Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Gray
The lodge stood on the verge of collapsing.
After coming to the conclusion that we were going to try to make an escape for the Celestial Castle in Arcadia, we ordered all the remaining Elementals to pack their bags, grabbing their most precious valuables and any weapons they’d need.
More likely than not, the lodge would be ravaged by humans or Kinetics.
It was imperative that no one left anything important behind.
My first stop was the war room. I snatched The Book of the Arcane from the table, along with papers containing details about Hogan’s underground encampment and any information we obtained on the other Elementals’ Hollows.
So many had been destroyed and ruined by the Kinetics’ attacks; before, there were only about thirty Hollows remaining in the entire world. Now, there were twenty-nine.
I pushed down my suffocating grief so I could focus on getting everyone out and to safety.
I didn’t doubt that Kinetics would be sending reinforcements soon.
Once I grabbed everything of importance, I dashed from the war room, making a beeline for my room to grab some clothes—gear and comfortable ones, alike—and stuffing them into a backpack before heading to Chrome’s room.
Unsure of what to grab, I scanned his space, my eyes settling on the picture frame of him and his little sister, Peri.
I snatched it from the bedside, stuffing it into my bag before I spotted his violin.
My heart sank. The violin wouldn’t be practical to carry around.
It would weigh me down and take up space.
Its polished wood had been kept in pristine condition.
He must’ve bought it before the collapse of civilization.
I gave myself a moment to say goodbye, trailing my fingers down the length of the neck, saying goodbye to the man who once played this instrument with his entire soul.
Based on what I’d witnessed earlier on the battlefield, I couldn’t imagine this Infernal Chrome soulfully playing the violin in his spare time.
All I could see was him causing pain and death.
I clung to the way he challenged me to be unstoppable, the way he embraced me in a manner that allowed me to breathe and be soft.
He’d shielded me from the world when I was in his arms, making everything else insignificant.
The way he sacrificed himself for everyone around him, despite suffering devastating consequences every time.
When Forest had revealed that Chrome had been the one to release the pulse that destroyed the modern world, I initially felt shocked and betrayed.
But the more I sat with it, the more I came to the realization that it wasn’t that surprising at all.
Of course, he would’ve done it to gain enough power to spare Elementals from total extinction.
Chrome had truly seen me for what I was and nurtured it.
He didn’t try to fix me. He had stood beside me while I waded through my darkness, holding my hand so I wasn’t alone.
He knew the darkness better than anyone else, and he stood by my side and fought off the other demons while I navigated my way back to the light. He was my equal. My other half.
Realizing there wasn’t anything of practical or tactical substance in his suite, I forced myself to leave.
At the door, I paused, taking in his space one last time.
It was the only thing tying me to the old him, and I wasn’t ready to let it go.
Inhaling deeply, I took in his scent of sage and peppermint, and whispered, “I love you. I’ll bring you back. I promise.”
I ran from the room as I hoisted the backpack onto my shoulder. Void stepped out into the corridor, scanning the hallway for any potential threats with a sword grasped in his fist. River stepped out of a room behind him that I assumed he’d been standing guard at while she grabbed her things.
“Weapons,” I called out as I linked up with them, slowing to a brisk walk as we approached the landing of the staircase. “We need to make sure we have plenty of weapons and all of the mushweed supplies.”
“Katia and some of the elders are on it with the mushweed supplies,” River responded, her tone crisp with urgency.
“Many of the warriors are grabbing weapons as we speak,” Void added as we descended the spiraling stairs. “How many do you think we lost today?”
I dug my fingernails into my palm, not wanting to know, but since I was their leader now, it was my role. I simply said, “Too many. We’ll get the exact numbers when we’ve reached relative safety.” Truthfully, nowhere was safe, but being here at the Hollow put the largest target on our backs.
“Any idea of where we’re going?” River asked, navigating around branches from the oak tree in the lounge that littered the floor, and glass from the windows that was scattered everywhere in shards.
The three of us stepped over the debris as much as we could as we rushed to the weapons cache in the training room out back.
“We’re going to try to find the Celestial Castle.
