Page 89 of Peaceful Chaos

Lucien tugs my hand and pulls me away from the discussion that's going nowhere. As we are walking away I hear Natalie speak to Grant. "You aren't protecting my daughter. You're looking out for your own career, and I'll never forgive you for the pain I saw on her face."

After spending over twenty years looking for her, to have her reject him now must sting. But I don't have faith it will stop him. Not anymore.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask Lucien once we're far enough away.

Javier followed us over here and moves next to me. "I'm interested in hearing the answer to this as well. I've got a legal team on their way to fight this, and it is going to be a fight."

"Not one I plan to lose," Lucien swears. "To answer your question, we're going into hell."

"That doesn't sound ominous," I mutter.

"We need to go to Blackthorne Manor. I wasn't able to grab some things while we were there to rescue that piece of shit. What I have will finish burying Damien and should free Sin."

"And you're bringing me with you?" I ask him.

He nods. "Yes, little bird. It's time we stop running and accept we're Blackthornes. Both of us. We're going into that house and getting some things I need."

"What if Damien has already found what you've hidden?" Javier asks.

Lucien takes a deep breath. "Pray he hasn't. I am really good at hiding things though."

* * *

Javier hasa small tactical team assembled in the time it takes us to take the hour drive to Blackthorne Manor. I've swapped out the ball gown for black cargo pants, a tight long sleeved shirt, and slim fitting ballistic vest. I'm also wearing a utility belt loaded with knives, a hand gun, and extra clips. Next to my feet is also a bow and quiver. It's not the most practical weapon, but it is silent and feeds my flair for the dramatic.

"Do you think he'll be there?" I ask Lucien.

It's dark in the interior of the car, but there's enough moonlight that I can see him shake his head. "Despite the fact they took Sin, he's going to be paranoid and on the run. We're going to have to hunt him down, but let's just face one problem at a time."

Javier grunts from the front seat. "He's going to find it harder to run now that we've wiped him out."

"Information is another form of currency. He's not defeated yet," Lucien warns.

Luce told me last time they approached the house through the woods. This time the plan includes urban assault vehicles fully armored against an attack. Thankfully it's late as we make our approach to the house Lucien grew up in, because I can only imagine what people would think as they saw us driving down the road.

Trees become more numerous out of the suburbs of Chicago and transform into thick woods. The bare branches reach their gnarled arms to the sky, giving an ominous feeling as we get closer and closer to Devil's Crossing.

The gothic monstrosity comes into view through a break in the trees. Its stone façade is a dark charcoal, with two turrets on either side of a steep gabled roof. It's a castle of horrors built by a man who fancies himself a king of the underworld.

It's eerily quiet as we pull up. The two other armored vehicles empty and Chaos soldiers split around the property to sweep for threats. Minutes pass before the radio crackles.

Javier picks up the receiver. "Ares here," he answers.

I raise my eyebrow at him, earning me a smirk. His call sign is the Greek god of war? How fitting.

"Sir, the place is empty," the soldier replies.

"Do we need call signs too?" Lucien asks when he puts the receiver back in the cradle.

Javier humors Lucien, knowing he uses jokes as a coping mechanism. "I suppose you want to be Hades?"

Lucien sits back, a smirk spreading across his face. "Nah, I'll be Hermes, because I have a message to send my uncle. Sin is Hades, and I plan to unleash him."

Javier looks back at me. "I suppose you need one too?"

I grab the bow and quiver at my feet. "I'll be Artemis."

A smile breaks across Javier's face. "And what a beautiful destruction you'll bring."

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