Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
The doors to the meeting boomed open. Society Guard poured into the room. Screams went up in the crowd as everyone scrambled to escape the guards. Whoever they grabbed were immediately shackled and handed outside.
The Father hadn’t moved. And now, Valia was screaming. Her magic burning out of her. She arched her back as it passed through her. Then, she collapsed to the ground, panting and moaning, inconsolable.
“We need to get up there to the Father,” Kerrigan told Fordham. “Now.”
Fordham wrapped an arm around her and jumped. They landed on the stage a second later. Kerrigan fought vertigo. She threw her mask to the ground and faced off with the Father for the first time.
“Thank you for joining us,” the Father taunted.
“You will pay for that,” Kerrigan snarled.
Then, she launched a full attack with her elemental magic at him.
It was hard to make out his expression through the mask, but she was certain he smiled. He deflected her attack as if he were cutting through butter. It was effortless. He didn’t even seem winded or as if he were exerting effort. Even when Fordham joined, he slashed away at their assault. Always on the defensive.
He could have gone on the offensive at any point, but it seemed more like he was keeping them occupied than truly fighting them.
“You’re too late,” he growled. Then, he laughed, low and threatening, before disappearing into nothing.
“No!” Kerrigan shrieked.
But he was already gone.
She dropped to her knees before Valia. “Valia, come on. It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re going to be fine.”
Valia didn’t move.
“No, please,” Kerrigan said as tears streamed down her face.
There was no light in Valia’s eyes. Where they had once been so full of mischief and so wise, all at the same time, they were now empty. Only minutes earlier, she had been telling Kerrigan she was fine, and now, she was dead. It felt impossible.
“Kerrigan, we have to go,” Fordham gasped.
She couldn’t leave Valia. Kerrigan couldn’t just leave her like this. Her heart raced, even as it broke in half. Because this couldn’t be reality. This couldn’t be what had happened.
Valia was supposed to be too clever to get caught by the Red Masks. She had known the risks, but they had always assumed they would make it work. They’d find a way to go up against the Father. To discover his identity. She wasn’t supposed to die. She wasn’t supposed to end up here like this.
“Kerrigan,” Fordham snapped.
She looked up at him through tear-streaked lashes. “I can’t.”
“I’m sorry,” he said softly, and then he jerked her backward, away from the body, and his shadows wrapped them up.
She beat her fists against his chest. “Let me go. I have to get back to her. I have to fix this.”
Fordham took her blows before gently taking her fists in his hands. “Kerrigan, there was nothing you could do.”
“I could have fought. I could have helped her. I could have stopped him,” she gasped. “Anything. I could have done anything.”
Fordham wrapped her up in his arms and let her sob against his shoulder. “Shh, I know.”
“It’s not going to be okay.”
“I know,” he repeated.
When Kerrigan had lost Lyam, she’d been a wreck. He’d been one of her closest friends, and it had felt surreal for him to just be gone. This was nothing like that. She’d had to watch Valia’s magic drain. She saw the light go out of her eyes. She’d done nothing to prevent this. Kerrigan felt as if the knife had been driven through her chest. She’d ruined everything. Everything.
“I heard what happened,” a voice said behind her.
Kerrigan wiped at her eyes and released Fordham. Helly stood before her. They had met before this mission with the hopes of the Society Guard apprehending the Father and his associates. They were the backup for this mission. By the row of people on their knees in shackles, it had worked. But it wasn’t enough.
“Did you get him?” she asked, even knowing that it was impossible.
“No. We captured about three dozen in total. It isn’t enough by a long shot, but we’re going to work on them to see what they know.” Helly put a hand on Kerrigan’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about Valia.”
Kerrigan wrenched back. “Don’t … don’t talk about her.”
Helly nodded. “I understand. Did you get everything that you needed?”
Kerrigan grappled with that question. The reason that they’d shown up there to begin with. Her gaze shifted around for Wynter, but she didn’t see her.
“Did she leave?” Kerrigan asked.
Fordham nodded. “But I saw her before we left. She got it.”
Kerrigan sagged slightly at those words. At least that part had gone right. If literally nothing else had.
“We’ll see if it helps,” Kerrigan muttered.
“Have faith,” Helly said. “We can still stop whatever they’re planning.”
Kerrigan wished she felt as confident as Helly did. Maybe some of the people they’d arrested had information about the Red Masks’ plans for tomorrow. But so much hung in the balance, and they’d lost one of their most valuable players. She couldn’t help but feel defeated.