Chapter 8

Riley’s pov

The fight began, and everyone watched closely—especially Theo, whose eyes were locked on me the whole time.

So I really had to fight this bitch?

“Prepare to die,” Kika said coldly, making the crowd cheer for her. I rolled my eyes slightly. They were all waiting for her to kill me, but I didn’t spend years training with my uncle just to die here.

I stood my ground, waiting for her to make the first move. She didn’t hesitate. Kika ran straight at me.

“Die!” she screamed, jumping up and swinging her pixel blade down in a flash of light.

I dodged just in time.

“Woah!”

“That bitch can dodge!”

“She won’t be able to dodge Kika for long,” I heard people whispering as they watched.

Kika kept attacking, and I kept weaving around her strikes. But then she spun and landed a hard roundhouse kick to my side, sending me crashing to the ground.

Pain shot through me as I hit the floor. I heard a cold chuckle and turned my head—Theo.

“How pathetic,” he said loudly, and the room burst into laughter—except for Lucas, who stood still with no emotion on his face.

“Get up and fight, loser!” Kika yelled, banging her pixel blades together like she was ready to finish me off.

I looked down at the strap on my tight leather jumpsuit. A gun and a knife were attached. I quickly grabbed the gun and pointed it at Kika, making her smirk.

Why the hell was she smirking? I could blow her brains out right now.

But no one in the room looked fazed by it. Not even a flinch.

What’s wrong with me? Why am I letting this happen? I should be able to take her down.

“Use your weapon wisely, Riley,” I heard Lucas say. I turned to look at him—but in that split second, Kika charged at me.

I panicked and emptied the whole magazine at her, bullet after bullet flying through the air—but to my horror, she dodged every single one, even swatting a few away with her pixel blade.

Oh my freaking God.

Click. The gun stopped firing. I was out of bullets.

I threw the gun to the ground and bolted, running around the corner of the room. The girls backed away as I dashed past them, with Kika still hot on my heels.

“Die, bitch!”

“Slit her throat!”

“You can’t run from Kika!”

“Give up now!”

Their voices rang out from every corner. It was chaos—pure madness. I knew I looked pathetic, but I didn’t care.

I just wanted to stay alive.

Kika finally caught up to me and kicked my leg, sending me crashing to the ground. I groaned in pain as my body hit the floor hard. She was about to strike when Lucas spoke up.

“Let her get up first,” he said firmly, making Kika pause.

But his words caused the girls to whine in protest.

“Don’t interfere in the match,” Theo snapped, turning to Lucas with a frown.

“Come on, brother, it’s a fight to the death,” Armani added, sounding amused.

“Give her a break, okay?” Lucas said, his voice filled with anger.

Theo glanced in our direction and coldly ordered, “Continue.”

Without hesitation, Kika jumped on me and started punching my face over and over. “Stop,” I muttered weakly, but she didn’t stop. The hits were so brutal, everything started spinning—I was seeing double.

“Stop this, Theo! She’s going to pass out!” I heard Lucas shout desperately, his voice full of panic. But Theo didn’t seem to care.

Kika suddenly pulled out her pocket knife and slashed my right arm, making me scream in agony.

“Finish her!” Theo shouted.

Kika smirked and slowly got off me, ready to deliver the final blow.

“No, don’t you dare!” I heard Lucas shout, but Kika wasn’t listening. She picked up her pixel blade and walked slowly toward me.

“I swear, if you touch her—” Lucas yelled, stepping forward, but Theo held him back.

“Get him out of here,” Theo ordered.

A group of guards started moving toward Lucas. “If any of you touch me, I swear I’ll rip your heads off!” Lucas threatened, his voice full of rage.

“I’m sorry, Master Lucas, but this is how we’ve always done things,” Serial said quietly.

“You shut your mouth right now, bitch!” Lucas shouted at her.

“Do it now!” Theo yelled, ignoring Lucas’s desperate cries.

I turned my head slowly and saw Kika still coming toward me, her blade in hand. Lucas was still yelling, struggling as Theo held him back.

Then I looked down at the blood on my arm—and everything stopped.

Suddenly, I was back where it all started. Voices echoed in my head—my mother screaming, my father begging for our lives.

The pain. The fear. The fire.

I could see their burnt bodies.

It all came rushing back.

My parents getting shot in front of me.

My mother’s blood splashing onto my face.

The pain. The anger. The helplessness.

I thought I was going to die that night.

But I didn’t.

And I won’t die now.

Not when the people who killed my parents still walk free.

My eyes slowly opened. Chaos surrounded me. Theo was still holding Lucas back. Kika was already in front of me, her blade raised, ready to strike.

But before she could stab me—

I moved.

I rose from the ground with speed that startled even me. Kika froze in confusion, and that moment was all I needed.

I moved just like Uncle taught me—targeting her vital spots with fast, precise hits that would paralyze her for a few minutes. She gasped as her body locked up. Then I spun and delivered a roundhouse kick straight to her side.

Crack.

She flew back, collapsing to the ground as blood gushed from her mouth.

“Oh…”

“My…”

“God…”

Gasps rippled through the room. Eyes wide. Mouths open. Even Theo was stunned, still holding onto Lucas—but no longer saying a word.

Kika lay there. Out cold.

I was still standing.

And I wasn’t done yet.