Page 16 of Of Daggers and Deceit

“Raya,” she began but was cut off.

“Criminals do not speak!” another guard yelled as he pulled on her chains in warning, causing her to fall to her side.

I clenched my teeth when she winced, her palm smacking into the dirt.

I could take all of them out if I wanted to. The people in the Outer Ring seemed to understand the threat of my power, even if they all believed it was uncontrolled. Yet still, to the Inner Ring, I was both defective and weak, hardly a problem worth worrying about.

“I need an audience with the Supreme, then. I will pay a different punishment if he commands it.”

The guards all laughed, loud and mocking. “You will not get an audience with the Supreme.”

I heaved out a shameful breath. I had to do something that would truly get their attention in the way I needed, something impulsive and reckless that Riley and the others would condemn, but ultimately something that would force a reaction. I was desperate. Time was running out.

So, I dematerialized and portaled right towards the guard still laughing. I materialized in front of him, watching as he choked on his laughter. He stepped back, whipped his gun from his side, and pointed it straight at me, his finger poised on the trigger.

“Stop.”

“I will do worse,” I informed him as I swallowed the lump of spit sitting in my throat and tried to ignore the terror sloshing around inside me. This was bad, even I knew that.

The guard’s hand shook and then steadied again, his jaw ticking the longer I held my ground. Even though this was a small display of my power, which I rarely ever exercised, it was uncomfortable to witness, as if using it made them finally understand how easily they could be beat. I had always been unnerving. It was why I struggled to connect with Alphas and why Bodhi’s friendship was so valuable to me. They didn’t need to know my power had a limit.

“I will consider your wish, but know that it may not be granted.”

My eyes flicked towards the guard who had spoken. Rarely did they consider anything at all that an Outer Ringer requested. But my mother was an Omega, even if she had done the wrong thing.

I nodded once but didn’t move. I hadn’t thought too much about the specifics of after I demanded to pay her punishment. I didn’t want to make the wrong move.

“Leave before your punishment becomes additional to hers.”

He jerked his chin towards my mother, who had a bleeding cut on her arm. He didn’t know it was punishment enough for me to walk away whilst she was still injured.

But I knew I must.

So, with one last look at each of them, I walked backwards, keeping my eye on them until I reached the first house and could edge around the corner. I turned and ran back towards my own, praying that for once, they may show mercy.

The workday had flown, despite the sun’s scorching heat making my job difficult and more uncomfortable, worsened by the fact that I was working back up on the cliffs for extraction of pigments.

Still, its damage paled in comparison to the worrying thoughts that had occupied my mind for the duration of the day, only intensifying as I walked the path back home with my head downcast in thought.

Vaguely, I noted bodies passing me as the light began to fade from the sky above us, my skin still warm and tingly, likely burned from my long exposure to the sun’s rays.

My thoughts swung from the thinning of the shield to darker worries and plans if the guards didn’t take my request to the Supreme. There was little left except deviance if he declined, and I didn’t want it to go that far.

My lips pursed.

“Raya.”

I knew it was Bodhi before I even lifted my head in acknowledgement as he jogged over with a relieved smile. Rarely did people search for me out here, not with the cliques already present amongst Alphas, their kindred.

Immediately, my lips lifted, my worry easing fractionally when I instinctively shifted towards him, ready to move my hand to take his until I abruptly stopped myself, though only just, as I instead chose to wave awkwardly and dropped my hand.

Embarrassment flushed my cheeks. Friends at our age didn’t hold hands all the time, and I don’t know why instinctively I reached for him. I suppressed a groan.

“How was work today?” he asked, slowing his pace to walk alongside me.

“Hot. Long. But we mixed a new paint colour today, a purple that glitters when the light hits it. Took me hours. How was training?” I was glad he moved on and said nothing about my earlier fumbling.

He smiled down at me, sweat still glistening on his forehead. It was almost annoying how it seemed to enhance his good looks. I had never looked good sweating.

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