Forsaken

by J. L. Weil

  “I did.”

  “And?” I prodded.

  Ryker kicked the barn door shut behind him, drowning out the howling wind. It was rough out there today, like the turbulent storm of emotions inside me. “I think you might be more famous than the Slayer,” he informed me.

  Dash jumped down from the loft. “That’s scary. So they agreed then?”

  Ryker wiped his brow. “Most of them are considering it, but not everyone is eager to go up against the Institute. I don’t know who will stand with us.”

  My shoulders sagged. Some was better than none.

  Dash’s jaw ticked as he paced the barn. “Dammit. If we stand any chance, we need to get more people on board.”

  “What about Macen?” Ryker asked, scanning the shadows for him.

  The empty barn gave him his answer. Macen had never showed up, and it was a low blow. The Forsaken had been our secret weapon. With them fighting alongside us, victory had been at least within arm’s reach, but now it felt like a joke.

  I felt like a joke.

  “We don’t need them. We can still do this,” I announced. Did those words just come out of my mouth? It might be time to get my head examined.

  Dash looked at Ryker and then to me before shaking his head. “If we’re going to start the war to defend the Heights, we better get our shit together.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The countdown had begun.

  Over the next few days, the three of us prepared for the gathering of a lifetime. The word was sent out to the other settlements. We would march to the Institute with the biggest Gifted assembly ever, during the next full moon. That night was tonight. If this didn’t grab my father’s attention, then nothing would.

  Before I was ready, it was time to head out and face what waited for us. It would be naïve of me to think my father hadn’t caught wind of what we were planning. Just as we had our spies, the Institute had theirs.

  Ryker, Dash, and I packed ourselves into the ranger, and I took one last look at the little red barn, thankful for the sanctuary it had provided us. In a way, I was sad to leave. It had been comforting hiding away from the dangers of the world. A part of me would be content to stay in the cocoon, but that would be to let fear win.

  Not today.

  Ryker peeled off the gravel path, heading into the woods. So much was going on inside of me, but at the forefront was panic. It boiled to the surface, wanting to bubble over, but I would be useless if I freaked out.

  Maneuvering around trees, rocks, and scary drop-offs, Ryker plowed over the rough terrain. “Good thing we’re in an ATV,” Dash said, flattening a hand on the roof to steady himself in the seat.

  “Have you ever thought about putting seatbelts in this thing?” I asked as we hit another bump, my head nearly whacking the ceiling.

  “Here.” Ryker dug around in the side of the door and turned, tossing me a rope. “Strap yourself in.” I caught it before it hit the seat.

  “Hey! Eyes on the road!” Dash yelled. The ranger was heading straight for a tree. Ryker jerked the ATV to the left just in the nick of time, but the correction wasn’t enough to avoid the roots. The ranger tilted to the left, and I slid over the seats, smacking into the door.

  Dash grabbed the back of Ryker’s shirt. “Do that again, and I’ll throw you through the windshield.” He released the material bunched in his fist and faced me. “Are you okay, Freckles?”

  I nodded, righting myself back into the middle of the seat. “I’m fi—Ryker, watch out!” I screamed, bracing for impact… for real this time.

  Ryker slammed on the brakes, and the ATV skidded over mud and grass, fishtailing. It came to a sudden halt, its grill just barely touching a zombie. The Forsaken had walked out in front of the ranger.

  My heart was in my throat.

  As if I didn’t already have enough anxiety whirling through me, almost crashing sent me over the edge.

  I couldn’t believe this. It wasn’t a zombie. It was Macen.

  Before Ryker or Dash could object, I ripped the door open, and stomped to the front of the ranger. “You almost killed us.”

  Macen gave me a funny look. It made me wonder if the tone of my voice had brought back a suppressed memory of life before, maybe his mom scolding him. “I had to get you to stop.”

  “You have shitty timing, you know that?”

  “I got a little lost.”

