Chapter 20
KAEL
Time is a fickle thing.
Every second is stretched, elongated, like nothing else in the world matters as I stand with my arms folded over my chest, staring at the sleeping girl who continues to plague my thoughts.
I don't know how long we've been in here now, but I can't seem to tear myself away from the defensive stance I’ve taken as I hover in the room with her.
Walker said it was mandatory to watch them, to make sure there was no chance of escape, but I saw the way that tank closed.
The locking system makes it impossible for her to break through.
Besides, I’m not on guard ready for her to attack. I’m on edge, prepared to defend her if necessary.
My muscles ache with stiffness, the inability to relax my limbs getting the better of me as my mind wanders.
Did Elodie have to go in here?
Was she protected? Or was she simply guarded to ensure she didn't escape through their impossible barriers?
I shake my head, trying to focus on the present, but it still consumes me.
Blinking at the girl, whose cheeks look fuller and complexion brighter, I can't help but want to know what brought her here to begin with.
There are so many people I could ask that question to in the other room. Would any of them give an answer? Likely not, since they think I'm their enemy.
Every glance over the girl before me blurs my vision, an essence of Elodie coming through. I’m certain I keep seeing flashes of purple hair and a witty smile, but it’s all my imagination playing tricks on me. Or is it punishment, knowing she came here and I couldn’t save her?
It doesn’t make the pain subside, regardless.
The reality is, Elodie wasn’t here to protect anyone, she was here by force, but she believes her parents are here to protect her.
The thought alone makes me scoff.
That's done no good at all. They sacrificed it all, only for her to be brought right to their side. Another being under his control, his command.
Sighing, I relax my arms at my sides, only to drag my hand down my face a moment later.
I feel antsy.
And frustrated.
Both of which are getting the better of me as my thoughts drift once again.
Why is Jenkins here?
Is he protecting somebody?
Or is that at least what he thinks he’s doing? Because it sure as hell won’t truly be happening. That case has been proven with Elodie and her parents.
My eyebrows pinch as my brain aches. I’m sure I'm going to go insane in here. I feel completely out of touch.
I miss hearing Elodie's voice.
I miss Rion's ability to drive me mad over the most ridiculous of things.
I miss Thorne’s thundering stance when he's in a mood or in his head.
Damn. I even miss Ocean's jibes.
It'll all be worth it, as long as this pulls through. I don't want to have dealt with all of this for nothing. It just feels impossible when I’m disconnected from them. The inability to communicate is isolating, and, as evidenced by my stint in the basement of Institute Thirteen, I don’t fare too well alone.
Clearing my throat, I tilt my head back, taking a deep breath. I vowed to myself earlier that I would save these people. I just hope that doesn't jeopardize me returning to my life, or what remains of it when all is said and done.
Murmurs from the other side of the door interrupt my thoughts and my eyebrows pinch together as I strain my ears to listen. It takes a second, though. The energy in the rooms are all off, with an air of magic that I can’t quite comprehend.
The room where the subordinates are is encapsulated with a potent spell, making it impossible for them to connect with their magic, but even here, I can feel the tingles of a restraint of something, I just can’t quite pinpoint what.
Inching closer to the door, I press my back against the wall and take a deep breath, letting my vampire senses come forward.
“Consider me inspired, Walker,” my brother states, a knot of dread forming in my stomach before I even have a clue what he’s referring to.
“Shall I go tell your brother?” Walker asks, and Jude huffs.
“No. He can wait a while longer,” he decides before the sound of footsteps drift off into the distance.
I shouldn't be surprised by his mind games. He probably wanted me to hear that, to know he is planning something that I’m unaware of.
It wouldn’t be the first time, and I can only wish it would be the last, but with Jude, it’s all never ending.
The one consistency my brother has always had is mayhem, and of all the less-than-savory penchants, the mind games are the ones I’m certain are going to make me insane.
Taking a deep breath, my eyelids fall closed as a memory flashes across my mind.
The sound of waves crashing in the distance lull me as I blink up at my brother, hope blossoming in my chest at the smile that spreads across his face. The stormy skies of Scotland are all too familiar now.
Unfortunately for me, in this moment, the wicked grin on his lips doesn't make sense to me.
“You can do this, Little Brother. I believe in you,” he encourages, and I shudder.
“But I'm scared,” I rattle, teeth chattering, and it's not from the wind that whips around us, it's from the fear of the sheer drop below.
“Don't be silly, Kael. It's a rite of passage. All you have to do is jump. Have faith in me, yourself, your family, and just like that, our parents are going to accept you,” he persists, and I frown at him.
“Why would they make me do this?” I ask, shaking my head in disbelief, and he plants a hand on my shoulder, his fingers squeezing just a little too tightly to offer reassurance.
“I don't know. I don't make the rules. I just have to follow them, like you. But once you've done this, they'll accept you into the fold. They’ll trust in you to fight alongside us.”
“And if I don’t?” I ask, and he huffs.
“Then they're going to disown you.”
“They wouldn’t,” I blurt, and he grimaces, dragging a hand down his face.
“That's what my last little brother said,” Jude grumbles, making my heart ache.
“Other brother?” I repeat, and he nods grimly.
“He didn't make the jump,” he explains, and I gulp.
“And what did they do to him?”
I think I’m going to be sick.
“You're not old enough to know. It’s too painful.”
Fear gnaws inside of me as I peer over the edge at the water. The whipping wind almost sends me over the edge without any effort from me. It makes me grind my feet into the ground firmer as I contemplate the lesser of two evils, unaware that the worst is standing right beside me.
Leap or lose my family.
My throat is thick as I gulp, fear zapping through my veins as my fingers twitch at my sides. I squeeze my eyes shut as my heart hammers in my chest, and before I can think better of it, I jump.
