Still fighting.
Still protecting us.
“We’ve got to escape. I don’t know how, but we’ve got to try something. Alinthia can’t come here. They will ruin her. We’ve got to save her from that fate.”
CHAPTER 18
Tori/Alinthia
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demand, brushing past the men and putting myself all up in Kylie’s face.
“Oh my God, Tori.”
She lunges for me, arms outstretched, ready to yank me into a hug like she’s done countless times before, but I step back, trying to ignore the men who have just dropped to their knees on the ground beside me. “Don’t. You don’t get to do that anymore.”
Her relieved smile fades, and her lower lip wobbles. Her arms drop back down to her sides. Anguish radiates from her eyes, but it’s going to take a lot more than that for me to forgive her.
If I ever can.
She betrayed me in the worst possible way. And she had years to try to make it right, but she didn’t. She fed me to the wolves. While I understand her motivations, and I know she was placed in an awkward position, she had choices. Choices she didn’t explore, and that’s what I can’t get over.
“Please, stand,” I say, glancing sideways at the men bowing before me. “I appreciate your support, but we need to prepare to leave. The others will be with us imminently. Please get into the truck and make sure we are ready to leave the minute they arrive.”
They climb to their feet, and a tall male with long black hair streaked with strips of vibrant red steps forward. His moves are elegant as he salutes me in the traditional Verronian way. “I am Denzil, Chosen One, and we are at your service.”
“Please call me Alinthia.” He nods reverentially, smiling adoringly at me in a way that makes me uncomfortable. “Can I trust you to handle the evacuation?”
“Absolutely.” He casts a furious glance at Kylie. “She stowed on board. We had no idea until we discovered her a few minutes ago. Elder Glennev will be furious.”
“There is nothing we can do about it now. Please rally the troops and watch out for the others.”
He bows. “As you wish, Ch—Alinthia,” he quickly corrects, spotting my burgeoning frown and ushering the men up and into the vehicle.
I refocus on my former best friend with a heavy weight bearing down on my chest.
“I’m sorry, Tor,” she pleads, her anguished face depicting her honesty. “You’ve no idea how worried I’ve been, and how much this has plagued me for years. I didn’t want to do it, but they threatened Daniel and I … I didn’t know what to do! I had no one to confide in, and they scared the shit out of me!”
“You knew all along.” I wrap my arms around my waist. “That’s why you weren’t phased when the Herassan attacked us that day on the way back from the mall. You knew what I was, who I was, before I even knew it myself.”
She nods, hanging her head in shame.
“How could you keep something like that to yourself?” I fling my hands into the air. “How could you lie to my face for years? I could’ve never done something like that to you! Never!”
“How the hell could I tell you you weren’t human and expect you to believe me?” she throws back at me.
“You were my best friend, Kylie! I might have dismissed it at first, but eventually I would’ve believed you! If you’d told me, if I was more prepared, then everything could have turned out differently.” If I’d known who I was in advance, I might have found my protectors earlier and been more prepared when our enemies attacked. My father might not have died protecting me.
She tugs on the end of her hair. “They were always watching, Tori. All the Goddamned time. And I suspected they had bugs in my house and were listening to conversations. I was terrified, Tor. I was fourteen years old when they hauled me in and demanded I do this. I didn’t feel like I had any choice. I—”
“What the actual fuck?!!” Daniel roars, breaking up the rumble of approaching footfalls and interrupting Kylie mid-sentence. He pulls on his sister’s arm, looking confused, like he can’t figure out if he should hug her or slap her. “What the fuck are you doing here?! Do you know how dangerous this is!”
“Daniel.” Elder Glennev addresses him in a solemn voice. “This has to wait. We need to go.”
“You okay?” I ask Tav and Ellya as they lean against the side of the vehicle, panting and clutching the truck for support.
“We’re fine, Alinthia,” Tav confirms.
“I’ll be better when we get the hell out of here,” Ellya affirms in a breathless tone.
