Ruin (Rhodes #1) by Rina Kent

                             “I’ll give you one last chance because of the glorious targets we eliminated side by side.” She studies me. “Let’s leave. Now. Together.”

                             For someone who never gives their targets any chance, Celeste, like me, must’ve changed in the time we’ve been apart. She had always wanted to belong somewhere. The Pit did that for long years but since she’s insisting on leaving, she must’ve got bored with that place. She’s lost again, with nowhere to belong.

                             I stop encircling her, she doesn’t. “Considering our history, I’ll also give you one last chance. Apologise to Mae and if— only if— she forgives you, I’ll spare your life.”

                             She laughs so loud that I cringe. “You want me to apologise to your pet? Me, who never apologised in my life?” She points her knife at me, eyes narrowing. “When did you become such a boring human, Aaron? Is it this place? Or the girl?” When I don’t say anything, she continues. “Wake up, Aaron! She’s everything you can’t be. A mere boring existence. Is she the reason behind the delusional freedom you’ve painted for yourself?”

                             My hand tightens around the knife’s handle and I resume circling her. I suck in a deep breath, not speaking until I’ve made sure my voice will be in its best monotonic tone. “The delusional freedom as you call it is still better than the alternative.”

                             “With the alternative being your true self?” Her voice escalates with each word.

                             “What do you know about my true self?” I twirl the knife. “You’ve only seen what I’ve shown you: the blood version.”

                             She huffs, slowly but steadily closing the distance between us. She’s always been better at close range. “Are there even other versions?”

                             “Perhaps no. Perhaps yes.” I step backwards for my ideal two metres’ range. “All I know is that the blood version can’t rule my life anymore. It became dull after a while.”

                             “You’re a hypocrite. The last person I imagined would be. Since you invited a weakness upon yourself, it’s only fair that I use it.” Her voice is calmer than the estate’s silence. “Goodbye, Aaron.”

                             We throw our knives at the same time. I aim at her carotid artery. She at my heart. With a slight deviation of my upper body, I escape her knife. The metal of hers clinks against the stony pavement as my knife reaches its target.

                             Celeste falls with a thud. She clutches her neck with one hand, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.

                             With quick strides, I’m by her side, looking down at her last breaths. “This is the version who would’ve spared your life if you didn’t mess with Mae.” I reach my hand to retrieve the knife. “Goodbye, Celeste.”

                             Something shines in her free hand.

                             A gun. Fuck. When the hell did she start using guns?

                             Before I can move, sharp pain penetrates my chest. My lungs revolt at the lack of breaths. Somehow, I end up on the ground, clutching my chest. My vision becomes strings of blurry black and grey. I shake my head. The motion heightens my dizziness. I’m going to pass out.

                             Think, Aaron. Think. Remember trauma cases.

                             A shot to the chest. Almost blacking out. This must be a vital organ. Heart? Lung? Liver? Pancreas? I can’t feel them. I can’t fucking feel any of my organs. The pain camouflages them, clawing at my nerve endings with freezing numbness. My heartbeat drums in my head. Maybe not the heart? My pulse decreases, kicking oxygen out of my limbs with nauseating determination. I can scarcely hear it in my ears anymore.