The rest of the night passed in a blur. One by one, the children accepted the chalice, their small hands trembling as they lifted it to their lips. Each sip seemed to bind them further into Andrius’ twisted web. Though the chains connecting them were finally removed, the cold weight of the collars around their necks remained.
He had assured them it was for their protection—a safeguard against the dark forces beyond the complex’s walls—but Hannah knew better. The collar wasn’t for their safety. It was for control, a leash still tightly around their necks.
Shortly after, Typhon had led them out of the hall, his gaze lingering on Hannah for a moment too long. A heavy unease gnawed at her gut—he knew something, she could feel it. But what?
As they walked, Typhon divided the children into groups, assigning them rooms with curt orders. The guard following behind barked out, “Training begins tomorrow.”
The rough timbre of the guard sent a shiver down Hannah’s spine. Typhon chimed in, his voice lilting tone “Have fun!”. With that, he shoved Hannah into one of the rooms, with a few children following shortly behind her.
Inside the room, her heart jumped when she saw familiar faces—Atlas and Ellie. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing them in with a few other children. Ellie rushed to Hannah’s side, flinging her arms around her waist. Buddy hung limply in Ellie’s hand, a tiny reminder of the world they’d been ripped away from.
Hannah let out a shaky breath, squeezing Ellie in return. For a moment, the warmth of Ellie’s hug blocked out the horrors of the night, but reality was quick to sink back in.
“Careful, Ellie,” Atlas whispered, patting her head. “We don’t want to make too much noise.” Ellie loosened her grip, but she stayed close, clinging to Hannah’s side.
Two other children stood near the doorway. One of them, a boy about their age, was Zephyr. He had been in the hall earlier. The other girl, Nia, stood silently beside him, her eyes darting between Hannah and the others.
Zephyr’s gaze landed on Hannah, his eyes sharp. “You’re Hannah, right?” His voice was cold, lacking the camaraderie she hoped for.
She stiffened, her mind flashing back to the chalice. He had seen her drink first. His question wasn’t just curiosity—it was suspicion. “Yeah,” she replied cautiously.
Atlas, standing close by, folded his arms. “Why did you drink first?” His voice was low, but there was a hard edge to it.
Hannah swallowed, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew what this looked like. “Because someone had to,” she said firmly. “We were all sitting there, waiting for something to happen. If no one moved, they would’ve made us.”
Zephyr exchanged a glance with Nia, his brow furrowing. “But drinking like that... it’s like you’re one of them.”
Hannah tensed. The suspicion in Zephyr’s voice wasn’t just a question—it was an accusation. She glanced at Atlas, who crossed his arms, his expression as guarded as ever. Even Ellie’s innocent face reflected something she hadn’t expected—doubt.
Hannah’s breath hitched. That was what they thought? “I’m not one of them,” she muttered. “I didn’t do it because I want to follow that psychopath. I did it because I’m trying to survive.”
Ellie tugged at Hannah’s sleeve, her wide eyes filled with concern. “Are you sure?”
Hannah felt her heart pound in her chest, but she kept her voice steady. “ I wasn’t going to sit there waiting for whatever came next.”
Nia, standing quietly at the side, glanced between them, her lips slightly pursed as if weighing the situation but staying silent for now.
Hannah eyed around the room, staring back at the doubtful gazes. “It was the only choice. I’m not like those kids who look at him like he’s some saviour. I don’t believe in any of this cult garbage, and I’m not interested in whatever ‘power’ they think they’re getting by following him.” She glanced between them, her jaw tight. “I was trying to survive. Nothing more.”
Zephyr’s eyes narrowed as if weighing her words, but there was a shift in his posture. Something softened, if only slightly. “So, you’re saying you’re not one of Andrius’s little fan club?”
“Not even close,” Hannah muttered, her fists clenched. “I hate him. I hate all of this. But standing out wasn’t what I wanted. I just wanted to stay alive, just like you.”
Nia, who had been listening intently, nodded in agreement. Her voice was soft but resolute, stepping in quietly. “He’s just a man pretending to be more. A mortal playing god, twisting people to do his bidding.” She shot a look at Hannah, and the two shared a brief moment of mutual understanding.
Ellie’s eyes brightened slightly, looking inquisitively at Hannah. “So… you don’t trust him either?”
Hannah gave her a sharp look. “Not for a second.”
Zephyr leaned back slightly, crossing his arms. “Alright, fair enough. But if you hate him so much, why’d you drink at all? Why not just refuse?”
Hannah scoffed. “Refuse and what? Get punished or worse? We’ve all seen what they’re capable of. I wasn’t about to give them a reason to send me to the Grove.
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Atlas’s posture relaxed a little, as if he finally understood. “Yeah… I guess none of us really had a choice.”
Zephyr smirked, though it lacked its earlier bite. “Can’t argue with that.”
Nia finally chimed in again, her gaze thoughtful. “None of us are here by choice, but playing along, even for a moment, keeps us alive a little longer.”
Hannah felt relief bubble in her chest as the group slowly stopped attacking her with their glares. Alongside it, the anger at what this kid accused her of rose to the surface, “And what about you? You were pretty vocal about power tonight.” she asked, an accusatory tone thick in her voice.
Zephyr looked affronted, before he looked at the quizzical glances he received from the others in the room. “All right, alright I’ll bite. It’s only fair.” He paused, gathering his thoughts, “before all of this” he gestured wildly to the room around them, “I helped out in the background of some fighting rings. It was pretty hectic there, but the face when the stronger person won always gets me, you know?”
His face softened, as he continued, “I could never pass for old enough so I never got to sign up, but it’s been a dream of mine to compete and get on those leaderboards.” He clenched his fists before speaking again, “I don’t like that golden prick. I want to get strong, but that’s to survive in the first place. I didn’t want to accept anything so cheap from that guy”.
