Page 81 of The Hidden Falling
“Why haven’t you told me this before, I thought it was just me he did that to,” I wheeze.
“What would it change? We are powerless. There is only you and I, and that is not enough. He keeps an eye on packs, looking for pups soon to be born and then goes to them when they have arrived under the facade that he’s blessing them. Welcoming them into Vrohkaria. When really he’s looking for anything that resembles you. With you being thought dead and no others found, he thought he could find a way.” He swallows roughly. “He takes the ones he has a liking to from their homes and trains them. Prepares them for their new life,” he whispers, voice shaking as he speaks.
My eyes are wide as I open and close my mouth, shock rendering me speechless for a moment. “I’ve been hidden in Eridian all this time, hiding from the Highers and my family, and all this time.” I gag. “All this time he’s been doing that to others.” I hunch over at his nod, ignoring the pain in my back as I choke on nothing. “He’s been takingchildrenbecause I wasn’t around. Training them. Oh, Gods. No.”
My palms hit the wet floor, tears dripping down my face as my stomach turns. What has he put children through? How many have died because of me? Children. He’s been taking fucking children when I was playing happy families in Eridian.
What have I done?
“It’s not your fault, Rhea.” He tries to placate me, but he’s wrong. So, fucking wrong. “You had to stay hidden from him. We couldn’t let him have you.”
“Children, Edward,” I cry. “He’s doing what he did to me. I thought with me gone, he would stop. That he would just give up trying to be more than he should be.”
“I know,” he says sadly. Nothing more to add because what can he say? Either way you look at it, Gods knows how many children have been put in my place because I was hidden away.
Is my life worth all of theirs?
“I will try and get Kade and your pack out of here, though I’m afraid it’s not looking good. Just hang tight, we will figure it out. You can’t be left in their grasp. Charles and the other Highers are determining your sentencing soon and many demand it be public, so he can’t do anything right now. That gives us time to come up with something. I can’t stay, or they will notice my absence. I will try and be back before they come and get you.”
I shake my head, so utterly defeated before lifting it to look at him with my blurry vision. “Just get them out, vallier, Edward,”Please.
He nods, his eyes solemn. “Don’t lose hope,” he pleads with me. “I will find a way.” He gives me one more small smile before leaving me alone in my new prison.
But all I feel is my soul crippling inside me. Sorrow at how much innocent blood has been spilled in my absence from so many young pups.
There is no hope for the essence that’s being tainted by the Highers.
No Gods.
No justice.
Only destruction and blood. That’s all that’s left.
Forty Three
Darius
Wesitinadining hall within the castle, all seated around a light wood table as way too much food is set down before us. Leo sits to my right, followed by Damian, Zaide, Jerrod. Maize sits next to Charles who’s at the head of the table, the other Highers seated across from us as they discuss the trial. Though Higher Warden and Higher Aldua are not here.
“What do you think should be done with the boy?” Higher Frederick asks around a mouthful of food.
“He will return to his family of course,” Charles says. “Poor boy has been traumatized. I’ve ordered Maize to be involved personally with his recovery, and he can leave once he is better.” I look toward Maize as she gives him a smile.
“I never agreed to that,” I interrupt, leaning back in my seat.
Charles’ eyes swing to mine, food halfway to his mouth. “I don’t need to get your permission. She is skilled and will help the boy. You’re not going to deny his recovery, are you?”
All eyes are now on me, waiting for my answer. “I need to get back to hunting the Rogures. We found what caused them to be here, but haven’t found how to stop it. So in the meantime, we all need to be out there protecting Vrohkaria.” Until Rhea tells us how to reverse the ritual, if it can even be done, there is nothing else we can do until then apart from cutting them down.
“I will be seeing to it personally that we get the information needed out of the woman to stop the Rogures,” Charles says. “We will be close to peace throughout Vrohkaria again after the trial, and those who are rebelling against us will disband. Many have spoken of my capabilities of handling the traitor so far and put faith in me to put an end to the Rogures. I will not fail the people.”
“What if it can’t be undone,” asks Higher Aiden, his dark curls swaying as he shakes his head. “Can we even trust what she says with what the Elites have told us? She may have us do another curse unknowingly if we take her word for things and have her perform another ritual, if that is needed.”
“That is a concern,” Charles agrees, rubbing his chin. “We have to have some form of leverage over her so that she has no other option than to tell us the truth.”
“Like what?” Higher Frederick asks. “She’s a traitorous cunt who has caused so much death. What could we possibly hold over her when she cares so little for the world she lives in?”
“That is true,” Higher Mathew chimes in. “The bitch couldn’t care about anything.”
