Page 114 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

Circling me like vultures, his three figures swarm me like wild animals. Bouncing back and forth, his laugh clouds my mind.

"You think you're the only one who has a good grasp of their Call?" he spits. "By the time you figure out which one of me is real..."

Closing my eyes, I tune him out.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Thump, Thump, Thump

One strong heartbeat.

Reaching my hand out toward the figure with a heartbeat, Atticus gasps. Blocking him from my mind, I use his disorientation, shoving him as hard into the concrete wall closest to us as I can. Forcing him into the wall with enough force to keep him down, I slide my hand to my other thigh, grabbing the dagger free from its sheath.

"I should kill you," I whisper. "But I'd rather make you suffer again."

Shoving the knife into his stomach as hard as I can, I pin him into the wall, smiling once he lets out a scream.

"Y-You fucking bitch-"

"Goodbye, Atticus."

Backing away, a glimpse of gray overlooking the fight catches my attention.

Standing on top of one of the buildings, she crouches down, cocking her head in observance. Too focused on watching her brother and Xavier to notice me, I mentally path the best way to get to her without anyone noticing.

Winnowing away from Atticus's line of sight, I find myself behind the buildings. Grabbing the ladder of the building she stands on, my heart races.

This could end one of two ways.

I could be right about my theory and help her get what she needs.

Or.

She kills me.

Taking a deep breath, my feet move for me.

Maybe there are some things more important than living.

Chapter thirty-five

Forest

Ineed to go down there.

One of the Revolutionists cracks Kai in the face, drawing blood.

I need to go down there.

Our girl stirs inside of my stomach, making me feel that much more uneasy. Over the past several days, she has moved more and more, warning me of the discomfort she is feeling having to stay in my body.

Just a bit longer.

Mason grabs Xavier's hair, tossing him right into the ground.

I have to go down there.

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