Everything was dark. She couldn't move, and her head was pounding. Had she died after all? Had Keith succeeded in killing her? All this just because she landed one small, weak punch. You should never attack a man's ego. It was so disappointing to think she would die like this. After starting training with Cobra, she had really thought she might have a chance. But none of that mattered anymore. Now she could be at peace at last.
But then Eliana saw a bright light. For a moment, she thought it was the afterlife, but when she opened her eyes, she came face-to-face with a lamp being held over her. "Oh, you're awake at last. I was worried you'd never wake up again," said a voice above her.
Was that God? Was this the afterworld?
She blinked a few times and saw Dane's face hovering over hers.
"Please tell me I'm dead…" Her hoarse voice rasped out, her mouth unbearably dry.
Dane helped her drink from a glass of water, pressing it gently to her lips. "No, you're still alive but you came damn close to death. Keith shattered your skull, but luckily your eyes and brain weren't too severely damaged. Your spine was cracked, but I was able to stabilize it. You've been unconscious for the past two and a half weeks."
Dane's voice was calm, but his tense expression, clenched jaw, and stormy eyes betrayed his worry and anger.
"It would have been better if you'd just let me die… One time I try to fight back, and what happens? I almost die. This is all hopeless…" Eliana mumbled, staring blankly at the ceiling.
With two and a half weeks gone, that meant the training tournament was just over a week away. Before, she might've had a sliver of hope with a full month of training from Cobra—but now? Now it was useless. Her body felt completely healed, thanks to whatever advanced medical treatments Dane had used, but that wouldn't stop her from dying in the tournament.
"It's easier, isn't it? Just giving up because Keith beat you up," Dane scoffed, his voice dripping with mockery. "You're just looking for excuses so you don't have to blame yourself. Instead of being thankful I rescued your sorry ass, you're back to wallowing in self-pity. Pathetic."
He slammed the glass down and turned away, his frustration boiling over. "You take over. I just can't with her right now," he snapped to someone in the background, then stormed out.
Eliana turned her head and saw Cobra stepping closer to her bed.
"He was worried sick when I carried you in and saw the condition you were in. That's why he's acting like this," Cobra muttered.
She didn't quite understand why Dane would be so worried. Why did he even care? But she had bigger problems to worry about now.
"Get up. We're training," Cobra said, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"You can't be serious! I almost died, and now you're demanding I train?" she snapped, unable to contain her anger. Near death experiences did that to you and made someone easier irritable.
"Shut up. Like you said—you only almost died. You're still alive. If you want to stay that way, we need to train. Dane confirmed your body's fully healed. Now get your ass up."
His voice was calm, unbothered by her tone and attitude. Eliana pulled the blanket over her head. Can't a person get one day of rest after going through a near death and traumatizing experience?
"No. I'll die anyway. It doesn't matter," she muttered, curling up and planning to just wallow in self-pity and savor her last days before she was killed during the tournament.
But Cobra had other plans. He yanked the blanket off and hoisted her over his shoulder.
"Stop being such a pathetic, whiny pain in my ass. You'll listen and do what we say."
She groaned inwardly. Why did they always manhandle her? She gritted her teeth and resigned herself to it. They still had her family as leverage. Even in her final days, she had no freedom. Whatever, she will just get through this last week and then will have freedom in death and once she is dead her family won't be threatened anymore too.
Cobra carried her to a training room and put her down at last onto mats but it wasn't the one they usually used.
"This is the mentors' private training room. Better that the other recruits don't see you. You'll have the element of surprise." Cobra explained as he stood in front of her crossed his arm over his chest as he had a serious expression on his face.
Only now did Eliana realize the other mentors were there too as she looked around the training room.
Theo grinned at her, eyes gleaming with mischief. Dane looked restless and angry. Damon twirled his knife with that ever-present deranged glint. And Isaak stood stoically beside Cobra.
"Why all this?" she asked, frowning.
"So you won't die in the tournament," Isaak answered flatly.
"No—I mean why do you all even care? Just let me die. You don't give this much attention to the others. Why me?" Her voice cracked with exhaustion and frustration.
"Because we need you," Theo chimed in, stepping forward.
"You'll help us later," Damon whispered into her ear, making her flinch.
"You're the one we've been waiting for, my little bird," Dane said, grabbing her hair possessively to force her to look at him—then abruptly releasing her again.
"But you don't need to worry your pretty little head about that yet. Just obey," Cobra said coolly.
The five mentors circled her like predators, their presence suffocating.
This wasn't good. She had a really bad feeling about what they meant.
But did she even have a choice?
No. She already knew the answer.
She never did.