"State your name," the same voice as outside says.
"Raine Mason." There's a shake in my voice that I hate, but at least it's a computer listening to me.
A screen flickers on in front of me with the information from my ID card, as well as a scrolling list of actions accompanied by numbers. That must be the score Cobalt told me about. It takes me a moment to locate the total.
Five hundred and seven. It's higher than even he predicted, but there's still a part of me that worries I haven't done enough.
"Return to your previous room," the computer says, not giving me any indication of whether that's a good thing or not.
I touch the charm around my wrist, hoping this will lead to good things rather than bad. Staying alive has been hard, especially when I've also been trying to avoid doing anything I don't morally agree with.
Except that I killed someone.
Nausea floods through me at the thought. It's barely been twenty minutes since that happened. How am I supposed to cope with the knowledge and carry on with my life when that's the case?
I push the thoughts aside. Hopefully, I'll have time to deal with that in the next couple of days, otherwise, I think I'll go crazy.
But for now, I need to do what the computer voice says and go back to my room. At least I'll be able to jump in the shower. And if I'm lucky, they'll have provided us with new clothes. The ones I'm wearing are more than a bit ruined.
I race out of the room and into the abandoned corridor. It's odd to be so alone after the arena. Other than the first day, I've been with Cobalt constantly. And even when he wasn't awake, there were all the creatures living there to keep me company.
I push open the door to the same room I used before the Duels started. Everything is exactly how I remember it, though the cleanliness is even more jarring than before.
As soon as the door is shut behind me, I start stripping off my clothes, not wanting to track any of my dirt into the room.
My coat thuds to the floor, confusing me with how much sound it made. I crouch down and search through the pockets until I find the opal Cobalt made with the Arts. I'd forgotten I'd put it in here before we left our makeshift camp. Something inside me didn't want to leave it behind. I touch the smooth surface of it, bringing a smile to my face. I hope he's doing okay. He has to get enough points. I don't know how I'm going to cope with the next bit if he doesn't get into the Dragon Defenders too.
I set the Opal on the bed, along with the charm from around my wrist. I don't want to lose either of them.
I move into the ensuite bathroom and turn on the shower, stepping in before it's even hot. At this stage, anything is better than staying caked in dirt. The moment the water hits my skin, I tip my head back and close my eyes. It washes away the physical aches and pains but does nothing for the mental ones.
Everything that happened in the arena flits through my mind.
Marina's death.
The dragon.
The man I killed.
Tears begin to stream down my cheeks as I try to process all of it.
I may have survived, but at what cost?
Chapter Sixteen
A knock sounds on my door, pulling me out of the lull of sleep. I swing my feet off the bed and potter over to it. I'm only wearing an oversized shirt the facility provided me with, but at this point, I don't particularly care.
"Raine," Cobalt says the moment the door is open.
I let out a surprised laugh and throw my arms around his neck. He wraps his own around my waist and holds me tight. We didn't do this in the arena, but somehow it feels natural to me now.
"I'm so glad you're here," he says into my hair.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask.
"Only people who won the Duels are still here," he points out.
I pull away from him and gesture for him to come into the room and shut the door behind him.
"I didn't know that," I admit. "No one's told me anything."
"I'm not surprised. I'm guessing they've just forgotten that you don't know how things work. They don't normally have city contestants who win."
"Well, you know me. I always end up being different."
The two of us sit on the bed, close together but not touching. I'm not ready to admit it to him yet, but I feel a lot better with him in the room beside me. I've been lonely for the half day I’ve been here.
"How are you?" he asks.
"Exhausted. Emotionally and physically. I killed someone." I can't get over that fact, no matter how many times I cry in the shower. I've tried that three times so far.
"I'm sorry. If I'd been paying more attention..."
I reach out and put my hand on his to stop him from talking. "Please don't be sorry. I don't regret it exactly. More, I wish it had never happened."
"Isn't that the exact definition of regret?" he jokes.
"Technically, yes. But that's not what I mean, and you know it."
He chuckles. "I do, yes. I'm just teasing."
"I wish I hadn't had to do it, but I'd have regretted it more if we weren't able to have this conversation." Does that make me a horrible person? I'm not sure, but I'm not in any hurry to figure it out.
"I wish all of this hadn't happened," he admits. "Except meeting you."
"That was a silver lining," I agree. "But I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"You never told me why you volunteered to do this?"
The silence between us builds until Cobalt sighs.
"I didn't."
"But you're from the White Towers."
"I am."
"I thought all of the White Towers contestants volunteered."
