CHAPTER SIX

I was fully submerged, feeling a jolt of shock that took my breath away. Ky wrapped his strong arm around my waist and pulled me back up to the surface. He held me close as we trod water, managing to keep us both afloat.

I pushed my wet hair from my eyes and blinked a few times. Ciaran now had Lana in a secure embrace and her entire head was wet, indicating she'd gone under as well. Mel had managed to stay above water, but I knew it would be difficult for her to swim and keep treading even with her pain tolerance.

If I was drowsy before, I was fully awake now. I froze when Ky's face came close to my neck, realizing he must have lifted his mask at some point like the others had.

"How do you smell so good?"

His question earned varied amused looks from our friends.

"I dunno. Why do you feel so good?" I responded without thinking.

"In the water, Gracie? How scandalous," Lana joked as she broke free from Ciaran's grasp and started swimming on her own.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Do you guys ever take anything seriously?" Roger asked, spitting out water droplets.

He reminded me of a sprinkler.

"Just let me drown him, Sunshine," Ky whispered, tightening his hold on me.

Part of me jumped at that idea, but I pushed it away, knowing it wasn't really me thinking.

The remnants of Helios were still present, dulled but still present on the edge of my thoughts,

" We need to keep moving," Ciaran called out calmly. "Just stay above water. If you're about to drown, don't ask us for help."

"Such a kind soul," one of the girls drawled bitterly.

"Thank you. I try my best," Ciaran replied smugly.

I focused on preserving my energy. I was a pretty decent swimmer, but even the most experienced water athlete could burn out and the fog was making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. I swam beside Ky, his presence providing a sense of stability. The eerie tune of " Ring Around the Rosie " continued to play, distorted and haunting. It didn't seem to faze Ky; he thrived in this darkness. For me, it was a constant reminder of the twisted game we were trapped in.

A rock wall began to take shape before us, a glowing arrow painted on its side, pointed towards an entrance that led into what looked like a cave. We would have to go underwater to enter, not knowing what awaited us inside. I didn't like the idea of swimming blindly into an unknown space, but it wasn't as if I could call for a timeout.

The pretty brunette with the accent, offered to go first.

"No fucking way," objected Charon.

"I'm on the college swim team, this is nothing. And you don't get to tell me what I can or cannot do Char," she snapped.

Her nickname triggered a memory in my mind. I remembered her name now - Hayven . Not only had she been at Judicium with me the night of Troy Sainte's party, but she'd also been present other times when I saw Ky. I refrained from looking at Lana to see if she recognized her in any capacity.

When we weren't swimming into the unknown or creeping through the city, that's when I'd gauge where she was mentally. I really needed time to speak with my best friends.

Charon looked like he wanted to argue more, but he clenched his jaw and nodded. "Fine. Just be quick about it."

Hayven took a deep breath and disappeared into the water. We all watched, waiting for her to resurface. After what felt like an eternity, she emerged barely gasping for air. "It's clear on the other side! You can follow the path straight through. The tunnel is narrow, but not long, you'll make it."

"Okay, let's move," ordered Ciaran in a steady voice. "You go first. Lana, you're next. Stay close behind her."

Lana nodded and dove under the water seconds after Hayven, one by one we followed suit.

When it was my turn, Ky reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be right behind you."

Taking a deep breath, I submerged myself in the cold water. I swam forward and reached out with my hand, feeling along the wall until I successfully found the hole I needed to swim through. The water was even colder here; each stroke felt like a struggle. I kept my focus on the faint light ahead and propelled myself forward with strong kicks, aware of Ky swimming just a few feet behind me.

Just as my lungs started to burn, I was able to swim up and break the surface again. I coughed a few times, grateful for Ky as he moved my hair out of my face so that I could look around. We were in a dimly lit cave of sorts. I glided in the water until I reached where the ground sloped upwards, allowing me to stand again. The water now only reached my waist.

I was completely soaked--my clothes clung uncomfortably to my skin; and my hair was plastered to my head. I scanned Ky's appearance, and he did the same to me, his beautiful eyes taking in every inch of my face.

