“It would be easier and less painful for you to simply answer me correctly and truthfully.” Anton knelt beside me, and I did my best to look him in the eye.
“I don’t know Matthew’s plan. You won’t accept the truth, but I won’t lie,” I muttered under my breath.
He quickly grabbed his dagger and tried to plunge it into my thigh, but I kicked him. My friends didn’t know how to react. I didn’t mean to hurt him or aggravate the situation, but I wasn’t going to let him mutilate me either.
Anton got to his feet and aimed the blade at my stomach. I closed my eyes—I was tied to a pole, and there was no way that I would be able to move out of the way. The only thing I could do was grit my teeth and wait for the pain.
But the pain never came.
I opened my eyes and saw Maxime standing between me and Anton with the dagger in his hands.
“Sir, what are you doing here?” Anton said. I could see the fear in his eyes.
“What I should have done earlier. Mark my words; no one is to lay a hand on Alex or they will pay with their life,” Maxime said with authority.
“You don’t have the right to set rules or give orders when being investigated!” Anton screamed, trying to gain some power.
“Looks to me like you’re investigating Alex, not me.”
“Sir, I need to speak with you privately please,” Sam said.
“As soon as I finish with Sam, he will heal Alex’s injuries,” Maxime said. They left, taking all the air out of the room.
“Schedule Andrew’s trial in the next five minutes and get me anesthetics,” Anton spoke calmly to a soldier on his left. Anton searched eagerly through a black bag and pulled out a needle filled with clear liquid.
“Hold him . . . her . . .” he said to two soldiers.
I felt hands on my shoulders, then Anton injected the drug into my neck. I didn’t fight; there was no use. The cool liquid filled my veins and traveled through me. My eyelids grew heavy, and the last thing I remembered was Maxime’s beautiful face.
Part Two
Chapter 30
Screaming.
I awoke to screaming.
My body was stiff. I started to gather my memories, recalling Anton’s fury. I opened my eyes and suddenly remembered everything that had happened.
Screaming and explosions.
I sat up, but couldn’t move. My hands were tied behind my back. Matthew was here. He was attacking The Shadows.
I struggled to free myself before Matthew could gun everyone down. I heard my friends yelling and weapons blazing. I shouted for someone to help me, but no one could hear me above the sound of death, and even if they could, they wouldn’t bother to help.
My heart raced against time as I tried to unbind myself. Tears ran down my cheeks as the rope cut my wrists. Scorching pain shot through my arms, pounding against my head. The rope cut my flesh, allowing my blood to act as a lubricant to ease and sooth the burns. I bit my tongue and glued my eyes shut, trying to ignore the pain. I felt the rope dig deeper through my skin nearing the bone. Sweat pearled down my forehead. My own screams drowned out the screams of my friends dying outside.
I listened to screams and blasts around me. I was exhausted, but I refused to give in to Matthew. Finally, the rope slipped off my right hand and relief tingled up my spine. I slowly brought my hands in front of me, alleviating the tension in my shoulders. I didn’t want to see what I had self-inflicted, so I pulled the rope off my left hand, careful not to dig it any further into my flesh. I felt every nerve in my body shriek and burst as the rope skimmed above my wrists. I let the binding fall to the ground and pulled my feet under me. I was sore and stiff, but I took a deep breath and ran out to face death.
Bodies were everywhere. All Shadows soldiers. Some people were moaning and twitching with pain while others were lifeless. The stench of blood infected the air. I had seen images of war many times, but none were as violent as this. Nothing seemed real, but the nightmare wouldn’t end.
An arrow whizzed past me, and I suddenly realized that the dead and wounded hadn’t been shot with guns, but with arrows. Matthew was using them as tracking devices so he could find the victims.
Looking around the chaos, my blood boiled inside of me. I felt the world being torn apart.
