"You're a fan favorite, at this point."
I leaned back in my chair, scoffing at my visitor's comment. She laughed softly in response as she tucked part of her long, brown hair behind her ear. Her hazel eyes matched her chestnut sweatshirt, and her pale, ripped jeans made me wish I was wearing anything else than a stupid cell uniform. A single dimple appeared on her left rosy cheek, enhancing her already bright smile.
"The crowd looked more terrified than amazed if you asked me," I said with a blank expression. "Besides, there are more popular fighters in the tournament than me."
"True," Reka agreed. "But they weren't the ones who killed the infamous Goliath."
Again, with rolled eyes, I scoffed. Despite the guards looming in the four dark corners of the small, dimly lit room, I felt calm. The relaxing effect had begun to settle when I realized Reka was my surprise guest. I mean, I should've known—no one else could've stopped by other than my trainer. Though her occasional visits usually meant hours-long sparring in an empty arena. I wasn't sure why we were having an audience that late, but I didn't want to imagine that she was about to drag me out for training after the wild night I had.
"I was in the stands, Pea," she began as she cleared her throat. "You started well, moving and striking quickly. As for your finishing act, well—"
"You knew what would happen," I interrupted quietly. "Before the fight, you warned me about being careful. I thought you were talking about Goliath. Now I understand you were referring to me."
Reka remained quiet for a moment, her fingers gently drumming on the metal table. Then she cast a glance to her side, towards the guard nearest to her. Without a word, he moved towards the door. Soon, others followed suit, and the room was left empty, save for the two of us.
If Reka noticed the confusion on my face, she ignored it, choosing to focus on the rhythm her fingers were making instead. "Yes, I did know your weapons weren't made of silver," she started with a more sober expression. "It was a risk that was against my better judgment, but I didn't know what else to do. You were progressing so well during training and battle sessions, but something was missing. Something to ignite that… spark."
I couldn't believe my ears. "You… signed me up for that fight against Goliath? You made a bet with my life on some hunch of yours?"
Reka leaned forward with her elbows on the table. "It's not just some hunch, Pea. You are special. You've seen it for yourself. No one else would've been able to solo that beast like you did. That show of strength, speed, and skill… It's just the beginning. You can do so much more. And you need to be prepared for what's coming."
I frowned at her words. "Why do I have the feeling that you're not talking about the tournament?"
Reka emitted a sad chuckle. "You'd need to be at your very best during the tournament. But you're right—that's not what I meant."
She leaned closer, dropping her voice so low it became a whisper. "I can't say much. Not now, anyway. But I will tell you that you're up against forces that are far above your opponents in the Pit. They're watching you more closely than you think, monitoring your progress. My only purpose here is to make sure you're ready to defend yourself when they finally rear their heads to strike."
With that, leaving me more confused than before, she leaned back again with crossed arms and a stern face. "Tonight was good progress, Pea. We're on the right track. First thing in the morning, we'll start new training drills to capitalize on your new skill sets."
Several minutes later, I was back in my cell, watching my cellmate, Felicia, pace around angrily. "Who the hell does that bitch think she is? She thinks she can go around taking gambles on people's lives just because she fancies it? Oh, if only I could get my hands on her right now."
Her violet eyes blazed like purple flames, and she had her claws out and ready. Reka was a talented fighter, but I honestly couldn't tell if she could beat Felicia in her berserk mode.
Maddison was perched on the top half of our bunk bed, which was right next to the wall opposite the door leading into the closet of a room. Her reaction to my revelation was more worry than outrage. "Taking a dangerous risk against one of the most savage people I'd ever seen is enough to be upset about. But what if Reka is onto something?"
"What?" Felicia paused suddenly, turning her glowing glare to Maddison. Anyone else would've begun to shake and stutter out of fear, but Maddison wasn't fazed by our cellmate's antics.
"Think about it," she insisted. "This woman shows up from nowhere about a week after Pea is dumped here and proceeds to put her through training so rigorous that it's almost as if they're preparing for an apocalypse. Mind you, no one else gets to train under Reka. It's like she's assigned to Pea alone."
An air of understanding passed through both women, leaving me in the dark. "What is it?" I asked with a frown.
"I don't think you were put here by accident, Pea," Felicia revealed slowly. "My guess is that someone knows what you're capable of, probably more than you do, and wants to exploit it. Reka might be in on it, making you train so hard and intentionally putting you in harm's way just so you can activate your abilities."
"Or maybe she's really training you for a reason and wants you to be able to fight when the time comes," Maddison suggested as she leaped from the bed. "Either way, it doesn't matter. If things go according to plan, we won't be here long enough to confirm our theories."
It took me a second to realize what Maddison meant, and I nearly smacked my forehead for my sluggishness. For the first time, Felicia smiled as she faced the door and squared her broad shoulders.
"You're right, Maddy. We should be more focused on what would be the most dangerous thing we've ever done. I hope you've said your goodbyes, ladies. 'Cause three days from now, we're breaking out of Hell's Pit."