Free Cold Mark by Scarlett Dawn Page B

finally found the stinking place. It rested in the middle of a barren field on the far west side of the city. There was only dark brown dirt surrounding the facility—presumably for individuals to park their vehicles if the tire tracks were any indication. Though 'facility' may be too grand a word for this place.
    The Crank Pit was much like its namesake—a pit.
    It was an enormous, brown, mud coated circular tent, with wooden planks as bleachers that circled a sunken fighting area. There was only one way in for the Mian—the entrance was also the exit—where the bleachers were split for a large walkway in and out of the structure.
    Luckily, I wasn't Mian.
    The brown tent was flush against the back of highest bleachers. Beneath where the Mian would sit, I waited in hiding to watch. Under the bleachers, the ground was a mixture of dirt and sand; the closer you moved to the pit, the more sand you had to endure.
    I grunted in the subdued light, the sun barely visible through the dark tent, as I moved from a crouch to a belly crawl and made my way closer to the edge. The cool sand that had dried blood mixed throughout it—obviously kicked up from the fighting are—wasn't the easiest to move on, and my continual griping was the only sound heard. No one was awake yet in Vlymun so I could make as much noise as I wished. If the late night city chatter I had overheard was correct, the Plumas' prize Human—I knew it had to be Jax—would be fighting tonight.
    Apparently, it wasn't Jax's first battle in this pit.
    The way the Mian had spoken, it had almost sounded like they viewed him as a god in the ring.
    That was a good thing. A very good thing.
    If the Mian adored him as much as they seemed to, they would be treating him well.
    I had no fear of him being hurt by one single Mian in a sparring match—even if it was to the death. Jax was that good. My main worry was that I wouldn't be able to track him after he was removed from the Crank Pit and still keep myself from being caught. It would be tricky in the dark of night, but I had to try. If I could free him, we might be able to live together on Triaz without being caught, now that I knew this mysterious land better.
    He and I were of the day.
    While the Mian were of the night.
    The Mian's weakness to light had worked to my advantage.
    Finally comfortable, with a clear view of the pit through the lowest bleachers, I rolled to my side so I could reach the pockets of my cloak. I pulled out the fresh meat I had pinched from the deli only an hour ago. From my other pocket, I extracted the 'borrowed' pain relievers. I quickly popped three pills into my mouth and frowned. It was the last of them. I would have to steal more.
    Tossing the empty bottle aside, I started munching on the meat. The sun was still high in the sky, so I knew I would have time for a long nap before the festivities began. After the walk here, I was exhausted. I quickly devoured my meal, pulled my hood down far over my eyes, and settled down for a few winks of shut-eye.

I gasped quietly when I was bumped from the back. My eyes flew open, and I barely resisted the urge to scream. With my blood boiling hot, and my palms instantly damp, I clamped my mouth shut and held perfectly still.
    Voices surrounded me.
    Deep timbres—masculine and adult—were coming from above on the bleachers ... but children's prattling was on either side of me. I bit my lip in frustration—no longer in fear—as I suddenly realized that my hiding spot was not just my hiding spot. By the sound of it, children were all over down here, but with hushed voices as to not alert the adults above. They must have slipped in under the tent's edge as I had done.
    Dammit . I had been more tired than I thought ... not to mention warm. The Mian kids surrounding me were like mini heaters, and I had spent too long being chilled living in the sewers. I hadn't slept this well since ... Joyal.
    Not allowing the memories of home to invade too deeply, I