I nodded and ran. Racing out of the tunnel, I pushed my legs as fast as they would go and followed the directions Maya had told Valentin last night. Valentin remembered everything, including the way to moy prekrasnyy.
Descending the steps that led to the lower basement, I then rounded the corner, sprinting down the narrow hallway. I arrived at a metal door and without pause kicked it wide open.
My stomach dropped at the sight that greeted me. Inessa was tied up by ropes, her pale skin dripping with blood. Maya was holding her up, the young female easing Inessa’s pain.
Hearing me at the door, Maya looked up. Her eyes immediately filled with tears and she said, “She is losing consciousness.” Maya sniffed. “I have tried to keep her awake, but the blood…”
I took my Kindjals and, moving to the tight ropes, sliced through them both. Inessa immediately collapsed on Maya. Before Maya herself fell, I grabbed Inessa. When I saw her lashed bare back, her blood pooled on the floor, I instantly saw red.
I breathed through the anger until I composed myself enough to push Inessa’s hair from her face. She moaned as I held her in my arms. I tried my best to avoid touching her open wounds. Inessa’s eyes rolled open and her sleepy gaze met mine. She tried to smile through bruised lips. “Moy voin,” she whispered. “My Ilya. You have come for me.”
Her eyes closed. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I called, “Inessa?”
Maya moved beside us. “She keeps slipping in and out of consciousness. She needs help.”
I turned to sprint back upstairs, when Maya asked, “Is it over?”
I heard hope lace her words. Turning, I replied, “Yes.”
Her hand lifted to her mouth and tears fell down her cheeks. When I moved to the door, I realized Maya didn’t follow. When I looked back, she rocked on her feet and said, “I … I don’t know what to do now. This is all I’ve known. My family doesn’t want me.” She lifted her hand to her scarred face. I saw the fear of the unknown in her expression.
My chest cracked at the little-girl-lost look on her face. I stared down at Inessa and recalled how much affection she had for the young female. Looking up, I said, “You come with us. Inessa loves you like a sister. You belong with us.”
Maya stared for several frozen seconds, then she choked out a sob. My heart squeezed for the youngster. “Come,” I ordered, and fled into the hallway. I smiled when I heard the sound of Maya’s light feet following behind us.
I raced up the stairs and through the tunnel. I suddenly stopped when I looked at the pit. It was done. There were fighters milling round the pit. When I looked to the stands, I saw Luka climbing to speak to the fighters, Zaal by his side. The Bratva knayz and the Georgian Lideri. Valentin hung back and waited at the bottom. The fighters all stared up, waiting for what needed to be said.
Luka cleared his throat. His knuckle-dusters were still on his hands. “Warriors,” he began. The males all listened intently in absolute silence. “My name is Luka Tolstoi. This will not mean much to you yet, but I am a product of the gulags that Arziani—your slain master—owned.” He next pointed to Zaal. “This is Zaal Kostava. He was raised in this pit. He is one of you.” He pointed to Valentin. “As is he. Valentin Belrov.”
The males looked to one another in confusion. “I’ll keep this short. I belong to a powerful family in New York City. It is in another country, America. We have recovered the files of most of you. In those files are your names and where you are from. Many of you have family. Some, like Valentin and Ilya, your champions, were kidnapped from an orphanage. You have no family.” He paused, then said, “Today, you are free. You get to choose what to do with your life. For those who discover they have family, the guards that helped plan this riot will help you find your way home. Those of you who have none, you are welcome to join me in New York.” Luka placed his hand over his chest. “If you want, there is a place for you in my organization.”
Zaal stepped forward. “I am Georgian, the leader of my people in Brooklyn, New York. If you are Georgian and have nowhere to go, I will give you a place among our people.” Zaal looked at Luka. “Our two families are joined. It is your choice.”
Luka looked to Viktor, who was waiting at the rear of the pit. He nodded and Viktor disappeared. “Right now, we must leave.” Luka’s face frosted with coldness. “We are going to destroy this pit and all the dead will remain in it. You have thirty minutes to leave.”
Then the males turned and headed for the exit doors. A sound from behind caught my attention. When I listened harder, Maya said, “It is the monebi. They are being released, too.” Maya sighed. “There are children here, too. The chiri are getting them out. There has been housing made available for them by these males.” Maya pointed to Luka and Zaal. “For the monebi, too.”
My head swam with a thick fog. It was all too much to take in. Inessa moaned again, her eyes fluttering open. Spurred forward by her glazed gaze, I ran into the pit. Valentin saw me first. In no time at all, he rushed to me.
“Inessa,” he called. I stopped when he reached us. I saw Valentin’s expression darkening at the state she was in.
“We need to get her help,” I said. Luka nodded.
“We have a plane that can get us to New York. We have a doctor waiting for us on board.”
I stared at Luka in confusion. Luka placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “You have a home with us. Inessa is Valentin’s blood, you are her male.” He smiled over my shoulder at Maya and said, “And you are her new family. You all come with us. The males and females that need our help will follow later.”
Inessa moaned again and I held her tighter. A sudden rush of emotion settled within me as I stared at her. “Thank you,” I rasped to Luka, my chest tightening.
We were free.
This was real.