A guard opens the cell to let Luca inside, removing Luca's handcuffs before doing so. When the fight ended, Luca was really hurt, so he was taken to the infirmary to get fixed up again. I haven't seen him in four days, and I haven't seen my friends, either. However, since we haven't been called out to watch one of those sick fights, I know they're okay.

Still, we need to get out of here, but I haven't been able to come up with an escape plan. A part of me feels like even if I did have a plan, the execution of it would go terribly. I hope the others are having better luck than me.

I watch as Luca walks to the back corner of the cell, and he takes a seat in the same spot I found him in when I was first brought here. Again, he looks incredibly tired, but I think he pulls the look off.

"Do you need something?" He asks, grumpy as ever. However, seeing as he did save Leo's life, I'll forgive him.

"Thank you."

"Thank you?"

"You volunteered in Leo's place the other day. He's like a little brother to me, so I just want to keep him safe."

"Okay." Luca nods, but he doesn't say anything else. Maybe he's not much of a talker.

I turn away from him and start fiddling with my thumbs out of boredom. We don't have much to do here, but I hear a number of people make conversation with the other captives. Sure, it doesn't make the situation better, but I think it helps keep them sane.

Sebastian has been helping me with that, but he's sleeping now. I would've tried to talk to the girl he shared a cell with, but she lost her life in the arena days ago; the same day Blair lost hers.

Thinking of Blair makes my head hurt, and lately, thinking about almost everything results in the same effect. I feel terrible that Blair, the child of my Grandpa's friend, helped me and ended up here.

A part of me feels like I'm bad luck, but I try to push that thought away and believe the journey I'm taking is just difficult. That helps me feel better about myself.

"You left the city?"

I turn when I hear Luca's voice. "What?"

"Of Vessels."

"Oh," I shake my head, "I did. Not too long ago. I grew up in there with my Grandpa, but I spent in Pandora's House as well. It's—"

"I know what it is." Given my rambling, Luca sounds as if he regrets speaking to me.

I can't help but ramble. I've stored up many days of words that I just want to talk about everything.

"Why'd you leave?" Surprisingly, Luca continues the conversation.

I chuckle nervously, not sure where to begin or to even begin at all. Maybe I won't seem crazy to him. Considering we're in a place that captures Vessels to trigger us, Luca might just believe any wild tale I tell him.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Deciding against telling him, I turn away. This must surprise him, seeing as I've been looking at him with eyes that scream how desperate I am for a conversation.

"Don't stop talking." His voice is soft, and he sounds drained, so I wonder why he even wants to keep a conversation up at all.

Surprised, I turn to him. I'm even more surprised when I notice a hint of a smile on his face.

"I think we both need a distraction. My whole body hurts." He chuckles, and my eyes widen at how different a simple sound can make a person look.

"Are you the same person I met a few days ago?" His smile falters, and I want to take my words back. "Sorry."

Luca just shakes his head, but he doesn't look angry. I actually see a hint of a smirk on his face.

"Where are you from?" I change the subject.

"Vita."

"And how'd you get here?"

He raised his eyebrows and tilts his head, showing he can't believe I'd ask such a silly question.

"Right," I sigh, "everyone here was probably shoved into a van."

Luca looks confused, and I become confused when he stands up and takes three steps to reach me. He sits down by my side and gently pulls my arm to his. I follow his eyes to my arm, and I watch as his hand traces a part right under my cut; the one the bird from the mystery cave gave to me.

Looking at it closely, I should probably check it out. It looks like it's healing, but there's an orange tint to the wound, and I don't want to end up having some mystical infection.

"What happened?" Luca lets go of my arm.

His face is so close to mine, and I can't help but stare at his grey eyes. They have flecks of gold and brown near the iris, and the color complements his face well.

Obviously, he notices me staring, and I feel a little embarrassed when he looks away.

"Is he flirting with you?" Sebastian yawns, sitting up and rubbing his eyes before looking at Luca and me. "What happened to no friends, Luca?"

Luca stands up and returns to his corner of the cell, seeming a little irritated. Sebastian's words surprise me, because I thought he and Luca are friends.

"Don't take it personally, Amora. It's a shocker he talked to you in the first place." Sebastian smirks. "He hardly even speaks to me, and I've been bothering him for months now."

I don't even want to know the reason for Luca's behavior. It seems it's best to just leave the situation alone. Besides, there are bigger things to worry about; I need to continue brainstorming ways out of here before I end up in the arena and dead.

"Luca doesn't want to make friends," Sebastian, without me asking, gives me the reason for Luca's closed-off personality. However, this explanation is obvious. It would be better if he said the reason Luca doesn't want friends.

"Sounds lonely." I look at Luca, but his eyes are closed, and he rests his head against the wall. I think he has had enough of socializing for the day.

"There's no point if I have to kill you all in the end." He doesn't open his eyes or look at me, and I think it's better that way. I'm afraid I'll see something dark.

After moments of silence and what I think is him hesitating, he looks at me. His eyes are cold, and his lips are in a thin line. I want to look away, but his voice stops me.

"And Leo isn't saved yet."

"W—what?"

