Before the Raging Lion (Mortality Book 4)

by Everly Frost

  She smiled. “Ruth is my grandmother. Not my direct grandmother. My mother is her great-great-granddaughter or something like that.” Her smile faded. “It’s why they need to keep my mother under control. I’ve spent so much time in the cells lately that I haven’t been much use to Starsgard.”

  “Then … they can see us? Right now?”

  She chewed her nails. “I can’t switch it off. I can’t choose what I show them.”

  Mr. Bradley took a deep breath. “So now they know about Josh. And this room.”

  “I’m really sorry, Mr. Bradley. I can’t un-see it.”

  I covered the distance between Sarah and me as she continued to cling to the wall. I studied her eyes, her face, imagining Ruth standing there instead, looking back at me.

  Mr. Bradley’s assessment was far more clinical. After checking her over, he said, “Well, what’s done is done. And from a purely scientific point of view, it’s actually quite marvelous. Completely undetectable.”

  “The thing is, they can’t speak to me, but I can speak to them.” Sarah took my hands. “Do you want to tell them anything, Ava?”

  I swallowed. I wanted to tell them so much, but Mr. Bradley had already said our time was running out. “The children from the cells—you have to help them. Sarah didn’t see most of it, but I got them out. I told them to follow the river north to Starsgard. There are other cells—I don’t know how many, but they’re all under the river in old Seversandian tunnels.”

  I paused, knowing all the counter arguments Ruth and the other Councilors would grapple with. “I know you’ll be worried that rescuing the children will be an outright act of war but the time for caution is over. Olander has me. Alexander has me. They’ll take my blood and make their weapons and there’s nothing I can do to stop them short of ending my own life. And even then…” I glanced back at my brother.

  “Even then there are ways to keep my body alive.”

  Mr. Bradley startled. “Ava, I promise you, they don’t know this is possible.”

  “But they could force the knowledge out of you.”

  He opened his mouth and closed it again. But a look of such determination passed across his features that I believed his next words to be genuine.

  “I’ve given them everything else. I’ll take this knowledge to my death.”

  I turned back to Sarah. “This is already war, Ruth. This is my war. My family. If I have to fight it on my own, I will. But there are others in Evereach who don’t follow Olander. The only reason they don’t rise up against him is because Olander has their loved ones—their children—captured in cells. If you take away his leverage, if you free the captives, then people will act. They will act … they have to … I have to believe there are still people who don’t want this…”

  My voice cracked. I had to believe that I wouldn’t fight Olander alone.

  “It’s true,” Sarah whispered. “My mother stands at Olander’s side only because I’m under Alexander’s control. As long as she obeys, Olander won’t use a mortality bullet on me.”

  “Ruth, this is your granddaughter. You have to act!”

  I drew a deep breath, not knowing if I was asking too much, asking for Starsgard to infiltrate Evereach and free the captives. I’d already seen the devastation of mortality bullets on Starsgard. They’d survived Evereach’s attacks but often only by chance. Could I really ask them to risk death when Olander’s supply of mortality weapons was about to be replenished?

  And then there was one more thing I needed.

  “Ruth, whatever you do, don’t let my brothers come after me. Don’t let Michael out of Starsgard, no matter what he says. Keep them safe. And please, if everything goes bad … please try to find a way to get Josh out of here. Please take him to Starsgard so he can rest with our parents. He deserves that. He did so much for me and I never knew…”

  I swallowed, struggling to keep speaking. “I’m going to do everything I can to stop Olander and Alexander. Even if I die trying.”

  I stepped back. “That’s all.”

  Sarah took my hands. “Thank you for keeping me out of the cells for another day. I’m not sure how much longer Alexander will leave me alone, but each day counts.”

  I hated to leave my brother behind, but I had no choice but to follow Mr. Bradley out of the room. Aaron had been quiet the whole time, but he walked beside me as we returned to the elevator.

