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Everyone just stares, but she takes that as a yes.
“When she possesses them, it fuels her for a while if the host’s body is properly nourished. Then she stops and tries to use her powers but it drains her.”
No one answers. I haven’t paid much attention to Karma.
“Just tell me what she bloody needs!” Dice snaps.
“Not until I walk out of here. I’m not stupid, and I know what you’ll think. Your group shits rainbows and dreams of a happy place where we all live in harmony. It’s not possible for some of us. Let me save her, and I’ll give you the knowledge you need once I’m safely out of reach.”
That can’t be good.
“For the record, your theory on the red jinn is wrong. Master didn’t use them as a decoy. The jinn have been getting starved for centuries. They’re feasting to regain strength before they go mad. Leave them be, and they’ll leave you alone.”
The warmth of the air is suddenly lost as we all tense.
“You know the Master?” Kane asks in a deceptively calm tone.
“I know the name. Not the person. I spent a long time in the cages. However, the jinn I do know. Trust me, they will kill you. They don’t make mistakes, and they’re older than anyone in here. They’re paranoid, cautious, and incredibly hungry. One mistake, and you’re their next course. Once they’re at full strength again, they won’t make any more noise.”
“Can’t just let them do something like this and get away with it,” Thad growls. “More died than necessary because of their distraction last night, and they don’t have to kill our kind to survive.”
Her eyes shift to Roslyn, since Roslyn needs the blood of our kind to survive. It earns a hell of a growl from Thad.
Kya rolls her eyes. “Again, you weren’t in the cages, so you don’t understand how long they’ve been hungry or what they’ve gone through.”
“I was there,” Roslyn reminds her.
Kya’s eyes narrow into slits. “For two years and you cracked like a weak piñata. You chased our kind and dragged them back to hell to save your own ass. You think you’re better than the jinn who are suffering?”
Everyone immediately bristles, and Thad is held back by his girl when he starts to give chase. Kya doesn’t even blink.
“She’s right,” Roslyn says meekly, looking down.
“The fuck she is. You did what you had to in order to survive. Your wolf was in control. The jinn did this to cover their asses. Not just for survival. And they don’t feel a damn bit guilty about it,” Thad roars.
Kya remains unaffected, and she stays in place. “Would everyone feel the same if it had been one of you she had dragged back? Because it was hell there. It was the devil’s ark. There were at least two of every rare species if they could find it—four half demon/human hybrids like us. One was always for testing—like me. One was for their endgame army—like Karma. They needed their warriors strong and ready. The testers were fine to be broken. They were just the key to success for the warrior. Unfortunately for them, not all of us would break.”
Everyone exchanges glances, confused. That’s something we didn’t know.
“You think your wolf girl was the first of her kind? No. There was another. They broke her so they could learn the limits for the next one. They knew all the right buttons to push to find what makes Roslyn tick. It’s how they operate. They own you the second you walk in, and they have patience. The studying of one species could go on for centuries. Then you do-gooders unleashed purgatory a couple of decades ago, and you load up their arsenal with all sorts of lovely new creatures to test and play with.”
“We didn’t fucking open it because we wanted to,” Kimber seethes.
“You can tell she’s been with Slade for a while,” I mumble, running a hand through my hair. “She’s as arrogant as he is.”
Her eyes cut to me, but I’m not scared of her in the least. In fact, I feel ready for any fight she wants to deliver.
“You’re right; I have been with Slade a while. He’s the reason I survived the cages. I figured if he could endure centuries of pain, the betrayal of a brother, and a never-ending future of torment for no greater purpose, than I could continue to survive in the cage next to him. What I went through is child’s play by comparison, and what they went through was nothing but a blip compared to what I endured.” She points to Karma, Kimber, and Roslyn for emphasis.
“Feel better now that you’ve gotten that off your chest?” Kimber snaps. “Feel special for being a bigger victim? Good for you.”
Kya’s eyes narrow, and Dice holds a hand up before her next retort.
“Us do-gooders released all the prisoners from the cages. So shut the fuck up and help my girl, because I don’t give a flying rat’s ass about what you went through. I’m an asshole like that. And selfish. And I really don’t care if that pisses you off either.”
He lifts Karma off the couch. “I won’t let you in, but I will bring her out,” he adds, which has Kya shifting back enough to allow him to pass with Karma in his arms.
She doesn’t say anything, but as soon as Karma is clear of the barrier, Kya’s eyes light up red, and some red aura travels from her eyes to Karma’s.
