Now, We Burn

Chapter 10 | Eliza

Chapter 10
| Eliza |

Thane walked back into the room of the mall where Pierce and Eliza still were. He walked with the same powerful stride, but it faltered a bit. Next to come was her sister, unconscious and being carried by Hugo. So Thane had won.

Eliza wished she could've seen the fight, to root for Ember and help her in any way she could, but whenever she moved even a fraction of an inch, Pierce's hand flew to the knife on his belt. She regretted not just taking the knife, or tripping him and running.

As soon as Hugo brought Ember in, Thane began to speak.

"Seeing as I have won," he began. "You two will stay under our preservation, and your sister will save Eeros. Got it?"

Eliza nodded solemnly, then jumped when Thane started to move forward. "Actually," he said as he walked, stopping about three feet away from her kneeling body and bending down ever-so-slightly. "I want you to tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now. What have you to offer my people and I?"

Eliza's heart raced as she racked her brain for a reason, any reason, but her thoughts were too jumbled. She looked into Thane's grey eyes frantically before taking a deep breath, composing herself. He was only trying to scare Eliza. He wouldn't kill her.

"I--" she paused when her voice broke. "I'm smarter than Ember," Eliza stated, trying to keep her voice from wavering. "I'm more logical." She went on, her voice growing stronger, more confident. At this point, though, she couldn't seem to stop. "Without me, she'd probably burn this place to the ground. After all, I'm all she has since you murdered her father."

Shut up! Her conscience screamed at her, You're going to get yourself killed!

But before she could continue, Thane spoke. "Very well then. Can you fight?"

Eliza started to panic gain. She knew she couldn't, but what would happen if they knew that? She nodded her lie.

"All right. However, I need to know you can fight," he said. A bullet of fear shot through Eliza's veins. "Grey." Pierce stood at attention. Grey? Eliza thought. A last name?

"I want you to fight this girl." As soon as the words left Thane's mouth, Pierce's grip tightened on the rope, pulling Eliza's bound hands up slightly. She didn't know whether it was in excitement or not. She hoped the latter.

With one last glance at Eliza, Pierce dropped the rope and walked to Thane. She watched as he walked, the muscles in his arms tightening and loosening with tension as he clenched his fists at his sides. The veins in his biceps prominently stuck out against his tanned skin, practically flashing a big neon sign reading, 'I can beat you with my little finger'. Eliza swallowed her fright and stood up, the rope chafing against her wrists and dragging behind her as she stumbled after Pierce. They left Ember and Hugo behind as they walked to another room in the mall. Eliza could feel something pulling at her chest with every step away from her sister.

Thane stopped and had the two face each other, Eliza felt her chest tighten with fear. She couldn't win this. She'd be killed before she could even blink. Her vision became blurry with tears as she realized just what she had gotten herself into. Pierce removed the rope binding her wrists.

"Go on," Thane commanded and Pierce moved forward and retracted his fist. In a fit of nervous energy, Eliza fell to her knees and held her hands up in defense.

"I can't," she cried and looked up at Pierce's confused eyes, then to Thane's blazing ones. "I can't-I'm sorry-I can't fight," Eliza stuttered, already becoming a mess. "I can't fight. I'm sorry, I was just scared and-and--"