  Just as we reached it, Mr. Bradley leaned over to Sarah and whispered something into her ear. She frowned but kept moving.

  The door to Josh’s room began to close, and I suddenly panicked about leaving him behind. What if he wasn’t safe? What if there was a chance to save him but Olander found out where he was before that could happen?

  I pressed my hand to my heart. I’d pushed the grief about my brother’s death far into the back of my mind and now it was crashing down on me. I couldn’t mourn him yet. I had to keep going.

  The sound of the door closing was like a hammer on my heart.

  Chapter Eleven

  THE WOMAN WITH the scissors told me not to move. Strands of my hair fell to the marbled floor while another woman scurried around with a broom. I didn’t know their names and they didn’t make eye contact. The clippers buzzed and before long, they’d shaved my head completely bald.

  Mr. Bradley had brought me to this room after we left the secret level. He’d taken three vials of my blood, no longer betraying his emotions, before he and Aaron left with Sarah. I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d see them again and I worried about what would happen to Sarah.

  After shaving my head, the women measured me and made me try on several skintight suits made of a thick red material. It was an incredibly bright, eye-catching color that covered me from my toes all the way up to my chin.

  Finally satisfied that they’d got the size right, the two women made me strip off again and shower, washing away the remaining strands of my hair. When I emerged, I was glad to see the red suit was gone and in its place were a t-shirt and jeans.

  Finally, they showed me to an empty room and the door slid closed behind me. The room was just like the one I’d stayed in on the night when Michael and I had been held prisoner in the Terminal. It had white walls that curved up toward the ceiling. There was no furniture, nothing to rest on. The outline of the door had completely disappeared. There was no way out. At least this time, I knew how to access the bathroom facilities.

  My legs gave way halfway across the floor.

  I shook and couldn’t control it.

  I tried to cling to the memory of Michael, of how much he loved me, but it was too much to bear. I never thought that anything would defeat the strength that nectar gave me. I’d thought I was safe. I’d thought Michael and I could make a life together in Starsgard. All of that had been ripped away from me.

  I curled into a ball and tried to suppress the pain rising inside me. I needed his heartbeat to tell me everything would be okay, his gentle kisses, and his arms around me in ferocious protectiveness.

  I needed to tell him about Josh. He had just as much right to know as I did. Mr. Bradley said there was no way to bring Josh back, but even so, Michael deserved to know there was a chance. I’d forgiven Michael long ago for Josh’s death—had placed the blame where it really lay: with Alexander. But Michael had never forgiven himself.

  I could only hope that Ruth would find a way to let Michael know about Josh—and that I was safe for now.

  I wasn’t sure how much time passed before the door to the room slid open, but I was surprised to see Olander in the doorway. I jumped to my feet, relocating myself to the opposite side of the room.

  He dragged a chair inside, its legs screeching on the polished floor. A woman followed him inside, but stayed against the wall behind him.

  “This is Theresa Watson, the Vice-President,” Olander said. “I believe you’ve met her daughter.”

  Sarah’s mom looked a lot like Ruth, but younger. A mash up of Ruth’s dark hair, pale skin, but with green e
yes. Her expression gave nothing away. I wondered how much she knew about Sarah’s treatment and how much more awful it would be not to know. When Sarah said her mother stood beside Olander, I hadn’t realized she meant literally.

  I wondered for a moment why he’d give such a position of power to someone who didn’t support him, but then I realized it wasn’t about power, but control—even his Vice-President had no freedom. His control was absolute.

  Once settled, he folded his hands in his lap and contemplated me. He was very different to Alexander. Quiet. In control. When he spoke, his voice was soft, although I knew he could raise it if he wanted to.

  “Alexander and I have the same goals,” he said, as if he’d read my mind. “But we have very different ways of achieving them.”

  I began to pace, unable to remain still. He watched me move, never taking his eyes off me, making me even more uncomfortable.

