From the Ashes

Chapter 3: Deal with the Undead

The roar of the crowd deafened me, making me think I had misheard. "No, I mean-"

"He never came over." Zack's mother's lip trembled. "Is he missing?"

I gaped at her. "Wait- no. No, no, no." Zack's mother cried after me as I whipped round and stumbled down the staircase.

"Zack is missing!" I yelled before I reached them. "Zack is missing!"

"What? Is he okay? Do you think he's sick?" asked Avery, her eyes wide with concern.

"No, you idiot!" said Reo. "He's run away!"

The thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I recalled the distressed look on his face when he found that he had been paired with Luke, and the urgency with which he departed. A knot of ice seemed to appear in my chest, chilling me to the bone.

"Idiot boy!" Sasha yelled. "The rematches are taking place in three minutes!"

"How did he get out? There are guards everywhere!"

"What is all this commotion?" asked a cold voice. Something I had never felt before- a painful, indescribable fear- made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.

It was Hades, cold and regal.

"I-" I stammered.

"A boy ran away!" Sasha said furiously.

"Impossible! There are guards stationed at every entrance!" Hades swept to the main entrance. The three Living and the four Undead followed, as well as Sasha, fists shaking with fury.

"Did you let a boy through these gates?" asked Hades calmly. Even with the serene tone, I sensed the undercurrent of danger.

"N-no sir," stuttered a guard. The other nodded vigorously but couldn't seem to summon up words. Through the slits in their helmets, I saw looks of panic on their faces.

"Did you leave your posts at any time?"

There was a pause, which lengthened.

"Did you?!" Hades' voice rose, and his eyes burned with the intensity of hot coals.

"We- took a quick smoke break-"

The scream of fury and frustration that ripped the air didn't seem human, but somehow animal. A cloud drifted over the sun and the whole coliseum darkened. The guards shrank against the wall.

"I- Forgive me!" one pleaded. Before he could get anything else out, however, two Undead- most likely Hades' servants- gripped him with icy fingers and half-dragged him away.

"Search for the boy," said Hades to the remaining guard. "If you cannot find him within the hour, you will meet the same end as your fellow guard."

"Yes, sir!" said the remaining guard, and he turned tail, dashing out of the coliseum.

"Stupid palace guards," said Hades. "I knew I should have stationed my own Undead at the entrances."

"Undoubtedly so," said Sasha.

Reo mouthed at me, Suck up. I nodded.

"Sasha, keep the children here whilst I inform Ciaran Ashbluff of the new circumstances." Hades swept to the stands.

"As long as it delays our deaths," muttered Reo.

"It may be a while," said Sasha. "You seven, go up to the stands, and wait for the announcement. There will be guards stationed at the staircase, so do not try anything."

We filed obediently up into the stands. I was anxious. I couldn't stop thinking that Zack had doomed himself. There was only so long that one could hide before they were found out. I remembered a man from a long time ago, a traitor to the crown, apparently, who had hidden for twelve years whilst the palace guards searched relentlessly. When he was found, it made the front page. I asked Mum what he had done for people to search for him so hard. She said she didn't know.