Heart of Spades

Chapter Three

    My jaw drops when I hear my name. Everything becoming a blur in the world. I hardly notice the guards hands grabbing me and throwing me into the cage filled with nineteen other kids. "What the hell?!" I scream, but I'm yelling into deaf ears. I hardly hear the screams and someone calling my name. Looking around, fear hangs in the air, their eyes showing everything that they can't hide.

The guards lock the cage, keeping family and friends away from us. I feel it start moving, and then realize its on wheels. The rocks crunch beneath us, and we jump around, a few of us deciding its best to sit down so we don't fall down, including me. As the crowd of people gets farther and farther away. I seem to just grasp what's happening, and I don't think I'm happy about it, I know that others are banging on the bars, begging to let them out, and I join them, but our calls are pointless. Like echos in a cave. Even if your loud at first, it disappears into a whisper, never to be heard again. Eventually I give up, as were brought into the castle.

I hear a click and then the door flies open. Guards grunting for us to get out. Quickly I follow the others. I glance at everyone, their faces full of fear and despair. Then someone catches my eye. Blinking I recognize him, well more than the others, because we all go to the same academy, but still. Its Travis Kade, a popular-ish kid from the Academy. Out of everyone I didn't think I'd run into him I do. But of course, he's the first one to walk over to me, I feel my cheeks heat from staring at him for so long.

"Hi," he says, his voice cool. "Mary, right?" I nod, then I catch a girls eye. Her hair long and blonde, with piercing green eyes. Her mouth pulling into the beginning of a snarl. Ah, she thinks she has competition. Well, no because I have no interest in becoming friends with anybody. It'll be better that way. Before he can say anything else, I get out of the cage, I can't make any friends. Everything will be harder if I do.

I turn back around to see the same girl talking with Travis. She gives me a smug look and I roll my eyes at her. She can have him. Following the line of people, we go through a weird looking corridor that is only lit up by flickering candles. The smell of them making the headache I had this morning come back. I squish my eyebrows together as I follow everyone. I stumble forward and yelp, it feels as if the ground is shifting beneath my feet! A guard pushes me forward grumbling, "keep going." I do as my told, for I feel as if today might be the last time I take a gulp of air. My palms are wet, and I try to rub it off on my uniform. My lungs closing, and the thump of my heartbeat racing, as if trying to break free from my chest.

We stop, and some guards run ahead of us. We continue to walk, and I make the mistake of looking behind me to see if I can find Travis. I then, run into the girl I think is Taryn she scoffs and mutters something like, "your just like my sister." I blink at her and mutter a quick apology before glancing behind me again to see the girl closing her hand around Travis's, blinking at him slowly I hear her say, "were in this together." I turn back around, walking behind Taryn. We make it to a very, very tall staircase and my frown deepens.

Walking up the staircase was a real roller coaster of emotions. There was a lot of crying, but I managed to keep my if-you-come-any-closer-I-will-hurt-you look. I hope it stays that way. Then, a guard yells in my ear making me jump out of my skin, "we there!" they have a very annoying accent. I almost smacked him, but that wouldn't have ended well. "yeah." The other one sounds normal. Then we start walking again.

We all make it to the top, and I gotta say, I am out of breath and my legs ache. I'm excited to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, but when we enter the room, I finally feel like crying. The room is dark, dim full of sadness. Literally, Selkies are in the room, and they look as dry as ever singing songs and playing harps for Queen Alice, who is sitting on her throne. She waves her hand to cut of the Selkies. "Finally, took you all long enough." She laughs at that. None of us do. She casts us a sharp glare and we start fake laughing. Then she raises and eyebrow, and I think the one called Elenoh immediately drops to her knees. We follow in her footsteps. But I'm last. My family would call this stupid. But I need Queen Alice to know, I'm not easily broken. "I know all of you must be shaken by this sudden announcement, and questionable uhm, collecting ways."

Keep your mouth shut!

My mouth did not listen.

"You mean kidnapping?" I say, then wish I hadn't. She stops, her voice full of warning, "What was your name again?" I feel all eyes on me. "Uh, Mary, My Queen."

"Hmm, Mary..." She muttered to herself. "I think we'll have some fun together." Her smile shows all of her sharp teeth that you couldn't see before. Then Alice claps her hands, making all of us jump. "Now," she says, power in her voice. "For this game, there will be five total. One for each week your here. And, I'll let you know, there can only be one winner. I cannot, or rather will not tell what each game is. You will find out that day. Game One starts next week. Now," she slaps her hand down on the armrest of her throne. "Is the time to prepare." she swishes her hand, and twenty people appear out of the doors on the side of the throne room. In single file line, excitement is equal with fear on their faces. "They will teach you what you need to know in Combat, and smarts. Because if you don't, the consequences are tragic." Her gaze lands on me, and I feel like her last words are meant for me, and me only. "And your future depends on it." I gulp, and the tension is getting higher. "You each have your own rooms, and there will be severe punishments if any of you are found outside of your chambers after dark, and only Time will tell."

I hope he doesn't stab us in the back.

Alice glances at the guards and they each start shouting orders at the Mentors who each grab one of us by the arm, hoisting us up with surprising strength. I look at the person who took my arm and blink. She has large round glasses, short choppy red hair and freckles. Though, there's an intensity in her stare that makes me know not to mess with her. They each are wearing the same thing, checkered vest, black pants and white shirt. With a light blue tie Matches everything in here perfectly. The castle is parts blue, white and gold it looks so beautiful that you could stare at it all day. But I won't. I'm not going to give Alice the satisfaction of me being comfortable here, because I know I will regret it. She drags me out of the room, explaining everything on the way. "Each room matches your house. As in house colors, personality. Queen Alice wanted you all to feel welcome. We get to the end of a golden hall. Each wooden door looks the same, until the girl opens a door and throws me inside. "I'm Sylvia, by the way." Then she shuts the door in my face. Leaving me there gaping.

I get up of the floor and stare at the room in wonder. It looks almost exactly like my room, just nicer and larger. And completely different from the rest of the castle. The room itself gives off a bloody glow, with candles all around. The windows are covered by red curtains, and the bed. Oh Wonders, the bed. The covers are all the velvety red, with squishy pillows and a golden headboard. Well, the outline of it is. A heart lays at the top of the headboard, a golden one that is, everything swirls, and matches the room so well. The carpet is white, and a vanity sits next to a closet, red lipstick and lip gloss are one it, and wine trays next to my bed. I open the closet and my eyes widen even more, the amount of dresses is crazy. But I shouldn't feel comfortable here. At all. But the main thing that catches my attention is the pretty dagger that sits one the wine tray. I pick it up, and turn my head, looking in the mirror I look like a crazed maniac. I drop the knife, and it lands on the tray with a clatter.

I stand in the room, waiting. Listening, before I am disturbed by a large knock, before my room door swings open. Sylvia's back, holding a scroll. She throws it too me. "Schedule. And don't worry, most of these the rest of the contestants will be attending too." Then she leaves. Again. I open up the scroll to see my schedule. Which I am one-hundred percent sure, I am going to hate.

I was right.

Time has told:

645 Breakfast 745 Swordplay 945 Tutoring

1100 Lunch 1200 Return to Chambers 1255 Library

155 Partners/Swordplay 300 Partners/Tutoring

500 Dinner 700 Curfew

Queen Alice Liddell, Mary Heart. Schedule is not negotiable. (Mentoring)

Note: Wear appropriate clothing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Training clothes will not be accepted. Neither will they be accepted in the Library. (Tutoring)