Page 91 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

What the hell could warrant that kind of response?

"I remember her too," Xavier chimes in, running his hand along my lower back. "She was helping lead the Revolutionists... but I have no idea where she could have gone-"

"In the fucking Precipice, that's where," Atticus yells. "You said there was only one Apparatus-"

"There is," Elyon and I both snap, Atticus's throat releasing a scoff.

"Then tell me how in the hell that fucking little bitch has managed to double the number of Marked who have flooded into my city and gone without a trace," he gripes, giving us all a hard stare.

"And her runes, those god damn runes-"

"Rowan is not like the other Marked," Elyon chimes in, all of us focusing our attention his way.

"What the hell do you mean?" I question, his gaze so far from me.

Fidgeting with the hems of his sleeves, Elyon looks back out the window, completely avoidant of acknowledging the Marked he was so eager to devour moments ago.

"I don't know where Rowan came from, or any of those damn runed Marked. Furthermore, I have no idea what abilities they truly possess," Elyon whispers, all of us exchanging a look.

"That's impossible. How could you not know-"

"Her mother gave birth to her in my confinement, that is true. Her mother was Marked, but Rowan... Rowan was an anomaly. As I told you, most Marked pregnancies take months. Rowan came at the rate of a normal human child. Her mother had no idea how she could have conceived, given she was in confinement. The pregnancy killed her mother, leaving Rowan to be handled in my care-"

"She can slip into a few goddamn minds, that's nothing to be wary of-"

"Not just a few," Elyon snaps. "She can slip into any mind and do so without you ever knowing. Initially, I thought she only possessed the Call, but then I realized there was more to her than met the eye. She could learn new traits, ones that she had not been born with. I kept her in close quarters-"

"Until your little facade wore off and she dug her pesky ass into my mind," Fallan snaps.

"Don't speak to me like you played no part in your downfall, Markswood," Elyon hisses, finally turning his body.

"Still, given Forest's current accomplishments, the child is no match for my daughter," Elyon smiles, Winnowing before me.

"Speaking of strength, time to drink up, my dear," Elyon smiles, the Marked once silent, now writhing, trying to escape their binds.

Having indulged to Xavier the depths of his daughter's aversion to blood, the idea of drinking anything sends chills down my spine.

"Perhaps I can take the lead?" Xavier questions, keeping a cold front.

Barely looking his way, Elyon's eyes stay plastered on me.

"No," he hisses. "Is there a reason your fiancé is so adamant on taking over-"

Waving my hand, I hear the bones shatter in their necks, each one of their heads twisting backwards, their muffled groans silenced by the hand of death. Watching Atticus's eyes widen, I hear the bodies slump to the floor before I see it. Each lively soul, now dead weight on the floor.

Slowly turning around, Elyon looks at the sight before him.

"Do not question what I am willing to do in the name of family," I hiss, the meaning holding much more weight.

Taking a step back from Atticus allows me to lean over the bodies, his hand extending out an IV.

"Here-"

Grabbing the wrist of one of the fallen, I sink my teeth into his skin, biting down until I taste blood. Hiding the nausea trying to work through me, I take several gracious drinks, peering at Elyon as I do so.

Wiping my mouth clean, I offer Atticus the wrist, watching his eyebrows crease with confusion.

"Drink up, boys," I hiss, Xavier's eyes watching me close.

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