  “Alexander’s methods are often violent. Some might even say cruel. Take the children, for example. He locks them up for months before they hibernate. Even then, they’re still alive and can be revived. I like to be more efficient. A mortality bullet would be far quicker and more precise. But there’s a problem. And it’s a problem that simply won’t go away.”

  Olander leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his head bowed for a moment. “Seversand has a girl whose DNA is superior to yours.”

  I stopped pacing, my stomach crawling. Superior to mine…

  “Unlike our mortality serum, the weapons made from her blood have no shelf-life. They don’t expire. On top of that, the number of bullets they can produce from a single drop is a hundred times the number we can produce from you. Because of that, Seversand has the upper hand in every way.”

  My stomach sank. Mr. Bradley had deliberately limited the ability to make weapons from my blood. He’d ensured Olander had to keep me alive. But if Seversand had no such limits…

  I’d always been taught that Seversand was a harsh, barren country where the people loved to war and fight. During the world war, it was Seversand that had created the nuclear bomb. I’d known for some time that Seversand held Rift’s sister a prisoner. They’d had her for years. Which led to the question that kept returning to me.

  I asked, “Then why haven’t they attacked already?”

  “Because they don’t know your limitations. They believe our weapons are just like theirs. For that reason—and that reason alone—their President is willing to make a deal in the interest of avoiding extended bloodshed.”

  I pressed myself against the wall, wishing I could slide right through it. “What deal?”

  “We’re going to sign a treaty.”

  “A piece of paper? What good will that do?”

  “We’re going to seal it with an act of good faith: a swap.” He smiled and it was such a calculating expression that my skin crawled. “We’re swapping you for her.”

  My heart stopped. “What?”

  “They get you and we get their girl.”

  “But…”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “It’s a good deal for Evereach, don’t you think?”

  “It’s a bad deal for the world. What are you going to do once you have her? Attack Seversand?”

  He was taken back. “No, not at all. As long as Seversand stays out of my way, they can keep their precious sand dunes. No, Ava, you missed my first point. I told you Alexander and I have the same goal. I just prefer a more efficient approach.”

  I sank down the wall, my legs wobbling, unable to hold back the sick feeling in my stomach. “The children. The slow healers.”

  “I will be the creator of a truly superior race.” He brushed off his pants legs as he stood up, as if dust might have settled on the perfect creases in the short time he’d sat down. “They won’t suffer.”

  I tried not to show any vulnerability, but tears sprang to my eyes. “I thought Alexander was a monster, but you…”

  Olander gleamed as if I’d complemented him. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll present you to Evereach. I’ll make a show of it, but not for the benefit of the people. They hate you and will mostly likely try to kill you on the spot. The Seversandian President doesn’t believe I have you in my custody, so a public broadcast is necessary. After that, you’ll travel north to the coast and from there to Seversand.”

  “Wait … Seversand?”

  He paused in the doorway. “The swap’s taking place there, not here. Get some rest, Ava. You look very tired.”

  I sank to my knees when they left, trying to process everything Olander had told me. For a long time, I’d felt as if mortality was my fault, a possibility from my DNA. When I’d found out about Rift’s sister, I’d known I wasn’t alone.

  But now it turned out that Seversand had no limit on their weapons. And Olander wanted her, because he wanted to control who lived and died. Without limit. Without a second thought.

  The only thing I had on my side was time. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to travel to the coast, but I guessed it would be a few days even at high speeds, and from there we had to cross the ocean. I had to figure out a way to stop him, to stop the deal, and I had to figure it out soon.

  The two women returned and told me it was morning. I hadn’t slept. My mind had refused to stop racing. One of them laid out the red suit on the pristine floor. It looked like a puddle of blood.

  “Get dressed.”

  I pulled on the suit and they ushered me out into the hallway, down another corridor, into an elevator and out onto the hanger.

  I was relieved to see Mr. Bradley, Aaron, and Sarah waiting for me, even though they looked grim. It took me two seconds to see why. I backed away from the octopus drone and the tank waiting beside the vehicle.

