Page 1 of Insanium
Chapter One
Three of my favorite toys were sprawled out before me, each flaunting a distinct allure and deadly charm.
One gleamed a playful pink with a serrated edge, flashy and bold.
The second, draped in midnight blue, boasted captivating skeletal motifs that danced along its blade and handle.
The third was a sleek, purple number, its design aerodynamic and menacing, promising swift, precise strikes.
I wished I could take them all; choosing just one felt akin to picking a favorite star in the vast darkness above, and the others would surely feel neglected. Lost in contemplation, I was yanked back to reality by a soft knock at my door.
“Come in,” I sang, injecting a cheerful tone into my voice.
The door creaked open to reveal both of my brothers. Their gazes quickly fixated on the trio of knives laid out on my bed, catching the light from the afternoon sun streaming in through the balcony.
“You two are just in time. As you can see, I’ve got a bit of a dilemma here.”
Charon approached first, his attention still on the uniquely decorated blades. “Like participating inJudicium?”
“Aw, are you worried about me?” I smiled up at him, feeling touched. “That’s not an issue.”
“I’m more worried about everyone else, Kenzie. You know you can’t just go slicing into anyone who annoys you just by breathing too heavily, right? We need some of those people in one piece.”
I frowned at his obvious deflection. “Don’t act like I can’t play nice with others.”
“Can you?”
“You just wait and see. I’m gonna be the best team player that ever played the game.”
He laughed and shook his head. “There are no teams, Kenzie. Trust your judgment for alliances, but you shouldn’t try to make friends too quickly, either.”
I shrugged. “You know, making enemies can be just as fun.”
I looked back at my knives and then at my kind-hearted big brother again. “But say someone does do something I don’t like. Then what?”
“Maybe they have an unfortunate accident. Or maybe they make it through, and we’ll be waiting for them where they least expect it,” Kyrous answered.
“I can deal with that,” I conceded. “You think there will be anyone cute there?”
Charon’s expression tightened. “Please, remember we’re going to be watching. I may have a strong gut, but there are some things I don’t need to see.”
Right. How could I forget that they would be able to see almost everything that was about to happen? Things were sure to get awkward real fast. Not for me, of course, but I wasn’t as prudish as these two refined gentlemen. “But what if I get lonely?” I asked with a pout.
“Then give us a sign or something, Kenzie. Fuck.”
“And make sure he or she is worthy,” Ky added. “You know what will happen if they aren’t.”
Oh, I certainly did. I laughed, returning my attention to my bedspread and clapping my hands together. “Okay, now help me pick.”
“They all cut the same. Choose the one that feels right,” Charon advised.
I picked up the blue knife, its skeletal design resonating with my current mood. “It’s not just about the cut,” I mused. “It’s about the statement it makes when I finally get to use it.”
Kyrous pushed off from my ornate dresser and stepped closer, his expression growing serious. “The pink one is playful and unexpected, good for a shock factor. The purple, sleek and fast for a clean strike. But the blue”—he paused, taking it from my hand to examine the intricate skeletons—“is bold. Morbid. It fits the game you’re about to play.”
Charon nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied my pretty toys. I held my hand out and gently grasped the blue knife, taking it back from Ky, its weight familiar and comforting. “I think this is the one.”
With that settled, I could get to the bottom of why these two had come to find me.
