Maya leaned forward. “But there are many monebi in the left section of this place. Why would he give you to him? You are the High Mona.”
I rubbed my hand over my forehead. “I don’t know.”
Maya lost her questioning gaze, then placed her hand on my bare arm. When I felt her watching me, I looked her way. “Was it okay, miss? Did … did he hurt you?”
Feeling my cheeks blushing, I shook my head. “No. No,” I repeated, “he didn’t hurt me.”
Maya nodded, then said, “Some of the monebi I have cared for, they have been hurt by the fighters.” She leaned even closer and whispered, “The males are given a drug that sometimes makes them uncontrollable and rough. They lose their minds and only know how to fight and hurt people—including the monebi who are sent in to help calm them down.”
I thought back to 901. I knew he was nothing like that. In fact, he did not seem to be under a drug’s influence at all. “I don’t think this fighter was on anything like that.”
Maya nodded. “Some are on lesser doses if they are compliant. They are given something to make them aggressive and short-tempered, but if they have been here for years, they are accustomed to how we live.”
I soaked in every word, then asked, “How do you know so much, Maya? You are so young?”
Maya flinched, her face contorting at something I had said. “What?” I questioned, and reached for her hand. Her head bowed, avoiding my gaze. “Maya?” I pushed again. She flinched. When she lifted her head, I saw tears fill her eyes. “What is it?”
“You called me by my name,” she hushed out in response.
My stomach plummeted. Squeezing her hand, I said, “Maya is your name.”
Maya shook her head. “No, I’m chiri, I’m a 000. I lost my name when I lost my face. It melted away the same time the acid melted my flesh.”
This time I leaned forward and ducked my eyes until I held her attention. “In this room, you are Maya.” I inhaled slowly through my nose, and the words, “You are someone. You’re more than a number,” spilled from my lips. I suddenly sat up straight when I abruptly pictured a dark cell in my mind, a rough hand brushing over my face to move away sweat-ridden strands of hair. I couldn’t see him, but I heard his voice tell me those exact words. You are someone. You’re more than a number …
“Miss?” Maya questioned worriedly.
I forced a smile and said, “To me, you are Maya.”
A teardrop trickled down her cheek and she whispered, “Thank you.”
I waited until she had found some composure, and repeated my question. “Maya, how do you know so much about what happens in this place?” I rubbed my fingers over my forehead and said, “From what I know, I have spent most of my life here, yet I remember almost nothing. I can barely recall being trained to be a mona.” I turned to face her and said, “Please, explain everything to me. How does this place function?”
Maya said nothing for several moments. I thought she could not tell me, but eventually she spoke. “Miss, when you are a chiri, you are nothing to Master and the Wraiths.” She shrugged. “That is both a blessing and a curse. It takes awhile to be ignored like you don’t even exist. But in this place, I have discovered that it may be the best thing of all. I can walk freely, without suspicion. I also see parts of this Blood Pit that no one else gets to, and hear conversations that others would never hear.” A flicker of a smile pulled on her lips, and she said, “I know a lot about this place because I am a no one.”
“Maya,” I whispered in sympathy.
“The monebi are housed in a section of the pit.” Her eyes dropped, then she confessed nervously, “I have asked some of the older chiri about you. They remember you, miss. They were here when you were trained. Some even assisted you when you were used as a guard’s mona.”
I blanched at that news. “I wasn’t given to the fighters?”
Maya shook her head. “No, miss.” She lowered her voice and said, “Master Arziani had a sister. He sent her away because she was a hindrance to him here in the pit. But the Mistress was part of the drug program. She and her lover helped develop the drugs everyone in this place is given.” Maya swallowed and continued, “She was the one that brought you in as a child. You were part of her personal section. You were used solely for her guards.” Maya shrugged. “I don’t know much else, miss. But I am trying to find out for you. I promise.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to remember anything about that time. Flashes of that dark room, me and someone else hiding under a bed came to mind. I remembered high walls and being led down some steps. And I remembered …
“I waved,” I whispered, and tried to push my mind to remember more.
“Miss?”
Looking up, the hazy vision fading, I repeated, “I was young, I was taken from something I loved with my entire heart … and I waved. I remember waving.”
A crack felt like it broke across my heart. I felt overcome with emotion. I placed my hand over my chest as if to stop the pain throbbing inside.
“Someone you loved?” she questioned. Feeling the ache build in pressure in my head, I said, “I don’t know.”
Maya handed me the glass of water and I drained the liquid, feeling better when I did. I sat back in my chair, completely exhausted.
Maya clearly saw this and took hold of my hand. She stood up. “Come, miss. You need to rest.”
I let her lead me to the bed, where I climbed in. As soon as my head hit the soft pillow, I drifted off to sleep. The last thing I saw in my mind was a female towering over a boy as I looked back and waved. Beating him, causing him pain as the boy tried to reach me.
A female I knew I recognized.
A female that looked not too dissimilar to Master.
*