Sovereign by Celia Aaron

“Acquisitions, head into the fort, turn left, and go down the stairs. An attendant is waiting for you. The three of you lucky Acquirers will stay with me. I have a real treat for you.” He rubbed his hands together, the machinery in his conniving mind clicking and scraping. “Go on.” He jerked his chin toward the door.
    Sin gave me one last look, his eyes saying nothing, but I still felt the warmth of his fingers on mine. I followed the crowd through the wooden doors into the fort. They turned right and climbed the curving stairs as Gavin, Brianne, and I turned left and descended. The air was dank, the rain running down the walls and feeding the moss. Naked light bulbs hung in a string along the curving ceiling, and my boots squeaked on the slippery stairs.
    Foreboding rose inside me with each step, but I kept going. When we reached the landing, two attendants waited for us. I recognized one of them from the Christmas trial. Mr. Tablet, the one I’d embarrassed in front of Lucius. He didn’t have a tablet for me to destroy this time, though he wore the same sense of smug satisfaction.
    Gauging by the smirk on his almost-purple lips, he recognized me, too. “Right this way.”
    I reached for Gavin’s hand. He took it as we marched around behind Mr. Tablet, the curving wall obscuring the way ahead of us.
    “We’ll get through it,” Gavin whispered.
    I glanced to Brianne. “Are you okay?”
    She didn’t respond, only darted her eyes up and then back down. She reminded me of a wild animal that had been caught in a trap. One that would gnaw its own leg off just to be free.
    “I need to talk to Stella.” Dylan’s voice cut through the damp air. He leaned inside a dark alcove along the interior wall.
    Mr. Tablet stopped our march. Gavin gripped my hand tighter.
    “I don’t believe we have time. The trial is about to—”
    “I didn’t ask.” Dylan rose to his full height and stepped into the light. He was imposing, a brute with a malicious glint in his eye. “Take the rest of them. She’ll be along shortly. Stella, come here.” He gave a little smile after the command, as if the power he wielded was some sort of shiny new toy.
    I didn’t know what his game was, but I knew I didn’t want to be alone with him. I edged closer to Gavin.
    “I’ll come over there and get you. Is that what you want?” Dylan stepped toward us.
    “Back the fuck off.” Gavin moved in front of me.
    “This is going to be fun.” Dylan swung his arms over his head, stretching. “Let’s go, big guy.”
    “Wait.” I stepped around Gavin. He was strong, but Dylan was a wall of muscle and spite. Gavin wouldn’t stand a chance. “I’ll talk to him. Just go.”
    “No.” Gavin gripped my elbow. “You don’t have to.”
    “I’ll be fine. I’ll catch up.” I disentangled my arm and walked to Dylan, despite the instinctive desire to run as far from him as I could.
    Dylan nodded. “That’s right. She’ll be just fine with me. Go.”
    I glanced back to Gavin, his lips pinched and his brows drawn in concern. Then he glared at Dylan. “If you hurt her—”
    “You’ll what?” Dylan grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back into the shadowy alcove. “Fuck off.”
    Mr. Tablet pulled a black baton—the same one from the Christmas trial—from his belt. “Come on.”
    Gavin took another step toward Dylan and me. I shook my head. “I’m fine. Please go.”
    “I won’t tell you again.” Mr. Tablet held the baton at the ready.
    “If he hurts you, yell. I’ll come. I don’t care about the consequences.” Gavin said the last sentence to Mr. Tablet.
    Satisfied he’d won, Mr. Tablet turned and led Brianne and Gavin away.
    “Why is it so hard to get to you these days?” Dylan kept one arm around my waist and ran his fingers through my hair. “I couldn’t get you at Christmas, though I was so close. And now I still have to fight just for some alone time with my sis.”
    I tried to push away from him, but he was