Another arrow flew past me. I ran between cabins, trees, and bodies. I wanted to help, but it was impossible. The Shadows’s men were holding onto their lives as Matthew’s men killed them one by one. Blood stained the soil. I saw Nick standing by a tree, looking around in confusion, not sure of what to do. He was in plain sight, a perfect target. I raced toward him, knowing that Matthew’s men were most likely aiming for him. I dove, tackling him at the waist. We fell hard, but he cushioned my landing. He looked at me with confusion, but I didn’t blame him. I was still the enemy. I quickly pulled him behind the tree so he wouldn’t get hit.
“I didn’t save you to kill you.” I tried to reason with him. His eyes were wide in fear, and he held me at gunpoint.
“So why did you?” Nick stuttered and looked away, ashamed.
“You looked out for me. A life for a life.” I did my best to sound sincere. He had treated me like a son, and I had nothing to offer in return.
Nick stood in bewilderment, so I ran off. It wasn’t safe for me to stand around unarmed. I sprinted as the trees blurred around me. Snow flurries created a white veil, making it difficult to see.
Suddenly, someone grabbed my knees, slamming me down to the frozen battlefield. I landed on a tree’s large root, and my vision went blurry for a second. I didn’t get up; my head was pounding too hard for me to gather enough strength and balance to stand. Gun shots and cries of pain rang out. My wrists were still bleeding, and small drops of oozing blood dotted the white snow. The screams started to fade, slowly disappearing into the dry air.
And then there was silence.
The battle had ended.
I felt someone tapping my foot. I turned around and saw Maxime laying on his back, staring at the sky, his hand reaching out to me. Immediately, I ran to his side. An arrow had been driven into his right lower abdomen. Blood stained the snow around his body. His breathing was light and rapid. I kneeled beside him. Tears blurred my eyes, and I couldn’t speak. The world around me had shattered. I looked around for help, but only immobile cadavers surrounded us.
Maxime was pale and extremely weak. His deep, blue eyes had lost their light, and he could barely keep them open. He forced a smile and slowly took my hand.
“You have to go now. Matthew will be here any moment . . . please go . . . I’m sorry,” he said in a whisper. I felt my world shattering. He couldn’t die. I wouldn’t let him.
“You’ll be fine. Come on. I’m taking you with me,” I cried.
“Alex, be reasonable. You need to run . . . now. I can’t . . . go with you . . . not now. I’ll slow you down. I can’t walk with an arrow in my hip, and you can’t support me with Matthew’s men after you.”
“I can pull the arrow out,” I sobbed. I knew how painful it would be, but I refused to abandon him.
“Then I’d bleed to death.”
“I’m not leaving you!”
Maxime softly caressed my cheek, and I closed my eyes, absorbing his warm touch.
“You have to . . . for now. Matthew can’t do anything to me, and you need to help The Shadows. I . . . love you.” Maxime was slipping through my fingers. I embraced his last words and kissed him, but I wouldn’t leave. He wiped away my tears and smiled. “Stop being so stubborn. You’re the only person who will know where to find me. Go!”
I kissed him passionately, my tears falling onto his cheeks. But I knew he was right. I had to leave, but I would find him.
As I stood up, someone tackled me, and I rolled down the side of a small hill. Sam was pinning me to the ground. I tried to kick him off, but he held me.
“Alex, hear me out. You need to leave Andrew behind. Matthew won’t hurt him as long as he doesn’t have you. You are the only
one who can rescue him because you’ve lived at H.S.H.S. Come on, we need to go.”
I quickly flipped Sam over and restrained him. “Why do you trust me? No one else does.” I demanded a reason. Everyone else seemed to be against me.
“Because you haven’t given me a reason not to.”
“I got you shot and almost beaten to death. You out of everyone should want me dead!”
“You didn’t pull the trigger or strike me, and you carried me back and helped us escape from Zachary.”
I remained silent. I was a bit suspicious. As much as I didn’t want to think about it, it was possible that my friend was trying to trick me— he somehow knew about my training at H.S.H.S. “How do you know H.S.H.S.?” I asked skeptically.
“I know a lot more than you think. I’ve known that you’re from Tamizeh since your encounter with Orion and Keith.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“There was nothing to be said.”
