Page 67 of Revenge of the Forgotten

“I swear to the gods, if you’ve hurt her, I will rip your throats out.” Bridger’s voice was a growl, his pacing more like that of a beast trapped in a cage than a young man talking to his parents. He stopped directly in front of them, close enough to reach out and grab them by the necks.

If only he could.

His father finally spoke up. “She’s alive… for now.” The smile that lingered on his face shouldn’t be there—not when talking about the woman his son was in love with. Bridger wanted to snap him in half for finding the idea of Vega’s death humorous.

“You need to listen to us.” His mother began to sneak into her doting mother tone she used when someone was listening. “A war is coming, and we need to prepare. We cannot present a divided front in this family.”

Bridger spat at the feet of his parents. “We are not family.”

His father sighed, stepping through his shield with the grace of a warrior only years of practice could give him.

Bridger didn’t stand down. He stepped forward, ready to go toe-to-toe with the man who’d taught him everything he knew.

“I’ve had enough of this.” With a swift kick, Lucius had his son on his knees, knocking his legs out from underneath him.

Bridger reacted quickly once on the cold floor, grabbing his father’s leg with one arm and bringing him to the floor beside him. Bridger was able to wrangle himself on top of his father thanks to his unexpected retaliation.

He went to wrap his hands around his father’s throat, but the man didn’t let him get that close. Without anything more than the power inside of him, Lucius flung his son across the room like a piece of paper. Bridger skidded across the floor, hitting the wall with a boom that stole the breath from his lungs. Gasping for air, Bridger popped up, hunched over and bleeding from the corner of his mouth when three guards grabbed him from behind.

“Take him to Marlena,” Lucius barked. His men obeyed, dragging Bridger as he tried to fight them off. These men had trained beside him—had they known what was to come? Or were they just as blindsided as Bridger was and were now forced to follow along because of the oath they took to the realm?

He fought the whole way, not willing to make this easy on anyone. One of his father’s men thrust him through a double door at the end of a long hallway.

Where was Meyer? He had to be somewhere near. Did he know what they were doing to Bridger?

Years of hostage training made Bridger focus on his location and where his most accessible escape might be—the easiest escape to slip away with Vega.

He cared about Arlet and Khort, but not in the way he loved Vega—they knew that. There was no hiding behind a facade with Bridger.

Inside the large meeting hall, Bridger searched the room for Vega first, then Arlet and Khort. He was alone except for the guards and his parents. It was him against five others and he was powerless, but that didn’t mean he was ready to give up—he didn’t give up.

“Let him go.” His dad was at his side again, freeing him from the harsh grip of his soldiers. “If you touch me again, I will snap your neck.”

Bridger knew he wasn’t kidding.

“You’re a sick man. Fucking pathetic! Look at who you’re following. She’s a monster. Marlena is killing her loved ones, killing innocent people all around her!” Bridger knew his father had never been a caring man, had witnessed his harshness first hand—he’d always lived up to the dark reputation the Dimicos had despite the fair, angelic features he possessed.

“You act like you have any idea what’s going on. If you only knew the half of it, you’d shut your fucking mouth.” Lucius Dimico, commander of Tolevarre’s army, was nose to nose with his son, teeth gritted.

Bridger was about to give his father a quick headbutt when the door swung open again and a voice cut him like a knife, spilling his guts all over the lovely Ardor flooring. “It might do you well to listen to your father, Bridgey.”

The pet name Marlena used to tease him with on nights he thought they were friends ripped him open. Marlena came strolling in, covered in soot and blood. It had been days since the initial attack in Aeris—had she showered at all or was her killing spree so never-ending that it didn’t matter how many times she washed herself clean?

His gaze locked on hers, her lips curled in an insolent smile.

Gone was the girl with flowers in her hair, so beautiful and pure her soul seemed to exude light. In her place was darkness set free, and the room hummed with the power of the damned.

“Quiet now, are we?” Marlena stalked him, circling the room with him in her sights. “Come on. I know you have something you’d like to say to me.” Her grin could rattle even the bravest of soldiers.

“Where is Vega?” It was the only question he wanted answered.

Marlena sighed. “It’s always about her.” Was this all because of a sister’s jealousy? Marlena was always going to have the power, the title. Vega didn’t even want it—her parents’ plan for her was always to marry another Curia member’s kid. Vega would be the bride, Marlena the ruler.

“She’s alive… for now.” Her words echoed his father’s, and it was in that moment he realized how far involved his parents were in all of this. Marlena had them wrapped around her wicked little finger.

Vega was okay. Bridger had to get to her. Almost as if his muscles reacted before his brain did, he surged towards Marlena.

Bridger got within inches of her, but a power like nothing he’d ever felt before slammed into him. Marlena didn’t even flinch. The only muscle in her body moving was a twitch at the corner of her mouth.

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