by T. C. Edge
"We have done what we planned," he says solemnly. "I just hope that it was worth it."
We turn, and begin moving towards the city. And as we do, a final concern flourishes in my mind. I stop, turning him to face me, a feeling of dread filling my heart.
"Ares," I whisper. "Where is Brie?"
33
Brie
I stand, face to face with the Overseer, staring at the finely dressed man in the colourful robes. He stares back with a warm, pleasant smile. It's a smile I find familiar. A smile that reminds me of Nestor.
His eyes flick off to the side, towards the front of the camp. "Looks like things are quietening down out there," he says. "I think your people are in retreat."
I don't answer. Holding my grandfather in one arm, his head drooping now, his body growing heavy, I feel along my opposite hip, reaching for my gun.
"Oh, I wouldn't bother with that," the Overseer says casually. "You're not going to use that on me."
"Why not?" I growl, fingers gripping the weapon, beginning to raise it.
"Because I'm far too interesting to just be slaughtered by such a crude weapon, Brie." He smiles again, those green and golden eyes of his flashing into my mind.
I feel a sudden stiffness on my arm, locking tight. I struggle to move it but it's impossible.
How...how is this possible?
"You have great power, Brie," the Overseer goes on smoothly, casually, "but it could be so much greater. The potential, oh..." he shakes his head, purring in pleasure, "it is truly vast. I am not too proud to admit that my gifts are limited. Different, perhaps, to your own. But," he says, his smile turning sly, "I have lived a lot longer than you. I know how to plan and strategise. I know how to prepare."
Prepare, I think, staring at him, trying to unlock my arm.
"You planned for me to come here?" I ask. My eyes widen with the realisation. "At the meeting before. You...you put something in my head, didn't you?"
"Oh, I wouldn't put it so coarsely as that," he hums. "But, yes, in a manner of speaking. I know how you feel about your grandfather. I knew you'd want to come and get him. And, well," he says, grinning wickedly, "I suspected Herald Kovas's plan would fail. I had an inkling you might attack tonight."
"Why didn't you tell him?" I ask, my eyes seething. "Why would let your own people die?"
"Tell Kovas?" he asks, his voice rising. "Oh, the man wouldn't listen if I did. No, I came here for another reason, child. I didn't come to fight in this war, or simply to interrogate prisoners. I came with a very...specific task."
He looks right into my eyes, his face growing hollow and hawkish. "Yes, you know, don't you," he says. "Nestor told you how wonderful, how gifted you could be. He knew the potential in you. He told you, did he not, that your coming to Olympus had been foretold?"
I frown, trying to think back all those months ago. Nestor...he had spoken that way. About the Chosen. About my path being foreseen.
Was he right all along?
"This is a prophesy, my child," whispers the Overseer, his voice alluring as Nestor's was, his manner beguiling. "It is old, known by so few. Oh, but I know it. And Nestor knew it. These are pieces in the puzzle, parts of the path of your life. Now, the picture is appearing. And it is...glorious."
He draws a long, pleasurable breath, and works his eyes once more towards the front of the camp. "I feel this battle of ours has gone ill," he says. "But...all is not lost." His eyes turn around to me, grinning. "No. Now, we have you..."
I feel my arm suddenly unlock, loosening up. I immediately lift it, raising the gun to fire. The Overseer just stands there, smiling, unafraid.
Suddenly, I sense hands rushing from behind me, soldiers pouring into the alley. They take my arm and pull it down, just as I pull the trigger, firing wildly into the muddy floor.
"A spy," calls the Overseer, standing ahead of me. "We have an intruder in the camp."
The soldiers quickly wrap me up, pulling my hands together behind my back, tying them. I feel myself hauled off my feet, unceremoniously drawn towards the prison, right back to where I started.
I struggle, but it's not use. I shouldn't have wasted time. I shouldn't have ever come. And now...now I'm going to have to face that nightmare all over again...
I shut my eyes, panicking and turn inwards to my mind, calling out for help.
Brother! I shout. Brother, help me. Zander, I need you. Help!
The response comes, but not in my brother's voice.
Oh, child, he cannot help you now...
I turn, angling my neck back as I'm hauled away.
And there, I see the Overseer, standing in his colourful robes.
Smiling gleefully as I'm dragged away to the cells.
THE END
The story will continue soon!
Next Up…
Thanks so much for reading, I hope you had a blast catching up with Brie and Kira!
As my most faithful readers will know, this story runs parallel to the most recent books in my other current series, The Children of the Prime. We’ve seen some of what happened here from Amber’s perspective in books 4 and 5 of that series (March of the Chosen, and War of the Chosen), so it was great fun, and a bit of a challenge, seeing how things were on Brie and Kira’s side!
For those of you reading both series, I hope you enjoyed seeing the other side of the tale. For anyone who has only been reading the Enhanced books, and wants to learn all about the Olympians and Amber, you can get started by reading book one of her adventure now…
Click here to download The Chosen (Children of the Prime, Book 1)
If you’re reading both series, then the next book will be Fall of the Chosen (Children of the Prime, Book 6)
Click here to get it now!
After that, we’ll be back to Brie and Kira again in the Enhanced (it’ll be book 13 by then, technically!)
Aside from that, there’s plenty more to come. If you have any feedback for me regarding the dual storylines running parallel, let me know by emailing me at [email protected]
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With love,
Toby
Also by T.C.Edge
THE ENHANCED SERIES (MAIN SERIES):
The Enhanced (Book One)
Hybrid (Book Two)
Nameless (Book Three)
Assassin (Book Four)
Captive (Book Five)
Renegade (Book Six)
Invader (Book Seven)
Avenger (Book Eight)
Defender (Book Nine)
Nemesis (Book Ten)
Sequel (to main Enhanced series, and Warrior Race series):
The Enhanced: Awakening
The Enhanced: Conquest
THE WARRIOR RACE SERIES (ENHANCED UNIVERSE):
The Warrior Race (Book One)
The Red Warrior (Book Two)
Angel of War (Book Three)
CHILDREN OF THE PRIME SERIES (ENHANCED UNIVERSE):
The Chosen (Book One)
Trial of the Chosen (Book 2)
Blood of the Chosen (Book 3)
March of the Chosen (Book 4)
War of the Chosen (Book 5)
Fall of the Chosen (Book 6)
Rise of the Chosen (Book 7)
OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR:
THE WATCHERS SERIES:
The Watchers Trilogy:
The Watchers of Eden (Book One)
City of Stone (Book Two)
&n
bsp; War at the Wall (Book Three)
The Watchers Trilogy Box Set
The Seekers Trilogy
The Watcher Wars (Book One)
The Seekers of Knight (Book Two)
The Endless Knight
The Seekers Trilogy Box Set
THE PHANTOM CHRONICLES:
The Last Phantom (Book 1)
Phantom Hunter (Book 2)
Phantom Legacy (Book 3)
Phantom Unleashed (Book 4)