Free Token (Token Chronicles) by Ryan Gressett Page A

looked severely beaten.”
    She walks over and delicately caresses my face around my broken nose and says, “These actions are not tolerated by our Ambassadors. You are a highly touted Token. For goodness sakes, both of the offers for you were more than we have ever been offered for a Token in the history of this program,” she says with jubilation.
    Although she seems sincere, I still proceed guardedly. I raise my hand asking for permission to speak but she pulls my hand back down and says, “Don’t be ridiculous. Speak. Say whatever you want.”
    I almost feel like she is sucking up to me now, but I gladly take her up on her offer.
    “My friends,” I raspily blurt out. All the screaming has apparently taken my voice away, but I try to continue. “Are they okay? Are they alive?” I ask.
    She gives me a soft assuring look and says, “Yes, they are all fine. Hadley, Benja, Nayze, Yency, all of them.”
    I automatically exhale in relief. But, wait, if they are all alive, whose fresh blood is puddled on the floor? Is she lying to me? She must sense I do not believe her because I am sure the white above my eyes is giving away my tepidness.
    She grabs my hand, looks me directly in my eyes and says, “Don’t worry about the Ambassador or his threats, he will never be a problem for Island 3 again.”
    Then, I realize what she is saying. He won’t be a problem for me or this Island again because it was his fresh blood pooled on the floor. The shot I heard was not meant for one of my friends, but for him. Ambassador Tarik is dead. She must realize I have understood what she meant.
    “Ambassador Tarik has been here too long. He thought he was above his rank. He thought this Island belonged to him, and he was the supreme ruler. But he had forgotten the reason this program was founded by our Grodarian ruler. To bring wealth and prosperity to our Federation, and praise to Cromus. His goal was to bring in the most profits for every prospect, not question motives for why one of the Elitists may want you. Besides, you are just so handsome, what was so hard to believe,” she says surprisingly believable. “But we expect you to hold up your end of the bargain, it is your duty. After all, we have provided for you with nourishment and training for your body, while children back in Knav suffer and wither away. We expect you to be grateful and proudly serve us in return for all that we have done for you.”
    She looks at me and seems to remember I am badly disfigured at the moment and says, “I understand the torment you must have suffered, but it was never supposed to happen. It is not the way I control these Islands. I will make this right. Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?” she asks.
    This is my chance. My opportunity to find out where Hadley is. I can barely contain myself when I ask, “Where was Hadley sold to? I must know.”
    She says with deep regret hinted in her voice, “Unfortunately, it is not even within my power to disclose such information to you.”
    I am crushed. The ruler of all nine Hawk Islands won’t even tell me where she is. I am already racing to think of some other way to find her, but she stops my mind when she interjects with one more notion.
    “What I can tell you, however, is the same Elitist who bought her, made one of the original offers for you too.” My eyes light up, but she continues before I get my hopes up and can ask anything else. “But, there have been more than the two original offers. This is the reason I felt necessary to come down here myself to put a stop to Tarik. You have drawn more interest than any other Token we have ever auctioned. Whether the other Elitists found out about the other two high offers and are acting out of jealousy or just trying to spite the other, the offers have exploded.”
    I cannot think of anything to say. I do not understand why there is so much interest in me. It makes absolutely no sense. But I begin to think maybe I am beginning