Blood drips from my hands where I have dug my fingernails into my palms. The hope tainted by anger bids me to rise and strike down this wicked woman, for the sins that she commits against our people. How can she be so cold to us? How can she be the one who orchestrates our suffering?

“Do you want to know what the second record you broke was?” Warden Akaria asks me, still feigning disinterest.

“Are you actually asking.” I say rhetorically, struggling against the gauntlets of the soldiers powered metal suits. She snickers at this, a small smile on her lips. My blade is screaming the lullaby, saying it will never be satisfied until her blood and the others who would stomp us down soaks it – I will make an ocean of blood as an offering to any god who will lend me their strength. My thoughts move to the black box, the words of the being in light. Warden Akaria’s words derail the movement of my thoughts.

“You broke the record for the highest bidding, for the first month. On the first day no less.”

There is information here, I need to focus. If I anger her, she may punish Arrum and the others. Taking a deep breath again I let the calm back in, the calm that has kept me alive - whenever fate would ask for my blood.

I had read the notifications already, but I did not realize it was unusual.

“Now, it’s not the highest ever for the Grand Hunt, but still, it’s nothing to scoff at. For the first day especially, it’s absurd.” She says now turning to look at me fully, her hands arched in front of her face “So tell me, what in the hells makes you worth so much?”

Weighing her words now that the calm begins to guide me, I find myself also confused and curious. Why would anyone want to buy me? The buzzing started as soon as the challenge began, I hadn’t even done anything yet. She does not stop her gazing; it searches diligently for answers I do not have. Even in my own mind the gears are spinning, so many questions flashing there. Seeing she still does not speak, I decide to answer, trying to glean information.

“Perhaps if you told me about the bidders, I could enlighten you, Warden.” I say trying to feign respect. The grin grows deeper on her face.

“My - breaking out the charm and being clever. I cannot say for one, but the other is through a proxy named Fennec. Ring any bells?” She probes.

“Why can’t you say?”

“Dodging my question?” She asks, her grin fading for a moment.

“I will answer, if you answer me.” I say tilting my head to the side, showing I will play with her, but only if the rules suit me as well.

She waves the soldiers off me, they return to her side. Her face tries to suppress a wide grin. My face tries to hide the desire to see her blood. Together we make a strange pair, both seeking different things yet here we are.

“So much courage and defiance in you.” She says twirling a loop of her hair now leaning back further, feet still planted on the desk “Very well, I will play your game. Question for a question, if you lie, I will know.” She points to her eyes, confirming my suspicions they are strange in some way. An answer to one of my questions given freely.

“I do not know this Fennec you speak of. Why can’t you say about the other bidder?”

“Interesting, well whoever he represents seems to know you. As for your question, how can I put this, it would create an awkward situation for the Senator if the Senate knew he accepted a large sum of money from outside the Republic.”

“I don’t understand.” I say hoping to glean more, my knowledge very limited of the Republic and things outside it. The Kuwathi are told nothing but to obey.

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“No, I suppose you wouldn’t, my turn. Did you receive outside help from any member of the rebel faction or someone originating outside the Republic?” she says, now finally putting her legs onto the floor and leaning in fully.

I recognize this line of questioning; the soldiers asked us these when they invaded our home. It happened so soon after the battle in orbit, it cannot be a coincidence.

“No.” I am about to ask something important, something the rage whispers as it tries to sneak back to the surface, but she interrupts.

“Now, that’s very interesting you say that.” She says the grin falling from her face.

My pulse quickens.

“Because one does not spontaneously develop antibodies for a rare venom.” She says.

“I don’t understand.”

“You should be dead - you were in fact dead. Four minutes later your heart starts beating again.” She says.

“Perhaps it was not a fatal dose.” I say thinking quickly, I do not want to reveal the being as I do not even understand it myself.

“Restrain him.” She says to the soldiers.

They pull from a hole that opens in the wall - cuffs for legs and hands. There is nowhere for me to go, so I flex my body as much as I can, so there might be a gap in the restraints, waiting for them to cuff me.

“You’re awfully cooperative.” She says tilting her head at me.

“There is nowhere to go.” I say, careful to not lie. This seems to quell her suspicion slightly.

They cuff my hands and ankles to the floating metal chair I sit on. They made them very tight, but perhaps not tight enough.

“Leave us.” She says to them.

Their heavy metal boots echo from the chamber, the door sliding closed behind them.

“System turn off all recording devices and create a distortion field around the room.”

“Command Accepted, Warden Akaria.” The systems voice says. The lights in the room change to a more amber color and a humming noise appears all around us.

“See, I just thought to myself - it’s so strange that you would garner so much interest. So, I did what curiosity bid since you were in a coma, and I had all footage of you pulled from before and after you came here.”

My pulse quickens, I try to slowly slide out my wrist, it is tight, perhaps too tight.

“How surprised I was when I reviewed it - you have been quite busy Ulima H777.” She says coming closer and sitting on the edge of the desk in front of me.

My mind is racing, what does she know? Is it about the black box or the being. Sekat, what will I say? What can I even say, she will know I lie if I try. If I do not tell she may hurt those I care for. I need to focus. Looking at her now, I see she has two blades on her person, one attached to each hip.

“There is only one thing I truly wish to know from you, the real reason why you are in here today.” She says moving closer now almost to my face.

I can feel her breath upon me. My pulse rises to a pound in my chest as she leans ever closer, brushing my cheek – she whispers something softly into my ear.

“What’s in the box?”

My eyes grow wide, I feel the bioluminescence swirl, my Kuwathi eyes begin to glow – my breath now faster, sweat forming on my brow.

“Perhaps you need me to jog your memory.” She says, no longer whispering as she moves further away from me, raising a hand eye level.

Slowly an image begins to form; I see myself holding the black box, this was the last time I had possession of it. The light erupts from it, as my blood beads into it slowly.

“So?” she asks, her eyes searching me.

“I don’t know.”

“I have men as we speak - combing the wreckage of your city, I will find the box.” She begins, moving forward towards me, she grabs my chin pointing my gaze upwards to hers “You would do well to tell me.”

“I don’t know.” I say, her eyes linger on me as the grip tightens on my face.

The system chimes now. Breaking the silence that had ensued.

“Warden Akaria – Message from Governor Adonius – Listed as urgent.”

“Play message.” She says, not taking her eyes off of me.

“The message is as follows – Akaria report to me at once, we have an injunction filed against us in regards to one of the hunters, I forget the number, doesn’t matter - get up here now. End of message.” The system chimes off and Akaria’s jaw flexes.

She turns her head and I rip my arm from the cuff, blood streaking from my hand as it grabs her by the hair pulling her backwards into my lap. She lets out a small shriek and I grab the one of the blades I saw on her hip, bringing it to her neck.

“Juga U’Heka.” I say, a drop of blood rolling down the blade from where it presses her neck. In the old tongue it means simply – Release my Chains.

“You’re making a mistake H777.” She says, her breath is heavy, I can see the pulse in her neck rising. Something is strange though, her mouth is forming a grin.

“My name is not H777, I won’t ask again.” I say to her, the rage rising up in me now. The blade in my hand sings for its new master, ready to spill the blood of its old.