Game Breaker Page 8

  Arched gaps in the beautifully crafted walls revealed dining establishments. Most of the group passed the first one, but Mrs. Diamond Tycoon paused. Her husband did also as if he anticipated his wife’s desire.

  “Italian; my favorite,” Mrs. Diamond Tycoon said.

  “Then Italian it will be,” her husband replied.

  Breccan paused in the archway. A smile crossed his face at the sight of the small, rotund couple walking hand in hand. The pathway they strode had turned to smooth rocks lined in moss. Swaying grass rose to the height of the man and woman’s waists on either side of the trail that meandered over gentle hills toward a small stonework cottage in the distance. A sign made of intricate red brickwork letters on the roof proclaimed the establishment to be ‘Rogelio’s Place’. Behind the restaurant, a man guided a gondola along a rose-colored river silhouetted by the sunset. The sound of singing in a deep vibrato was accompanied by an accordion from the building. Breccan couldn’t make out the words of the song, but it rounded off the atmosphere perfectly.

  He almost followed the couple, but stopped himself at the last moment. The thought that he was supposed to meet Murphy and Minx at the Luz Café made him move on. If either of them had survived the Hedron, it would be nice to eat with friends. Breccan’s steps slowed at the thought that he had known Black Jack and Rage Machine longer than he did either of them in real life. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to keep exploring the Edge if he didn’t find them. Maybe he could try the water world or race on a dragon. He had never done anything like that in Kirik Reservoir.

  At the next archway, the thought of racing dragons vanished entirely. Breccan’s mouth dropped open, and through it, the taste of chocolate coated his tongue.

  A castle that appeared to be made entirely of chocolate shone in the light of the sun. The fact that the sun had been setting on Rogelio’s Place but here glowed with welcoming warmth wasn’t lost on Breccan; nor was the fact that the chocolate castle didn’t melt beneath the beckoning rays. Avatars in every shape and form roamed the ground plucking and eating chocolate flowers, boating down the milk chocolate moat, or simply munching on the castle itself. By the sight of the grinning faces covered in white, dark, and light chocolate, he had encountered bliss for at least several hundred people. Who knew how many more were inside of the massive confectionary structure?

  Breccan inhaled a deep, sugary breath, then continued down the path. If his mother ever made it to the Edge, he knew exactly where to take her. She had brought the stash of her favorite meltaway mints coated in dark chocolate that were a town favorite in Kirik Reservoir. Breccan doubted she had eaten any since arriving. He knew his mother well enough to guess that her biggest fear would be running out of them.

  The smell that wafted from the next archway was pungent but not unpleasant. Breccan thought it would be easy to guess what was next, but the sight that met his eyes when he followed two tall cowgirl avatars to the arch wasn’t what he expected.

  If someone had told him that wine and cheese tasting was best done in a chilled igloo of the said cheese covered in what looked like icy grape vines, Breccan still wouldn’t have felt he understood entirely what he looked at. Men wearing suits of gold-spun thread offered coats of fur to the passing avatars. Several took them, but a woman with shaggy blue fur laughed shrilly and passed them by. She joined a group of ladies near the entrance to the igloo. The chink of glasses was audible before she made her way inside.

  “Would you like a pelt?” one of the men asked. He held out a white and gold coat to Breccan. Misreading Breccan’s astonished expression, he leaned forward and said in conspiratorial tones, “Don’t worry. All of our fur is donated from the fallen avatar collection.”

  Breccan wasn’t sure how that was supposed to make him feel any better. He took a step back and shook his head. “No, thank you. I prefer my coats dead from the beginning.”

  The man winked with a knowing expression. “Then I recommend the Meatsa Maker arch a dozen down. You wear your jacket before you cook it.”

  Breccan cleared his throat with what he hoped was a confident expression and backed away. “Thank you for the recommendation. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  He hurried down the brick path without a backwards glance.

