Chapter 41: 41

Word Count: 2168

~Avila

I pace back and forth, chewing my nails down to the skin.

I hate this. I hate being trapped, knowing there are people I love in danger. There is nothing I can do to save them, but here I am, locked in Emerick's room.

It's early morning now. My energy is waning, but my brain is too scattered to sleep, and my stomach is tied up in knots.

All I can think about is Vade...he won't be seeing this coming. Or Roel, who can't walk anywhere without his cane —  he's beyond vulnerable. And Crimson won't be able to handle this. She was a mess when I last saw her.

What the attack is going to be, I don't know. I've heard murmurs from outside Emerick's room, otherwise it's been quiet. He hasn't even come to see me this morning, leaving me to stew in his own prison.

Everywhere I look I see traces of him, and I hate it.

His room is exactly as I saw it in my first ever flashback. I was kissing him on the very same bed I was expected to sleep on last night. Knowing I was here, a different version of me completely is frightening.

The suddenly opens a crack, Valery slipping in.

I release a breath. I was hoping it would be Emerick, but seeing her gives me hope. If I can't talk my way out of this room, then perhaps I can attack her. Unfortunately she looks strong, and is a good few inches taller than me.

"Hey...how did you sleep?" She asks, rubbing a hand down the back of her neck.

"I didn't," I deadpan. "Knowledge of my entire families impending doom made it impossible."

She grimaces. She claims to have been my friend, but she is as much a part of this as any of them. I have no interest in building a relationship with her unless it gets me out of this room and back to the people I care about before it's too late.

"I know you're worried—"

"Of course I'm worried! There are people in that place that I love, that I don't want to see hurt, or worse..." I squeeze my eyes shut, images of them hurt flashing through my mind unbidden.

Is Emerick and the rebellion members going to charge in there and kill indiscriminately? Or do they have targets in mind?

"It's a complicated issue." Valery teeters back and forth on the heels of her thick black boots. She looks dressed to join the fray in tight combat leathers with weapons strapped to her sides.

I definitely can't fight my way out...

"I can speak to my father on behalf of the rebellion. I can voice their concerns, help make change," I insist. I'm not sure if I actually want to do that, but I'll say anything right now.

Part of me knows, however, that to be a good leader I need to consider all perspectives. If they have non— violent ideas, I want to hear them.

Just not when they are about to kill my entire family.

Valery shakes her head, the usual light in her vibrant blue eyes dimming. "That won't happen. Even if your father was willing to listen, that's not really what the rebellion is about anymore."

I frown. "What is it about then?"

"It used to be about fixing the problems in the territory. We came together because of poverty, loss of families and general desperation. We wanted change, and Emerick promised it." She her back against the door, her eyes cast off at the floor as if lost in old memories.

This is the first time I've heard anything about the rebellion beyond what Emerick carefully selected for me to hear.

"Go on," I encourage.

"He didn't tell any of us about Vade, about being his brother. Emerick grew up a noble, but told us otherwise," she admits, scrubbing her hand through her cropped hair. "Anyway, you joined the rebellion and let it slip without thinking. He had told you and you didn't realise it was a secret."

My heart pounds against my ribs. "Oh..."

"People were mad. Many left, but I stuck around because I considered you my friend and thought we could pull the rebellion back together." Her voice drops in tone, and I can tell she is being genuine. This isn't just some tactic put on to gain my trust.

My eyes narrow. "Well, did you?"

"No. It's become about revenge. Emerick is bloodthirsty." She glances back at the door, afraid we will be overheard. "All the members who aren't sadistic freaks have mostly left."

"Why are you still here then?"

She swallows thickly, realising she may have said to much. "I...have a purpose."

I perk up. This was not the conversation I thought we would have when she came in. I can feel exhaustion weighing down my limbs from being awake for so long, but I remain focused.

"Which is?" I encourage.

"It's not safe to tell you." She presses away from the door, beginning to pace the room. She is so tall and athletic, her strides swallowing up the space before she has to turn and start over again.

"Why bother coming in to talk to me if you're not going to tell me the truth?" I raise my brow expectantly.

The door might be unlocked, and I could make a run for it, but I get the feeling I will receive more benefit from remaining where I'm standing. Plus, Valery could probably reach out and snatch me up before I get very far, and I would be running out into a den of rebellion members.

"Fine," she concedes with a rough sigh. "I supply information on rebellion members to someone who then...does away with them."

My mouth drops open. "You're communicating with Vade?"

"Oh, you know." She breathes a sigh of relief, happy she wasn't the one breaking the news of me. "Well, yes then. He kills them, but I only send the worst one his way."

I wrap my arms around myself. Now it makes sense how he always seemed to seek them out despite not being involved with the rebellion himself. Emerick knew someone was likely sharing information with an outsider, and now it's confirmed.

Valery isn't safe here...

"I'm choosing to trust you then." I step toward her as her pacing ceases. "What's going on now? Where is Emerick? Is the attack going to start?"