In a moment of instinct, I reached up and fixed his mask over his head, using my fingers to settle a few strands of his hair. He reciprocated by placing his hand on my hip and rubbing just beneath my pants with his thumb. He still looked as amazing as ever, the most gorgeous man I'd ever laid my eyes on. I probably looked like a troll doll that went through a spin-cycle—a hot mess.

"I don't mind you being messy, Sunshine," he responded to the thought that had accidentally escaped my lips.

Of course, he wouldn't. Feeling my face flush from both embarrassment and where he was pressing, I surveyed the cave around us.

There were small ledges fixed onto the walls, resembling rock climbing holds. They had to serve some purpose. There was no other way to climb out of this passageway that extended into complete darkness.

Lana stood a few feet away, sizing up Hayven with narrowed eyes. "Where do I know you from?"

Hayven blinked and wrung out her hair. "You don't re--we went to school together."

"Right. And you got to go to college?" Lana asked, sounding confused now.

My heart ached at the reminder that we were meant to attend university too, even if it was just for our families' satisfaction. We should have been doing so many other things, but they decided to abandon us here instead. I wished I knew why. I wished for so many things at that moment, but most of all I wished we didn't have to do any of this and for her and Mel to be safe.

Mel emerged with Brody and Charon following behind her, with Dion trailing behind them.

"This fucking place is wreaking havoc on my hair," she complained, adjusting and wringing out the hoodie she had on, which was now like a small wet blanket.

"Where's...?"

Ciaran suddenly popped up next to Maverick. He slicked back his hair and flashed a charming grin at Lana like some kind of supermodel.

"Never mind," she rolled her eyes and turned away, but I caught the barely hidden smile on her face.

The rest of the group successfully made it through the obstacle. I checked on Carol to make sure she was alright; she nodded back at me, understanding my unspoken question. The older man was struggling to catch his breath but appeared to be fine otherwise.

The knot on his head was turning a brilliant shade of purple, though.

"You keep looking at him like that, I'll start getting jealous," Ky warned, still massaging my hip.

My lips slightly curled. "He's like, sixty."

"Your eyes still see him."

I gazed up at him and responded, "You have no reason to ever feel jealous."

"Then stop staring at other people," he retorted, applying more pressure to my hip.

It was distracting. I didn't think he realized just how amazing it felt, or perhaps he did and that's why he hadn't stopped yet.

"We need to go up now, right?" I asked.

He suddenly turned me around while still holding onto my hip and wrapped an arm tightly around my chest, pulling me close. Maverick turned his head and raised an eyebrow, amusement on his face. He was always watching. I wondered if that was his thing but didn't dare ask.

"Isn't going up the too obvious choice?" one of the new girls chimed in, her shirt almost see-through.

"The song said to go down," the other girl added.

"That's not what the song meant, April. If anything, it's a twisted warning," Carol interjected.

"You're quickly climbing the ranks to become one of my favorite people," Ciaran teased.

"Just what I always wanted," she replied dryly.

Mel chimed in, "We all aspire for that title."

"You're already in, Mel. No need to try so hard," Maverick commented.

"I'm truly humbled," she deadpanned.

"You should be, it's quite an achievement," Charon joked, gradually making his way closer to Hayven.

"Enough of this," Roger grumbled as he swam to the side and reached for one of the formations jutting from the wall.

I knew before he touched it this was an incredibly bad idea. As soon as he made contact, there was a whirring noise and the formation slid in, becoming one with the wall.

"Oh great, here we go. You just had to touch something," Dion groaned.

I looked around as the other formations began moving in and out, and the song abruptly cut off, replaced by Kinks' upbeat voice.

" Swim with caution, for lurking below are teeth and jaws ready to show. Cross the water swiftly but don't delay or else you'll find your time has gone astray. For those who hesitate or miss their mark will soon join those swimming in the dark ."

"Something is lurking below ?" Dion asked, already moving to the side.

The song started playing again, louder and faster. "We need to climb," Brody stated loudly enough for everyone to hear, studying the walls on either side of us.

Out of nowhere, one of the girls—April--screamed, making me jump.

Lana cursed and quickly moved away from where she was standing, gliding in the water to the opposite wall. "There's something in the water!"

