Page 81 of The Bonding Games: Part 2

Taking the seat on Tate’s right now that she’s free, Ezla says, “Fortunately, there does not need to be too much planning for The Maze. We have our mind connection and our armoury sticks to aid us, and you are all exceptional fighters. I will say that I would advise you to manifest your Avri into the weapons you are most skilled with the moment the Game starts. For you, Alby, that would be the bow and arrow. Tate, I am aware you despise axes simply because I do, but it is your best weapon before daggers.” He grumbles at that before she continues, “Scotty, I would recommend two swords or a sword and a dagger; however, you are also exceptional with a bow and arrow. Tiger and Cooper, I will suggest two daggers, but you are both very good with throwing stars, too, so either is acceptable. Of course, if you were to use your bows and arrows or throwing stars, you must be prepared to switch at a moment’s notice for hand-to-hand combat, as an opponent could be right around any corner.”

Moving on, she says, “Our last Game was a bit of a disaster”—that’s putting it mildly—“so I am not surprised to see no difference in the shade of your Avri clusters, but your Scores are certainly higher than they were during Game 3. Since Joseph has your citizen tablets, I am not sure what he will do there when you are observed in Game 5 and the judges undoubtably find your skills and techniques improved.” Then she pauses and tilts her head. “On second thought, he would not want to see me with pathetic-looking Bonds. He would not want the world to see you as weak and have that reflect poorly on me, so do not worry.”

“I don’t give a fuck about the colour of my suit, Vengeance. Trust me, I’m not worrying about anything but him trying to fucking brainwash one of us like he did you.”

Eyes humungous, Alby’s head whips my way.

“Tate.”

At Ezla’s false-placid tone, the beast of a man smacks me upside the head with no gentleness whatsoever.

“Fuck!” Shoved forwards, my hands fling up to the throbbing space. “What the hell?!” I can’t seem to decide who deserves my furious glare more: Ezla or Tate.

“Do not worry my shy boy unnecessarily. The Game Master would need your body for that, otherwise he would have attempted to warp my mind far sooner through my own citizen tablet and my connected Avri.”

I throw my hands up. “How was I meant to know that?!”

“By using your brain.”

Groaning, I dump my elbows on the table and rub at my face. But as I process her words, I realise she’s right: Joseph wouldn’t go through all the trouble of putting her in that tube and keeping her asleep if he could’ve warped her mind a far easier way. “Can you blame me for worrying? Avri’s fucking stressful sometimes. We have no idea the damage it could do.”

“In this case, it cannot do any,” Ezla informs us as she picks up her knife and fork from the table. “It is limited to specific functions and locked in for security. I have told you about the elimination button, however, and I will not lie to you and say functions cannot be added—in the future, and with a lot of effort and trial and error, he may be able to attempt something similar through the devices—which is why it is important I— we”—her correction is made with a sour expression that’s almost cute—“find the tablets before anything can happen. But he cannot edit them himself; he must have The Council’s scientists work on that, and that will take time. Therefore, we do have some breathing room. Though, admittedly, we do need to get them sooner rather than later.”

Brows furrowed in concentration, Scotty nods slowly. “So where are we looking first?”

Taking a bite of . . . I have no fucking clue what that is, but it looks nice—there’s some sort of lemony-looking sauce on tender, tanned meat—Ezla is quiet for a moment as she chews, and my brothers and I watch fixatedly. My eyes track the movement of her throat as she swallows before she takes a sip of her water, and we all wait for her patiently. I’m so fascinated that I nearly startle when she finally speaks again: “I do not know what he has done with them,” she admits with a grimace she tries and fails to hide. “It is a possibility that he has them back in the Avri labs with the other citizen tablets, but after the . . . incident, I do not think he would trust them there. It does not make sense for them to be anywhere but in that penthouse.”

My stomach turns over.

Tate says gruffly, “I destroyed that bedroom, flipped everything in sight over. I don’t think they’re in there.”

“There are several other rooms in that place, my beast.”

“So you want to go back there?” I bite out, trying to keep my angered dread under control. “Vengeance, I can’t let you. I never want you back in that place.”

“You do not tell me what to do.” With that rigid posture of hers, she picks up her napkin and dabs at an invisible mess.

My jaw works. “We’ll go alone. You’re not going back.”

Nostrils flaring, Ezla sets the napkin down and slides malicious eyes my way. “Why must you challenge me on everything? This is not a debate.”

“Because—”

“No,” she cuts me off harshly. “I have compromised. I have said you can go with me, that we will do this together.”

My mouth slams shut.

Scotty exhales heavily, rubbing at his forehead. “Ezla’s right, Cooper. I don’t want you going back there either, Love, but this is your decision.” To the other three as well, he says seriously, “And at least we’ll all be there to protect our Bonded this time.”

A pang of guilt twists up my organs, and I deflate. “Sorry, Vengeance. I know. Fuck, I know.” I drag a palm over my face roughly. “I’m really a world-class asshole.”

“Now that is something we can agree on.”

Tiger snickers at my expense, and Tate barks out a laugh and slaps me on the back too hard to be anything joking as the breath is knocked out of me. “Agreed, Havoc. I can beat him up for you?” His teeth flash as he speaks in a not-so-subtle warning for me to talk to our Bonded better.

“No. That is quite alright. I have yet to punish you for the marks you left on my sensible one.”

Tate’s head swivels her way. “He deserved it,” he defends fiercely. “He was being an asshole.”