Page 83 of The Hidden Falling
“I wonder who will be in the graveyard when this is over.”
“I don’t care about your graveyard. Just tell me how to stop the curse,” I growl at her. She needs to give me something.
She shakes her head slowly from side to side. Her hair sticks to the blood on her face and body as it sways. “I do not know, Darius. I didn’t cause it, so how would I?”
“You’re lying, I saw it from the memory crystal. You can’t deny it.” She was in the middle of a stone circle, writing glowing around the edges, her arms stretched out at her sides as she chanted her curse and darkness flooded into her. Rogures came from the dirt around her, clawing and snarling their way to the surface.
“What you saw wasn’t real because I didn’t do it.” She hisses in pain as she shuffles on her knees, and my body jolts forward before I still myself, Drax pushing me toward her to ease her pain.
I lock him down.
“You will tell us eventually how to stop it, more blood will be spilled until then,” I snarl at her and stand in frustration. Turning and flicking a finger at the bars behind to reappear, I ignore the sigh I hear come from her. It’s weighted, resigned. I need to get out of here before Drax takes over.
“You have to believe me, Darius. I need to get out of here.” Rhea’s voice echoes after me. “You’ll end up regretting this if you don’t.”
We both regret a lot of things, and meeting each other is one of them.
Forty Four
Rhea
I’mdraggedharshlyfrommy cell by two guards. I don’t know how long I’ve been in here since Darius came to see me, but it feels like days. I hated him coming to see me after what he did, after he tore the flesh from my back.
He’s standing beside monsters, and he is none the wiser. To blind in his anger to see how impossible it is for me to have caused the rogures. Whatever he saw in this memory stone has made him convinced I’m the enemy, and who would believe a ‘traitor’?
I’m jostled and shoved by one of the guards, a sneer on his scarred face, and I hiss through the pain. The cuffs around my wrists, that I now realize are infused with terbium, have slowed my healing process down. That particular metal is rare, and there is only one person I know who has access to it. My skin has barely begun to close from the lashes and every sudden movement splits the skin more, letting fresh blood flow down my back.
I’m taken in the same direction as the last time I went to the great hall until we arrive at its doors. The guards stop in front of them for a moment, righting their armor, before we enter. People fill the room again, looking at me with distaste and anger as they spit at my feet, curses falling from their lips. The guards shove me forward down the steps to the middle of the sunken area, Josh and Kade once again next to me. Kade doesn’t even twitch at my appearance when he looks at me briefly as I’m once again chained to the floor. Josh has more injuries over his face, blood coming from the side of his head, his eyes are tired and full of pain.
“Are you okay?” he asks me quietly, and I nod, staying silent. He looks me over, his eyes tightening as he takes me in, but what else can I say?
My heart is bleeding more than the wounds on my back. Letting him know that I’m not okay won’t help anything.
Footsteps come from my right, and I turn and see my cousin, Patrick, coming down the steps toward me, and my muscles lock up. His blue eyes bore into mine when he stops too close in front of me, and I hold my breath. My hands shake but I lift my chin, waiting for him to speak.
“Hello cousin,” he smirks, eyes lingering on my chest that’s only covered by my bra. I bare my teeth at him, wanting to rip his throat out no matter how much fear I have of him. “No need to be so cranky. You’re the one who has been naughty.”
“Get the fuck away from her,” Josh snarls, moving as close to me as the chains will allow him.
Patrick ignores him. “Are you happy that you took our little brother from us,” he says to me, referring to Kade. “You stole a child from his family and brainwashed him. I can’t wait to see you punished,” he smirks, eyes glinting. “I’m sure Lord Higher will agree to let me give you some of my own punishments as I am Heir to the Aragnis pack.”
“I saved Kade from—”
His hand flies out, backhanding me and head snaps to the side before he grabs and squeezes my throat, cutting off any more words. His touch on me has my skin crawling, my body trembling. I bring my hands up, trying to get him off me, but he’s stronger than me at the moment. He squeezes harder with desire in his eyes. A choked sound comes from me as he brings his face closer, until I feel his breath on my ear. The Elites walk in at that moment, moving around the sunken area to stop in front of the dais. Darius’ eyes bore into mine, taking in my now reddened cheek and Patrick’s hold on me as my cousin murmurs quietly in my ear so only I can hear him.
“I’m going to finally have you.” I swallow beneath his hand, my scared eyes on Darius’ curious ones as he tilts his head at us. “I never wanted to wait before, but the Highers demanded it. It’s different now. All that time we spent playing together when I came to visit you will be nothing like what I will do to you now.” My eyes sting with tears, and Darius’ eyes darken. “Do you know where Sarah is,” he taunts, and I dig my fingers into his wrist harder. “She’s on her way to the pack, to be strapped down, ready and waiting for me. Don’t worry, there is enough of me to go around though.” He nips my ear, his lips on me making my stomach turn and I whimper.
“Get off me—” he squeezes my throat harder, and I thrash, desperate to get him off me.
“That’s enough,” Darius orders from his place in front of the dais, looking between us.
“I just wanted a word with my cousin before she is sentenced,” Patrick shrugs. “I’m sure I will be able to talk to her later on I suppose.” He looks down at my body, heat filling his eyes as I move my gaze to the floor, wanting to escape him.
I suppress a shiver thinking of what would happen if he’s allowed time with me. I have no doubt he will ask for it. But Sarah. Gods, Sarah is going to his home. I look down at my bare feet, sucking in breaths as I look over at Josh out of the corner of my eye. If looks could kill, Patrick would be dead as he walks back over to the family. When Josh finds out that Sarah is on her way to our old home, he’s going to lose it, but I need him to stay calm right now. I need to get him out of a sentence so he can go and get her. I have to try.
“What did he say?” Josh whispers through gritted teeth. I shake my head, not wanting him to know yet.
“You need to agree that I’m the one who caused all of what they are assuming,” I murmur, looking around to see if anyone can hear us. “You need to get out of here with the others. Blame it all on me. I’ll figure something out.” He starts shaking his head. “Please, Josh,” I plead with my eyes, nodding my head in Kade’s direction. “He needs you. They all do.”
