Page 56 of King of the Cage

“You’re running out of time, Giada. Poor Sol… if only she had a friend who could actually do something.”

Aldo’s smug tone washed over me. He was so close, nausea reared up inside me.

“Where is she, Sepriano? Hand her over, and we’ll pretend none of this ever happened,” I lied.

This man would die for touching Sol, and all these fuckers outside could burn to death in this creepy building for all I cared. It would be a blessing to the world.

Aldo chuckled coldly. “Sure, you’re good at pretending nothing happened, aren’t you? Like the way you pretended not to know where my brother was earlier… you know, tonight was supposed to be his initiation. His night.”

“I have nothing to do with your brother. I honestly don’t know where he is right now, and Sol certainly doesn’t know anything!”

“Solaria is just collateral damage. You, on the other hand, you’re mixed up in all of this. It’s because of you that Enrico even crossed paths with that fucking psychopath, O’Connor.”

“You think you’re in any position to be calling someone else a psychopath? Have you seen the loony tunes running around here?”

Pain blossomed across my cheek. The fucker had slapped me. My teeth cut into the side of my mouth, and I sucked the blood out and held it on my tongue.

“You were saying?” Aldo drawled.

I split the blood at the white plastic of his mask in a long jet.

“You hit like a girl, Sepriano,” I murmured. If I could get him riled up, there was a chance I could take him. He was big, and lumbering, and not known for his fighting skills. Politics was his thing, and my toxic trait was thinking an unexpected fight with an untrained guy might put me at an advantage. Also, there was a heavy-looking candelabra right behind him on a shelf I was sure I could do some damage with. If I could hurt him, and then threaten him, I might be able to get him to tell me where Sol was.

But Aldo didn’t take the bait. His mask swung from side to side as he shook his head.

“Oh, Santori. You think you’re so loyal and true. I’m not going to make tonight easy on you. If you can find your friend… you can keep her. If not, soon enough, the initiation will begin. People wait years to have a chance at becoming a member of the society. They’ll do anything. If you stay… they’ll be hunting you. My roletonight was to bring some little rabbits into the warren to chase. Sol is one, you’re the other. I won’t spoil the ending for you… I’ll just wait my turn.”

With that, Aldo stepped back and released me.

“Better find her. Ticktock… time’s nearly up.”

15

GIADA

When I stepped back into the hallway, the loud gong sounded again. I sprinted away from Aldo, searching for the staircase I’d found earlier. Before, there had been guards standing by it. Now, it was unwatched. I needed up there.

I started up the hall toward it. Two white-masked guys turned the end of the corridor and saw me.

“Hey! There she is. We’ve been looking all over for you,” one called to me.

They both came closer.

Alarm filled me. I had no idea who they were, and the voice was unfamiliar.

I took a step back; one of them circled around my side and the other stopped in front of me.

“Hey, don’t be spooked. We’re new, too… just looking for an Offering to take from the Hunt, you know?” The first guy spokeconversationally, like this was a remotely normal discussion to be having.

“Yeah, it’s tough. I heard there’s usually less Offerings than Hunters, but tonight takes it to the extreme… you’re the only one we’ve found,” the second guy said.

I took another step, and they cocked their masked heads, sending fear skittering down my spine.

“Too bad I don’t plan on going anywhere with you, or being anyone’s Offering,” I said stiffly.

They turned their identical white masks toward each other and shrugged. Then, they lunged. I stumbled back. One of them grabbed my cloak. I scrambled for a weapon on the console table near me and got hold of one of those heavy candlesticks I’d seen in the storage room. I swung it at the guy coming toward me as hard as I could.

His mask flew across the room, and he lurched toward it. I tried to run but found the other guy holding my cloak.

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