Page 48 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

"I hope you know what you're doing,"Elyon warns."An act is coming together, one to wipe about the Marked. With these chips, there isn't much we can't do. The last thing I need is to kill Xavier because you were too foolish to let him go."

Clinging onto the man's words, Atticus opens the door, my focus on the man's scar once again.

"How does a Marked of your power acquire an injury as noticeable as that?" I question, the first real sign of weakness touching his expression.

Passing his fingers over the injury, he takes a shallow breath, forcing on a grin once again.

"Let's just say I'm not too fond of red heads," he grins, shutting the door only seconds later.

Chapter fourteen

Xavier

"Holy shit," Kai mutters, the massive city sprawling before us one that of dreams.

Taking it all in, the Precipice is far from the place we once called home. Filled with dozens of newer buildings and manpower, the city is a fortress meant to keep anything beyond its borders out.

"I guess Mason wasn't lying when he said Sanctum funneled more of their resources into a few of these hubs," I mutter, tucking away the coordinates the hesitant man had given me.

Despite all that we have gone through together, Mason is reserved, keeping us all at a safe distance, as if at any moment any of us may snap, ready to bring him down with us. I don't know why I am surprised. Mason has always held true to his need for isolation, allowing no one or nothing in, keeping all parts of his life closed off from everyone around him.

Mason's life before his time as a Shifter has always been something he chooses to stay quiet about.

I'm starting to wonder why.

Parked just close enough to get a look at the city without being spotted, we all stay crammed in the vehicle's bed, resorting to binding and gagging Fallan as an extra precaution. The last thing we need is Fallan calling out to Elyon in some desperate attempt to get back in his good will. For the most part, Fallan has been silent ever since we left the cabin, making me that much more suspicious of his actions.

Generally, all the man knows how to do is speak. Now he sits in silence, patiently waiting for one of us to make the first move.

"Problem with that," Aaron signs, his finger pointing out the gleam of the city ward.

"I'd say we are hopeful if we think their ward is as compromised as New Haven's," Aaron hisses. "How the hell are we getting in?"

Taking several moments to look over the spacious empire, one large entrance faces the front of the city, armed with guards ready to fire at will.

"That can't be the only way in," I mutter. "The city is too big to make that their primary way in."

Eyeing me with question, Kai raises his brows.

"I was in charge of New Haven long enough to know Sanctum's preferred architecture," I snap. "There's never just one way in."

Making our way around the perimeter of the Precipice, a gaggle of guards catches my attention, all of them swarming one of the more secluded portions of the ward. Watching them all take long drags from their cigarettes, they work in rushed movements, clearly utilizing a contraband item in their city.

"A lot of the Officials in New Haven would hide their contraband outside the city's ward. Drugs, pills, anything they wanted out of reach from upper leadership," I smile. "It would seem the more addictive side to human nature always seems to prevail."

"So what's the plan?" Aaron questions, my hands gripping the steering wheel.

"Simple," I smile. "A distraction."

Grabbing my blade, I tug Fallan toward me, allowing my knife's point to plunge into his side, his mouth stifling a loud yelp. Cutting him in a place that serves no real damage, his body already tries to heal, his teeth clamping down on the gag with hate.

"Play prisoner for me, pretty boy," I smile, shoving him off of the truck bed, the others following shortly after.

Keeping our vehicle hidden by rubble and debris, I shove Fallan past our way of staying hidden, letting him stumble within the eyesight of the guards observant enough to notice our sudden intrusion. Clutching his bleeding side and throwing me a mental fleet of cusswords, I urge the others to stay hidden.

"Wait for my word," I whisper, all of the guards, once conversing with smiles, are now staring in my direction.

Taking a step, they draw their weapons, each one eager to pull the trigger.

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