10. Violet

The air was different today.

Kuana's touch lingered on my arm for an extra heartbeat before he dropped me off, our eyes conveying messages our lips couldn't.

I could feel the weight of the day looming large, an intangible force I could neither see nor touch, but could clearly sense.

"Stay safe," I murmured.

"I will," he promised, and for some reason, I thought he felt the weight of my words more than I had intended.

As I watched him disappear around the bend, my heart wavered.

It was the fear of the unknown, the fear of the plans I was about to put into motion, and the weight of secrets I was about to uncover.

My heels clicked against the cold, metallic floor, the sound echoing off the distant walls.

Instead of heading into the bustling Prize Pool, where the eyes of hundreds of inmates were fixated on their potential Prizes, I diverted my path.

Every step I took was deliberate, filled with purpose.

My heart raced, as it always did when I was about to do something risky.

Thoughts swirled in my mind like a turbulent storm.

Would my plan work?

How would I convince him?

The stakes were high, but the potential payoff… it could change everything.

The metallic corridors of the prison were a maze, filled with eerie silence, broken only by the distant roars from the pit fights.

But I had traversed this path before, and soon I found myself outside the prison cell I was seeking.

Two guards stood outside.

Their posture rigid, eyes scanning, always on alert.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I approached them. "My name is Violet. I wish to speak to your boss," I stated confidently, trying not to betray any hint of apprehension.

The guards exchanged glances, their stern expressions not changing.

But there was a flicker in their eyes — a mix of surprise and recognition.

After what felt like an eternity, one of them finally spoke into his communicator. "Boss, there's a lady here to see you. Goes by the name of Violet."

I waited, my heart pounding in my ears, the weight of my decision pressing on me.

It was risky reaching out to gang leaders, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

And right now, with Kuana's life potentially at stake and our future uncertain, I was more than willing to take that risk.

After a tense minute, the guard nodded, and the massive metallic door slid open with a low hum.

I stepped inside, the dim lighting making the room appear larger than it was.

In the center, behind an intricately carved desk, sat a figure I had never met before, only heard about.

He was the only alien gang leader with a reputation for fairness and a strict code of ethics.

He looked up from his desk.

His sharp eyes, framed by his spectacles perched on the end of his ose, settled on me.

Always calculating, those eyes.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but his gaze remained guarded.

"Violet," Cayggod greeted, his voice smooth and carrying the unmistakable undertone of authority. "How may I help you?"

* * *

The air grew heavier,the dim light filtering through Cayggod's office adding an extra layer of tension to the already thick atmosphere.

My heart raced, and I could feel a drop of perspiration slide down the side of my temple.

"Cayggod," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "I've come to you with a proposition. A business proposition."

His brow furrowed, his earlier amusement giving way to curiosity. "Go on."

"Information," I said succinctly. "Classified information that one of your competitors is desperate to get their hands on. But instead of giving it to him, I can give it to you."

"And why would you do that?"

"Because you're a boss with a more…" I paused, searching for the right word, "honorable reputation. Someone who, unlike my other business partner, values trust and loyalty."

His eyes sharpened, his gaze intent on mine. "You're suggesting you'd hand over this invaluable knowledge to me, bypassing your business partner entirely? What's the catch?"

"A way out. For both me and another prisoner. Safe passage out of this prison and away from this godforsaken planet. In return, you get information that could change the power dynamics across the entire galaxy. All I ask is you… help me with convincing this other prisoner to leave Ikmal."

Cayggod cocked his head to one side. "Help you convince this other prisoner? And how would I do that? Please be specific."

I licked my lips, which suddenly felt like they'd been caked with sand. "You'll get your goons to knock him out and carry him out of here."

For a long moment, Cayggod didn't respond.

His eyes, which earlier had been filled with guarded curiosity, now bore into mine, assessing, evaluating.

It was like being under a microscope, every inch of my being scrutinized.

"You come to me, to my domain, with a proposal that has the potential to start a gangland war, and you expect me to just… accept?"

He mused, leaning back in his chair, his voice dangerously calm.