"The attack will be happening soon. Emerick is out making sure everything is in place, along with most of the rebellion members," she tells me softly.

"Alright, you need to help me get out of here so I can warn them to leave."

Her brows draw together. "You can't."

"Why not? They aren't safe." A feeling of dread crawls up my throat. Is she deciding to turn on me now?

"They attack is imminent," she explains slowly. "There are bombs planted throughout the manor. If you go there now, you could get killed."

Panic rises up my throat.

"Bombs? I need to go—"

I reach for the door but Valery grabs my shoulder, yanking me back. It's so forceful it knocks the shock from me for a moment.

"No, I won't let you," she growls, her eyes darkening. "They are safe, don't worry. Everyone will be okay."

"You're just saying that," I snap.

She grabs my shoulders, shaking me as if some sense will bleed through the mist of panic over my brain. "I warned Vade yesterday. He will have gotten everyone to safety."

I blow out a breath, slowly letting the words sink in. Vade knows? He would have come searching in my room and seen I was missing...hopefully he has realised by now that I'm gone, and has removed himself from that place entirely.

"Are you certain?" I ask breathlessly.

She nods once. "I am."

Slowly she lets me go, and I nearly crumple from relief. It's short-lived, however. I won't feel content until I can see Crimson, Roel and Vade in front of my eyes.

All of a sudden the ground quivers beneath my feet, the foundation of the compound shuddering. A distant booming sound echoes through the building, loud enough to make me wince, but quiet enough to know this came from home.

"There they go," Valery whispers once the sound dissipates.

The sound has bile rising in my throat. A few more blast sounds ring off, before an eerie quiet settles.

I pin Valery with my stare. "You need to get me out of here."

"That should be easy enough. I can get you to my apartment, but you can't stay long." She grabs my arm. "Emerick has always been suspicious of me. He will know where to look once he realises you're missing."

"Let's go now," I insist.

With most of the rebellion members gone, Valery and I manage to slip out the back entrance of the compound without issue. The streets are in mayhem with people running around screaming, confusion and devastation written across their faces.

With everyone in disarray, they don't notice Valery dragging me through the streets, even with my identity completely revealed to them.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see my home atop the hill. It's enough to give me pause.

Half of the building is caved in, fire having overtaken it. The flames lick up into the sky, a dark cloud of smoke drifting up into the clouds.

It takes everything in me not to bend at the waist to vomit at my feet. My home, my life...I've just watched everything being destroyed.

Valery quickly yanks me along until we are running. It doesn't take us long to reach her apartment. We dash up the stairs until my lungs are burning. By the time she opens the door for me, my face is red and exhaustion has my head spinning.

"Thank you, Valery," I gasp out, bracing my hands on my knees.

She locks her door, stepping back. Her apartment is small, and utterly perfect. I feel completely safe.

"You're my friend. I would do anything for you," she reminds me, flicking the lights on.

I straighten, wiping the sweat from my brow. "I'm afraid I'm not the same person you became friends with."

"I know. I think they may be for the best." She sweeps into the kitchen, returning with a glass of water. "You don't seem like a victim anymore."

Taking it eagerly, I drain the glass. My nausea is still presence but my vision starts to steady. The thought of people still being in manor...the thought that Emerick would have gotten me out and left everyone else to die is too much to bear.

"Victim?" I question, unsure if I heard her right.

Valery unzips her vest, looking uncomfortable.

"You were attracted to a monster, and you couldn't escape him," she breathes.

I shake my head, not entirely understanding. "Vade?"

"Emerick," she corrects. "We all noticed the bruises?"

I stare at her, dumbfounded. I'm not sure if it's my overtiredness, or if I'm losing it. Is she saying I was a victim of Emerick's? I thought I loved him. I envisioned me kissing him...

"Bruises?" I'm still not understanding.

"All over your body. The worst ones were on your neck." Valery nods down at my throat, the eyes of her wolf tattoo staring into my soul. "Who else would do it?"

My fingers reach up to brush against my neck. The memory of my flashback abruptly returns to me.

I was staring at myself in my bedroom river, trying to brush away tears that wouldn't stop falling. Hand prints were around my throat, the bruises vicious and vibrant.

Stumbling back, I brace my arm against the wall for support. It was Emerick doing that to me? I didn't know who it could have been, but he wasn't on my radar. I thought I was in love with him, that he cared for me.

Everything was clearly not as it seemed.

"And I put up with that?"

"No one ever knew what was going on in your head," Valery admits, peeling her gloves off. "This version of Avila seems to know something was up with Emerick and didn't allow herself to get wrapped up in his shit. So yeah, I'm sure we can still be friends."

I try to smile, but it's weak. I'll consider the implications of Emerick's abuse later. I need to think of my family right now.

"I appreciate that, and as much as I would like to ask you a million more questions, I need to get to Vade and my mother and Roel."

Valery nods, her smile sly. "I know exactly where they are. I'll take you to them."

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