The Uprising (Book #3 in The Inception Trilogy)

chapter sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

SASHA DOESN'T BOTHER GOING to the dormitory while she's in tears, knowing the kids will only further devastate her. She's not in the mood to try and defend herself, or to cry in front of them all and throw fuel to their fire. She only wants to go sit with Locke and Erik for a little while. At least they don't mind if she cries.

She knew Marcus was going to die tonight. When he had put placed against Archie, there would be no saving him. Marcus was a good spar partner and a decent fire, but he didn't have the taste for blood like Archie does. He didn't enjoy inflicting pain on others. On the few occasions he sparred with Sasha, he would always ask her if she was okay after a hit or two. He never liked to fight for too long.

Now he's dead. She knows he is.

Archie wouldn't have gone easy on him.

Marcus hadn't exactly been a friend, but he hadn't deserved to die. He was a sweet kid, probably the only one left in this place.

She knocks on the door to Erik's and Locke's room, in a completely separate building than the children's dormitory. Both knew she had her "special demonstration" tonight, but she hadn't told them about the death match. Erik opens the door and doesn't question her when she looks up at him with watery eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. He instantly crouches and allows her to collapse against him.

She hears a bed creak, then feels Locke's head on her head. Neither of them say anything to her. When she calms down, Erik scoops her into his arms and lays her in his bed, tucking the sheets under her chin.

"Where will you sleep?" she whispers, sniffling.

Erik smiles kindly at her, brushing her hair off her forehead. "Don't worry about that, kiddo. Close your eyes."

"You can have your bed," she tells him. "I'll just close my eyes for a little while, then go back to my dorm."

Erik nods, though he knows she won't wake up to leave. He wouldn't let her leave anyways.

Locke sits on the edge of the bed after Erik backs away, a strange expression on his face. "What happened, Sasha?" he asks quietly, like he's afraid for an answer.

Her bottom lip wobbles and she shakes her head.

"All right, all right," he whispers, grabbing her shoulder gently. "It's okay. You don't have to say it, okay?"

She nods, her eyesight blurrying again.

"Go to sleep," he tells her.

She rolls over and squeezes her eyes shut, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around her. She doesn't know if she stops crying, but she feels herself slip far away into oblivion.

***

Davon sits up immediately when Axel's door clicks open, his heart pounding. He found Axel in the hallway on his way to the fitting, and like the saving grace he is, Axel told him to stay in his room until the ceremony was over. There would be experiments in the grand room that would recognize him, and Wolf would flip his shit if he knew someone escaped from his camp with the help of one of his greatest allies.

"So?" Davon prompts, rubbing his sweaty palms down his jeans. "What happened?"

Axel swallows. "I saw him. Wolf had them imprisoned."

Davon blinks, not entirely surprised but anxious all the same. "What do you think he's going to do?"

Axel scratches the top of his head. "Some big show of his power, no doubt. He'll stage some execution tomorrow to make sure his supporters see him as a victor. He may use the girl as bait."