Page 61 of Gift from the Nexus

He’s been steadfast and sure in all of Willow’s decisions surrounding this whole ordeal and if they’re both that confident in questioning the Primary thief than letting me just eat him alive, then fine.

For now.

“Let’s get some sleep then, little wanderer. Looks like we’re going back to work tomorrow.”

Ten

Willow

“You don’t have to see either of them. You can stay right in here with me, drink coffee, and stuff our faces. Let the guys handle the interrogation,” Oakly says standing beside me, fixing me a cup of coffee with a calming tonic, in the kitchen at Rebel Castle.

Admittedly, when we got here a few minutes ago, I sensed Franklin’s presence and I thought my breakfast was going to come up, so Corentin instructed us all to come in here and take a breath.

Rather than meeting at the academy like we normally would, Oakly, her guys, and Gaster were all at the mansion first thing this morning and we had breakfast together while the guys solidified the plan for today. It took major convincing, but I was finally able to talk them into letting me come in the room with them to talk to Trex.

Now I’m on the verge of throwing up and they’re looking at me like they’re preparing to rush me back home.

“No, I’m fine. Franklin’s presence sent a bombardment of feelings through me when we first walked in. I didn’t know or expect it to hit me so keenly, but I can block it out now that I know,” I say sternly.

She and the others are paying ten times the amount of attention to everything I do and say right now, but I’m okay. I’m sick to my stomach thinking about what the evil Franklin is capable of and the atrocities he’s already committed, but I don’t have to see him today. That can wait a few more days.

“Come on then, Primary. Bring your drink and let’s get this over with so I can kill him,” Caspian demands darkly.

Giving Oakly a tight smile, I turn in his arms, and we walk out the door as the rest of the guys surround me. It’s obvious, based on all their feelings, that’s their plan. Gather as much information as they can from Trex, then end him, but something about that makes me incredibly uncomfortable. Like it or not, Trex isn’t meant to die yet, and I guess I have to figure out why.

Walking down the corridor on the second floor, I’m prepared to take a right and head toward the interrogation rooms, when Draken gently grabs my arm and pulls me to the left, down a hall I’ve yet to see. Unlike the rest of the halls, this one is lined with bare stone. No cells, no other rooms, nothing but empty space. It just keeps going and going till a single left turn at the end leads us to a hazy doorway heavily guarded by Blaze and four other E.F. members.

“This is new,” I murmur, staring at Trex as he lies back on his bed, more like a cot, twiddling his thumbs. He’s not looking at or even focusing on the doorway. Unlike the other cells, he can’t see out his door.

The room is incredibly scarce. There’s a small toilet in the corner that poses no privacy, no illusion window, and that’s it. His bed, the toilet, and a table in the center of the room.

“Max security cell. No one has access in or out but the five of us. The guards can only pass food and water through the barrier. They can’t even enter fully. It serves as both his room and an interrogation room,” Tillman informs me.

Nodding, because it makes sense they’d have Trex and Franklin on full lockdown, I continue to observe the barrier as Blaze dismisses the other E.F. members.

“Any issues?” Corentin asks him.

“None. He’s done nothing but eat what’s been provided to him, piss, then lie back in his bed.”

“Stand by while we’re in there,” Tillman orders with a nod, then he and Corentin step through the shimmering barrier.

“You don’t have to talk to him, little wanderer,” Draken purrs softly.

“Yeah, I do. I don’t know why yet, but I do,” I tell him as I give his hand a comforting squeeze and we step through, Caspian close behind us.

“I’m only talking to her. Alone,” Trex states firmly, sitting up from his bed with his eyes locked on mine.

“Not a fucking chance.” Caspian sneers, taking a step toward him, but I latch on to his arm, pulling him back.

He could easily shake me off, but he doesn’t. Instead, he looks down at me with eyes that scream ‘don’t even fucking think about it.’

“Have Caspian conceal you all in the shadows in the room. I need to hear what he has to say.”

“Little warrior—”

“Tillman, please. If he’s only going to speak to me, we need to know what he has to say.”

“Fine. But one wrong move and you know what will happen.”

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