No Heroes (Shadow Walker Book 1)

11 - A Bleeding Heart

This is the last of my old chapters! Now we get to FINALLY move on to some new stuff! Are you excited? 'Cause I am haha :D Happy reading and I'll see you next Sunday!

-M

"Don't confuse self-sacrifice with selflessness. Giving to another should fill your soul, not rob it." --Adam Moore.

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[KNIGHTS OF THE SUN CAMP]

Ren hung there opening and closing her fist.

 Her fingers were stiff and shaking. She blinked more tears out of her eyes as her fear turned her entire body numb.

"Take my hand!"

Ren looked up at Ace who had extended his hand again, his trademarked seriousness barely able to disguise the shock that had seized him. She swallowed hard, swung her free hand up to meet his and was hauled up onto the platform. As soon as she came face to face with Ace, he placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her shaking. Then he wrapped an arm around her and said:

"You're not going to fall. You're okay."

She wiped the tears from her face, her fear slowly draining away. She wondered how he was so composed. She'd only known Thorne for a few days, but Ace was his best friend. He put up a good front, though she could tell that--inside--he was devastated. 

Vire rose from his seat and placed his hands regally on the table before him. "The losers of the challenge, who have been disqualified due to the inability of both team members to ring the bell, is team Sub Rosa," he announced.

Ren's heart sank.

"Captain Nathaniel Carson," Vire addressed Nate who dutifully stepped forward with his head held high. "Do you choose punishment or loss?"

Nate glanced at Ren, holding her gaze for a long, anxious moment. Then he chose: punishment."

Heavy whispers immediately snaked through the crowd and all of his teammates were shaking their heads grimly. Vire's goons immediately began scrambling around, clearing the training platform in preparation for the sentence. As Nate took a step forward, Devon ran up and stopped him.

"Captain, you can't do this to yourself again," she said, worry creasing her forehead. "Send the girl home; her group lost the challenge for us. That's how it's supposed to work."

Ren stared at the ground.

"No," Nate placed a comforting hand on Devon's shoulder and gently moved her aside, "I can't do that to a teammate. You know that."

"But you do this every time; you can't take much more."

"Devon, I'll be fine. We don't lose that often. Besides," Nate turned his gaze toward Ace, "I have to protect my own."

Ace clenched his jaw and looked away.

Nate slowly moved toward the center of the cleared platform and kneeled before Vire whose lips curled into a sickening grin. Ren's heart dropped to her feet as the official unfastened the leather whip at his belt. She moved to do something, but Ace stopped her, tightening his arm around her shoulders.

Vire waved his hand at Nate who obediently pulled his shirt up over his head and tossed it aside, revealing a mass of countless short, raised scars embedded into his muscular back--layer upon layer crisscrossing over one another. Vire whirled his whip over his head and just before it struck Nate's back, Ren turned away.