The Underworld Crown (Series)

Chapter 16

I lost count when Alek gripped the base of his shirt and pulled it over his head in one fluid motion.

I'd only seen Alek shirtless on one other occasion, during which I'd almost pulled down the tent I'd climbed out of, and this time my reaction was no different.

I cursed internally as I accidentally placed one foot on the track of the treadmill, the other half off. The action had me losing my balance and praying to all the Gods in the universe that I wouldn't fall. Unfortunately, most of the Gods would prefer me dead right now, and I reached out for one of the bars too late as I fell over my feet and was launched downwards, face first into the treadmill belt. My forehead and cheek took the greatest impact, and I swore as I tumbled towards the back wall.

Alek was by my side in an instant, as alert as one might be before facing an enemy. "What happened?"

I tried to ignore the pain in my face, which was probably covered by the blush rising to my cheeks. Slowly, I got onto all fours and stood up, avoiding his gaze. "I fell over."

"Okay smartass, I was only wondering how you could possibly trip over on this. The belt is at ground level."

I wiped the dirt from my face then crossed my arms over my chest. "And so is my tolerance for you."

Not my best comeback.

Alek did not look entertained. "Seriously, what happened?"

"I got distracted, but only for a moment," I replied. "Anyway, I've already exercised today so I think I'm just tired. I should just head straight to bed–"

Alek stepped in front of my path to the exit. Now, I forced myself to look into his eyes, if only because I didn't want to let them wander downwards.

"Am I really so insignificant to you that you won't talk to me for two minutes?" he asked defiantly, surprising me.

His words stung, and I sighed. "You're not insignificant to me Alek. You helped me escape Sloth City when I needed to get away, and for that I'm thankful. I'll always feel like I owe you for that. But you made it clear after we met Jackal and Cleo that any friendship between you and me isn't possible. And now that we have the tournament to deal with as well, I think it's best if we just stay out of each other's ways."

Then, I surprised him by pushing past, briefly knocking his shoulder. His warm hand gripped my upper arm, bringing me to a stop. I held my breath, worried that my heart would betray my words.

"For the record," he said, voice tight, "I don't think it's best if we stay out of each other's ways. I know you have...Kadyn, but you need friends in this tournament. Or at least alliances. I can help you out."

"I don't need your help," I shot back. "Especially not when your alliance includes Jackal and Cleo. Besides, you also have your own distractions that need sorting out. I saw the way you looked at the opening ceremony tonight."

"Yeah, well learning that you'll have to face your worst fears will tend to make you think about stuff."

"I didn't mean with the trial announcement. I meant with your parents."

His grip tightened, but not to the point of it being uncomfortable. "Why Princess, it sounds like you care."

I rolled my eyes and pulled my arm from his grip. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm just keeping a close eye on my enemies."

The words tumbled out before I could control them, but I could see the pain flare on Alek's face as he registered that I'd called him an enemy. Swallowing, he took a step back and steeled his expression into a blank canvas.

"Okay, Serena, I'll be sure to stay out of your way from now on, since you know best."

Alek turned his back to me, and I again worried I'd taken things too far. I seemed to be burning a lot of bridges lately, but those bridges were deceiving – I never knew what pitfalls or traps might lay in my wake. It could very well be that if I crossed one, the foundations would crumble, and I'd tumble to the ground.

Still, the trouble look on Alek's face haunted me. His sincerity wasn't something that I'd ever expected after meeting him again. And when he'd mentioned his worst fears, I'd felt my own courage ducking for cover. It was very unlikely that Alek would ever be afraid of something.

"And what could you possibly fear?" I asked, my voice meek.

Alek stilled, his hands forming fists. When he turned his head slightly, half of his features covered in shadow, my breathing escalated.

"More than you think you know," he replied.

*****

The following week was a whirlwind of activity. I hated to say that it passed by unnaturally fast, particularly given my tiresome daily routine. The tension between the competitors was beginning to grow tight, and every morning at breakfast I felt the weight of those gazes on my backs when people thought I wouldn't notice. And when I was looking, they were too busy seizing up someone else in the tournament, wondering who would be great enough to possibly be selected as the Underworld's future ruler.

Hades' ominous warning for the competitors to not fight each other outside of trials was obeyed for the most part. However, those warnings didn't stop the cold shoulders or degrading comments that people gave each other during mealtimes, often perpetuated by the children of Adephagia, whose words were as sharp as their teeth. One time, one of two demigoddesses from Envy had merely commented on the cannibals' lifestyle and it set off a war of words which quicky escalated into something physical – until Persephone walked into the room and everyone returned to their seats, her overseeing eye not missing anything. We all knew she would report back any misbehaviour to Hades. However, she'd kept her cool as she walked into the room, shooting me a wink and sitting at the table as though I wasn't forced to be there.

My daily routine also gave me plenty of opportunities to learn more about the other competitors.

One morning, I had been training in the gym when I noticed Freya, the daughter of Lyssa, heading in my direction. I'd sensed her watchful gaze plenty by then, but she'd never actually taken the step of talking to me. Let alone teaching me how to use one of the weighted machines when Persephone's duties had called her away from our morning practice. Freya still appeared wary of me, but it was nice to know she didn't want to flay me alive. She even went as far as to explain how her shapeshifting powers worked, that her entire body adapted on a cellular level to become something else entirely. I was impressed and was two seconds from asking her if she could transform into a unicorn, out of personal curiosity, when Thanos entered the room. Freya had mumbled a quick goodbye and then left me alone, the weight of her brother's deathly gaze on me weighing heavier than any dumbbell ever would.

Alek was sticking by his promise to leave me alone, and it was very rare that we would ever be in the same room together. What wasn't rare, however, was Cerberus' presence. He stuck by my side at all times, often surprising me by changing into various breeds of dogs. My personal favourite, however, was when he turned into a golden-retriever lookalike. It was enough to remind me of my neighbour's dog on Earth, and when that thought crossed my mind, thoughts of dad and Camilla were bound to follow. Missing them cleaved a hole open in my chest and dulled my mood.

Persephone picked up on my homesickness one morning after training in the gym.

"Missing them isn't getting any easier, is it?" she asked after I'd picked up my training towel and wiped the sweat from my face. I'd finished every exercise she'd asked of me. I felt a small dash of triumph when I realised I'd been completing more and more reps every training session. Still, the exercise wasn't enough to distract me from my worry.

Persephone was silent for a moment as she watched me, her gaze flitting over my lacklustre, hollow eyes. She was waging some kind of internal war, then after a few moments, straightened with a small smile.

"I have an idea," she said, "let's go to the forest earlier than normal."

"Why?"

"Because as much as the forest is my sanctuary, I didn't build it there for no reason. I built it around something, to protect what was already there." She inclined her head towards the exit. "It will make you feel better. Come on, I'll show you."