  Dash cut him a dark look. I hadn’t even noticed he had gotten out of the car and stood beside me. “Do you need help finding your face?” Dash threatened him, clenching a fist.

  I was surprised when I saw a grin emerge. “I found them.”

  A movement drew my eyes along the tree line, and I gasped. Holy zombie-ola. From the darkness of the woods came one after another. They filled all the gaps between the trees. It was a frightening number of Forsaken, and I tried not to let fear seize me, but it was instinctual. They didn’t look friendly. In fact, they looked like they were ready to massacre the entire human species.

  NEED!

  KILL!

  A chorus of voices hissed in my head, and I froze, unable to draw a breath. Had I made a mistake of epic proportions? Had I issued our death sentences?

  My heart pounded in my chest.

  Dash could have made a symphony out of his string of F-bombs. “Are you planning on attacking us?” he accused Macen, his voice going fifty shades darker. His challenge hung in the air. He was daring Macen to double-cross us.

  The Slayer had gone cray.

  Antagonizing the ex-zombie was not the approach I would have gone for in our present dilemma.

  But I didn’t believe Macen would do that. The Forsaken, more than us, thrived on revenge. Behind us, Ryker revved the engine, his golden eyes glowing. He had the vehicle primed and ready for a quick getaway if necessary.

  A zombie stepped forward, catching my gaze with his eyes of obsidian. I was entranced. While Dash and Macen argued, I moved toward the outer edge of the path. As I got closer, a dull nagging prodded my head, like someone was trying to read my thoughts, but I had it all wrong. They weren’t trying to read them, but project them.

  Help us and we will fight for you, the zombie’s voice pleaded in my head.

  A wave of relief poured over me. They were willing to fight. I nodded, letting him know I agreed. I would help them. If the zombies scratched my back, I would scratch theirs… or kiss them on the lips would be a more accurate statement.

  “Charlotte, what just happened?”

  I turned sideways, staring at Dash. “Huh?”

  Dash’s nostrils flared. “It spoke to you, didn’t it?”

  “How did you know that?”

  “You have your freaked-out face on.”

  “I do not.”

  His brows rose.

  “They’re here to help,” I explained, trying to make my face normal again.

  Macen threw up his hands. “What do you think I have been trying to tell you?”

  Dash’s jaw set with determination. “What kind of help do they want?”

  “Not what you think,” Macen assured him, but I didn’t know how encouraging it was.

  Dash’s body was taut. “Good, because there is no way in hell she is kissing that many zombies.”

  I rolled my eyes, keeping my deal with the Forsaken a secret.

  “Are there others with you?” Macen inquired, wondering if we’d been successful in recruiting the other tribes.

  “They will come to fight when the moon is full,” Ryker said stoically.

  Macen seemed satisfied by his answer. “The white city has scouts scouring the land. They are looking for you. We ran into a pair on the way to find you.”

  I didn’t need to ask if they were dead. How many more would die before the sun rose? I was afraid of the number. Some might call it the price of war, but for me, it was wasteful. If there was a way to prevent the bloodshed, I would take it. I just prayed my father still had a soul.

  The outlook seemed bleak.


  Dash beamed like he’d been injected with Botox. “Perfect. I want them to know we’re coming. I want them scrambling to save themselves.”

  “We should keep moving. We’re sitting ducks out here,” Macen advised us. “We’ll circle back through the trees until the moon is full. And when you give the word, they’ll fight for you.” Macen directed the last part to me.

  And just like that, we had an army of Forsaken on our side.

  For the rest of the day, we drove through the woods, keeping off all the known paths. The unease within me was like a creeping vine, twining around my insides and growing ever bigger. We were close now. I ran my sweaty palms over the tops of my thighs as I gazed up into the sky. It was a picture-perfect night. Strokes of teal and pink painted ribbons near the horizon before blending into a dark blue. The stars were plentiful, like white confetti.