  Breccan passed several other archways and was almost convinced he wouldn’t find a normal dining establishment when the sound of thumping music and laughter met his ears. A neon sign hung crookedly above an arch proclaimed it to be the Luz Café. Breccan peeked warily inside.

  Instead of a huge landscape, the entrance led to a wooden-slatted low ceiling hung with lamps of all shapes and sizes. Small round tables made of ornate, twisted metal were surrounded by brightly colored chairs. Mismatched glassware, checkered napkins, and a bold mosaic of a half sun and half moon on the far wall made the restaurant feel exotic but welcoming. At the closest table, a fox avatar clinked his blue glass against that held by a woman with huge eyes that sparkled. Next to them, a pair of gilled and sharp-toothed amphibians fought over who got the biggest chip.

  The atmosphere set Breccan at ease. He stepped inside and looked around for someone he recognized. Black Jack, Bullshark Venom, and Rage Machine were absent. He was about to resign himself to a meal alone when a form caught his attention.

  At the far corner of the restaurant, with his back to the entrance, stood a figure so achingly familiar Breccan’s heart skipped a beat. He opened his mouth to call out, but the name escaped as only a whisper.

  “Garrick?”

  The figure turned even though the sound didn’t carry past Breccan’s lips. A lump formed in Breccan’s throat as he locked eyes with his brother. The green eyes that matched his exactly outside of the Edge didn’t give anything away. A million questions filled Breccan’s mind, but he couldn’t get his mouth to form a single one.

  Breccan’s right arm tingled. He looked down to find that it had disappeared completely. His stomach turned over and he looked up again to see Garrick turn away and walk through the back door of the restaurant. His brother’s disappearance released Breccan’s feet and he took off running. He reached the door in time to see the jacket-clad form enter a grove of trees.

  “Garrick, wait!” Breccan shouted.

  Tears he hadn’t realized had escaped trailed down his cheeks as he ran after his twin brother. But he wasn’t fast enough. A shimmering white wall marked the end of the restaurant’s boundaries. Garrick walked toward it with effortless ease, but no matter how fast Breccan ran, he couldn’t catch up.

  Garrick didn’t slow when he reached the wall. He stepped through without any problem and vanished from Breccan’s view. Breccan gave a wordless yell and charged after him, but the wall didn’t give. Breccan hit it so hard he staggered back a few feet, stunned. He could only stare at the place where Garrick had been. Adrenaline fueled his pounding heart as he looked around for how to find his brother. He had gone through the wall. The only option was to find him on the other side.

  Breccan took off back through the forest and then the restaurant without any other thought besides locating Garrick. Someone at one of the tables called out his name.

  “He’s the one who beat the Battle Boss!” another said.

  Breccan ran past them without looking back. The moment he reached the arch, he darted down the path to the next entrance and rushed inside.

  Scents he didn’t take the time to identify filled his nose as he dashed through a tunnel and past a bunch of long tables filled with raucous diners. Someone threw what looked like a chicken leg in his direction. Before he could react, another hand caught it in front of his face. A man with massive protruding fangs brought the leg down and took a huge bite.

  “What?” he asked at Breccan’s shocked expression. “You’ve never been to Catch a Bite before?”

  “I-I haven’t,” Breccan stuttered.

  More food was thrown. Breccan jerked back as several dinner rolls flew past him and were grabbed from the other side of the room. Cheers filled the restaura
nt at the good catches.

  Breccan dodged several literally tossed salads that were caught in massive wooden bowls, he ducked squares of butter, and just missed having his shirt entirely covered in salad dressing. He let out a breath of relief when he dove through the back door in time to miss long-armed lobsters hefting ears of corn to throw at the diners who looked eager to eat.

  Breccan ran to where the other side of the wall met the corner, but his brother was nowhere to be seen. He spun around and scanned the area wildly, but the flat blue grass lined out in baseball diamonds behind the restaurant gave few places to hide.

  A sob escaped from Breccan. He sank to the ground on his knees and leaned his head and one hand against the white brick wall that made up this side of the boundary.