"Well, no shit, Sherlock!" April yelled back at her, causing all of us to pause.

"Be happy you're not closer," Ciaran called back to her calmly, though it was clear he would have taken her out himself if had been.

"She's not far from me," Mel added, skimming her hands over the wall for a place to grab.

Ky guided me towards her. "You need to climb up. Try not to hold onto one ledge for too long or you'll fall."

I nodded nervously as I realized just how high up, we needed to go.

April screamed again, and so did her friend. There was a commotion in the water and the other girl went down. Before she could fully go under, a long snout closed around the lower half of her face while another grabbed her shoulder, pulling in the opposite direction. The sound of bones crunching echoed through the air as their jaws proved to be incredibly powerful.

"Are those freaking alligators? And this is supposed to be easier, Ciaran?" Lana shouted at him.

"Stop being dramatic and get that ass climbing, puppet."

She was already on the far wall when Ky grabbed me as if I were a weightless doll and hoisted me up.

"Go," he commanded.

I scrambled to find a good grip on the ledges, my heart racing as I tried my best to stay out of his way.

The ledges were slippery as if they'd been coated with something, making it difficult to find a secure hold. The air filled with hissing and snapping as the alligators began attacking anyone in their path. I risked a quick glance down and caught sight of April's friend being torn apart. Carol was climbing carefully far off to my left. Mel was on the other side of Ky, a few steps ahead of Dion and Brody. Her jaw clenched as she struggled to pull herself up. I reached for a ledge, only to have it vanish seconds before I could grab it with my hand, nearly sending me tumbling down the wall.

"Stay focused," Ky's calm voice instructed me.

I nodded and took a deep breath, reaching for another ledge and ascending higher.

Our shoes were wet, which made this already difficult task ten times harder. I lost my footing more than once, each slip lodging shoving my heart further up my throat. Another scream echoed from below, causing me to look back down just in time to see April plummeting into the water and immediately getting swarmed. I forced myself to ignore it and concentrated on climbing. The ledges continued to shift and move, requiring constant adjustments.

"Keep going, Sunshine," Ky's encouraging voice came from below, his composure a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding us.

I gritted my teeth and pushed on, ignoring the burning sensation in my muscles and the fear gnawing at my mind. Every inch I climbed felt like a small victory. Mel was struggling too, her face pale with pain, but she refused to slow down.

Dion and Brody stayed close beside her, ready to assist if needed.

I wanted to check on Lana and Ciaran, who had to be on the opposite wall climbing with Char and Hayven. However, if I turned too much, I knew I'd fall off. The top still seemed impossibly far away.

I felt someone move on my other side and turned my head to see the older man making his way up, while I looked down at Roger. His eyes kept flickering towards Ky, and I could feel his anxiety. If he stumbled, he would pull Ky with him.

"Ky," I whispered, my voice urgent. My fingers slipped on a rough edge of rock, causing me to cut my hand as I grabbed onto it. Instead of feeling pain, I experienced a warm rush of adrenaline. Annoyed, I surveyed the wall and attempted to get a better grip before losing my balance completely.

"Gracelynn." He used my full name sharply, a change from his usual demeanor.

"I was trying to warn you about him dragging you down," I snapped at him.

He didn't seem fazed and responded calmly, "I know."

Despite knowing that he was holding back and moving slower because of me, I continued climbing.

He always prioritized my well-being over his own, which was starting to wear on my already frayed nerves. The thought of anything happening to him because of me was unbearable.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Roger's voice echoed through the loud music and alligator sounds a minute later.

I risked a quick glance down as I kept climbing, seeing Ky deliberately blocking Roger's path and preventing him from going any higher.

"I'm getting rid of the dead weight," Ky responded, his voice barely audible over the chaos. He kicked Roger in the face with his boot, causing blood to spurt from his nose. He lost his grip and fell into the water below, his rage-filled scream echoing around us.

I kept climbing, looking back briefly to see Roger struggling in the water but not getting very far.

"Problem solved," Ky stated nonchalantly as he climbed faster to catch up with me.

