Page 82 of The Cult

I wanted to ask more questions, but I needed to get going. Besides, I doubted Sterling knew the information I needed. I hurried toward the door, determined to get to Abel so we could sneak to the North Compound to warn the others. “Please don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” I said as I exited.

“I won’t,” Sterling said. “Just hurry.”

I moved carefully along the corridors with guards, walking as if I had a purpose for being out this late. I paused before entering the trainees’ room. Unlike the few times Abel and I had met this late, all six of them were awake, expecting my arrival. I closed the door behind me when I entered their dorm.

“What’s going on out there?” Abel asked. “Why are there so many guards?”

“Yeah. Fucking Napoleon checked on us four times,” Tyler said.

“Napoleon?” I raised an eyebrow.

“The short, creepy guard,” Abel answered. “The one you hate.”

That was fitting—short, loud, and obnoxious.

“Is it safe to go out?” Abel studied my face with worry.

I wanted to tell him everything would be all right, but I didn’t want to lie to him. “No.” I sighed. “But we have to go now.”

Able must’ve sensed my agitation. “Why?”

“They moved the fight forward to a couple of days from now.”

A collective whisper of “oh shit” filled the room, with the exception of Abel, who had zeroed in on me. “Let’s go,” he said, determined.

I peeked through the door, waiting for an opportunity to make our exit. “Not quite,” I warned. Abel’s body was pressed against my back. He smelled fresh and clean, like he’d just gotten out of the shower. My body reacted to his closeness, my dick filling with excitement. It was a shame that last night was the last time I’d ever let myself cave in to my desire for him. “Now,” I said when the last guard left his station, clearing the path to the exit.

Thirty-Four: Abel

Tobias and I successfully navigated past the guards by scaling the same walls we’d traveled the past few days. It was incredible how smoothly we’d managed to creep out of the Restricted Zone. With each escape, I found myself growing more familiar with the surroundings, which was definitely a plus for our upcoming plans. I couldn’t wait for the moment when we’d finally be free. Freedom was so close I could taste the sweetness, but we had one final obstacle to overcome. A hurdle that would test our strength and everything we knew about The Creed.

My thoughts were a mess due to the news that, in the next couple of days, we’d be stepping into the arena and fighting for our lives. Literally. We had to act on our escape now or die as a spectacle at the hands of Orcus and his men. I’d had to stay calm around the guys when Tobias dropped the bomb, but I was shattering inside. We would have to battle; we didn’t have a choice. So I had two things to accomplish on this trip to the other side of the compound: to urge the guys to jailbreak as soon as possible, and to say goodbye to my mom and Maddy in case I didn’t survive the fight.

The dread of leaving my family alone was too much to bear. Who was going to look after them? What would happen to our escape plan? Who would find Dad? What would happen to Tobias? As the questions flooded my brain, my breathing quickened. My mind was in a frenzy. “Oh god!” I muttered between hyperventilations. “Oh my fucking god.” Even though dying was a possibility I’d considered once I agreed to be part of the escape plan, the reality was much harder to stomach.

“Talk to me.” Tobias stood in front of me, halting my steps. He held my shoulders and searched my eyes.

Cold sweat dripped down my face; my damp hands trembled when I gripped my pants.

“Breathe with me,” he instructed.

I opened my mouth to speak but words wouldn’t come out. At first my throat felt dry, then dark spots appeared everywhere, blocking part of Tobias’s worried face.

“Abel,” he called. His grip on me tightened. I was incapable of responding, so he shook my body. “Breathe with me.” Tobias held my chin, and his touch grounded me, but not completely.

I nodded; I still couldn’t find my voice.

“In.” He inhaled, holding the air in his lungs for a couple of seconds before exhaling. “Out.”

My initial effort failed, as though every muscle and organ in my chest had a mind of its own. Come on, I thought to myself, fighting to take control of my body. I shook my head when my body ignored my commands.

“It’s okay. We’ll try again,” he said patiently. “In …” Like the first time, he held his breath. “Out.” He exhaled.

I closed my eyes and focused on the task, a job that was easier said than done.

“In … and out,” Tobias whispered.

I copied him, trying to match the tempo of his breathing.

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