THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

the treaty is lack of knowledge of this heinous act.”  Callan worked through the logic in his mind. “What about a beast that belongs to SEOH?”  If I’d studied with Jornn back when he went through government training I’d know the terms of the treaty better.
    “I assume you don’t mean sentient beasts, which were outlawed long ago and would still cause a TeK death if SEOH directed the animal to kill a MystiK child. Even SEOH wouldn’t risk the death penalty that possessing one of those beasts carries.”
    “No, I mean what about a regular living animal?”
    “If a TeK owns a living creature who attacks a MystiK who then dies, but the TeK did not train the animal to kill, that would be considered an accident, leaving TeK children safe.”
    “You think that’s true even of things in here like croggles?”  Callan started understanding where Mathias was going with his train of thought and put the blunt end of his spear on the ground.
    A bit winded, Mathias lowered his spear as well. “SEOH did put the croggles and other deadly elements retrieved from planetary exploration into this Sphere, but those creatures are naturally hostile. SEOH isn’t directing the plants, animals or the poisoned liquids. So as long as we die here, killed by natural events, he’s found a way around the treaty language.”
    Callan’s skin chilled at the possibility of what Mathias was saying. SEOH could capture thousands of children, ship them here to die, and get away with murder.
    Again.
    Footsteps approached at a fast clip from down the hall, then Etoi rushed into the room without requesting entrance, as always. “There’s a corruption in the fog barrier.”
    Mathias frowned. “That might only be the atmospheric change we experienced a couple of months ago.”
    Callan snatched up his spear. “Or it might be something more significant.” 
    Any change to the fog compromised the safety of the village. He ran out with Mathias and Etoi close behind.
     

CHAPTER 15
     
    I didn’t like it, but I had to finally admit I had no idea how to escape this place. The isolation unit we were stuck in was some kind of hut made of bright green reeds that vibrated with a low-level hum. Every time I approached the sides of the chamber, the reeds increased their vibration, which didn’t reassure me.
    But I kept that to myself.
    I had failed Gabby and Tony. Where was that power in my chest when I needed it?
    “That bitch blondie, wants to kill me,” Tony said as he paced ten steps across and back, for the umpteenth time.
    “You mean the one with the white-blonde hair?”
    “Yeah, that one.” Tony flapped his hand at me. “Point is we’ve gotta escape.”
    “Keep your voice down, would you?” I’d been trying to ignore him since we’d been thrust into this stagnant room that had a minty sweet smell.
    That should be a refreshing scent, but it wasn’t. Or maybe I was just suspicious of everything from flowers to children.
    And why shouldn’t I be? I was trapped in a hut constructed of a plant that I should be able to rip to shreds given what I’d done to that killer vine earlier. But my energy had abandoned me when we needed it most. The power humming in these walls keyed my senses that any attack might have deadly consequences. No mercy anywhere in this place. When Callan marched us here, not an ounce of sympathy had flickered in his eyes. He’d lifted his hand and an opening had appeared just long enough for me, Gabby and Tony to walk through, then the doorway disappeared.
    No windows, no door.
    No clue how to get free, or help Gabby.
    I walked over to where she sat cross-legged, huddled in the center of the floor, her teeth clenched in pain. She rocked back and forth, cupping first one wrist then the other in her lap. Sweat beaded across her forehead.
    “Any better?” I asked, concerned about the deepening raw welts ringing her wrists. Red streaks had started running up her arms in jagged lines that indicated infection. Had it started earlier, when I’d noticed pink on her wrists after the killer flower had strapped her wrist to Tony? Or had the dull-red vines used for constraint done this? 
    “I don’t think I can use ‘better’ to describe the pain.” Gabby spoke between her chattering teeth and tried to grit out a smile. “More like somewhere between having your appendix cut out without anesthesia and being burned to death.”
    All of our wrists were unbound now. My wrists and Tony’s showed no skin