A scream bursts from my throat, horror lancing through my veins as I prepare to meet the icy waters below. The plunge is treacherous, forcing me deeper and deeper into the murky waters below.
Delirious and disoriented, I flounder, unable to make my way to the surface despite how much I kick my legs and stretch out my arms.
Each bubble of air grows smaller and smaller until my vision turns blotchy, and I can't help but think, as my mind flickers in and out of the present, that I was destined to lose my family either way.
On the edge of darkness, I'm lurched to the light, coughing and spluttering with a body pressed against me. Water splutters from my mouth as I pry my eyes open, blinking with bleary eyes as my father looks down at me.
His lips are moving, but his gaze quickly cuts away, his jaw growing tense as he speaks. Despite my confusion, I slowly follow his line of sight to find Jude standing on the other side of me, disappointment etched into the corner of his mouth as he speaks to my father.
“Why would he do this, Jude?” my father commands, and Jude shrugs.
“I don't know. I told him to come away from the edge, but he wouldn't listen. He said he hates us, said he wanted nothing to do with us anymore.” He drags a hand down his face, fake sadness seeping from his eyes. “He moved before I had time to jump into action.”
I’m yanked back from the memory, my chest pounding just as harshly now as it had then, as I recall another fateful childhood memory that my brother bestowed upon me.
A sharp inhale from across the room catches my heightened senses, and my focus is redirected to the girl as she wakes. Her hand slams against the glass of the tank, and I hurry toward her.
“Okay, you're okay. It's okay,” I murmur, unlocking the tank as instructed by Walker.
Her eyes widen as the lid opens and she stares at me. Her lips remain pressed together as I lift my hands in surrender.
“Are you feeling better? I'm going to need to take you back to the room now, but I want to make sure you are all right before I do,” I ramble, unsure of what to do as she nods, still mute.
Unsure, I hold out my hand for her to take, and her eyebrows furrow as she stares down at my palm.
Slowly, and seemingly confused, she shakes her head.
“Can you not walk? Do you need me to carry you?” I ask, although my mind is swirling with stress at the idea of tossing her over my shoulder once again. I'm sure I was a little unnecessarily invasive earlier, but I needed to get out of that room. She doesn't deserve that same kind of treatment now.
She shakes her head again and gently places her hand against mine, rising from the tank with ease, like she's done it many times before, and my heart aches for her.
Once she’s standing beside me, I release her hand and cautiously place mine between her shoulder blades, silently guiding her toward the door. She moves effortlessly at my side until we're back into the room with the other subordinates.
Nobody pays any mind as we enter, but as I guide her back to her spot beside Jenkins, she turns to me with guilt riddled eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, gnawing at her bottom lip, and my eyes narrow.
“Why are you sorry?” I breathe, and she gulps, lacing her fingers together as she peers up at me.
“Because he knows,” she mumbles, and it's my turn to frown.
“Who knows what?” I push, and her gaze cuts from me to the door three times before she speaks again.
“Jude.”
My heart hammers in my chest; a familiar sensation where my brother is concerned. “What does he know?” I ask, and she looks down at her feet before her eyes return to mine.
“That you're lying.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, hushed and hurried, when a snarl comes from behind me. Spinning on the spot, I stand defensively in front of the girl as my brother glares at her from across the room.
“How dare you take the fun out of it, silly girl,” he snaps, and it takes everything inside of me to remain calm, keep my defenses lowered and my shoulders dipped as I stare off with him.
“Brother?” I ask, and he huffs.
“Don't brother me,” he grumbles, stepping further into the room, ignoring the people around him like they don't exist, like they're not here to accommodate his every need.
“What's going on?” I query, and he grins that same wicked smile that I was just recalling moments ago.
“What's going on is I'm going to get the girl,” he states, and I exhale, relief flooding through my veins.
“Excellent. I'll come with you.”
He lifts a hand before I can take a single step. “You see, that's where you're wrong, Kael.” His tone shifts, leaving uncertainty to ignite inside of me.
“I’m not following,” I mutter, my pulse thundering in my ears.
“You were never smart,” he jibes, and I can't help but agree.
The vision that just reminded me of my traumas only confirms that I was never smart because I believed the words that fell from his mouth.
Refusing to let him knock me back, I roll my eyes. “You can give me shit on the way, but let’s—”
He's moving before I realize it, his hands slamming against my chest as he launches me across the room. My back hits the far wall with a thud as I drop in a heap among the subordinates.
His fangs elongate and his eyes darken as he aims a finger in my direction. “I knew you were lying even before I had her use her magic,” he snarls, and my gaze snaps to the girl in question, who sits with her head hiding in her lap, trying to shield herself.
Running my tongue over my lips, I return my attention to my brother. “What is it you think you know? We can discuss this,” I start, and he shakes his head.
“I knew the moment you arrived that you were lying to me.”
“How's that?” I retort, watching as his grin darkens and his eyes narrow.
“When you arrived, I asked you to tell me without making me force you. The glint in your eyes confirmed you knew what I was threatening you with, and in that moment, I knew you were no longer under my command. Because, Little Brother, I warn you with that statement every time, only for you to blink at me in confusion. But not this time.”
My chest hollows out at the implications, but despite the pain, I swallow it down and remain focused on the plan as the burning sensation under my arm sizzles against my skin.
“Then see that I'm here by choice,” I protest.
He grins, offering me his back as he saunters toward the door, curling his fingers around the handle before he turns his attention back to me.
“Then, in doing so, you choose to be here as a subordinate,” he growls before the slam of the door echoes around the room, followed swiftly by the snap of the key turning the lock.