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“I’m going to need a definition for everything you just listed,” Dessin deadpans.
“And then, of course, there are the Vex-Reaper nights for those who get three strikes. That’s when soldiers get to watch misbehaving prisoners get punished.”
“What kind of punishments?” I ask, dread sinking to the bottom of my stomach like a rock.
“Okay, so there’s the Blood Falcon. You don’t really want a description of that—but I’ll give you a less disgusting explanation. They cut out your lungs and spread them like wings until you slowly die on the stage.”
“How the hell is that the less disgusting version?” Niles cringes, inching away from Gerta, who has been subtly trying to stand close to Niles.
“And then there’s the Vexamen Candles when a prisoner, who got caught trying to escape, gets dipped in oil and set ablaze.”
I feel Niles stiffen; his entire body seems to turn to stone.
My stomach rolls. I shake my head at the graphic images flooding through my mind. Okay, this place might be worse than the asylum.
“How do we avoid getting strikes?” Warrose asks, voice sounding low and scratchy like he’s bottling up a bout of rage swimming to the surface.
“Trying to escape, murder, suicide attempts, failure to attend a Fun House Night,” Gerta answers as she reaches out to caress Niles’s face.
I exchange a pained look with Dessin. Great. If we get caught at any point trying to break out of here, we get a strike, which could lead to a blood falcon situation or being burned alive.
“Dammit,” I breathe. But I see the wheels turning in Dessin’s head. This is his specialty. He can form an escape plan anywhere. Only now, he isn’t just thinking of himself. He has to consider each detail carefully because it could result in one of our friends getting a strike.
“When’s the next Fun House Night?” Dessin breaks the silence, rolling his neck to relieve built-up tension.
“Maybe a couple of days.” Helga Bee grins, popping up from her seated position. “My advice? Get through it without making a fuss. Days like this are for us to nurse our wounds and recover.” She nods to the man howling from his bleeding wrist.
Instinctively, I reach for Dessin’s hand, curling my fingers around his warm palm. It’s like my own comfort blanket. A slight touch to soothe the anxiety building within me, making it hard to take an even breath. That large hand shifts, wrapping itself around mine in a way that’s both protective and sweet.
Helga Bee watches us curiously. “You two are mated?” She looks at Warrose and Ruth, then practically flinches toward Niles and Marilynn. “Are all of you paired up?”
“No!” The word half explodes from Ruth and Warrose’s mouths. They grimace at each other and take a small step away.
Mated? “Dessin and I are together.” And his hand tightens around mine in response.
She pulls her thin lips into her mouth skeptically. “The rest of you should at least fake being paired up.” Her words are low and crass, a violent whisper as she looks around to ensure no one else hears.
“Why?” I ask her.
She shrugs her wide shoulders. “It’ll help keep the male prisoners away from your ladies.”
Dessin pulls me closer to his side, but the rest of our group makes no effort to do as Helga Bee says. I clear my throat, eyeing Warrose. He huffs, taking a step closer to Ruth, then shrugs at me like that’s the best he can do. Ruth rolls her eyes.
“Better,” Helga Bee says, still eyeing our body language with suspicion. “But you all should work on your acting skills. Get inspired by the mama and papa of the group. I could cut their sexual tension with a pair of bladed needle globbers.”
“I don’t know what you just said, but I agree.” Niles nods, then balks with a curse as Gerta nuzzles her plump face against his bicep.
Marilynn’s lips curl upward, not enough to be counted as a smirk, but it’s a subtle change of her mouth, a silent adjustment that says she’s amused by Niles. And honestly, I wouldn’t trust her if she wasn’t. Niles, although he can be very annoying, is relentlessly amusing.
“How does not being paired up affect Fun House Nights?” Dessin asks.
“They’ll give you the option to participate in a private lust hour with a Vexamen Breed soldier. Most individuals put up a good fight but end up taking the deal when the alternative is grueling humiliation and punishments. And the longer you hold out, the more desirable you’ll be to the commanders. It’ll become a game for them to see you grovel for their attention.” She takes a long breath, scratching her milky skin with overgrown yellow fingernails. “It’s dirty and barbaric but makes for juicy drama when bored.”
I groan. That’s why that blond-bearded man got so testy this morning in the showers. He was looking for any women who aren’t paired up or mated.
“Wait,” I call for Helga Bee as she turns to leave. “They didn’t give us food today. How long will that last?”
If we’re going to survive through Fun House Nights, we need to have our strength. And right now, my tummy is gurgling loud enough for everyone to hear.
