The Survivors Trilogy

BOOK ONE || CHAPTER TWENTY

I don't know how long it took for all the Wasters to desert, but it felt like a lifetime.

The older Waster who grabbed Kara's hand right after she beat-up the lean guy is the last to leave. "Congratulations on another perfect fight, Kara," he says as everything goes silent. "You really showed him who was boss." I can tell by the way he says him that he is talking about me.

I'm the only other person in the room.

Kara awkwardly laughs, kicking something on the ground. "Thanks, Ty," she says. "Do you think I should have gone easy on him?"

The man named Ty scoffs. "Pff, of course not." He laughs quickly. "How else are they supposed to learn?"

Kara is silent for a long moment. "Yeah," she says. "I guess you're right." She pauses. "Thanks again, Ty."

I try not to breathe. I try to hold my breath as long as I can.

"That's no problem, Kara," Ty says, walking away. "Get some rest. I hear you have to train him to be a Hunter."

Even though my face is pressed against the ground and all I can see is black and smell blood, I can feel him pointing at me.

"Yeah, but it's not all that bad," Kara says. "He's not difficult to teach."

I try to steady my breathing, making sure my back isn't rising and falling as fast as I think it is.

Ty laughs again. "Well... fair enough, but get some rest anyway." He starts to walk away. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Kara replies. "See you tomorrow."

I exhale as soon as I hear the door shut behind the man.

A long time passes.

"You can get up from the floor, now."

I disregard the demand in her voice, pressing my hands underneath my body, pushing myself up, ignoring the pain exploding in my nose, jaw and limbs.

The blood from my nose stains the floor in a tiny pool of red. I stare at it as if it isn't real, like it was already there when I got pushed into the ring. It now matches the rest of the blood stains on here, from moments like I have just experienced.

Kara's eyes widen as she takes a better look at my nose. "Oh... God," she breathes out. She crosses the room and grabs my jaw, pulling my face closer to her, inspecting my nose closer. "What have I done?"

I pull away from her tight grasp. "I'm fine," I lie, turning around. "I'll be fine, Kara."

She spins me around with a touch to the shoulder. "Don't be stupid, Xander," she says. "We have to take you to the Infirmary."

"You're overreacting now, Kara." I step away from her, intent to get out of this room quickly.

She follows me. "It could be broken for all we know."

I actually laugh out loud. "I highly doubt it's broken," I say. "Maybe when you clocked me in the face, my nose just got cut or something."

Kara looks down, studies her fists, drops them like she just burnt herself. "I can't believe I actually..." She trails off, whispering to herself. She shakes her head. "Come on," she says. "You either come with me to the Infirmary now, or I'll pull you by your hood. Choose."

I smirk to myself as I follow behind her, grabbing my bow and quiver from where the young Waster threw them on the floor.

"Good choice," she mutters under her breath, brushing some loose hair behind her ear.