AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The Prize Pool was a place of mixed emotions for me.
It represented freedom in small doses, a fleeting moment to be away from the drudgery of prison life.
Today was no exception as I waited, counting each minute that passed, each heartbeat echoing in my chest.
Ashale would be here soon, I assured myself.
Every so often, the cool brush of the wind would tousle my hair and offer a brief respite from the oppressive heat of the prison.
The atmosphere in the Prize Pool was a mix of anxiety and anticipation.
Whispers passed between the Prizes, but I paid them no heed.
My eyes, ears, and entire being were fixated on the upcoming moment:
Ashale’s victory and the ritual of him Claiming me once again.
But as time dragged on, the familiar rush of victory, the familiar figure striding up to Claim me, never materialized.
Seconds turned into minutes, and my anticipation shifted to concern.
I strained my ears, attempting to discern any familiar voice from the cacophony below.
At first, I thought I had missed him, perhaps distracted by another Prize or a fleeting thought.
So, I made my way to the window, my hands slightly trembling.
Peering down, the pit was a mosaic of movement and color, but Ashale was conspicuously absent.
The vastness of the area was disorienting.
Sounds of fights and distant cheering merged into a dissonant symphony.
My skin tingled with unease.
I could feel the curious gazes of the other Prizes upon me, sensing my anxiety.
I tried to reach out to ask if anyone had seen Ashale.
I moved to the next window, desperately scanning for any sign of Ashale.
The smooth glass pane felt cool under my fingertips.
“Have any of you seen Ashale?” I called out, attempting to catch the attention of a neighboring Prize.
The female, adorned in silken fabrics, merely cast me a dismissive glance before returning to her own world of worries.
Undeterred, I approached one of the guards.
His armor was cold and unyielding, nothing like the warmth of Ashale’s embrace I was so used to.
“Where is Ashale?” I asked, my voice tinged with desperation.
But the guard merely smirked, savoring my distress like a rich wine, and turned away without a word.
Tension tightened around me like a vice grip.
My senses were awash with the overwhelming stimuli of the Prize Pool.