“Come on.” I steer them around the back of the truck, ushering them up. “Hop in.” I push off my feet and fly up and into the truck.
“Alinthia. You can sit up front with me,” Elder Glennev says from behind as Daniel drags Kylie over to a bench, gently pushing her down.
I spin around and look down at him. “I will ride back here.” I glance at the dozen or so men. “I’m completely protected, and I’d rather stay with my friends.” I purposely look in Tav and Ellya’s direction, smiling warmly at them as I ignore Kylie. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy tears pooling in her eyes, and a wave of remorse washes over me.
Kylie has hurt me, and irreparably damaged our relationship, but petty bullshit is beneath me, and that was a low blow. But I’m a ticking time bomb. A volcano of hurt and anger just waiting to erupt. Her showing up here has thrown me, and I’m a mess of conflicted emotions.
The elder doesn’t look happy, but he doesn’t argue, rounding the front of the truck and hauling himself up into the passenger seat.
I take the empty seat beside Daniel and Kylie, across from Donovan, Tav, and Ellya, and all is quiet as the engine shudders to life. The vehicle shakes from side to side as the truck moves forward, my stomach uneasy with the jarring motion. The cloth covering the back of the truck is only half closed so we can keep watch for any enemies on our tail. I stare out the back of the truck, keeping my eyes peeled for any hint of danger, but the passageway is empty and eerily quiet.
Very quickly, the truck picks up speed, racing through the gray tunnel and barreling toward the exit. Water sprays up on both sides of the tunnel as the truck chases freedom. From the look on their faces, I can tell everyone is holding their breaths.
I take a moment to contact Cooper, to let him know I’m okay and that freedom is mere feet away, but I can’t connect to his mind. His shields are up, and I know he’s purposely blocking me out. That does absolutely nothing to ease the growing anxiety simmering in my veins, and a new layer of worry settles on my shoulders.
As we near the end of the tunnel, Denzil stands up, pulling the cloth covering completely closed. The track crashes into something at speed, and the vehicle sways violently from side to side. We all grip the edge of the bench for dear life, our bodies moving in sync with the creaking, swaying motion of the truck.
My heart is in my mouth, and I look at all the faces surrounding me; everyone is as uptight and alert as I am. My eyes lock on Tav’s, and a slow smile spreads across his face. It’s contagious, and I can’t help smiling back at him, having a good idea where his head is at. “Can you taste it?” I ask him.
He bobs his head vigorously. “I can taste it, smell it, almost touch it. Nothing feels as good as freedom.”
At that moment, the elder pops his head into the back. “We are free of the compound; however, we still have to navigate the road from here to the main gate. Hold tight and be vigilant.”
My expression turns grave, understanding the implications of his words. We are not out of the woods yet, and everything is still hanging in the balance.
Everything is quiet for a few minutes, all of us swaying and rocking with the motion of the truck as it maneuvers over uneven terrain. The silence is suddenly broken up by sounds of gunfire, and the truck veers wildly from side to side.
The men instantly move into action, activating their weapons and straightening their spines. I get up, holding on to the post
overhead to maintain my balance as I move toward the front of the vehicle. Ducking my head under the cover separating the front area from the back, I poke my head through the gap. The driver has sole focus on the road as he tries to dodge the gunfire heading our way. Elder Glennev looks tense. “Something’s wrong.”
Yeah, no shit, Sherlock.
“My men have obviously lost control of the gate.”
“Or someone pressed an alarm and reinforcements were sent in,” I suggest.
“Either way, this does not look good.”
“Stop the vehicle,” I command, and the driver looks between me and the elder. “If we keep advancing they will take us out, and we risk everyone. Stop and let me try to reason with them.”
“We cannot risk you, Alinthia, it’s—”
“I’m not asking.” I pin him with a look before turning to face the driver. “Stop this vehicle right now.”
He looks terrified, but he takes his foot off the pedal and engages the brake, and slowly the truck rolls to a complete standstill. “Stay here,” I tell the elder. “Let me handle this.”