Ellie tugged on Atlas’s sleeve, her voice small but hopeful. “So… none of us like Andrius, right? We’re all against him?” There was a moment of silence before Hannah spoke again, her voice hard but steady. “Yeah. We’re all against him.”
Atlas gave a grim nod, his shoulders easing. “Good. Because I don’t trust him either.”
Zephyr let out a breath, a shadow of a smile playing on his lips. “Looks like we’ve got something in common, then.” Nia’s expression softened, as if this unspoken bond had taken root deeper than before. “We’ve all got the same enemy. That’s something.”
Zephyr glanced between them, his expression softening. “Alright, alright. Let’s not get too mushy.” He paused, his tone becoming more serious. “But if we’re going to stick together, we need to be smarter. Maybe come up with a plan—something so we can watch each other’s backs without saying a word.”
Ellie brightened. “Like a signal! We could tug on each other’s sleeves to check if it’s safe to talk.”
Atlas grinned, ruffling her hair. “Not bad, Ellie.”
Hannah found herself relaxing, the tension from earlier melting away. They weren’t out of danger, but at least now they understood each other better. The bond between them felt more solid—fragile, but real.
Zephyr smirked, glancing at Hannah. “Looks like you’re not as alone as you thought.”
Hannah shot him a look but couldn’t suppress a small smile. “Guess not.”
There was a pause. The room felt heavier, but it was no longer full of accusation—there was something else, something darker and more mutual.
Hannah didn’t know how to be optimistic, after tonight her heart wasn’t in it. The idea of making the best of things felt impossible. Still, she looked down at Ellie’s innocent face and couldn’t help but smile.
Ellie tugged at Hannah’s sleeve. “Can I sleep next to you tonight?” Her voice was small, pleading.
Hannah hesitated, glancing at Atlas. Ellie was a bundle of goodness, but Atlas may not feel comfortable having his sister around her yet. But he smiled, his expression lighter than before. “Fine by me, just don’t think you’re taking my spot.”
Ellie giggled, covering her mouth in a weak attempt to stay quiet.
They all settled in for the night, the air heavy with exhaustion. As the room fell into silence, Nia hugged her knees to her chest, while Zephyr leaned against the wall, eyes half-closed but still alert.
As Hannah tucked Ellie close, she heard the younger girl whisper, “Do you think it’ll hurt? When we start training tomorrow?”
Hannah hesitated. “I don’t know. But we’ll get through it. All of us.”
“Yeah, shortstack,” Zephyr’s voice came from across the room, gruff but sincere. “We’re not going down without a fight.”
Atlas nodded. “We’ll stick together.”
There was a pause, then Nia whispered, “I used to have a doll, back home. I always thought I’d grow out of her... but I miss her now.” Her eyes flicked toward Ellie and Buddy. Warmth and longing melded together in her voice.
Ellie looked at her curiously, her thumb brushing over Buddy’s worn ear. “What was her name?”
“Marla,” Nia smiled weakly. “She had red hair. My mom made her for me.” A comfortable silence followed before Zephyr cut in softly, “My mom used to tell me stories at night,” he almost whispered, looking toward the ceiling. “She’d sit at the end of my bed and make up all these wild tales. I always thought she was the strongest person in the world...”.
The weight of their shared losses hung heavy in the air. Yet, there was something else too—a connection. They understood each other in ways no one else could.
Hannah sighed. “We’re not getting out of here alone,” she said, her voice firm despite the anxiety twisting in her gut. “But if we look out for each other, maybe we’ll have a chance.”
Zephyr nodded in the dark. “Together, then.”
The group fell into a quiet lull, the day’s weight pressing down on them. Ellie curled up beside Hannah, still clutching Buddy, her breathing soft and even as sleep quickly overtook her.
A cool breeze wafted in from under the door leaving a chill in their small room. Hannah simply laid back, staring at the ceiling her mind raced despite the exhaustion that held down her limbs. The events of the night played back in her head-the chalice, the collars, Andrius’ manipulative promises. He had emerged from the shadows, a halo of gold around him, but beneath the glittering exterior lay a predator’s gaze—calculating, cold. Andrius’s presence was a paradox, alluring yet dangerous, like a rose with thorns waiting to ensnare those who dared to draw near.
She wasn’t sure if she could believe in the mystical powers they spoke of, it could be just another tactic to make them swoon, hannah considered. Yet some things just didn’t add up. Although Andrius was certainly charismatic, it felt like everyone was no-where near as suspicious as they were before they met him. They had barely known him yet he could rally the children in minutes.
And Typhon. That look in his eyes, he knew something that she didn’t, and it gnawed at her insides.
Then there was the carriage ride, and the Kreature… She didn’t know how far Andrius’ reach went, and whether his power was true or the markings of a lunatic. That night, the Kreature’s body had looked so pitiful. Mare’s weapon that had struck that kreature’s body… It may have been the dark shadows of the night, but Hannah could’ve sworn the blade was the shade of blood. She remembered the way its body crumpled, left to the mercy of Mare and the strange power she wielded. She wondered if the Kreature had felt the same anxieties as she felt at this moment. Fear for the future, for the present.
She had tried to be strong, tried to keep herself together for Ellie and Atlas. But fear was still coiled deep in her chest, tightening its grip with every passing hour. The collar around her neck was heavy, not just in weight but in meaning. It wasn’t protection—it was a mark. A claim. And no matter how hard she tried to push the thought away, it lingered, a constant reminder that they weren’t free. They were trapped, all of them.
Hannah closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come, but the thoughts refused to quiet. She wasn’t sure how long they could keep going like this. And she wasn’t sure if she had it in her to protect Ellie, Atlas, or even herself from what was coming next.