Page 56 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Lothaire wasn’t offering that.

He was nothing to me.

Lothaire huffed exasperatedly like I was a naïve child who was too impatient to understand I just had to fight for my life one more time, then I’d be happy.

I didn’t bother to argue.

Lothaire whispered, “I’m proud to call myself your father.” He crossed the middle of the room and walked toward me.

The other recruits shifted uncomfortably at his desperate, pathetic words.

I stepped back.

“It doesn’t matter what you think,” Lothaire said as he reached for me. “No matter what you say or feel, I will always be there for you.”

“Okay, sir. Sounds good.” My voice was icy. Normalize gaslighting men.

He sighed heavily.

A sudden thought hit me, and I looked up at him. “Sir, I need to go back and find my enchanted ring and disguise myself before anyone else sees me as a woman.”

Malum made a rude noise and I ignored him.

“No,” Lothaire said. “The Legionnaire Games are a showcase for the gods. You don’t hide yourself before a god if you want to live. They already know everything about your identity.”

I shook my head. “But, sir, everyone at the academy thinks—”

Lothaire cut me off. “It doesn’t matter what the sheep think. You should be concerned about the gods.”

We stared at each other.

A monster screamed in my mind, but the emptiness in my chest was more demanding.

I lowered my head respectfully and stared at the floor. “Yes, sir.”

Lothaire reached a hand forward like he was going to touch me, but then it fell away back to his side. Lothaire whirled around and ordered, “Fall in line, soldiers. We need to announce the games to the rest of the academy.”

We moved into formation.

Malum stood in front of me, and his wide shoulders blocked my view of Lothaire. A hand rested comfortingly on my shoulder. I looked back to find John smiling at me sadly.

Leaning into his touch, I closed my eyes.

Took a deep breath.

The last sliver of a child’s hope that her father would shield her from harm turned to ashes.

Died.

And there was nothing left.

Just a gaping hole in the center of my chest where my heart should have been.

The Legionnaire Games

“The games douse legions in kerosene,

And set their relationships on fire;

---