Page 118 of This Blood That Binds Us
“Is that why you changed us...” I met Luke’s gaze. “You thought The Family was going to kill us?”
“We didn’t think, we knew! We’ve fucking seen it happen! It was all bullshit. Everything they ever taught us and showed us when we were kids was a lie and manipulation.” Zach’s face was red with rage. “That’s what they do. If anyone has a family, they kill them. Because they want your loyalty. But we didn’t know that, and when we found out, we left.”
“And you played into their plan all along and sentenced your brothers to death.” William was no longer smug. I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear it in his voice. He was dead serious. “How does that feel?”
If looks could kill, William would be a dead man.
“Come closer, and I’ll show you,” Zach said with a deadpan stare.
“I don’t believe The Family’s plan is to kill you. Though, historically, you’re correct. That is why I believe, even now, though, you have defected and therefore have committed treason against them. They’re still looking for you. Not to kill you. But to take you back...the reason for that we will hopefully find out.” Kilian stopped passing and stood in front of the cross, shoulders back and head high. “We will begin the trial. The results of this trial will determine the fate of your entire family.”
I knew I should have been scared, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel anything at that moment. My attention drifted to the puddle of my blood on the floor again. Black liquid soaked into wood grain. Tingling and numbness bled into my fingertips. I spat black blood onto the floor, while trying to keep my balance to sit up.
The sleepy feeling was settling into my muscles again. I shook my head. “Let’s just get on with it. Let me guess, you’ll push your way into my head, too?” I reached out my arm for him to take. “Go ahead.”
“Aaron, don’t,” Luke said, stirring in his chains.
“I like to give everyone a chance to plead their own case. The Family specializes in the deception and grooming of their members. They often mess with their memories and experiences, making it very hard to decipher the true intentions of the individual. That makes solely looking at memories quite difficult. I’m also opposed to pressing into the minds of others without consent, especially those like yourself who have undoubtedly suffered a great deal,” Kilian said.
“If we tell you what we know . . . and you think we’re innocent . . . We’ll go free?” Luke said.
A crack of lightning illuminated the room and Kilian’s face when he spoke.
“Precisely.”
William pulled us to our feet. I swayed on my feet, and William caught my arm. Kilian walked to the front of the altar and grabbed the silver bowl. Placing his hands in the dripping water, he then marked a cross on Luke’s forehead. Luke flinched away as Kilian grabbed his face and hands and recited a prayer.“In this judgment, may you find peace and your soul be set free.”
“Amen.” The robed members who stood at the edges of the room all spoke at once.
“Jesus, out of one cult and into another,” Zach said, as Kilian placed the holy water on his head and repeated the same phrase.
Kilian walked up to me last, placing the cool water into two lines on my forehead. His gray eyes bore into mine as he repeated the prayer. “In this judgment, may you find peace and your soul be set free.”
“Amen.” The echoes of their voices rang in the dark room, solidifying their ceremony.
“Aaron, I will be addressing your brothers for most of the trial. It’s important that you do not speak out of turn. I willaddress you directly if I need to.” William placed me back on the floor, where I sat on my knees near my standing brothers. Probably to prevent having to hold me upright for the entirety of the trial. I was thankful nonetheless.
“Luke and Zach Calem, you’ve been brought here under our council in your involvement in the death of the Hogert family and the disappearance of Sarah Garanger.”
“What the fuck?” The words flew out of my mouth before I could catch them.
William clasped his hand over my mouth and leaned close to my ear. “Do not speak.”
He kept his hand securely over my mouth, and I had no energy left to struggle. My stomach turned with anger and fear. Fear that my brothers were truly exactly like William claimed they were. My heart refused to believe those accusations. Luke would have never hurt Sarah. They were inseparable. She was like my Kimberly. He’d never lay a finger on her.I knew that. The room full of total strangers knew more about my brothers than I did in my nineteen years with them,and for a moment, I doubted my own conviction.
I was alert again.
“Zach, tell me what you know about the Hogert family.”
Kilian stood tall. His shoulders pressed away from his ears, his body fully alert.
The Hogert family. Despite the brain fog from the blood loss, I was still certain I didn’t know who that could be. The name wasn’t ringing any bells in my memory.
“Raymond Hogert is the one who shot Luke our senior year of high school...” Zach’s eyes panned to me, then back to Kilian. “Luke was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he almost fucking killed him.”
I sucked in a breath. It was true. Everything my best friend told me, had actually happened.
“I see. I can imagine that made you angry...”