A hint of pity appears in his eyes, but it leaves as quickly as it came.

"The nurses talked about a private game. Sometimes those are hosted only for the founders of Fate's Cave to watch."

"What does that have to do with Leo?"

"He's Vessel seventy-seven, isn't he? I saw his symbol."

"And?"

"Amora..."

"What does that have to do with Leo?" I press.

"They're making him fight for a private audience. It's about to start."

I stare at Luca with surprise and disgust, and when he says nothing else, I stand to my feet.

"Amora."

Ignoring him, I grab onto the bars and take a deep breath, ready to get anyone's attention to get me out of here. I need to volunteer, even if it only saves Leo for today. I have to try.

Just before I can scream, two guard appear before me; one with a gun and the other holding keys. I must have been so focused on the news that I didn't hear the guards approach.

"I want to volunteer for the child in the private game; Vessel seventy-seven."

The guard doesn't reply, but I watch as he opens the cell wide enough for me to slip my hands through. Like the other day, my hands are placed in handcuffs before I'm allowed through.

I see Sebastian staring at me, and I can feel Luca's eyes on me, too, but I don't have anything to say to any of them. My only concern now is Leo.

"I volunteer," Luca says, and I stare at him in amazement.

He shakes his head, seemingly regretting his words but not doing anything to take them back. He just shrugs and stands to his feet before walking over to the bars.

"Don't you even care about your life? Stop being so quick to give it up."

"You're doing it."

"I see Leo as my brother, Luca. You have no reason to help."

"Maybe I'm inspired."

I can't tell if he means this or he's being sarcastic. Either way, this isn't the place to inspire others. I need him to back down.

"Just so you kill me at the end of the day," I say, turning away from him and allowing the guards to push me forward. Luckily, Luca doesn't try anything else.

I glance at the other captives as I'm led down a hall, quickly looking away from Nova and Nico when my eyes meet theirs.

This time, we take a different turn than I did on my first day here. I figured the private audience would still use the arena, but I guess I'm wrong.

We round another corner, and I start feeling scared when I notice the lights are getting dimmer the further we walk. The whole situation is creepy enough, so I was hoping the walk wouldn't add to my anxiety.

Suddenly, I'm shoved into a corner, and one guard holds a hand firmly to my mouth. I lift my leg to kick the guard's groin, but I hesitate when the guard with the gun pulls her mask off. I don't know her, so I begin to wonder why she'd show me her face.

"We're here to get you out."

I stare at them in confusion and watch as the other guard removes his mask. I don't know him, either.

A part of me wants to trust them, because that would mean my friends and I can leave this place. However, a part of me feels like this entire situation is too strange and unbelievable.

"We were friends with your Grandpa; Peter Baros."

I'm taken back by the sound of my grandad's name. This makes me want to trust them even more, but I'm not fully won over.

The guards notice my hesitation, and the lady rolls her eyes. "We don't have long, Amora. You can walk back to the cell if you'd like."

I stare at them, still in disbelief, but coming to terms that I don't really have another option.

I raise my hands, dangling my handcuffs in the face of the guard holding keys.

"You'll need to act like a captive if we're spotted."

This seems like a good reason to keep the cuffs on, but it also doesn't help with my distrust for them.

"Take it off." I don't budge, regretting it a little, because I might just be messing up my chance to get out of here.

Luckily, one guard, the man, gives in and grabs my hands, pulling a key out to free me from the uncomfortable handcuffs.

I shake my wrists, grateful for the help and trusting these people a little more.

"Let's go." Both guards slip on their masks and turn around, probably expecting me to follow them. However, there are people I refuse to leave without.

"I came here with my friends. Three of them." Blair would have been the fourth.

"We can't take them."

"Then you can leave without me."

I can't see their expression, but I'm sure they're surprised to hear that I'd rather stay than leave my friends behind. Honestly, I feel like I owe it to them to get them out of here. I brought them along with me.

"Oh," remembering how he keeps trying to help Leo, I feel like I owe him, too, "and there's a cellmate I want to get out."

"Anyone else?" I hear the sarcasm in the ladies voice, but I choose to ignore it.

"Sebastian. He's the boy in the cell opposite of mine. He's nice."

"You've got to be kidding me," the lady says.

"We can spare a couple more, Vee," My eyes light up when the man gives in. Honestly, I thought I'd have to make a scene to get what I want, "but that's all."

His tone suggest I don't add any other names, and while I'd like to get everyone else out of here, I doubt these two people can do all that today.

"We'll get your cellmate and the opposite boy. Where are your friends?"

"Nova and Nico are in the same hall."

"Description?"

"Nova is tall, has ginger hair and freckles, kind of pale. Nico is dark-skinned, tall and wears rectangular glasses. We passed both of their cells on the way here."

"The third friend?"

"Leo's chubby, short and brown. He should be fighting for a private audience now."

"I know where that is." The lady gives in and sighs. "Okay...we'll get the ones in the cell first then head to the private room. It'll be sketchy for us to be walking around with that many captives, so we'll need to be quick."

I nod my head.

"Amora, wait here. Move any further and a camera can pick you up" They both turn in the direction we came from. "We'll be back with your group in a second."