  His thoughts were filled with the last time he had seen his brother. School had ended a half hour before and they were at the fertilizer treatment plant for their turn at the rotation. Nobody liked the job; working with the rushes were much easier and far less smelly, but everyone did their shift with minimal complaints. It took a lot to keep the water purification town running; everyone pitched in.

  Breccan had struggled with his protective coveralls. He had put them on a million times and folded them to place back in his locker per regulation. Why both of the pant legs and the sleeves were inside out was beyond him. He cursed under his breath and struggled to shove one leg in.

  “Take any longer and we’ll miss our entire shift,” Garrick pointed out.

  “Go ahead,” Breccan told him as he forced one foot through successfully and lifted the other one. “I’ll catch up. Tell Mitch I’ll be right there.”

  Garrick grinned. “I don’t think Mitch’ll have any sympathy for a wardrobe malfunction. I’ll be sure to tell him you can’t tie your bow.”

  Breccan threw his shoe at his brother. Garrick dodged it and disappeared out of the locker room with a laugh.

  The sleeves proved easier than the pants had been. Breccan shoved his arm through one sleeve and hopped on one foot toward the door as he pulled his shoe on. Worried about being late, he shoved his foot in the other shoe, grabbed his gloves, and took off after Garrick with the arm of the fire retardant coveralls flapping at his back.

  A strange smell was the first indicator that something was wrong. Breccan slowed when he turned the corner. He reached the bars of the catwalk and looked down to where his shift team should have already begun working on the rotation. Instead, men and woman ran across the floor in a chaotic swarm. Orange-coveralled supervisors scrambled toward the controls and shouted orders while those in Breccan’s blue yelled and ran for the stairs.

  A blast sounded just as Breccan’s eyes found his brother. Garrick was at the bottom of the stairs. He wore his cowlicked brown hair longer than Breccan’s and the signature bounce in his step marked him as the more positive of the twins. However, when he looked up and his eyes locked on Breccan’s, his never-failing grin had vanished. Another blast sounded that shook the stairs hard enough Breccan had to grab onto the railing. Bright color bloomed out of the corner of his eye. Breccan turned his head. A fist gripped his heart at the sight of a massive red fireball exploding from the ventilation room.

  “Garrick, get out of there!” he shouted.

  Garrick took the stairs two at a time. The sound of pained screams, explosions, and yells were muffled by the roar. Breccan could only watch as the flames reached the stairs and then engulfed them. Garrick glanced behind him once, then looked back at Breccan, his eyes wide. He said something, but the fire was too loud for Breccan to hear his brother’s words. He could only stand there and watch as the fire surged upward. Within the space of a heartbeat, his brother was gone.

  “No!” Breccan yelled. He ran toward the stairs. He didn’t know what he would have done; there wasn’t a chance to find out. The moment his foot touched the first grated step, an even bigger explosion shook the fertilizer plant. Flames raced up, the ceiling collapsed, and Breccan was buried beneath the ashes.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Hey.”

  Breccan jerked when a hand touched his shoulder. His eyes flew open and he stared at the girl above him. His mind felt bleary and his cheeks were stiff.

  “Are you alright?”

  Breccan squinted and the girl’s face came into focus in the twilight. She looked vaguely familiar. Her long silver hair and quizzical purple gaze teased in the back of his mind.

  “Do I know you?” he asked.

  She crouched. “I was the one who told you to hide your ECs. It happened, didn’t it? Someone conned you out of them?” She shook her head and her silver hair swayed with the movement. “I warned you they wouldn’t play nice.” She gestured toward his arm. “Let’s see the damages. Do you owe your soul to the Midlevels? Or worse yet, the Bodies?”

  Breccan held out his hand wordlessly. He remembered her now, but why she was there talking to him didn’t make any sense. He used his free hand to swipe the remaining tears from his eyes, then realized his right hand had returned. He swallowed past the lump in his throat, unable to explain anything anymore. He was also embarrassed she had caught him crying. A glance at her, though, showed that her thoughts were on a different matter.

