Page 4 of Striker

Stupid kid. Both of them. Viper has a soft spot for Breaker. He always has. But Viper is reckless, and we are all hungry, all the time, so when he brought the loaf back along with a plate offresh butter, of course we all ate it. Even Reaper. Even Hunter. Our other brothers too.

But now, it’s Viper who’s going to pay for all our sins.

When he’s directly in front of Fallon, Breaker squares his shoulders and looks up at ourotets. That urge returns. He’s only two years younger than me, but he’s shorter. Skinnier. Breaker is just a kid, barely any muscle, whose voice cracks whenever he gets excited.

Fallon crosses his hands behind his back, looking down at Breaker. “Remove your belt.”

We all watch his hands tremble as Breaker unbuttons his peacoat and removes the belt, fumbling at first because of his thick gloves. The wind carries away the slip of leather sliding out of the loops, but we all know exactly what it sounds like. We’ve all gotten the belt before.

Just not quite like this.

“You are good at breaking rules. Breaking formation. Breakingthings,” Fallon says. “Let’s see how good you are at breaking a thief’s skin.”

Goose bumps raise on my arms. The back of my neck. Reaper makes a sound in his throat, but doesn’t move otherwise.

“Seven lashes,” Fallon says, adjusting the black beanie on Breaker’s shaved head. His clear eyes scan our line. “From all of you.”

I bite my lip, trying to stop my body from trembling but I don’t think it’s from the cold. My gaze slides to Viper, who’s full out shaking now and I’m scared he may go into hypothermia before he can receive our punishment.

Clenching his jaw, Breaker walks up to stand next to Commander. My brother’s profile is almost jarring against the unforgiving winter landscape, his deep skin a contrast to the pale blue sky and glittering snow.

With black brows knitted tightly, he draws the belt back, and it lands with a sickeningthwackacross pale skin. Viper’s spine straightness, then goes slack, but he doesn’t make a sound. Not even after Breaker does it again and a bright red welt forms.

“Harder,” Fallon orders.

Breaker lands another strike across Viper’s fair skin and his knees buckle as a clean, thin line of red forms, then slowly slips down his back.

“Good boy,” Fallon says. “Only three strikes and his skin is already broken.” Father turns, his ice eyes landing on us one at a time, when he instructs, “Harder.”

By the time the fifth hit has landed, my eyes blur, so I focus on the white line of the horizon, my gut twisting. I know I’m going to have to remove my belt too when Breaker is done. The last thing I want is to take the belt to my brother.

I grit my teeth at the thought, letting my gaze drift.

A bird calls from overhead, its shadow passing over the platform. What I wouldn’t give to leap from this rooftop and fly. Escape. Go anywhere other than here. Float away like the fluffy white seeds of the dandelions that bloom in the spring when the snow melts and we can go outside the school and feel the warm sun on our skin.

A hand lands on my shoulder. I jerk back to the present and find his black eyes.

“Stay here, brother,” Reaper says quietly. “What will happen to the rest of us if you float away?”

Chapter 2

Delilah

The cold is thefirst thing I feel when my eyes blink open. It cuts through the sleeve of my shirt, moves like acid under my skin. My exposed legs break out in goose bumps, and a shiver shakes my body, making me draw my legs up.

Awareness peels back in layers and I notice four things at once: My hands are still bound behind my back, I’m lying on a hard surface, and the thin material still covers my head, leaving me in blackness.

And my feet are bare.

A violent rush of memories floods my mind, hitting me like a tidal wave.

The terror. My father forced to his knees. His rage. Clyde. Cora’s terrified screams. Gunshots ringing in my ears. Blood pooling at my feet.

And then, them.

Him.

My heart pounds against my ribcage as the fog in my head lifts. My breathing becomes ragged, panic needling its wayinto my mind. I breathe out slowly through my mouth. Inhale through my nose. Focus on my body.

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