⧗ CHAPTER FORTY ⧗


"Begin."

Her voice, still echoing in his head.

The gurney's wheels squeaked beneath him. Newly broken fingers ached. A broken nose, a bloodied lip, recently staunched in order to place the oxygen mask over his face.

"Congratulations, Dmitri," The Madame smiled down at him, his hands covered in blood. "You are now a Wolf Spider."

Oksana's breath, hot and fast, brushing against his face. Her tears slipping hot down his skin.

Every punch, every kick, every scratch. Dmitri still felt the pinch near his eye where Oksana had nearly blinded him in her desperate attempt to stay alive. How they scrambled and hissed and lunged like cats.

How Dmitri broke her arm, in the same place Mia had years ago. Why had he done that? Why did he try to remember?

How Oksana slammed her fist once, twice, three times into the scar tissue of his shoulder. Pragmatic. Painful. Unsportsmanlike.

How they traded blow for blow, at first using their refined martial arts, and then by the end, little more than barbaric nails and teeth.

How Sabina watched it all, dark eyes wide, hands over her mouth, in horrified silence.

All around him were white walls and painful fluorescent lights. Dmitri had never seen this part of the Red Room before. Somewhere underground. There were doors with tiny windows, like cells. The scent of antiseptic filled the air. Some kind of doctor reading off a sheet of information.

"Male, nineteen years old," the voice sounded far away. "Six foot one, around one-seventy, account for medication before delivering anesthesia. Should be a quick procedure…"

Dmitri closed his eyes and wished it would all go away.

Wished he didn't see Oksana's sobbing face behind his eyelids. How she choked and scratched and clawed at him, legs kicking uselessly as he pinned her to the floor. How desperately she didn't want to die.

But not once did she ever beg for her life.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.

How he looked up, and saw the Madame give her nod of approval. He'd won. Death was imminent.

Then he looked down at Sabina, who'd dropped to her knees. How she shook her head at him, tears streaming down her face. Silently mouthing the words No No No No, over and over again.

And finally down to Oksana, last of all. Her blue eyes meeting his. Blood on her face. Fear and pain and despair etched in her face.

Unlike Liza, who died as they tried to save her.

Unlike Ksenia, who hated him.

Unlike Annika, who hadn't seen it coming.

Unlike Rada, who had been alone.

Oksana, who blinked up at him with fading light, choking on words so soft he could barely hear them. "It's okay. It's okay."

Even now, Dmitri couldn't be sure if he imagined it or not. He couldn't remember seeing her lips move. Didn't think she had enough air left to speak.

But he'd seen it in her face.

No anger. No fear.

Just pain.

Just stop the pain.

Just make it stop.

So he did.

A quick twist. That's all it took to break Oksana's neck.

And then she was dead. It took his breath away, how quick it was. How her body suddenly fell limp and heavy in his arms.

How Sabina's weak sob cracked through the silence.

Slowly setting Oksana's body down. Feeling that fog come crashing down as Dmitri realized what he had done. Realized how easy it was.

How he never questioned it. Why would he?

Oksana was weak. And Dmitri was not.

"You're ready now," The Madame told him and Sabina. "Tomorrow, you will wake up not as students, but as full-fledged agents of the Red Room."

She smiled. "Welcome home."

And so he obeyed. They both did. Barely a moment to grieve over Oksana's body, to close her still eyes, before a small army of nurses carted them away. Dmitri didn't even ask what for. What procedure would be done. Only that it was to happen. Every agent must pass through the final stage.

And then they would re-emerge. All the extraneous details cut away. Renewed. Flawless.

Perfect.