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Barely surviving
Last Updated:
2025-04-16 21:49:35
Latest chapter
The Mate Games Goodnight, Gray
ALTHEAI don’t say a word.I just turn around and walk back the way I came, heart pounding so hard I’m sure it echoes down the halls. My throat feels tight. Like someone stuffed cotton down it. I don’t react. I don’t get angry. I just walk.When I get back to the common room, Elise and Marcy are still working on their embroidery. I don’t mention what I saw. I sit with them. I thread my needle and make small, shaky stitches. Golden vines on a pale blue napkin. It looks nothing like what it’s supposed to, but I keep going.We work in silence, then soft conversation, then silence again. The hours stretch. The fire dies down. At some point, Elise yawns and rubs her eyes.“We should sleep,” she says.“Yeah,” Marcy agrees, folding her cloth.I nod. My legs ache when I stand.We all wish each other good night and slip into our rooms. Mine feels colder than before. Maybe because I’m noticing it more now. I change into a fresh nightgown and crawl under the blankets. I pull them up to my chin a
The Mate Games Something darker
ALTHEAI can’t sit still.My bare feet pace the soft rug, back and forth, back and forth, until I’m sure I’ve worn a line through it. I should lie down. Rest. Maybe change into something warmer. But my body won’t listen. Every time I close my eyes, I hear the sirens again. I see the shadows curling in the halls. I feel that awful twist in my chest, the kind that screams that something is wrong.I wrap my robe tighter and move to the window, pressing my fingers to the cold glass. The sky is still dark, but the fires have gone out. There’s no more smoke. No screams. Just silence.Too much silence.I haven’t seen Aaron since he led me toward the safe room. Since he said those strange words about the rebels, not being his people. I need to talk to him. I need to understand what happened, and why it felt like the world was ending last night.Where is he?A knock at the door jolts me. My head snaps toward it, heart pounding.Then it opens—“Miss Althea?”I gasp and rush forward as soon as I
The Mate Games Varya’s diary entry Two
Many decades ago…It’s been days since I was saved from Luca. I still can’t believe it happened. One second I was in that dark alley behind the bar, struggling against his disgusting hands and slurred threats, and the next… he was gone. The stranger had come out of nowhere—tall, quiet, with eyes so dark they didn’t even reflect light. He didn’t say a word. Just grabbed Luca, slammed him against the wall like he weighed nothing, and then… vanished. Like a shadow.I didn’t get to thank him. I didn’t even get his name.Luca hasn’t come back to work since. I’m not surprised. Part of me wonders if he’s hiding out of fear or shame. The other part of me doesn’t care. I’m just relieved he’s gone. I thought maybe now, I could go back to pretending I’m invisible again. Go back to my quiet life—work, home, sleep, repeat.But of course, life never stays quiet for long.Today started out normal. I woke up before the sun rose, swept the floors, fed the shop cats, and opened the bakery on time. Mrs.
The Mate Games They’re both gone
ALTHEAThe stairs are cold under my feet. I clutch my robe tight to my chest, too dizzy to put it on properly. I almost throw it over my head anyway, but something tells me I’ll trip if I try that now. Not with how shaky my legs feel. Not with the way my heart is pounding like it’s trying to tear itself out of my ribs.I keep going, one step at a time. The cold air bites at my skin, and my throat is still dry. But as the soft golden glow of the safe room comes into view, I finally feel a little steadier. My feet move faster. I take the last step in a small leap.That’s when I see him.Asher.He’s standing tall, easy to spot among the guards who hover close to the open safe room door. Even now, his shirt is neatly tucked into his suit pants, though his sleeves are pushed back slightly, and his collar is undone. His hair’s a little messy, probably from running. But somehow, he still looks calm. Strong.“Am I the last?” I ask, dragging my robe on properly as I walk toward him.His eyes f
The Mate Games The siren
ALTHEAIt takes two hours to read through the packet. Another full hour just to digest everything it says. My head hurts by the end of it, and I’m not even halfway through making a plan. There are so many rules. So many little things to remember, details to think about, decisions to make.Lady Ivanna said she’d be around to help if we need her. But something about the way she said it makes me think asking questions might make her think we’re not good enough to handle it ourselves. So, I won’t be asking.We’re on our own.One of the first problems is the flowers. We can’t use black flowers, they’re considered ominous. Red flowers are off-limits too because they mean secrecy. Green ones are a no because they’re linked to envy. That alone cuts out half the ideas I had in my head.The wine has to be imported. The food needs to be luxurious. Here, luxury isn’t considered showing off, it’s expected. A statement. If it isn’t good enough, the guests might leave unimpressed. And that could rui
The Mate Games Visitors
ALTHEAMy maids are the best. I honestly don’t know how far I’d have come without them. They always know what to do, even when I don’t say a word. Today, they don’t ask about the dark circles under my eyes. They just work quietly, helping me get ready, smoothing down my dress, braiding my hair, dabbing something cold under my eyes. I’m grateful they don’t ask questions. I wouldn’t know what to say, anyway.I stayed up late again last night, reading Varya’s diary. Every page felt like peeling away another layer of who she used to be. But even after hours of reading, I still feel like I don’t truly know her. She was careful. She left hints, but no answers. Just more questions.I walk toward the Women’s Room slowly, already tired. My body feels heavy, like I didn’t sleep at all. Maybe because I didn’t. My steps echo softly as I move down the corridor, mentally preparing for another long day. A day of tea and books. A day of pretending everything is normal when deep down, all I want is to
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