Even though he had just kicked a man to his brutal death, I couldn't bring myself to be angry with him. "Good job," I praised, my eyes quickly averting from his intense gaze when I saw how much my words meant to him. My hands trembled slightly as I managed to climb to the top of the wall, using my fingers to grip what felt like mucky clumps of clay for support. I had to dig in to pull myself up.

As soon as Ky pulled himself over, I crawled on my knees to help Mel, but Dion and Brody were already taking care of her. One was lifting her from the bottom with a strong hand on her backside, while the other supported her waist without putting any pressure on her chest or injured arm.

It was a dynamic that I was extremely grateful for in that moment. I felt a sudden surge of strength as Ky lifted me off the ground and placed me back on my feet. "The only time you should be on your knees, Sunshine, is when you're opening your pretty mouth for me," he whispered in my ear, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine.

Mel shot him a playful look and then stared at Brody, who still had his hand lingering on her bottom. "Oops." He quickly removed it with a sheepish grin.

"I should thank you, but the free grab is thanks enough," Mel joked.

We all laughed, releasing some of the tension and adrenaline we had just experienced. She and I inched closer to the edge, watching as the others climbed up and over the wall on the opposite side.

"You, okay? I asked softly.

She nodded. "Much better than them."

From our vantage point, we could see the alligators still thrashing about in the water far below, fighting over their torn-up meals.

"Fucking alligators. What else do these people have inside the city?"

"I don't think we want to know." I turned my hand over and looked at my bleeding palm. It didn't hurt—only slightly stung and that wasn't causing me any pain. A light tug on my hair pulled me back from the edge.

I turned into Ky as I stepped away, and he dropped his hand to the center of my back.

"I'm assuming we go through that door?"

"Only way I see outta here," Dion answered, facing the rounded metal door.

Ky held my hand up and examined the small cut on my palm. "I should have prevented this."

My brow furrowed in confusion. "It wasn't your fault, Ky."

"I should have stopped it," he repeated in a detached tone.

There was no visible change in his expression, but the girl watching him from the back of my mind knew he wasn't okay. It may have seemed trivial—and the cut truly wasn't that bad, but Ky' wouldn't see it that way. He couldn't. To him, this was a mark of failure. That's the way his mind worked, and what we all loved about him.

I wanted to soothe him with my touch, but there was clay caked all the way up to my wrists.

I opted to place my hand on his chest, not caring it was soaking wet and just as covered in the unidentified substance. He pulled me into a bruising embrace, and I pressed myself against him even harder.

Carol caught my eye from a few feet away, standing with the man we'd saved and saying something to Dion, giving me a small smile.

As we waited for the others to catch up, Mel studied Ky and me with a pensive expression. "Looks like some old habits have resurfaced," she remarked, finally acknowledging our past together.

It took me a moment to process her words. I went to lift my head, but Ky gently pressed it back against his chest, not saying a word. He was so much taller than me. Trying to play off this serious moment as just another casual conversation, I asked, "Do you think it was always this way?"

"I think it's going to get a lot more intense," she replied, glancing past us.

I could tell that the rest of our group had arrived on our side of the top platform after going all the way around. Ky slowly lowered his arms, and I stepped to the side so that I could see Lana.

Her hands were coated in the same clay-like substance. Ciaran, Maverick, the brunette—Hayven—and Charon were two steps behind her.

"We all made it," Carol said with a mixture of relief and disbelief evident on her face.

"Barely," panted the older man, still catching his breath.

Ciaran moved up next to Lana and gently brushed a few stray hairs out of her face before addressing us as a whole.

"Everyone ready to move?"

"Well, I don't really appreciate the scenery here," Brody answered.

Maverick held his arms up and examined them, sniffing softly. "This isn't shit, is it?"

"No?" Lana looked down at her hands. "At least, I hope not."

Mel frowned at him. "Why would you smell it?"

"How did you get it all over you?" Hayven followed up.

He was covered more than any of us, so much so his tattoos were almost concealed all the way up to the bulkier part of his arms. He lowered his wrists and looked at them. "I was a little busy trying not to get my ass eaten alive. Getting covered in gator shit was the least of my concerns."

"It's not…it's not that," Carol interjected with a tinge of exasperation.

