TAINA STORIES

CHAPTER 19. He was leaning against his desk, his fingers tapping at his arms, his eyes never blinking as he stared at her. A part of her hoped that he wouldn’t say anything so she would never have to talk to him again, a bigger part of her just wanted to slap him and scream.…

CHAPTER 18. Phoenix could still feel that thumb digging. She turned her hand, staring at that bruise as the three of them walked back down the corridor. What had just happened? She wasn’t even sure, she wasn’t sure she’d ever be. She heard the sound of a boot scraping on stone then, her eyes flicking…

CHAPTER 17. Master Astor laughed, a bright, short laugh almost like he was surprised. “That’s fair,” he nodded. “And we won’t know unless we try,” he said, turning around to stare at her again as he leaned in close, a smile on his lips, his eyes shining bright. “Have you got her to talk yet?…

CHAPTER 16. She didn’t know why he smiled or why he continued to smile when they were paired together for training, but she wasn’t close to smiling. He was a lot harder to keep up with, with her stomach still burning and his blows much stronger than Mia’s, but he didn’t smile for much longer…

CHAPTER 15. She woke so quickly, her eyes flicking open, her hand reaching under her pillow for her knife even though she knew it wasn’t there and he froze, his eyes so big and wide and shining bright. “Sorry,” he whispered, and he shook his head. “I didn’t want to wake you. I… Can I…?…

CHAPTER 14. “Phoenix?” Belfire gasped, those hands falling to his side. “Don’t make me-, please, don’t-!” he shook his head, and she looked up at the balcony then, seeing those dark eyes and those Implants flickering, and she did not know what to do. He looked like the same man from before, the one who…

CHAPTER 13. All she ever seemed to see were three hungry faces, always pale, always tired, always grim. This was too far, she knew that. If she’d seen them in The Forests, she would’ve known their time was up, but there was food right there, they just had to be strong enough to get it…

CHAPTER 12. She woke the next morning with her head spinning, her heart racing when she heard that alarm. She took a deep breath, her eyes filling with tears, her hands already shaking, but not as much as the day before. She nodded, gritting her teeth and sitting up. All she saw then was that…

CHAPTER 11. Her eyes went so wide then, her breath hitching in her chest, that burning now only cold and hollow. She shook her head, her hands clenching into fists, her heart racing. “What did you do to her?” she whispered. “Nothing,” he said. “I don’t even know where she is.” “You’re lying!” she gasped.…

CHAPTER 10. It was a struggle to keep herself together the rest of the day, her eyes always darting to look back towards that wide corridor that would lead to theirs. She thought about it at dinner, staring at her bowl of food and then back to him. He would need his strength and it…