"You misunderstand," I countered, feeling the urgency of the situation grip me tighter. "This isn't about war or power. It's about leverage. If you possess something your opponent is desperate for, you can control the narrative. Dictate terms. Ensure peace. Or dominate. The choice is yours."

He considered my words, his eyes never leaving mine. "You're banking on my reputation, but you forget, Violet, that in the end, we're all prisoners here, trying to survive, to make it to another day."

I took a deep breath, pressing on. "That's why I came to you. Because despite the challenges, despite the murky waters of prison politics, you've managed to retain a sense of integrity. You value your word, and the respect of your peers. I'm offering you a golden ticket, a way to ensure your gang remains in power without resorting to unnecessary bloodshed."

There was a heavy silence, the weight of decisions and choices hanging in the balance.

Cayggod's gaze was inscrutable, and for a moment, I felt a pang of doubt.

Had I miscalculated?

Maybe he had been the one to circulate the rumors about him being honorable himself.

It wasn't beyond him, was it?

"You're asking for a lot," he finally said, breaking the tense silence. "You want me to risk the safety and security of my people, to plunge this prison into chaos, all for… what? A piece of information that I have no concept of and to help two inmates escape?"

"Yes," I responded, resolutely. "Because if you don't, someone else will. And who's to say what they'll do with that information? This is a chance, Cayggod. A chance to change the narrative."

He was quiet for a long time, so long that I thought he might not respond at all.

Finally, he sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache.

"Violet," he began, his voice carrying a hint of regret, "I respect your tenacity, your drive to protect those you care about. But what you're proposing… it's too risky. The balance here is delicate, and I cannot, in good conscience, jeopardize the lives of those under my protection."

I felt desperation claw at me.

This was my last shot, my only hope to ensure Kuana and I could escape this hellish place together. "Cayggod, please. There has to be a way, some compromise we can reach—"

He shook his head, his expression softening just a touch. "I'm sorry. Whatever information you possess, whatever it is you think can leverage, it's simply not worth the cost."

With that, my last hope seemed to vanish.

Cayggod, the one beast I thought could help us in this place, had refused.

* * *

There'sa strange stillness that follows an utter rejection.

It feels like a vacuum, devoid of all hope and possibilities.

Just moments ago, I'd been fervently pleading my case with Cayggod, and now… now everything felt lost.

The surprise, however, wasn't over.

Cayggod looked at me with a knowing gleam in his eye. "I'm aware you've been visiting Kuana every night."

My blood ran cold, and a shiver of dread trickled down my spine. "How…?" I started, but my voice trailed off, my throat dry.

Cayggod chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "My dear, in a place like this, there are eyes everywhere. And to retain the position I hold, it's imperative I know everything that transpires within these walls."

The realization hit me hard.

The privacy Kuana and I thought we shared was a mere illusion.

Every stolen moment, every whispered word, wasn't ours alone.

It had been watched, analyzed.

I felt exposed, vulnerable.

Noticing my distress, Cayggod's expression softened a little. "Don't worry, your secret trysts with Kuana remain safe with me. But it's my duty to ensure the safety of everyone in this prison, and your… liaisons pose a potential risk."

I stared at him, still trying to process everything. "A risk? How?"

Cayggod leaned forward, his voice a low, cautionary whisper. "You, my dear, are a Prize. At least as far as everyone here is concerned. Your mere presence alone is enough to send the majority of the prisoners here into a frenzy. Your scent, your allure… especially after dark, when passions run high and inhibitions run low."

I blinked, realization dawning.

He wasn't referring to some danger Kuana and I posed but what I might suffer from.

The prisoners weren't just chained by the physical bars around them; they were also bound by their suppressed desires, their yearning for touch, for affection.

For a brief moment, I felt a pang of sympathy for them.

But the greater urgency was clear.

If Kuana and I were to continue our nightly meetings, we had to be discreet.

More discreet than ever.

Cayggod seemed to sense my thoughts. "I'll arrange an escort for you back to the Prize Pool," he offered. "It's too perilous for you to wander these corridors alone, especially now."