Slate is going to draw up a map of Arcadia and try to pinpoint its location in relation to our world.
It won’t be perfectly accurate, but we’ll have an idea of where it landed when Chrome destroyed the veil. ”
Void cleared his throat. “Can we trust Slate?”
“No,” I said bluntly, not willing to lie. “But he’s all we’ve got at the moment.”
“Well, hopefully, you’re not sending us to our deaths,” River snapped.
I reached out, latching onto River’s collar and hauling her to my face, nose-to-nose. “Listen, I get you’re fucking pissed with me, but today’s not the godsdamn day to spew your shit. I’m already hanging on by a very thin fucking thread. Don’t test me, River.”
“Or what? You’ll let me die, too, when the time calls for it?” The emotion behind River’s eyes crested. I’d never seen her appear as if she held a faint grip on her control.
I shoved her backward before slamming my fist into her nose.
River stumbled back, Void catching her before she tripped backward over a tree branch. Blood dripped through her fingertips as she cupped her nose while her shoulders vibrated.
“Get a fucking grip, River. I’m your queen. If you can’t accept that, then good luck staying alive out there. Because I’m not dealing with this petty shit on top of everything else right now.”
“My whole life, everyone around here’s always called me the cold-hearted bitch.
But I’m learning,” she said, voice muffled in her hands, “that my heart’s only been coated in a thick layer of frost, while yours is an ice sculpture to mimic the actual organ.
Must be nice to watch everyone around you die and brush it off like nothing happened. ”
My nostrils flared as I stepped closer to her again. Void angled her away as if to protect her, but I shook my head at him to back down. “And I learned a long time ago that putting my emotions on display is the best way for people to use them against me.”
River’s face contorted as she reset her nose, suppressing a groan from the pain.
I remained inches from her face. “Keep pushing the limits with me, and you’ll soon find out how cold of a bitch I can really be.
Lashing out at me isn’t going to make you feel better.
I’ve been there.” Without giving her another glance, I shoved past her, my shoulder knocking into hers as I stormed to the weapons cache.
I imagined I’d find Slate there. Hopefully, he was babysitting Shadow well enough that he wasn’t causing problems for the others.
When I arrived, the training room was in a state of organized chaos. Everyone packed weapons and grabbed all the essentials needed. I hated that we had to scramble to flee our home, but everyone remaining understood the urgency as they worked together in solemn vigilance.
Kodiak approached, his broad frame towering above me.
“Gray, I hope you don’t mind that I’ve been delegating tasks so we can take what we’ll need.
If we’re going to Arcadia, there probably won’t be redfern available to infuse in our blades, so I’ve ordered a group to gather as much as they can to bring with us. ”
The simple act was enough to make me want to weep. I wrapped my arms around his waist, catching him off guard. I never hugged people, so his reaction wasn’t surprising.
Hesitantly, Kodiak embraced me, rubbing my back in a comforting gesture.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“No need to thank me. I’ll help in any way I can.” With a tight squeeze, he pushed me back so he could see my face. “How are you holding up?”
I sucked in a deep breath to ward off the emotions that began to choke me again. “I’m here. Just want to get everyone to safety before more Kinetics return. Let’s aim to leave in about fifteen minutes, yeah?” Time was ticking. I was shocked that they hadn’t returned yet.
With a nod, Kodiak turned and ran toward a group of Elemental men who loaded up bags with swords, pointing and directing people to finish up the task.
The weight on my chest grew heavier as I watched everyone work together to leave their home, and I fought the natural instinct to blame myself for it as River’s words echoed in my mind.
“Hey.” A hand landed on my shoulder. “We’re about ready.”
Slate studied me as if he expected me to crumple right there. But I refused. Too many people depended on me.
“Good,” I said, clearing my throat. “Were you able to make the map?”
“Yeah, I hope it’s enough to get us there. This journey, though, Gray…it’s going to be lethal.”
“I know,” I conceded, thinking of the beasts, the poisoned plants, the Kinetics, and wondering if we would be able to find enough food to feed everyone on this trek. “But staying here is suicide.”
Slate nodded. “I know. We can only fight them off for so long until we are all dead.”