Page 17 of Drop His Mask

Levi, who had stayed silent throughout my exchange with Jayce, now vibrated a growl into my ear.

Wriggling further back into his arms I attempted to provide reassurance before continuing my story. “She told me Jayce knew her plans, and I was just an obstacle that was in the way of a liberation. That we both needed to die. That we werecherished. That our deaths would make a difference and nothing would stand in her way.” My hands stroked lines up Levi’s forearms. “At the time I thought that meant Jayce knew her plans.” My eyes landed on his. “But I have since realized that was wrong. The pain of the knife as she plunged into me, the terror that she was going to succeed in killing Sparrow. In ending my life too. It is the last thing I remember clearly before waking up with Geoff, the doctor.”

Levi’s arms tightened around me, his muscles hardening under the pads of my fingers.

Jayce’s face turned ashen, uncertainty flashed across it, before his jaw tightened. “If we’re sharing everything, there’s something else I need to tell you.” Jayce reached up, cupping my face and stroking my cheek softly with his thumb. “I think I know who saved you.”

Leaning into his touch, I used it as the grounding I needed. “Who?”

His thumb dug into my cheek. “Julian.”

My eyes flashed to Jayce’s. Uncertainty wrapped around my nerves, but in my heart, the name landed.

My best friend growing up. One of the few I knew with undeniable certainty would never betray me. That had given me needed support while Jayce and my sister disappeared more and more. That had always been honest to a fault. That I had trusted my deepest, darkest secrets to.

My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I thought about him. I squeezed my eyes shut as anxiety and unease swirled through me, but underneath it all wasconcern.

I hadn’t allowed myself to think about it, but I missed him. More than I had realized.

Over the years, I had wondered where he ended up, if he had landed in these games himself, but I found it was too much to bear, and I had no idea where or even how to find him. It was easier to not think of him at all, to pretend he was living his happily ever after somewhere far away from here.

But the more I considered it, the less likely it seemed. I clenched my jaw, letting out a full body shudder.

I hope you’re okay, Julian.

Chapter 8

Find A Doctor

Julian

Five Years – Three Months Ago

“Are you sure they’ll help her?” He directed the question to the driver of the truck through the open cab window. The man that had found him with Raven after the bomb went off, the Griffin gang member.

Julian held a shirt around the knife sticking out of her stomach, desperately willing her to wake back up. She wasn’t bleeding that badly. She would be okay. She had to be.

“Yes, they can get her help and keep her safe.” The man’s voice bounced out the window catching in the wind, but Julianstill heard him.

It was pitch black as they sped along, they hadn’t passed any other vehicles, and the road itself was surrounded by woods.

The trees met over them to form a continuous canopy, an eerie and inescapable tunnel that left no room for stars to shine through.

After a few more minutes, they rounded a bend and light shrouded through, blinding Julian momentarily.

“Checkpoint! Turn off your vehicle and step out of the car.”

Panic pounded into Julian’s ears. This wasn’t good, they wouldn’t help them.

The driver slammed on the brakes, he whipped around until he faced Julian. “Fuck, fuck,fuck. Listen. The Griffins were watching the live stream, a group of us were nearby. We were given the directive to get the girl, keep her safe,” the man grumbled, annoyed. “Worthless if you ask me, but fuck it. I’m going to get out of the vehicle. While I have them distracted, take the truck, go back the way we came. There was a village a mile back, find a doctor. Get her help and when you can, find us. Find Griffin. Tell them Oleks sent you.”

“Get out of the vehicle or we will shoot!” An authoritative voice came from the blockade.

“Griffin?” Julian’s brain swirled through a million scenarios.

“Yes you fucking idiot,theGriffin. Find him. We need her. She’s going to be our savior, or at least that’s the bullshit he’s spewing. Fuck. Alright let’s do this. Half a mile back there was a hidden road back to town, take it. Keep your lights off.” That was the last the man said. He slowly swung out the truck door, leaving it open.

“Hands on your head! State your purpose!”

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