  “Where did you get all these ECs?” she asked. She leveled him with her gaze. “Are you a thief? Were you just pretending to be a newb?”

  Breccan shook his head. “I won them.”

  “Right,” she replied flatly. “Because a newb beat a Fiver. Am I really supposed to believe that?”

  “I didn’t beat a Fiver, whatever that is,” Breccan said. Jonny had mentioned something about them, but he couldn’t remember the details at that moment.

  The girl rolled her eyes as if he had made a stupid statement.

  “I beat a Battle Boss,” Breccan finished.

  A small glimmer of satisfaction rose in him at the surprise that filled her purple eyes.

  “You beat a Battle Boss,” she repeated.

  Breccan nodded. “Is that so hard to believe?” he asked, even though he knew by the reaction of every person who had been there or who heard about it that it apparently was.

  “Yes,” she replied. She eyed him carefully. “But I don’t think you’re lying.”

  Breccan sat forward. “Why not?”

  She lifted her small shoulders in a shrug. “I’m good at reading people.”

  “Avatars,” Breccan replied.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You’re good at reading Avatars. Avatars aren’t people. They’re, well, I don’t know what they are. They aren’t real. None of this is real.” He put a hand to his face. “This isn’t my face.” He pulled his hand away and looked down at it. The initials on the back reminded him of his vain search for his brother. “This isn’t even my hand.” He sat back and shook his head. “I don’t know about this place.”

  “What’s wrong with it?” she asked, her tone guarded.

  Breccan let out a breath. “I don’t know. It’s weird.”

  “Weird,” she repeated.

  She fell silent and for a moment Breccan feared that he had somehow offended her. He hadn’t meant to speak so freely; seeing his brother had definitely shaken him. The adrenaline faded to leave him feeling spent and exhausted. He wanted more than anything to return back to himself in the chair in the rundown building; the problem was he had no idea how to go about doing it.

  The girl’s eyes lit up and she gave him a half-smile. “Do you know what your problem is?”

  “You’re going to narrow it down to one?” Breccan replied drily.

  She nodded. “You need to take time to smell the roses.”

  Breccan knew the skepticism he felt showed in his expression. “Smell the roses? What does that mean?”

  She grinned. “It means enjoy the moment.” She held out a hand. “You need to let loose, to chill, to let yourself wander without destination.”

  “To smell the roses,” Breccan replied as he let her help him up.

  “Exac
tly,” she said. “I can show you the Edge you never knew existed. You just have to smell the roses instead of looking at all of the thorns. Think you can do that?”

  Breccan couldn’t help the small smile that touched his lips at her teasing tone. “I’ll do my best.”

  She gave a light, musical laugh. “You’d better. If I’m rolling out the red carpet here, it’d better be appreciated.”

  He held up his hands. “I promise I will appreciate your efforts.”

  She nodded in satisfaction. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  She set off toward the Catch a Bite restaurant without waiting for Breccan to follow.

  He glanced back at the wall, then jogged to catch up to her.

  “Hey,” she said over her shoulder. “What should I call you?”

  “Breccan,” he replied.

  She stopped so fast he almost ran into her. He heard the breath she let out before she turned around. “Is that your real name?” she asked in a tone he couldn’t read.

  Breccan nodded. “Yeah. I figured you’ve been nice to me. You deserve to know at least something real in this crazy place.”

  She shook her head so hard her silver hair swayed back at forth. Her gaze was filled with something akin to anger when she put her hand on his shoulder and said, “From now on, this is all pretend. Promise me you won’t forget that.”

  Taken back by her tone, Breccan could only stare.

  “Promise me,” she repeated.

  There was a shine to her eyes that made Breccan wonder if she was on the verge of tears, but she didn’t blink and confirm his suspicions.

  He had never made a girl cry or appear even close to it. At a loss as to how he had caused it, he said, “I promise.”