Page 86 of Xefe
“I love this!” Loxo followed suit.
I allowed myself exactly three seconds to soak in their care, but then my nerves got the best of me. “It’s driving me crazy that Sunny and Freckles aren’t here.”
“…ready for the Great Race to begin-gin?” The supreme threw green-mottled hands in the air, and a confetti-type substance exploded over the crowd. They chirped and screeched, but when the material rained down on us, it evaporated in a puff. Hologram. Always smoke and mirrors on this planet.
“It is time. Line up. Remember, stay away from the champions and try to stay behind any of the other challengers. Let them figure out the treachery of each section of the maze, and learn from it. I fear it will be the bloodiest of its kind,” Loxo whispered and stepped away from us. I felt tiny in front of walls as high as a two-story building, surrounded by aliens who wanted to kill or watch us be killed. Plus, my super-sexy boyfriend had ditched me. And the guy I was supposed to kill was a no-show.
What a day this was turning out to be.
We were led to the starting line. Simple red tape. After all of the futuristic technology in the stands, it was almost a let-down.
“You’re dead, earthers,” Greenie hissed from across the field, favoring her right leg. “I will choke you out with my own hands.”
“Oh yeah, how are you going to do that?” I pointed at her bum ankle. The one I’d bitten the hell out of. “You’d have to catch me first. Slow poke.”
The competitors next to us all snorted and hissed, in what I assumed was alien laughter.
“Yeah, she’s a liability. You guys might want to consider taking her out. Last time, she only slowed you down.” Nieve fluffed her hair and batted her eyes.
Instead of disagreeing, Greenie’s teammates all gave her the side eye.
A static sound, like electricity, sizzled in the air, and a jolt went through my hand. “Ouch!”
Nieve and Querida yelped, and the three of us looked down at our hands. Reflexively, I tapped my palm, and a holo-vid of my sister materialized. It listed the time and place I last called her, and it showed a missed call from the day we were kidnapped. “It’s working!” I shouted and then lowered my voice when the competitors around me stared. I grabbed Nieve and Querida around the necks, pretending to huddle. “Our vid-phones areworking. We’ll be able to communicate during the race. We’re going to—”
“Let-letthe countdown begin!” A long, droning beep punctuated the supreme’s voice.
Five.
The crowd screamed. The girls and I got into place, knees bent, ready to race for our lives.
Four.
There was shuffling on the stage. A new platform floated up next to the supreme. On it stood Freckles, and behind him, Sunny. My alien looked dead inside. He wore a cold expression, and didn’t look at anyone—especially me—only staring straight ahead.
Three.
Freckles pulled a giant sack beside him. The stupid alien struggled with the weight but eventually plopped it in front of the stage.
Two.
Freckles whipped off the dark covering of the sack.
One.
Valentina lay in a crumpled heap, right at Sunny’s feet.
CHAPTER 38
Valentina?
My body seized. Everything around me blurred, even as the racers took off, and the crowd roared. I stood, shocked to my core. As if my feet had grown roots and planted me in the ground.
“Hera. Move!” Nieve shouted.
I couldn’t focus. Couldn’t think! Querida returned to my side, battling against competitors who rushed through the first part of the maze and pulled at my hand. Nheenya hovered halfway between us, clearly uncertain about what to do.
I stood. And stared. My sister.She’s here.My heart shattered into pieces as I saw her lying so still, clearly unconscious.Por favor, Dios. Please, please let her be alive.I ran my eyes over every inch of her. Long dark hair, creamy skin.
