Page 65 of Wrath

“To get us all out of here.”

Abe laughs. “Because it’s so easy.”

“With the four of you together, it can be.”

He glances back to Wrath. “You’re releasing all of us?” I nod. “Wynter, it’s too dangerous.”

“I need you all,” I tell him.

“We can’t control ourselves,” he snaps, now glaring at Wrath. “Tell her,” he orders.

“You can,” I argue, crouching before him. “They told you that you were monsters, but it’s not true. You can control yourself.”

“The things I’ve done,” he cries. “That we’ve all done.”

“I know,” I say, nodding, “but you didn’t do any of it because you wanted to.”

He laughs, and it’s cold. “Is that what he told you?” he asks, nodding at Wrath. “You think he hates the fucking?”

I glance at the floor, my cheeks colouring slightly. “Please,” I whisper.

“Of course, we like it,” Abe yells, getting in my face. Wrath moves fast, but I hold my hand up, halting him.

“You’re scared,” I state, looking Abe in the eye. “It’s okay, I am too. We all are. But I swear, we’ll stick together from this point on, and we can be scared or brave together.” I hold up the keys, waiting for him to agree. He eventually nods, and I uncuff him.

We all stand in a circle, the warriors glancing at one another with confusion and disbelief on their faces. Jaycee and Anna have also joined us, and I’m so relieved they’re both okay.

“So,” I begin, “there’s only one way to do this.”

“Walk right out of here?” asks Abe, his voice full of sarcasm as he rolls his eyes. “You’ve all lost your minds.”

“We end the forefathers,” I reply.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he snaps.

“It’s the only way.” I look around the circle. “Without them, no one will know what to do, they’ll be in a state of panic.”

“And what, we just walk away?” asks Martha.

I shrug. “I don’t know, but I do know that while they’re still alive, we’ll never truly be free.”

“There’s an announcement tomorrow,” says Martha. “Everyone has to meet in the town.”

I frown. “I don’t know anything about that.”

“Wouldn’t it be the perfect time to strike?” asks Alex.

My stomach churns with knots of nerves. “What about the bar?” I look to Jaycee. “The one we visited before.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not a good idea. I’m certain the guards have made sure to tell horror stories about this place, telling people it’s some sort of secure unit for mentally ill people. If we all go charging in there, especially with these big bastards, we’ll only scare them.”

Alex nods in agreement. “Lenny made sure no one could leave that way.”

“Looks like the meeting in the town centre is the only way. At least they’ll all be together,” says Jaycee.

“Look, if you’re going to go through with this, isn’t it better to conquer and divide?” asks Abe. “There’s four of us and four of them.”

I chew on my lower lip, a plan forming. “Or,” I say, stepping into the centre, “we could lure them into the caves.”

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