Earth Is Mine

Chapter 25

Polaris grabs me before I can even take a breath and the pain in my ankle shoots up my leg, blinding me with pain. I hiss loudly and he curses when we hear the sound of boots stomping on the floor outside my door. 

He swings open the door in the bathroom, used only by the human attendants and pulls me along with him through the dimly lit walkway. The walls here are much narrower, space isn't a luxury the slaves require.

"What is going on?" I whisper, my voice filled with panic and pain. Every step is a struggle and my foot has started to swell up considerably. It reminds me of Michael's foot after I broke it during my first match. 

"We need to reach the North City gates," Polaris finally struggles to get out and I notice him heaving in pain. The gash in his chest has opened up and a fresh stream of green blood flows down his chest, leaving a trail behind us. 

"I thought you wanted the bounty?" I ask, my hatred for him slowly slipping away as he drags us through the narrow maze of corridors. 

"The Truth machines were supplied by Elca. The only way to outsmart one is to tell the truth," He looks at me with bloodshot eyes and I straighten up to ease his burden of carrying me. So he's been on our side all along.

"Lucian?" I say softly, my entire body igniting in hope and fear. He looked so apprehensive before I left. Did he know about this the entire time?

"He knew vaguely but we never had the discussion. I couldn't have any memory of this plan in my head. The Truth machine would have picked up the emotion," Polaris explains in a heat of words and he sighs loudly. "Can you please pick up the pace?" 

We reach a fork and the sound of foot steps in the distance sends a shiver of panic down my spine. We stare at each other with wide unblinking eyes. I have no idea which pathway leads to where and apparently neither does he. 

"Weren't you a fighter?" He whispers in exasperation and we hear the sound of Plutonian soldiers shouting in the distance. 

"Follow the blood," Someone instructs, their voices much too close for comfort and Polaris clutches his wound instinctively. 

I slip off my fighter's shirt, leaving me in my singlet with it's padded reinforcements. I throw it at him and he dabs it to his chest, to soak up the blood. We both rush down the right path blindly, not knowing where anything leads to. 

My memories are confined only to the waiting rooms the attendants used to lead me to. I had no idea these walkways formed such a maze. 

I hear the soldiers reach the fork behind us within seconds and they shout at each other to split up. They sound so close by, too near for my comfort. My leg is heavier than a log as I drag it behind me and Polaris is limping as well. We are too slow. 

The darkness is our only solace and my heart skips a beat when I see the handle of a small door. I grab it and swing it open desperately without thinking and we see a human fighter sitting on a sofa with her attendant next to her. 

She screams in surprise when she recognises me which is the absolute worst thing that could happen at this moment because the soldiers behind us hear this as well. 

Polaris slams the door, his fingers digging into my arm angrily as we hurry down the walkway, away from the human who gave away our location. 

"There they are," A Plutonian shouts and I am so filled with fear, I could vomit. I rush forward, ignoring the searing pain in my foot and we turn a sharp corner in front. My heart falls to my stomach when I see a dead end up ahead. 

I can hear the footsteps approaching, and my panic bleeds into the air, so potent I am sure they could smell it. We stare at each other and just then the wall appears to slide open on our right. A hand pulls me inside and I grab Polaris.