Lightning Bringer: (Lighting Seeker Book 2)

I Don't Miss

"She looks dead."

"No way. I didn't nick her that bad last night. She's just passed out."

Vale forced herself to still as she woke. She heard footsteps. Four sets. 

She heard a snort of laughter to her left. Maybe ten feet away?

"Is she seriously taking a nap?" said a girl to her right. Same distance. 

"Just kill her so we can get out of here. I don't like being out in the open like this." wined another voice. Straight ahead, twenty feet away.

She heard a set of footsteps five feet away, and knew the time of playing dead was over. Rolling, Vale dove into the water, ignoring her thigh's protest. Kicking to the surface, she took in the girls standing on the shore, their dresses in tatters, hair pulled up in knots, faces covered in mud. From glamorous to grizzly in a matter of hours. 

"Anyone else fancy a swim?" Vale called with a dangerous grin at the looks of irritation on their faces.

"I told you we should have stabbed her first and checked to see if she was alive second!" shouted a girl with brown curly hair sporting a tattered green dress. 

"Probably a good call next time," Vale agreed. 

The cold water went up to Vale's waist and it took a great deal of effort not to look like she was freezing. The current wasn't strong, the first stroke of luck she had that morning. 

The four girls stood on either edge of the river, all glares. They held wooden spears. "You coming in?" Vale asked sweetly. Crouching, she swam casually back and forth. "The water is lovely." 

Having had enough, the girls moved in sync, dashing into the water, spears raised. Vale scrambled up onto a rock in the center of the river and watched their approach. "On second thought, why don't we call it a day? If you leave now, I'll stand down."

"Shut it metal armed freak!" one girl shouted.

"Last chance," Vale warned. 

"Ready!" the girl with brown hair called. The others all raised their spears, taking aim. 

"Set!" 

Vale plunged her metal arm into the water. "Fire." she finished, lighting up the water with electricity. She forced herself to watch as the lightning forced the girls to their knees. Pulling her arm away from the water, Vale watched as the girls fell unconscious, and splashed into the water, the low current carrying them away. Vale shook, torn between guilt and relief. 

"That's a neat trick," someone called, limping out of the shadows. Fox raised a brow at her. "You not gonna finish the job yourself?" 

Vale didn't answer. 

"So I take it you are going to let the waterfall handle the rest?" 

She winced. "Ah. So you really were just trying to knock them out." Fox crossed her arms. "You have something against killing?" 

Vale eased down on the rock. "How's your ankle?" 

Fox's eyes flashed with rage. "Nothing a little revenge won't satiate." 

Vale tilted her head, analyzing her. "So you really didn't vote for me that first night." 

Fox laughed darkly. "No. And frankly, your friendliness after the fact makes more sense now. I thought you were being dense. The system must have gotten hacked." A look of irritation crossed her features. "Apparently someone wants you around. My bets are on your beautiful blond boyfriend" 

Vale's heart hammered in her chest. 

"It's a shame that you won't get to be with him. But I promise to take good care of him for you." 

 Vale's hands balled into fists as a deep angry growl rose up her chest and through gritted teeth. "I will end you before you ever come close." 

"Ah, so you do bite." Fox seemed pleased with Vale's sudden rise in anger. "Perhaps you will be fun to fight with after all. I suppose it's not so bad that you survived the vote. Otherwise, you and Reign would have been taken care of and I'd be the last one from our table still left alive." 

Cee and Osti are dead. Vale hadn't allowed herself to think about them. But Fox was forcing the subject now. "The poison?" 

Fox sneered. "Yes. They gorged themselves like pigs that night at the banquet. Reign probably would have too if she hadn't been so easily broken by their actions moments before that." 

"So you've come to finish the job?" Vale asked growing irritated. 

"I've come to take out Reign first. You tell me where she is, and you get to live for a little longer." 

Vale crossed her arms, "What, killing me on this rock is too easy for you?" 

Fox shrugged. "No. You're stronger. You've earned your place lower on my kill list. She deserves to die first." 

Vale shot her a bewildered look. "You are mad. Truly, and completely, out of the box insane." 

"I've been called worse. Where is Reign?" 

Vale stared at Fox for a long moment. "Nah. Pass on that question. I don't hand people over to crazy girls with death lists. Any other questions before you scamper off to cross off more names?"

Silence followed as Fox and Vale stared at each other. When Fox made no move to leave, Vale stood to her feet, stretching. "So are you coming for me or not?" 

"She's a burden to you Vale." 

"My answer stands Fox."

"Most of us have known about the competition for years." Fox reached behind a tree. "We've been trained to look glamorous and be deadly all at once." She pulled out a bow and arrow. "It's a pity that you protect someone so unworthy of your talents. I was hoping for a longer fight with you." 

Fox kicked the arrow against her bow and took aim. Vale held her breath, waiting. She would only have one chance to evade and she was at a disadvantage in the water. "I never miss." 

"Neither do I," a voice called. Reign swung down from the tree above Fox, surprising them both as she landed on a lower branch in a crouch. "You wanted to see me?" 

Then Reign swung her body down, and kicked Fox in the back, forcing her to stumble into the water. Landing in an elegant stance, Reign wiped her hair out of her face. "I should have asked Vale to help vote you out!" 

Reign shouted, her face red with rage. Fox stood to her feet, her fingers stumbling over her bow and arrow. She knocked it back and aimed at Reign. "Die you witch!" 

Reign's eyes went wide, her mouth open in shock. Vale launched herself at Fox, knocking the bow free from her hand and shoving her into the water. Fox scrambled out of Vale's reach and swung her arm at Vale's temple. Ducking, Vale grabbed Fox around the neck and lifted her into the air. 

Fox wrapped her fingers around Vale's metal arm, her face calm. "You won't do it." 

"Vale," Reign called. Her voice sounded distant, garbled. 

"Choose! Are you a killer, or are you a coward?" Fox taunted. 

"Vale..." Reign's voice sounded urgent, terrified. 

She glanced over at Reign and felt her heart shatter. Red bloomed across her abdomen. She stared back at Vale, her eyes unblinking. "Reign?"

Fox laughed.  "I told you... I don't miss."