(Amaia)
The sandy pit seems to have sunken my feet—they refuse to budge as I watch the people standing in the distance. There are three of them but two have the sa golden halo around them, the one I saw with Alnilam.
To my horror, they look the sa from their flaming vermilion locks down to their steel-toed boots.
Noo! Fuck the hell no.
Why would the universe curse with more mates?
The word ’twins’ echoes in my brain. The sentinels propel forward and I drag my feet along the sand, dreading every step to get closer to them.
Their distinctive scents hit . One possesses a unique earthy scent with notes of spring while the other has this sharp oceanic scent of sea salts and marine notes as if I have dived into an evocative ocean—lush and breezy.
I cannot breathe without being swamped by their scents, hitting like tsunami waves.
Their gazes waver to , hints of gold and amber. Soft and yet cunning, they study .
One of them mischievously smiles and blurts out. His voice smoothly borders on hints of tease.
"A lassie!"
The other one stays quiet but watches with keen interest. I swallow and take another step, observing their bodies under the simple black uniforms.
Muscled shoulders, narrow waists, with black belts adorning them. Their weapons stick out of their back.
Huge war axes with patterns glinting under the morning sun.
Another step and now I am right in front of them. I can’t even look away and don’t even know who the other person in the lineup is. It’s like he doesn’t even exist.
Just and these two souls whose potent auras call so wickedly that my lungs hurt from the act of simple breathing.
Just like Alnilam, they possess strong auras like those of Alphas.
The magic pulses, alive and free in their veins. I can sense it.
Pure torture, every breath has beco.
One has his hair dangling over his shoulders while the other has tied it above his head in a man bun.
The one with hair down and earthy scent, that reminds of spring orchards extends his hand. It’s half covered in leather gloves. There is a red ribbon bound on both his naked biceps.
I swear I could count all the veins running on his muscular arm. Like the rivers of molten topaz.
The beats of my heart clamour louder and louder like a war gong.
"Hey! I am Alnitak." A voice so manly, so alluring that it makes my knees shake. Must be the chemicals forming and settling the bond between us.
I remain frozen, unable to move a limb or shake his hand. The complexity of the situation bungles my thinking process.
I watch his angular jaw move in slow motion. All my senses seem to have heightened near them.
He doesn’t mind and chuckles at my reaction. Lowering his hand, he sends a wink my way.
"Fret not, most lassies have this reaction when they et us."
He tilts his head towards his carbon copy and cheekily says. "That’s my brother, Mintaka."
My eyes slowly shift towards him and he places his elbow on his brother’s shoulder, keenly observing . There is a thick silver chain around his neck. A large erald crystal wrapped in elegant silver wires hangs from it.
The necklace is very similar to the one I wear around my neck, hidden under my clothes. Only the crystal in mine is deep purple.
"Maybe, she is mute," he says in an equally refined voice while I struggle to breathe.
My mouth has gone so dry as if I had swallowed all the sand from this sand pit. Beads of sweat decorate my forehead as my heart pushes to say the sacred word, ’Mates.’
The mark on my thigh burns and aches, almost making my vision blot out. Reminding , I can’t reveal to them who I am.
I try, the Hasa (goddess of magic) knows I do but words just stuck in my throat.
"Take your positions and listen to the rules."
A heavy voice cos from the stands and one of the sentinels hands my weapon. I almost snatch it from his hand, feeling the tal under my skin.
At least I have sothing consistent in my life.
Finally walking on my shaking jelly legs I take my position as far away from my twin mates as possible–alongside a lean-looking boy who seed to have stepped out of a zombie-thed movie.
He is so tall, not broad but lean. His dusky-shaded hair entirely covers his right eye.
I try to steady myself and focus on ahead. The pain in my thigh has reduced to a slow burn now that I have put distance between myself and my mates.
My always steady hands still shake as I clutch my weapon tightly.
A strong female voice makes focus my attention forward.
"Hi! I am Jamina Astride. Welco to the Orion Academy, which will be your ho for the next two years, if you survive today."
She stands right in front of us. Long golden hair, tied in a ponytail above her head. Stunning with a body that has been shaped to perfection. The crescent moon on her forehead and a blue cape tied to her shoulders. She is another Enforcer.
"Today’s battle will be a testant of your physical and weaponry skills. No magic is allowed." She points with her index finger towards the large red crystals embedded in sand, all around the pit.
"They inhibit your magic use so you will be tested solely on the use of weapons. Fight wisely. You will have a greater chance of survival by fighting together." She chuckles like small bells ringing in the air. "As they say, alone we are a drop and together we can be an ocean. Be the ocean for survival."
She clicks her fingers, and the giant crystals begin to glow, emitting bright red lights that form lasers, connecting each other and trapping us in.
"Rember, you will only win if all your opponents are dead. So be smart, use all your senses," she gives one final instruction and retreats.
Opponents? What were we killing? Monsters, most probably, but where were they?
My senses are haywire but if I want to survive, I need to do this. I need to prove myself and just forget about my mates for now.
"Let the fun begin," Alnitak choruses in his sing-song voice. It’s like the most lodious music to my ears.
I clutch my weapon tightly. My thumb on the button to release the blades from both sides.
Hair on my neck prick.
Alnilam’s faint scent hit from afar, I know he is watching this.
The other two scents roll over , making giddy but also giving hope.
And then the whole pit shakes, violently as if we have been hit by a major earthquake.
The side of the pit sinks in and sothing huge rises out. We gather together, making a circle and my eyes find the huge grotesque creature that seems to have erged from my worst nightmares.
My heart trembles from fear but then I feel a calming reassuring presence behind . The scent and words wrapping around like a warm embrace of soone I have known forever.
"I will protect you, lassie. Stay with ."
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