Survivor Planet Series 2-Book Box Set by Juliet Cardin Page B

ours to decide.”
    â€œAnd if we win?”
    He pondered for a moment. “Then I shall grant you a boon. If you wish them returned to Earth then I shall have it arranged.”
    â€œHow generous.” Considering he’d taken them in the first place I didn’t bother to hide my sarcasm. “Just how long have you been planning for me to be in this tournament?” Since we were laying our cards on the table I wanted to know if he and his kind were responsible for things that had happened to me and my family. Could it be possible he’d had his eye on me ever since I was a child? My parents had died under mysterious circumstances, making my aunt and uncle my guardians before I’d even turned three. Then they had been killed. I remembered that Event. Weird things had occurred, such as tremors and bright lights.
    Ayres stopped suddenly and faced me. “There are things you do not know. Those people you called family—they’re not what they seemed to be.”
    â€œWhat? What do you mean?”
    â€œSome people on Earth are actually from Calixtus. They make their living seeking out recruits, young females and sometimes males, to be used in tournaments, selling them off to the highest bidder. I had nothing to do with you being chosen.” He sounded defensive.
    â€œAre you saying my aunt and uncle were from Calixtus?” No frigging way.
    â€œYour aunt, yes, your uncle, no. He had no idea. They rarely do. The Trackers—as they are called—are masters at infiltration and manipulation. Your parents were disposed of when you were young.” It wasn’t a question, but a fact. “She would have been responsible for that.”
    My legs felt shaky all of a sudden and I moved off the trail to sit down on a moss-covered rock. Ayres came and stood by me, his eyes shifting about the area, always on guard. If he saw from my expression he’d revealed too much information, he didn’t let it stop him from continuing.
    â€œYou had been set in place for another.”
    I stared at him as if he’d grown another head. What did he mean? Another alien?
    He nodded his head at my unvoiced question. “Another meant to take you, but I intercepted. There was a battle and...”
    â€œAnd my uncle was killed in the crossfire?”
    â€œYes. It was unfortunate and I didn’t mean for it to happen that way. It was not me who killed him. It was she.”
    â€œAunt Erin killed my Uncle Mick?”
    â€œYes. And she would have killed you too, but I didn’t allow it. She would have rather seen you dead then to have me mark you for my own.” He looked away.
    â€œWho was I meant for?” Did it really matter? Whether I’d been marked for Ayres or some other alien I was still nothing more than a plaything to be used. All for a stupid game.
    Ayres didn’t answer and when I glared at him he finally faced me. “My brother.”
    â€œYour brother?”
    â€œBut when he got into trouble you were put back onto the block and the highest bidder was the one who had the right to claim you.”
    So I was bartered and bid on, all without my knowledge. It took me a moment to control my fury. Ayres didn’t seem to notice the inner battle that raged within me.
    â€œMy brother owed a great deal of money. He figured he could enter into the tournament with you, win, and then be granted a boon of forgiveness of the debt. But you were too young and he’d run out of time. He decided to clear his debt in another way and unfortunately got himself into more trouble. He was incarcerated on Drone—Calixtus’ fourth moon—and will soon face death.”
    â€œSo you intercepted me and decided to play for his life?”
    â€œYes. It cost me a great deal of money to secure you. But the Tracker—your ‘aunt’, had a personal vendetta against Kenix, my brother. She was furious when I told her my plans. That is why she wanted you