Chapter Fifty-Six

 

The bloodstone was warm under her fingertips as Pandora pierced the skin. Almost alive. She couldn't decide if it was her mind playing tricks on her, or the aftereffects of the poison. No matter. This was one more step she had to take before her grandfather would invite her forward and then she could plunge the blade into his chest, ending his schemes forever.

She hesitated with the pin slipped through her flesh. The other competitors had completed the attachment, and all eyes were upon her.

A commotion near the northern entrance, the one the Alliance used exclusively, brought everyone's heads up. Two guards tumbled into the arena unconscious, crimson lines across their chests. When Kuma appeared, a blade in one hand and a gun in the other, Pandora didn't know what to think.

"Don't take the bloodstone!" he yelled. "It's a trap like the typhid!"

At the last word, she ripped the pin from her flesh. The crimson-and-black stone shifted like a tiny egg. She dropped it on the platform and smashed it with her heel. The other competitors looked in various states of agony as the creature hidden in the bloodstone was taking control of their bodies. She looked in horror at how close she'd been to succumbing.

The guards running in Kuma's direction stopped when two of their members fell to the blades of Camina and Adrenalynne. Then an explosion ripped through the gate, dropping rock and debris, blocking the exit that went towards the Terreno. Her fellow conspirators led by Choo-Choo appeared out of the dust, sending the entire arena into chaos.

With everyone distracted by the sudden change of fortunes, Pandora surged forward, pulling the curved blade from her sleeve. She had a direct line to her grandfather, who hadn't noticed her yet.

Before she could reach him, Selena threw herself in the way, pawing weakly at her knife arm. The distraction provided enough delay that Navos and the other bloodstone warriors formed ranks around Dominion, snapping to attention with their weapons at the ready.

"You traitorous bitch!" cried her mother, trying to grab the blade.

Pandora smacked her away, then seeing the approach of the other guards, she grabbed Selena's shoulders and put the blade to her throat.

"Move and your daughter dies."

The battle was in earnest. Her fellow competitors were writhing on the platform, fighting against the creature in the stone that was slowly taking control. Off the stage in the sands of the arena, her friends were quickly overwhelming the inexperienced waku, leaving Dominion's personal guard as the only remaining obstacle. But as she stared into her grandfather's eyes, she didn't see the devastation she'd expected, but the thin-lipped patience of a predator who had finally sprung their trap.

"You won't do it," he said coldly. "You're not that cruel."

Pandora pressed the blade against her mother's neck, letting it split the skin slightly. A drop of blood beaded up before slipping over her collarbone and beneath her dress.

"I'll gut her like a pig."

"I seriously doubt it. Pandora."

The name sent waves of shock through her and her mother. "Pan?"

"Shut up," she said, shaking Selena and pressing the blade harder.

"You didn't think I would figure it out? I'd watched you fight a thousand times at my estate, seen the promise that you held as a young human child. I always knew you'd be great, even if it took time for you to see that. Pity you didn't take the bloodstone. It would have made this much easier, but we can force what you weren't going to do willingly."

Dominion snapped his fingers. "Valor. Sophia. Rise and serve me." The ex-military warrior and the twin snapped to attention. "The ones who think they are the strongest are often the weakest. See how quickly they succumbed? Now, my dear Valor, my dear Sophia, take control of my granddaughter before she hurts someone."

"I'll kill her," she said, pressing the blade harder. Her mother let out a soft cry.

Dominion held up his hand and the two warriors stopped a few feet away. A ghoulish smile formed on his lips.

"Ahh...there he is."

She didn't know who Dominion was talking about until she saw Deacon march into the arena ahead of two lines of stoney-faced warriors. They kept coming, their numbers quickly exceeding the rebellion's. Her friends fell back to the blocked exit that led towards the Terreno as the new warriors spread out across the sands in groups of twenty. Deacon gave a half-hearted salute.

Not only were the other competitors becoming slaves to Dominion, but the overwhelming numbers of lesser warriors made the battle into a farce. They'd lost. Completely. Absolutely. Her world had turned to ashes. Her grandfather had out-strategized her.

"Don't feel so bad, Pandora. It came close to working. It took me until the recent fights to see that it was you and make appropriate countermeasures. Your disguise was impeccable. How did you do that? I'm impressed, child. There's no reason not to tell me now, because you'll be mine soon enough."

"The Eternal City," she said absently.

Dominion licked his lips. "A productive visit. Maybe all you needed before was to feel the danger of our home, know that death lurked on every corner. It's a wonderful teacher."

"I hate you," she said, but the emotion barely came through as she continued holding the blade to her mother's throat. The threat felt impotent, but she didn't want to give up the illusion of control.

"Why? This is proof of how great you could be under my leadership. I have such plans for this realm and many others."

"I know about the Tear. I know what you plan to do."

He chuckled as he strode up arrogantly. "I doubt it. I am not wanton with my violence like you." Her grandfather stretched his arm towards the arena. "What a perfect venue for this moment. You bested so many great warriors. Why not join me? You've always sought power like me. Not like your weak mother."

Selena sagged in her arms, so Pandora pushed her standing. "I don't want to be you."

Dominion steepled his fingers, his crass smile mocking her answer. He was only a few feet away, but she knew she could never reach him before the others would stop her. Valor and Sophia lurked in range like dead-faced automatons.

"There are two alternatives. The first is that you submit to me. Take the bloodstone if you don't believe you can be faithful on your own accord. If you do, I'll spare your friends' lives. They can take the bloodstone as well and we can forget this nastiness."

He took another step towards her, daring her to strike.

"The second choice is for you to fight and lose. Those that aren't lucky enough to fall under the blade will be brought to the Eternal City and made to conform. Their treatment will make what happened to you look like a spa day.

"But it need not be like this. Join me, granddaughter. I promise you that you won't regret it. I'm not the monster you make me out to be. Look what I did for the Undercity. It was a place of constant warring. Wasted deaths. Think of all the great warriors who perished under the old system. I ended all that, made the Undercity a safe place, a destination for the people in the city. Join me, Pandora, and we can rule the realms. I promise."

The offer was more enticing than she would have liked to admit to herself. She could temper her grandfather's worst impulses. Be an alloy. She could do that. Maybe that was why he'd lived in the human realm for so long. He knew that the maetrie way was unsustainable.

Then she looked to her fellow competitors. Seven warriors enslaved to her grandfather through trickery. He'd taken their free will and chained them to his wrist. He would pervert their abilities, make them a mockery of who they really were.

"What is your decision, granddaughter?"

Pandora hesitated. She needed more time to think. He snarled his lips.

"If you can't decide, I can help."

Dominion snapped his fingers. Deacon held up his hooked sword in salute.

"Kill her friends."