32. Zan
Chapter 32
Zan
K ali craned her neck, looking at the stairs we had to climb, while I glanced back, hoping there was a way to lock the damn door to keep the soldiers from following. A deadbolt was at the top, and I slid it just as someone shoved at the door from the other side.
“Let’s go,” she said loudly over the ringing alarm. “We need to be out of here before Rowan digs that bullet out of Keeva.”
She grabbed my hand and pulled me with her. I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore how my body was writhing from pain. Bleeding that guy dry was nowhere near what I needed to heal. Time and rest along with more blood was what I needed, but there wasn’t time for that now. And I was slowing her down. If I thought arguing would do anything, I’d make her leave me here.
We rushed up the steps, my labored breathing echoing in my ears. Kali patiently ran next to me even though she could go much faster if she was alone. It was amazing to see her strength after everything she’d endured. Her body took the hawthorn, and she only grew stronger. It didn’t poison her anymore like it did me and other Shadows. I had no idea that was even possible.
We raced up three flights, my ribs and head throbbing with pain. Kali stopped at a door, letting out a curse when it was locked. She shoved against the reinforced metal a few times, but it didn’t budge.
“Keep going,” I said, grabbing her arm. “There has to be another one that’s open on a different floor.”
“We don’t have time for this.” She went first as we started climbing again. “If Keeva catches up, I’m not sure I can win against her.”
“We’ll get out,” I said firmly, not voicing my concerns. She was getting out of here no matter what I had to fucking do.
After what felt like forever, we reached the end of the steps, and Kali stared at another door with apprehension. The alarm was grating on my nerves, and I could only imagine what was happening outside. If Shadows were in Project Hope, it was probably chaos.
“Fuck,” she cried out when the door wouldn’t open. “I can’t open it.”
“That’s the point,” I grumbled. “They wanted to make sure you couldn’t escape.”
“Zan.” She faced me, her eyes wild with panic. “It’s not me I’m worried about. You heard Keeva. If her words are true, then they can’t kill me. But they will kill you. I have to get you out.”
“Kali,” I grated out. “Stop talking like you’re staying here. Because that is not fucking happening.”
Just then, the door was pushed open from the other side, and I went rigid, preparing to fight. Kali spotted the person first, and her eyes widened in surprise.
“Viggo—”
My brother barreled into the stairwell, a stake in his hand that he had aimed at Kali. She snatched the weapon from his grip before shoving him back.
“What are you doing?” she snapped.
“Viggo,” I grabbed his shoulder. “It’s her. Not Keeva.”
Pax burst into the small space as Viggo’s eyes trailed down me, horror filling his eyes before rage quickly replaced it.
“What the hell did they do to you?” he asked, his voice deadly.
Pax stared at me before yanking me close and pulling me into a hug. “Fuck, Zan. We thought you were dead.”
“I’m fine. We need to get out of here. Keeva and Rowan are downstairs, and I’m sure they won’t be for long.”
Pax pulled off his jacket, handing it to me. “Can you walk?”
I nodded, throwing the jacket on. I clenched my teeth when the cloth rested on my cuts that wouldn’t heal because of the fucking hawthorn lotion. “You have a way out?”
Viggo smirked. “Out? You didn’t hear? We don’t need to sneak out. There are enough Shadows making sure PARA can’t keep a hold on the city. They’re running out in droves as we speak. They’ll be captured or out of the city by nightfall. We already cleared most of this building.”
“Keeva is still here.” Kali’s eyes darted to me. “I don’t know if the Shadows will listen to her or not.”
“They won’t.” Rya stepped into sight, bright red blood smeared on the side of her face. Her eyes warmed when she looked at Kali. “They know she’s the reason you were taken. They don’t trust her.”
“Then I’m going back down there.”
I caught her arm when she tried darting past me. “No.”
She froze, turning to look at me. “No? This might be my only chance?—”
“Chance for what?” I asked, watching annoyance grow on her face. “You told me yourself that you can’t kill her. She’s stronger than you right now. You’ve been practically starved for two weeks. She hasn’t. You need to rest before we go after her. The guns my brothers have won’t be enough when there are fifty soldiers down there with them.”
“And what if we lose her? What if she gets away?”
“There are Shadows up there, Kali,” Pax said gently. “If she leaves the building, they’ll stop her.”
Indecision flashed across her face, but I pulled her toward the exit. “Going after her now isn’t the answer. We need to plan. We just got away. I’m not letting you get anywhere near Rowan again.”
“I can handle him,” she snapped.
“Where he is, so is Keeva. He’s not stupid. He knows we’ll be out for blood and your twin is the only one strong enough to protect him from us. He’ll be glued to her side.”
A muscle in her jaw clenched. “Fine.”
Her steps were hesitant until Rya grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the stairwell. I sagged slightly when she began striding down the hall with Rya. Viggo came up beside me and put my arm around his shoulder, helping me walk.
“You okay?” Viggo asked under his breath.
“I will be once I know Rowan can’t touch her,” I muttered.
“It’s good to see you, little brother.” Viggo chuckled lightly. “It’s been a long fucking two weeks.”
I scoffed. “It’s only been two weeks?”
We followed Rya down the halls, Pax keeping the gun in hand in case we ran into any soldiers. But soon, Kali pushed the door open, and I inhaled deeply, relishing in the fresh air. We rounded the building, and I scanned the area, surprised to not see the carnage of a fight.
“How did you find out where we were?” I asked Viggo.
He opened his mouth to answer, but a louder voice cut through the air. I craned my neck, seeing a group of people huddled in an open area. Two men were on a raised platform, one of them holding a microphone.
“We are not here to hurt you,” he said into the microphone. “Most of you know about our group. The Clovers. PARA’s reign needs to end. They don’t have your best interest at heart. We do. The ones who entered the city aren’t going to hurt you. They have black blood, like the loved ones who were torn away from us. PARA lied to you. They didn’t send Shadows to get help. They killed them.”
Murmurs ran through the crowd, many of the onlookers looking uneasy. Kali had halted and was watching with a hint of a smile on her face.
“The Clovers?” I looked at Viggo. “They agreed to help?”
He shrugged. “We came to an…understanding.”
“What understanding?”
“We’ll talk about it later when you don’t look like you’re on death’s doorstep.” He squeezed my arm. “Come on, let’s go.”