  Mr. Bradley said, “I’m sorry, Ava. There’s oxygen this time at least.”

  I winced as the octopus took hold of me and Mr. Bradley handed me the breathing apparatus. It covered my lips with a diaphanous substance, connected through a tube to a small cylinder labeled ‘oxygen’ that he clipped to the back of my suit.

  “You have about three hours of air, but you’ll be out of the tank well before then. It’s a short trip to the stadium and we’ll be waiting for you at the end. I’ve managed to wrangle Sarah’s assistance for the trip to the coast—her piloting skills may be necessary to get you to the boat alive.”

  “Then you know I’m going to Seversand. Aren’t you coming with me now?”

  “Not this time. The vehicle’s set to autopilot and our invisible friend will ride with you. I’m afraid Olander is all for making it a show today.”

  I looked for the creature, but it was impossible to identify where it might be. Once I was inside the tank, the world outside turned shimmery through the water. The others stepped out of the way and the octopus floated the tank inside the vehicle. Then, to my horror the walls of the tank turned black so I couldn’t see anything beyond it. I sensed the thud when the door closed. The vehicle shifted, taking off, and then I traveled in darkness.

  The vehicle came to a stop.

  There was a long moment filled only by the faint slosh of water. A small gap at the top of the tank made that possible this time. I missed my hair, the sense of it waving behind me. My bare head felt exposed. My body too. The suit was almost fluorescent in the water—I could see it despite the dark. It was undoubtedly designed to draw attention.

  Olander’s voice began speaking, but the sound was tinny and I couldn’t place his location.

  “People of Evereach!” His words had a strange echo. I tried to call on what I’d learned when my senses were heightened with nectar. His voice came from below me. At the same time, the quieter, tinny sound came from above. A speaker?

  “Evereach!” he cried again. “For too long we have lived in fear. For too long we have asked ourselves: where is the mortal? Will she creep into our homes at night and kill our children? Will her mortality be used against us?”

  He paused. Other sounds reached me. Many voices were shouti
ng. High-pitched, forceful shouts.

  “My people, I promised you that I would bring to light the darkness that threatened our peace and safety, and today I make good on that promise. I have captured the mortal!”

  The vehicle opened and sounds rushed in, hitting me with full force. Thousands of voices shouted and jeered below me. As the octopus flew the tank outside, the color of the walls changed, becoming transparent so that I could see everything.

  And everyone could see me.

  I floated down toward a podium in the middle of a football stadium, its seats filled with thousands of people. Olander waited in the center, his hands raised toward me. There were other people on the podium—two men and a woman. I didn’t get a good look at the men, but I recognized Theresa Watson before the tank touched down.

  The crowd heckled from their seats, some standing, some throwing things, shaking their fists from a distance.

  Crack!

  I flinched as a shot split the air and a bullet hit the glass.

  They were shooting at me and the glass was definitely not bullet proof. As four more bullets connected with the tank, spider web cracks spread out from each location.

  Olander remained calm.

  “My people,” he said, in a mildly admonishing tone, holding up his hands as soldiers infiltrated the crowds, confiscating the weapons. One of them patted a shooter on the back, and although they took the guns, they left the assailants in the crowd.

  “Don’t be afraid. She can’t hurt you. She’s not even breathing the same air as us. This tank is specially designed to protect you. Just as I will always protect you.”

  The crowd began to chant his name and Olander smiled, but to my surprise his smile was for me. He covered the microphone he wore on his collar, pressed his drone control visor and his voice projected inside the tank.

  “Remember this moment, Ava Holland. My people love me because I’ve given them what they want.”

  While you kill their children and take what matters.

  As I looked out over the thousands surrounding me, disbelief gave way to anger. Did they know that children were missing? Did they care? I refused to believe that everyone felt the same as the people in this crowd. I remembered Aaron’s face: the moment when he waited to make sure the children had escaped. I even recalled the way Hannah begged me to help save her parents.