Page 192 of Deviant

Abbie.

I pull my focus away from my watch and glance at the only friend I have left, surprised to see her sitting alone.

“Abbie? Who are you partnered with?”

“I don’t have a partner. It was Chris, remember?” she says nervously, tugging at her cardigan’s sleeves.

“Then who else got a text?”

“That would be me,” Big Mike snickers. “Don’t worry, Rowen. I’ll take plenty good care of little Abbie.” He winks at her.

Abbie grows pale atThe Scourge’schoice of partner, and frankly, I’m not too keen on him being the one to protect her either. Elias is so troubled about Andy having to go down into the basement that he doesn’t even register that Abbie is facing the same danger.

“Henry, since Abbie doesn’t have a partner, could she change with someone else? Someone who has been selected?”

“I’ll go with her,” David is quick to offer his services.

“Jumping ship already?” Mackenzie rolls her eyes at him.

“You nearly cut off my ear, you crazy psycho!” David grumbles at her.

“Quit whining like a little bitch. You’re alive, aren’t you?”

“Barely. You could have chopped my head off!”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll get my chance again today.” Mackenzie taunts.

But as they bicker back and forth, I realize David chose to sit opposite Mackenzie today, obviously still bitter from how their last game turned out.

And before Henry can refuse my request, I stand up and stare at the cameras.

“Every set of games has rules. You made that abundantly clear since we’ve arrived. One of those rules was for us to sit nextto our chosen partners. Aside from Andy and Ruby, neither of the other four participants sat next to anyone, which means they still have a choice on who they go down into the basement with.”

My chest heaves as I wait for a sign, any sign that they’ve heard me.

“I’m sorry, Lady Hawthorne, but the rules were broken by the participants, not by our hosts. Therefore, today’s chosen pairing will be Master Scott accompanying Lady Mitchell, Master Hall with Lady Davenport, and lastly, Master Thomas with Lady Jackson.”

I throw Abbie a despairing look, but her attention is solely on Big Mike and the triumphant smirk curving his lips.

“You have been chosen,” Henry reminds us. “As is the norm, I will return within the hour and take the six chosen to their next game. Bid your friends goodbye, as a least one of you, will not return.”

I rush over to where Abbie is sitting, go to my haunches, and grab her hands.

“Don’t be scared, Abbie. Don’t let him see that he scares you.”

Her body trembles as she slightly lowers her face to mine. “Is the black room how it sounds?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is it black? I mean… is it dark in there?”

“Kind of, why?”

She lifts her head, panic in her gaze as she stares at Big Mike across the table.

“I can’t be alone with him in the dark. I… just… can’t.”

She then jumps up and tells me that she would rather spend the rest of the hour alone.

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