“Why are you defending me?” I was starting to get frustrated. I felt like he had been using me somehow, keeping me ignorant.
“You shouldn’t have been accused. You didn’t do anything.”
“Stop speaking like Andrew!”
“We’re a lot more alike than you think.”
My head spun. I felt lost.
“Here, this belongs to you.” Sam handed me his beautifully carved dagger. I knelt by his side, but refused to take the weapon.
“Stay down! Soldiers are coming,” he whispered aggressively as he pushed me down.
My heart sank again as I looked up the hill and saw two soldiers approach Maxime. They aimed their laser guns at him. I dug my nails into the snow, holding myself back. I was afraid of what they would do to him.
“Matthew,” one of the soldiers called out.
My muscles tensed as I saw Matthew emerge.
“It can’t be . . .” Matthew’s breath dissolved in the air as he grabbed Maxime’s left hand. He cut off the black cloth with his dagger. “So Maxime, we meet again. Did you actually think you could avoid our encounter? I have to hand it to you, being the leader of The Shadows at such a young age is incredible. I didn’t even think it was you. I had given you the same position only with more power—”
“And blood,” Maxime snapped.
“Where is she?” Matthew’s voice struck violently. My heart immediately tightened; nothing good ever followed that question.
Maxime remained silent. He didn’t even blink.
“Where is she?” Matthew yelled at the top of his lungs. “You think you can hide her? You know I’ll find her. Why not tell me? She’s only caused you trouble, and either I set you out to kill her or to bring her to me. So, where is she?”
Silence.
Matthew grabbed the arrow shaft that was sticking out of Maxime’s stomach and twisted. Maxime screamed in pain. I was ready to jump, but Sam held me back.
“Where is she?” Matthew screamed.
I wanted Maxime to answer, to point his hand in my direction. Then all of this would be over. But he simply gazed at Matthew, and a thin smile spread across his face. Matthew dug the arrow further into Maxime’s abdomen and turned it, tearing his flesh. Sweat ran down Maxime’s forehead, and his breathing got heavier. He did his best to endure the pain in silence.
I felt my heart explode. I was ready to put everything to an end, but Sam put a gun to my neck. I wasn’t sure if he would pull the trigger, but it made me realize that Matthew wouldn’t have a reason to let Maxime live if I turned myself in. I remained still, helpless.
“She caused you trouble, so why protect her? She’s not the innocent, little girl you used to know. She’s a murderer like you and me. You can’t withstand the pain. I know you. Your limit will be uncovered sooner or later. I have always found your weaknesses,” Matthew continued.
“Then you should know that this is useless,” Maxime muttered from his quivering lips.
Tension built with the silence, growing heavier by the minute. My heart beat against my ribcage like waves crashing onto a rocky seashore.
“You . . . failed. You failed with your . . . son, me, and now Alex. Three failures . . . not one . . . success. When will you learn your . . . limits?” Maxime smiled, taunting Matthew.
I glanced over at Sam. “Son?” I mouthed, remaining quiet. I had never heard of Matthew having a son.
Matthew ripped the arrow out of Maxime, who let out a scorching scream. I burst into tears. “Take him and four others. If anyone puts up a fight, shoot them, otherwise, let them drown and rot in what used to be their leader’s blood.”
A soldier came with a long hover-board. They lifted Maxime carelessly and placed him onto the board, then pushed it along. I closed my eyes and listened as their footsteps crackled on the frozen ground.
Chapter 31
“I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to have watched that.” Sam lowered his gun.
I nodded, accepting his apology. “Matthew has a son? How does he know Andrew? How does he know his real name? What is Maxime hiding with the black cloth? What did Matthew mean when he said that I wasn’t the same girl Maxime used to know? What just happened?” I rambled.
“Matthew had a son. As for the rest, you’ll have to ask Maxime,” said Sam.
“Do you know the answers to my questions?”
“Yes, but they’re not for me to answer.”
“You sound like Maxime. How long have you known him?”
“Since we’ve been about four. Now stop questioning.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Now you sound like Maxime.”
