Page 47 of Savage Throne
Alright. Focus. You knew these were going to give you trouble.
I missed the first one.
Goddamn it. Stop fucking up!
I closed my eyes and steadied my breath.
Leo kept his voice low. “Keep your head in the game, no matter what you see.”
My bottom lip quivered. “Why is there red liquid dripping down the targets?”
“Do you have the time to hear that answer?”
“Maybe I should make the time.”
“Then, you will lose the opportunity to check on Lei and your sisters. Are they truly okay? Couldn’t a call from you be powerful for them tonight?”
My hands shook.
“Tick tock, Monique.”
I aimed at the target.
The sight blurred as tears welled in my eyes.
I fired.
The bullet hit just below the point.
Still, I watched in horror as red liquid trickled from the hole I had created.
No.
It was blood.
I was sure of it now.
I have to. . .do this. . .right? I need to call Lei. Not just for him, but. . .m-me.
I told myself that it had to be an illusion. There was no way it could be anything else.
In fact, my mind wouldn’t accept another option.
I shot again.
The bullet slammed into the target and the wood jerked violently under the impact.
Leo's voice came again, smooth as ever. “Keep it up, Monique. You're doing so well.”
His words didn't reassure me at all.
In fact, they made my unease grow stronger. There was a twisted excitement in his voice that sent a shiver down my back.
I was now pretty sure that the reasoning for why those targets were dripping red was also the third purpose of why he wanted me to play the game.
The ninth target went down easily.
At this point, I was barely aware of my own actions.
