Diamond (28 page)

“You are for sale, then?”

Did she nod or say she’d been sold off already?

He may want to know who owns you. Don’t lie.

Things would only get worse if she lied.
Like you care.
She didn’t. Had she ever really? Nadya thought over the last couple of days. She’d been trying to do the right thing, when all along her conscience was supplying her with other motives. There wasn’t anything solid or rational about what she was doing. Was she really loyal to Anna and her daughter, or was she now, for the first time in her life, trying to do something right. She may not remember who she was, but her instincts had always been dead-on. Nadya knew deep down she wasn’t a nice person, and she shouldn’t try and fool herself into thinking she was.

“Attia is on her way to attack the Quarry.” She averted his original question.

“
Padja
, be a dear and get my comm device. I’d like to contact Diamond. Put Nadya and the other two in my chambers. I will return for them shortly.”

The
Padja
moved to the final female and unlocked her chains before gathering Nadya and the first girl and leading them down a dark hall until she came to an area that was carved deep into the rock. The old woman chained each of them to a large pillar and left, closing them in the dark.

She had no idea what Dasan would say to Diamond, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t like it.

V

The sound of the saw as it cut through Lindy’s wrist bone sent a chill down Diamond’s spine. Her screaming didn’t bother him. It was the sound of the saw as his healer sliced through Lindy’s flesh and tendons. Emerald made quick work of her severed hand, cauterizing the wound to stop the blood flow.

“Now that that’s over—I
did
warn you, Lins—I spoke with Dasan. I believe he is not only your father and your ex-lover but also
the
male breeder for your people.”

Lindy’s head lolled to the side. Her eyes barely open, her face covered in sweat. She tried to move, barely whispered something, and Diamond stepped closer.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

“Yes,” she croaked.

“What are Reapers?”

“They’re my father’s dogs. They go out, scent, track, and retrieve breed-worthy females.”

“Why would they attack Phyr and Nadya on the tracks? She’s hardly breeding material.”

“Doesn’t…doesn’t matter.” Lindy’s breaths were faltering. Diamond looked to Emerald, who came forward with an injection. It was adrenaline, not a lethal dose, but enough to keep her conscious and talking.

“How does it not matter?”

“She’s a female. They all get brought to my father, whether they can breed or not.”

“What happens to the ones he can’t breed with?”

Lindy pulled in a deep breath. Her head was bent forward, her pants soaked in her blood.

“They are given to my father’s pets. The Reapers either try to breed with them, or they eat them.”

Diamond looked to Emerald, who looked down at Lindy in disgust. He hadn’t noticed before, but now he saw it. Lindy was about Lindy. Not about the good of the group.
You’re no better than she is. You sell pussy and organs.
Everyone was for themselves. They all benefited from their current situation. He’d let Lindy in, trusted her to at least be loyal to him. He should have been on his guard more. Especially when it came to her.

“What do you want to do with her?”

Diamond looked down at Lindy, her eyes glassy, the whites now a bloodshot red.

“Make sure she doesn’t die. She can still be of use to us. But for now, have one of the guards take her to the infirmary.”

Phyr came through the door, his breathing heavy. The elevators were off, and Diamond knew the other man must have run up at least six flights of stairs to reach him.

“I’ve got Dasan back on the line. He wants to talk.”

Diamond reached for the comm and was immediately connected.

“You have a problem. I have a solution.” The connection was much clearer than earlier.

“Yeah, what problem is that?”

“Attia.”

“I’m listening.”

“I want the girl.”

“Non-negotiable.”

“Everything can be negotiated and or traded in this world. We both know that, Diamond. You’d be a fool if you didn’t at least hear me out.”

“Still listening.”

“I’ll send you the girl back, along with my son, Fursay, and a handful of my Reapers. They’ll take out Attia and her group. In exchange, I get the girl for breeding purposes and will return her when I’m done.”

“You can’t afford Nadya.”

“Try me.”

“Are you really considering this?” Phyr interrupted. Even Emerald looked shocked that he’d even consider the deal.

“Time’s running out. I don’t have to give the girl back to you, but I’d rather us come to an agreement to avoid a future dispute. You and I have no problems. You took in my daughter when no one else would.”

“Your daughter and I are not on good terms. She’s been keeping things from me.”

There was a deep laugh over the comm device.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, I’d expect nothing less from Lindy. She’s always been one to hold stuff back. Her mother was the same way. But we’re going off topic. My offer is only good for so long. I’m sure Attia will be at your doors soon.”

As if he needed the reminder.

“How soon can your Reapers get here?”

“There is the subway entrance at Central. Should put them two blocks away. If they leave now, they can be there in twenty. The girl will not like the journey. My Reapers are a little rough, and though they listen to my son, they tend to still do as they please. The results will still be the same. You’ll have the upper hand. I doubt Attia will want to battle with my Reapers. Do we have a deal?”

Diamond looked to Phyr, who shook his head, but there was no other way. The Reapers would be a huge advantage. If Nadya’s sister were with Attia and the others, he’d take her instead of Nadya. One was better than none at all.

“We have a deal.”

Nadya was shocked.

Hell, she was struck dumb when Dasan returned with the news. She was being released.
Someone is looking out for you.
That was obvious. How had Diamond secured her release? That was the least of her worries. She was told she’d be traveling with Fursay and a group of Reapers meant for her protection. Today was all kinds of fucked up. Fursay was just as tall as his father, if not taller. He had an odd color about him, and his eyes weren’t pink, but rather a strange brown and yellow mixture in one eye, and completely colorless in the other. She would have asked if he was blind, but she could tell he wasn’t by the way he zeroed in on her face.

