never received a chip, they somehow prevented it. Her eyes met Damon's, wide with realization.
"We chose you, Eliana," he growled. "So fucking make something out of it."
Everything clicked into place. That's why they'd trained her, protected her. She was their one shot. Their last hope but why choose her?
Isaak's voice rang out again. "The tournament is structured in a bracket format. Win, and you move up. Lose, and you move down. The last six in the ranks will be eliminated. Killing is permitted. There are no rules, only survival. You lose if you get knocked off the mat, fall unconscious or die."
A collective breath passed through the recruits as Isaak concluded. "Now, to the mats."
Eliana moved mechanically, mind spinning. She found herself in the middle of the line of mats, trying to steady her heartbeat. Even if she wasn't killed outright, she could still be eliminated by ranking at the bottom. Damon's words echoed in her ears, but so did her own resignation.
She took a deep breath. She didn't want to die. Not like this. Not without trying.
Then a shadow loomed in front of her. Her opponent.
She looked up and nearly laughed. Her nerves must be fried.
Keith.
Of course it was Keith. Of course the universe had a twisted sense of humor.
His face was murderous. He was here to finish what he started, and this time, no one would stop him.