I released another tear as I thought of him.
“Can I take a look at your injuries?” Sam pointed at my hands.
“They’re not injuries, and I feel fine.” I didn’t want any medical attention when Maxime was bleeding to death.
“I don’t care how you feel, no offense, but I do care if you’re all right. Your bleeding wrists may have been self-inflicted, but your head is bleeding.”
I brought my fingers to my head, and a wet, sticky liquid slid along the side of my eye. My fingers were coated in red. I suddenly realized that my head hurt, and Sam examined it without another word. Every time he touched the cut a burn spread out, causing my head to go numb.
“It’s not deep, but it’ll need to be closed up. Now let me see your wrists.”
I hesitated. They hurt more than my head, and I didn’t want to explain to Sam what had happened. I was embarrassed; I felt like a damsel in distress. He took my hands against my will and without my permission.
“What happened exactly?” His pupils dilated as my blood covered his hands. It hurt, but I kept silent, looking away. “Rope burns? Are these from your bindings?”
I pulled my hands back and looked away.
“You’re insane! You’re burnt, cut, and your wrists are scarred. What for?” Sam patronized.
“Matthew wants me to kill! I did what I thought was best. Obviously, it didn’t serve much, but at the time it was all I could do. What would you have done? Sit there and listen to others die? Please, enlighten me!” I screamed, losing control. I was almost speaking loud enough for Matthew to hear.
“I’m sorry.” Sam sounded sincere.
I was embarrassed for having yelled at him. “So am I,” I muttered, and we left quietly. I had no idea what was to happen, but I figured following Sam was my only option.
“We’re going to Oaks Valley. It’s The Shadows’s shadow. There aren’t any oaks there, or anything else for that matter, but it’s like our back-up shelter. It’s not too far from here, but it’s not too close either,” Sam said.
“Who runs it?” I feared walking into Anton’s power.
“Whoever leads The Shadows,” Sam muttered.
“So what am I walking into? I can’t just go in and face Anton.”
“He’s not necessarily in charge. The soldiers decide who’s in charge during Maxime’s absence. So far it appears as if Anton has th
e majority of the votes, but David isn’t too far . . .”
We heard a gunshot from behind us, and all of the animals dispersed. Remembering Matthew’s orders, we knew one of our friends had been killed.
We walked mostly in silence, but talked from time to time. Sam kept asking me how I was, which annoyed me, but the concern was much appreciated, especially because I knew that Anton was most likely going to shoot me as soon as he saw me. Sam kept smiling with bright eyes. I felt weird, but it made me feel appreciated and loved. Although he was aware of who I was, our friendship remained intact, untarnished. I had someone I could trust and rely on.
When we reached the camp, my heart pounded uncontrollably. I was thankful that no one was around to glare at me, but their absence reminded me of their injuries, their death. There were small tents and tables scattered around a couple of large fires.
Sam told me we had to go talk to the “leaders,” which cut off my respiration, but I didn’t object. We walked up to the largest, centralized cabin and hesitated whether to knock, enter, wait, or if it was even a good idea to be there. As we inched closer, I could hear the discussion happening inside.
“He’s not here! Andrew is dead! Matthew attacked and killed anyone who isn’t here,” Anton screamed.
Maxime was dead? My entire body froze at his words. It wasn’t true; it couldn’t be true. My eyes filled with tears as my world came crashing down around me. I had seen Matthew take him away. He was alive. He had to be.
“Why did Matthew attack?” an unfamiliar voice asked.
“Because of Alexia! She had infiltrated The Shadows, and Andrew had let her!” Anton yelled. “Andrew is dead! It’s his fault that our men are suffering and dying. We need to choose a successor. He was a traitor and an ignorant, young boy. He deserved what he got!” Anton screamed.
I couldn’t listen any longer and burst in the door. “Andrew’s not dead, and he didn’t do anything wrong!” I screamed. Anton immediately called for guards and exclaimed how stupid and cruel I was, and how he should have killed me when he had the opportunity.
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