I nodded silently, still reeling from the revelations.

A guard, tall and imposing, entered the room at Cayggod's beckoning.

He nodded toward me, indicating I should follow.

As I walked through the dimly lit corridors, the weight of my situation pressed down on me.

My failed dealings with both Ikhax and Cayggod had left me with dwindling options.

I needed to find a way to convince Kuana to leave, to escape with me.

But how?

And the deadline was fast approaching.

Once it was up, I would be at Ikhax's whims.

My mind raced, trying to come up with a new plan, a fresh approach.

Perhaps I could appeal to his emotions again, remind him of the love we shared, the life we could have beyond these walls.

Or maybe there was another ally within this prison, someone who had the resources and the will to help us.

The Supervisor, perhaps?

But as the corridors seemed to stretch endlessly before me, doubts crept in.

What if I couldn't find a way?

What if Kuana and I were doomed to remain trapped in this prison forever, our love stifled by the oppressive environment and ever-watchful eyes?

My heart ached at the thought.

Finally, the familiar surroundings of the Prize Pool came into view.

The guard gave me a curt nod, indicating I was free to go.

I mumbled my thanks, my thoughts still consumed by my predicament.

As I settled into the confines of the Prize Pool, the weight of hopelessness threatened to pull me under.

My attempts to find a way out, to secure a future for Kuana and me, had failed.

And as the minutes ticked by, the enormity of my situation became clear.

Despair washed over me, drowning out all thoughts of hope and escape.

For the first time since arriving at this prison, I truly felt defeated.

I was out of ideas.

* * *

I had spentmost of the day lost in my thoughts.

The echoing hollowness of my failed attempts to find an escape route had settled like a heavy fog around me.

So much so that I hadn't even kept track of the day's activities, a lapse that had never occurred before.

It wasn't just my escape at stake, but also my daily role in the Prize Pool.

Usually, I would at least sneak a peek, trying to gather some intelligence on the winner of the day's pit fights.

Knowing who had triumphed would allow me to adjust my demeanor or attire to better appeal or even deter the victor.

I knew how to play this game, and knowing the player was half the battle.

But today?

Today, my mind was a whirlwind of confusion, doubt, and desperation.

I hadn't even bothered to get the basic lay of the land.

And now, as I was ushered onto the platform, I felt an unfamiliar pinch of anxiety.

The platform, as always, was a brilliant silver stage, designed to amplify the allure of the Prize.

The lights gleamed brightly, but it did nothing to lighten the knot in my stomach.

Each step felt heavy, and with every footfall, I silently berated myself for being so absent-minded.

The guards took their position, the hush of the expectant crowd reached a fever pitch, and the announcer's voice boomed through the hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, beings of all species, today's champion of the pits is… Kuana!"

The hall erupted in a mix of gasps, murmurs, and applause.

Kuana? I thought, stunned.

My heart leaped, and my anxiety transformed into sheer surprise.

I hadn't even known he had entered the pits!

My mind raced, trying to piece together the events that led to this moment.

But in the midst of my bewilderment, a warm relief washed over me.

If Kuana was the victor, then the fear of being Claimed by someone else, of having to use my charms and tactics to deter another fighter, melted away.

I looked down from my platform, trying to spot him amidst the crowd.

The sea of faces blurred, but then I saw him.

Kuana was walking forward, his eyes locked onto mine.

There was a victorious glint in his eyes, but more than that, there was determination, a clear message that said:

"I did this for us."

The room faded away as he approached.

It was as if we were the only two beings in the place.

My heart raced, not with fear or trepidation, but with a love that felt boundless.

He reached the base of the platform, and with every ounce of ceremonial pomp, he made his Claim.

And in that moment, as he reached out for me, the rules of the Prize Pool, the stifling walls of the prison, our desperate plans for escape, all of it seemed to melt away.

There was just him, just me, just us.

Kuana, the unexpected champion of the day, stood tall and proud.

He reached out, and as our fingers intertwined, he pulled me close.

He had Claimed his prize, and in that instance, all the universe's stars could not compare to the glow in our hearts.