Page 4 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

He looks almost as bad as Zack. His face is bleeding and swollen, one arm lies limp by his side and he’s barely holding himself against the table. I shake my head in response. I will never be okay again, not if my brother dies, not if I don’t get my daughter back. Before he can say anything else all three Rebels burst into the room.

“What the fuck?” they yell in unison.

I don’t get to respond before Ash speaks again. “Where is Cassie?” His tone is dark, harsh, and completely menacing, as his eyes plead with mine to put him out of his misery and tell him that she’s fine.

I feel the stares of all four of them burn into my skin at his question. How can I answer a question I don’t know the answer to? A question I fear the answer to. Where is my daughter?

I flick my eyes to Marcus and then back to Ash, the former looks fierce and ready to take on the world, the latter, so far past the edge of reason I doubt he knows the way back. I know they know the answer, they can see it on my grief-stricken face, but they need to hear it to know it’s true.

“They have her. We’re too late.”

Ash collapses backwards like the words have impacted his full body. Panic and devastation staining his face, as a look I’ve only seen once before appears. In this moment he isn’t the stealthy, cunning, and dangerous Asher Donovan that has been making moves against his family. No. He’s a kid, just like me, defeated in a game played by awfully bad men. He is wearing the same shattered expression that I saw that night when I first came out of my drug haze. Heartbroken, anguished, and utterly helpless.

I wish I could help him, say something, anything, to make him feel better, but it's pointless. The despair he feels, I feel it too. I am living it right alongside him, and I know there is no relief in sight. My best friend is breaking apart right in front of me and I don’t have the power to put him back together. He's been my rock for the last four years, and the one and only time he has ever needed me in return, and I am powerless.

The need to break down and give up is fucking paralyzing. But if I break, they win. If I break, we lose. If I break, my brother dies. If I break, we won’t get our daughter back.

I can’t break.

I have to ignore his despair and focus on Zack. I suck in a deep breath through my nose and wipe my cheeks against my shoulders to scrape away the tears.

“I need towels, alcohol, and the first aid kit from the kitchen,” I shout out at the Rebels. None of them move, they are frozen to the spot taking in the scene.

The blood-soaked carpet, my blood-soaked dress, my blood-soaked brother, just so much fucking blood.

“Are you fucking deaf!” I scream. I don’t miss the tears that continue to spill down my cheeks. “I need help!” My voice breaks on the last word.

Marcus is the first to spark into action as he disappears to find what I need. Jace remains frozen to the spot, like the sight of blood has cemented him in there, and Lincoln is looking between Zack, Asher and me.

“Get my phone,” I yell at them both.

“Elle,” Linc starts, but I cut him off.

“Lincoln, get my fucking phone.” He picks up my discarded purse and pulls my phone out. “Dial number one on my speed dial and put it on speaker.”

The dial tone fills the room, and it feels like it takes forever for someone to answer, before Arthur's voice fills the room.

“Hi, sweetheart. How was the pa--”

“GSW to the chest, no exit wound.” My voice is unsteady as I struggle to hold in my emotions. I’m losing it. I can’t lose it.

“Who?” he asks immediately. I wish I could keep it from him. Save him from the heart ache he is about to feel, but there is no way I can lie to him right now, not about his own son.

“It’s Zack,” I choke out through a sob, still barely believing that this is happening.

I hear his sharp intake of breath, like he just took a hit himself before he speaks. “Okay, you're gonna need someone to keep pressure on the wound. Go to my office and in the bottom drawer of my medical cabinet you will find a needle and a long tube.” His voice is a lot steadier than mine, but I can hear the pain along with rustling and movement as I’m sure he exits wherever he is to make his way back here.

He continues to ramble off supplies and Lincoln stalks away, my phone still in hand to retrieve whatever we need. I feel Jace’s presence as he kneels beside me and covers my hands with his. It isn’t until I feel his touch that I realize I’m still shaking. “I got this, princess,” he declares, but it lacks the confidence he usually delivers.

I look at him properly for the first time since he came in, he’s staring at me with the most serious look I’ve ever seen on his face. He squeezes my hands tightly. “Let go, Elle. I got this. I promise.” I slide my hands from beneath him as he closes the small gap.

Marcus comes back holding a stack of towels, a first aid kit, and two bottles of vodka, dumping them next to Jace. Lincoln is here in the next second with the stuff that Arthur listed off, as he continues to instruct them on what to do in order to keep my brother from leaving me.

I’m as cold as ice, goosebumps covering my entire body as I watch them fight to save my brother's life. Still slumped next to me, Ash looks just as lost as I feel as he watches Zack’s blood with an unwavering stare, completely ignoring his own injuries.

How the fuck did we get here?

Marcus grabs my face, pulling until my eyes meet his. “Baby, what happened? Where is Cassie?”

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