He was dressed to go topside. Another oddity, as most Sub-dwellers preferred to remain below. Lindy was the only exception she knew of. Fursay’s pants were brown leather, molded tightly to his thighs. His shirt was made of some sort of metal with very tiny holes. Over the top of his shirt, he wore a vest that held at least six daggers, and carried a long wooden staff with three metal hooks sticking out of its ends.

“Here, you can have these back.”

Fursay gave her the weapons they’d taken from her. With her hair shorter, she had to admit, carrying the extra gear was not an issue. She felt lighter, more agile. Nadya pulled her hair into a tight ponytail. Fursay gave her a wrap made of black metal she used to cover half her face. They walked down a tunnel moist with water and reeking with the smell of rotting flesh.

“The Reapers will follow my orders, but you still need to remain close. I don’t want any of them mistaking you for a snack. Or as theirs. Watch for their urine. They like to spray it when they feel like mating. If they spray you, there is nothing I can do.”

Great.

Horny Reapers.

That was all she needed.

“Got it. Steer clear of Reaper piss and stick by your side. Anything else?”

“Don’t try and escape or I’ll toss this on you, and then you’re dead either way.”

Fursay held up a vial containing some kind of liquid.

“What is that?”

“Reaper seed. If there is even a drop of this on you, it will turn them into mindless beasts. They will attack, rape, and then devour. Father used this once on one of the mothers. It wasn’t pretty.”

Dasan was a sadistic bastard. No matter how calm his voice sounded, his eyes would never lie. She and Fursay came to an opening, and all around them, perched on rocks or hanging above, were Reapers. Their eyeless heads turned in awkward poses, their mouths dripping saliva. Fursay said something she didn’t understand, and the group of them got into a line and began to follow them out of the tunnel.

Nadya made sure to stay as close to Fursay as she could. Never directly behind him, and never ahead of him, but she kept pace with him. Even when the tunnel became smaller to where they had to sandwich themselves together and walk sideways. Fursay was okay with it, if the soft rumbling from his chest were anything to go by. The sound sounded almost like a purr. A strange scent wafted into her nostrils. He was throwing it out heavily, making her head hurt.

They came to a larger opening, and Fursay took hold of her hand. “Stay with me. This part is tricky. The echo in here will set them off. We’re getting closer to Central.”

Nadya nodded her head. Fursay’s hand tightened around hers. Nadya didn’t try to pull away. It was probably more for her benefit than his. The Reapers behind them were getting agitated.

There was light ahead, and she blinked until her eyes adjusted. They were in an inline double tunnel. Like the ones in the abandoned subway yard by the marshes. The Reapers were going crazy as the sounds from above echoed through the tunnels. They were literally climbing the walls. Their claws scraping against the concrete as they scurried behind them. Some were on the ceilings as they made their way to a platform that was marked Grand Central.

The ceramic tiles on the walls were cracked from vegetation growth. The deadly vines and moss graced the walls, but it didn’t seem to bother the Reapers as they continued moving forward. Fursay lifted her onto the platform and was quick to hop up himself. He said something else to the Reapers, and they followed.

“My father said we are to meet Diamond and his men at the Quarry. Should we have interference with Attia and her group on our way, we are to engage. I am going to assume by the weapons you came in with that you’re able to defend yourself?”

Nadya gave a sharp nod. She could do more than defend herself. If she had her chance, she’d get to Anna and her daughter. No matter the cost. She’d walked into the Quarry hoping to make a deal. Walked through the Red Door with the intention of carrying out her plans. She’d been told of its perils and gone in search of
him
anyway. Her steps faltered. The wayward thought so clear and the memory so vivid, she was able to hold on to it. She’d come to the city looking for her father. That much she remembered. She even remembered thinking she’d finally found him when she’d been attacked.
But by whom?
Another memory of a man standing over her wearing a mask made of bones surfaced. He’d stabbed her, broken her ribs, and called her weak.

Her memories were coming back so fast, Nadya almost stumbled. Her name, her
real
name floated through her mind. It wasn’t Nadya. It was Nadeastroya. And that really wasn’t her name either, but rather what her tribe called her, in her people’s language. Na Daestroya. The Destroyer. She was the destroyer. Nadya smiled. She remembered.

She remembered everything.

V

It was like someone had turned on the faucet, allowing heavy amounts of information to flow through. Every single memory she had was at her disposal. With that, her emotions were flipped. All the pieces were lining up in her head.

Why she'd come to the city in the first place.

Her reason for killing Bolanger.

He'd been the catalyst for her departure. Then there was her battle with the guards at the gate when she’d first arrived, followed by her subsequent capture when she’d been caught during her scouting missions to the Towers. Not her fault, of course. Although, there could easily be a good case against her judgment of others. She’d gotten into all the Towers except one. The Quarry. She’d scouted each one thoroughly, blended into the masses, making it easier to infiltrate their ranks. Her capture at the Quarry was what had led to her memory loss. It all made sense now. Even Anna had played a part. Her betrayal elaborate. Nadya’s only real question to herself now was: what role did she play? Her goals were all different now. Emotional baggage be damned. Her second visit to the Quarry was for Anna and her daughter, she’d gotten inside, catalogued what she could, but her direction was clear now. Diamond was an obsolete piece to the elaborate puzzle that was now falling into place. She’d seen the Grid on the wall, studied it, taken it to memory. He’d had it out in plain sight as a piece of art.