  I pressed my cheek to the cool glass and let myself get lost in the sky. Hoping this wouldn’t be the last time I appreciated the wonder of the night, but it might very well be if things went badly.

  Ryker parked the ATV on the edge of the woods bordering the entrance of the Institute. We were bringing the fight straight to their doorstep—maybe not the smartest move. “Okay kids, we’ve arrived.”

  My fingers intertwined in my lap, restlessness setting in. “Does he ever stop with the lame jokes?”

  Dash lifted a brow. “What do you think?” He held out his hand. “Ready?”

  My gaze fell to his strong fingers, knowing he would support me no matter what. Taking a deep breath, I placed my hand in his. “Is anyone ever really ready for war?”

  Ryker cleared his throat.

  I groaned. “Anyone but you.”

  The shifter grinned.

  “No matter what happens, you stay with me,” Dash said, his deep voice commanding.

  I think I might be sick.

  Straight ahead, the white city gleamed. Before the night ended, it would either crumble to the ground or stand taller than ever.

  Scanning the surrounding area, I searched for any sign of the other tribes. What if they weren’t coming? What if they realized what a suicide mission this was? What if they thought I was just a girl with rainbow eyes?

  I wasn’t a leader.

  Ryker came to stand beside me, his shoulder lightly bumping mine. “I know what you’re thinking, Red. They’ll come. Just wait.”

  Dash scowled at him, showing his displeasure of the nickname Ryker insisted on calling me.

  Even with the two walls of immovable muscle beside me, I had worries tumbling inside my head. “What if something happened? What if the Night’s Guards intercepted them?”

  “Would it make you feel better if I went and had a look?” Ryker offered.

  “That might be a good idea to make yourself useful,” Dash muttered.

  “Do you think splitting up is a good idea?” In that moment I heard something in the distance. Shushing them both, I strained to listen, the ground under my feet trembling. Ignoring the two frowns on their faces, I asked, “Do you hear that?”

  “The sound of Ryker kissing your ass?” Dash said, being a smartass.

  “There!” I pointed to the crest of the eastern cliff. My brain could hardly digest what I was seeing.

  Ryker smirked. “I told you they’d come.”

  From each corner of the four regions came those who were ready to take on the Institute and regain their freedom. Words failed me as I stared at the sheer amount of people who had shown. Most of them I’d never seen, and yet, as I walked by, they all nodded at me and knew my name. Chills of empowerment rippled inside me, giving me the boost I was sadly lacking. Within an hour, we had the Institute surrounded.

  Gifted and mortal came together with one common goal. It was beautiful. And scary. And crazy.

  Cyan gave me a giant-sized bear hug. “Many of us have waited a very long time for this moment. Some might have doubted that the daughter of the enemy would be the one to save us, but from the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew.”

  “I don’t know what I would have done without you,” I answered, doing my best to keep the emotion from my voice. Seeing Cyan gave me courage.

  His daughter Harper was standing beside him, looking fierce with her braided hair and falchion. I didn’t even want to ask where she got a sword like that. It looked wicked and mean, like her.

  I nodded at her, ready to put bygones behind us. We didn’t need to be friends, but I wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to stab me in the back during the chaos.

  She nodded in return. That was good enough for me.

  Just then, the gates to the Institute opened. The time had come. The Night’s Guards descended. It was a strange feeling to go up against people I had trained with, and even fought beside. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be for Ryker and Dash.

  “Do you remember your promise?” Dash asked Ryker, pulling out his bow.

  Ryker’s golden eyes were bright. “I do. And you know I always keep my word.”

  “What promise?” I asked, my eyes volleying between them.

  Ryker flipped his blade once in the air, catching the handle. “That I would give my life to protect you.”

  “Dash!” I hissed. “Tell me you didn’t make him swear to die for me.”

  “Sorry, Freckles. I’d rather wake up every morning looking at your pretty face than his ugly mug. I would do anything to keep you safe. Your life comes before anyone else’s. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

  I scowled. “No more promises.”