"Even if it is, we're gonna have to deal with it. We need to get out of here."

We took a moment to gather our bearings before pushing through the door and emerging onto a sprawling grassy field.

The cityscape could be seen in the distance, below us due to the incline of the hill. The twinkling lights of the city were mesmerizing, especially the clock tower standing tall with its illuminated face. The moon shone above, casting a silvery glow over the illusion of a peaceful setting.

I knew there were others down there going through their own versions of hell, all of us trapped in the Devil's Playground. It was a somber thought.

"This reminds me of those cabins we woke up in," Lana said to Dion as she looked around.

"I think it's similar," he commented, scanning the horizon. "Minus being in the woods and you trying to swing on me."

She grinned at him. "But look at us now, on the fast track to being the best of friends."

"For sure. You can count on me not to let you down." He said it jokingly, but I could tell he meant that.

She smiled at him and then looked across the field. I wasn't sure if she understood he'd just hinted at something else, or still truly had no clue. She was the first to find the photos of us all together, so she at the very least knew we had some kind of history with these people. How much of it she had knowledge of was the more crucial question. It was frustrating not knowing. She and Mel were so good at pretending. I could only hope I was doing half as good a job. I wanted to talk to my best friends without cameras or an audience and that included this group of guys because.

"At least we have some fresh air now," Mel chimed in, changing the subject.

"Your hand alright?" The older man suddenly asked.

"Oh, yeah. It's fine," I reassured him.

"The wall got you too?" Hayven asked, coming over to inspect my hand as well.

"What do you mean 'too'?" Charon questioned, gently pulling her away from me.

"Just my hand."

"It scratched my thigh, but it's nothing major," she replied nonchalantly, ignoring his concern.

"It's not acceptable for any of us to bleed," Ky stated firmly, turning my attention back to him with a gentle touch on my chin.

"You hear that, puppet?"

"I'm not deaf, Ciaran," Lana retorted dryly.

Mel looked between the four of us and shook her head. "I honestly don't know how you two deal with them." She started walking across the field, taking Dion with her.

"Aw. Are you feeling lonesome? We can change that, Mellie," Maverick called after her as he followed along with Brody.

"I'll pass, and don't call me that."

Maverick caught up to Mel, and they continued their conversation in hushed tones. I strained to hear what they were saying but couldn't make out the words. My mind wandered, wondering if anything had ever happened between them. I couldn't recall who Mel had been close to in that way, or if she had been close to anyone at all. She preferred solitude unless Lana and I were around, guarding her heart with a fortress stronger than Fort Knox.

I blamed her mother for that. Unlike Lana's mom, Pandora, who had a twisted kind of love for her children, and my own mother who was overprotective at times, Mel's mother didn't even seem to like her. It didn't matter that Mel excelled at everything and constantly tried to be someone she wasn't all for a woman who could barely spare her a single word of praise; her mother just didn't care.

Mel had cried about it once. We were twelve, but then she never did it again. I still vividly remembered the little girl who just wanted to be seen, but her father was too absorbed in his affairs and power-hungry schemes to see anything other than a tool for advancement. Lana joked that Mel was a pessimist, but we both knew better. She was like an open wound that never got the chance to heal, yet she kept pretending that it didn't hurt.

And now we were here.

I could only imagine what thoughts were running through Lana's mind about our own families' involvement. But as for Mel...I couldn't even begin to fathom what she was thinking concerning hers.

I watched them go and noticed Carol giving us a tight smile before she and the older man followed after them.

They didn't seem too upset about losing the rest of their group. I could understand Carol's detachment. She had her own agenda and motivations. I expected some emotion from the man though. I had been lucky enough to stay with the same people after leaving the first city. My closest friends and the only man that had a home in my heart.

Lana was also watching them, while Ciaran watched her with a mixture of tenderness and something else, an expression I rarely saw on him. It almost looked like guilt. He quickly masked it by the time Lana glanced at him again. "Shall we go?" he asked, holding out his mud-covered hand. This time she didn't hesitate before taking it. They both turned to look at me and Ky.

In silence, the four of us set off, walking towards our next destination.