Page 1 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

Forest- New Hope- Months Prior

"Her name was Dove."

Bile settles into the airways of my throat, every thought entering my mind one of a vile nature. Taking several seconds to compose myself, I blankly stare at Elyon. His face is stuck in a cold mask.

"What did you say?" I question, as if hearing him repeat the name a second time will make it any more tolerable to hear.

"Dove Morgan," he sighs, looking over the picture once more. The image settled behind the glass of the frame is now much more challenging to stomach.

Where there were initially two women, both beautiful and enthralling, there is now a primary focal point. His daughter. With her straight black hair and cold, dead eyes.

I've seen those eyes before.

Giving me an up-and-down look, Elyon runs his hands through his hair, his body warily rising from behind his desk.

"You look unsettled, Forest. I do hope I haven't said anything to displease you."

Forcing myself up and out of the chair, the air feels much colder, the space around me closing in as if every breath I take pulls me further away from a cognitive state. Taking a step toward me, Elyon holds his hands up with confusion, my eyes on the man, my body a shaking mess.

"Stay right fucking there," I hiss. A pounding headache creeps into my mind. The fleeting images of the very woman in the picture are now in my memories.

It's distant.

A memory locked away, not meant to be seen by my eyes.

"I wondered if mentioning her name would warrant this reaction," Elyon sighs. My palms sweat as pain crawls along the back of my head.

"What the hell is happening?" I question. His eyebrows raise as he leans into his desk.

Only minutes ago, I was surrounded by the comfort of all that I love, needing nothing but Fallan's arms wrapped around my body and Xavier's blood painting the floor.

Now, I can barely stomach the idea of Fallan's hands being anywhere near me.

"Despite how hard your mother worked on your chip, that medication, and the amount of energy I exerted on my Call in your mind, it would seem few words still seem to be your fail-safe for flooding distant memories into your mind," he sighs, looking me over as if every reaction I am having is one he could have guessed would happen.

"Your Call isn't in my fucking mind!" I snap, a pounding headache developing behind my eyes.

"Is it not?" he questions, his mind as open as ever.

"Do you honestly believe that?"he questions silently, his voice caressing every quiet space in my thoughts.

"How did you-"

"Come on, Forest, I know you're a smarter girl than that. I wouldn't have kept you alive if I thought you could not exceed my expectations. In some ways, I suppose you owe me some gratitude. I wasn't the happiest to receive the little gift you gave me on these compound steps oh so long ago," he smiles, more broken memories forcing their way into my mind.

I see fleeting images, each one more confusing than the last. There is the girl, Dove, her thoughts wicked and deceptive, the blood she spilled the blood of my own.

The blood of the Revolutionists.

The blood of the Marked.

Gripping my chair, I fall to my knees, my head pounding, begging for some form of relief. Sensing him creep closer, the warmth he radiated moments ago fades away, the presence of something new tucked away in the depths of his desk.

No, not new.

My blood.

Crouching down on my level, his hand grazes my face, his fingers as cold as ice.

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