  He said nothing.

  My attention centered on the line of Night’s Guards filing around the Institute’s perimeter. These were the best of the best. Their abilities made them formidable foes. This would not be an easy fight, but I knew in the woods lingered our secret weapon.

  It was my hope that the Institute would surrender without gobs of bloodshed. That hope was shot to shit the moment I heard gunfire. Someone screamed. It wasn’t until the sound stopped I realized it had been me.

  My pulse was pounding so hard in my head I could barely hear anything else. I was trying so hard to be brave, but my legs were trembling. Pull your crap together.

  Another round of shots fired, and this time, I didn’t freak out.

  I threw up my shield, encompassing as many as I could around me. Dash, having a similar reaction, yanked me against him and spun, protecting me with his body. A series of bullets pinged off the invisible barrier, tumbling to the ground.

  The opportunity for negotiations flew out the window.

  It was just like my father to come out with a bang.

  If he wouldn’t show his face, then he left me no choice. We would fight our way to him. One way or another, this ended tonight.

  “We need to get inside the fence,” I shouted.

  Cyan joined us. “I’ll help.”

  From the first attack, it became all about survival. A torrent of ammo and magic lit up the night like it was the Fourth of July. Gifted and mortals scurried about, running in every direction, yet the Night’s Guards stayed in formation like good little soldiers.

  Together, my small group wove through the turmoil as I kept us in a bubble. Plumes of colored smoke rose in thick clouds, impairing our vision. Neat trick, but magical gimmicks weren’t going to stop us.

  We made it to just outside the courtyard, and as the dust settled, my gaze focused on a figure. Standing in the arched doorway of the tower was my father.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Like the parting of the Red Sea, the Night’s Guards moved out of our way, letting us pass farther into the Institute, obviously at my father’s command. Once inside the gates, the guards made a circle around us. We were in the enemy’s domain. I gulped.

  Comforted by the fact that nothing could hurt us unless ordered to, my cohort faced my father. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ember. She was among the guards. It was wrong to be pitted against your family, forced to choose a side, but I firmly believed we had to put a
nd end to the Institute. This was not how the evolution of mankind should progress.

  My father felt safe inside his little fortress. If only he would come out and fight on his own, but I had my secret hidden in the woods… waiting.

  I’d give him a chance to surrender first.

  Pops and I were going to have a little one-on-one chat. The circumstances were a bit extreme, but I had to make do with what life threw my way—rule number two of surviving in the Heights. Rule number one was staying alive.

  “Is all this necessary?” My father’s hands swept over the courtyard, expanding the scope of his statement beyond the gate, to the clans that had come to seek justice.

  “I could ask you the same about the so-called work the Institute claims they are doing.”

  “Charlotte, this is wrong,” he replied, using his scolding voice. That might have worked on me when I was a little girl, but it had very little effect on me now.

  “Wrong!” I shrieked. “You want to lecture me on wrong? What about all of the lives you destroyed? The experiments you’ve performed? Are none of those things considered wrong?”

  “The Institute’s goal is to protect humanity. None of us want to risk another extinction. What we are doing here is not only going to preserve human life, but evolve it. Doing so sometimes requires drastic measures, such as losing the lives of a few to save thousands. It will be worth all the blood, all the sacrifices, and all the tears.”

  I believed my father thought what he was doing was good. He was so entangled in his own desire for power, that he’d lost the value of a life. All life. “The people out there beg to differ. We’re giving you a choice: you can step down from your position on the council and leave Diamond Towers, or you can stay and fight, but you won’t win. There’s already been enough bloodshed in this world. Will you agree to leave and end this here?”

  “You think you can lead the people of the Heights?” he sneered, practically laughing at me as if I was the joke of the century.

  My control on the barrier flickered due to the burst of anger that raged inside my veins. Dash reacted, unable to stand silently beside me any longer. He lunged for my father, shattering the shield.