Page 119 of The Divide that Binds Us

Chapter 25

The Bind

Fae

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Screams echo behindFae as she rushes into the nearby forest attached to the botanical garden without looking back.Heart hammering from the fear of captivity, and trauma of witnessing the attack, she only hopes Poppy is keeping her distance.She’s not supposed to fly high and judging by the dark shadow that occasionally swoops over Fae, Poppy kept her promise.Fae forced Gigi to retreat to Topaz and wouldn’t take any negotiations.All the trees aren’t dead yet, but the forest is thinning out of its original plummy green lushness.

Fae’s breath hitches as she comes to a halt, having felt like she’s ran for miles.Her vision narrows as her lungs desperately crave for more air.She holds her chest and surveys her surroundings.There are enough trees for people to potentially hide behind, so it’s problematic for her to stay here when Guards are searching for her.

Twigs snapping trigger her jumpiness while she stands in a clearing.It’s a perfect view of her from any direction, so she hurries behind a thick tree and prays she’s concealed as much as possible.She waits as the birds chirp throughout the branches until Fae notices that familiar Elite member.

“Oh my gosh!Alice!”Fae shouts, running toward her.She doesn’t consider that Alice may be on Mildred’s side now.Alice turns around at the last second when Fae tosses herself in her arms.

“Fae!”Her eyes are huge with urgency.“It’s dangerous here.We need to go now.”

“STOP!”A third voice enters their scene.

Alice shoves Fae out of the way in time to miss the lightning bolt that encloses around her.The bolts dance over her body, cackling and searing her skin.Alice screams and collapses to her knees.

A tanned guy with crazed teal eyes stumbles into view, panting and grinning from the sight of Alice.He saunters forward with sparks shooting from his fingertips.

“Gotcha,” he says.“Exhausted all your powers, huh?”

Fae backs away, blood pounding in her fingers as she hastily brainstorms what to do.A rumble quickly swooshes over them, but Fae doesn’t want to risk Poppy’s safety for this.

“No!Stop!Please, she didn’t do anything wrong!”Fae begs.

“Come with me.”He turns his attention to her and outstretches his hand, breathing heavily with a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face.“I’m Rio Shackler, Commander of the Ultima Organization.I’ll take you home.”

Fae shakes her head frantically.“No, I can’t go back!You don’t understand, Alice is not bad!”

“Of course she is!”Rio snaps.

Alice grunts, crouched and unable to get back to her feet as she convulses.“You desperately want to believe that I’m the villain...in your story.But I’m not, you idiot.”

Rio looks at Fae, then Alice, eyebrows creasing by the second.The trees shake again.

“I need help,” Fae whispers.

Poppy instantly crashes down in the woods, causing Rio to yelp and stumble away.The baby dragon growls and flaps her reflective wings.

“Is he hurting you?!”Poppy asks furiously.

Alice looks up, mouth hanging open.“I think...I’ve seen that exact dragon before.”

Fae ignores everyone and beams her pleading eyes toward Rio.

“You’re on the wrong side of this battle.You gotta trust me.Alice is not the enemy here!”

“What’re you saying?”he asks.

“Mildred has a major following.She thinks she knows the future and wants this world to die so Naven becomes our new home.She’s purposely killing dragons to force the Superiors to act or have the treelings bridge a path between the worlds.She’s promising people they’ll reunite with lost loved ones, and she has Spirit Users to back her up.”

Despite being electrocuted, Alice still manages an expression of annoyance perpendicular to the awe that overwhelms Rio’s face.

“Exactly,” Alice grunts.“She’s vicious, and I’ve been trying to find clues and ways to stop her all this time.But you’ve been sabotaging that!”

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