I walk back through the seated area, stopping in front of Donovan. “I need you and a handful of men to flank me.”
He rises, gesturing at Denzil. “Bring your best men.”
Daniel stands. “I’m coming too.”
“No, Dan.” Kylie attempts to protest, but her brother silences her with a deadly look, and she shrinks back in her seat.
“He won’t come to any harm,” I reassure her. “No one will.”
“Tav,” I bend down in front of my friend. “Look after Ellya and Kylie. If anything happens, get them to safety.”
“You have nothing to fear. I will guard them with my life.”
I squeeze his hand and jump out the back of the truck, waiting for the rest of my crew to alight.
When we are all on the ground, hiding behind the truck, Donovan faces me. “How do you want to play this?”
I plant my hands on my hips and address the small crowd. “I’ll walk out in front while you flank me at the rear. Have your weapons ready, but don’t shoot unless they shoot first, then do what you need to do to protect yourselves and the truck. I will disarm them as quickly as I can, but I’ll need cover.”
“Donovan and I will cover your back,” Daniel immediately replies.
“Okay.” I thrust my shoulders back and lift my hands into the air. “Let’s do this.”
I step out from behind the truck, walking down the road with my hands held in a surrendering gesture. “Don’t shoot!” I holler. “I just want to talk.”
“Instruct your men to put their weapons on the ground and keep walking, sweetheart,” a bald man wearing army fatigues says through a loudspeaker. He’s standing alongside seven men in similar attire in front of a row of Humvees. All weapons are trained on me and the men standing guard at my back.
“We’ll lower our weapons if you do the same,” I shout back, continuing to walk forward. My confident gait belies the fact I’m shaking all over with nerves.
“This isn’t a negotiation,” he replies. “Lower your weapons or we will shoot.”
“No one has to die here today. Please lower your weapons and allow me to approach.”
“You have five seconds to comply,” he roars as all his men engage their weapons, getting ready to fire.
I wanted to do this peacefully, but that’s clearly not going to happen now. I push off my feet, soaring a few feet off the ground. I’m vaguely aware of Daniel shouting at me as I fly toward the men blocking our exit. As one, their weapons point skyward, and every man has their gun trained on me. Fire streams from my eyes as I target the enemy’s guns. The first soldier screams in pain, dropping his weapon as it heats and melts in his hands.
“Watch out, Tori!” Daniel screams, but he underestimates my otherworldly senses. I hear the subtle click and detect the trajectory of the bullet the second the shot is fired, and I fly out of range. More shots are fired, and I spy the rest of our men spilling out the back of the truck, opening fire in retaliation. The soldiers are distracted, trading gunfire, and I use the opportunity to set all the Humvees on fire. Then I continue picking off the enemy’s weapons, one at a time. As I melt each gun, the soldiers raise their hands in surrender, looking to their colleagues with helpless expressions on their faces.
When all the weapons are destroyed, Donovan gathers a few of his men, and they surround the soldiers, pushing them back into the small hut at the gate.
“Get everyone else back to the truck,” he hollers at me, and I nod, gesturing for the remaining men to follow me. We race toward the advancing truck, and it stops when we meet halfway, allowing us to climb back inside.
“Daniel’s fine,” I tell Kylie before the question has even left her mouth. “He’s just tying up the soldiers with Donovan and a couple of the others.”
The truck powers forward with a jerk, and then Donovan, Daniel, and the rest of the men are jumping onboard and we’re through the gates, leaving the compound and all its inhabitants behind.
I make a silent vow as dust plumes explode in our wake—I will find a way to rescue the rest of the prisoners. I won’t sleep easy at night until I know everyone has been set free.
CHAPTER 19
“Do you know what the plan is?” My gaze dances between Donovan and Daniel as I pose my question.
“We need to get to the transportation warehouse, and from there you’ll be teleported to the secret society’s base,” Daniel replies.
“In Egypt?” I inquire, and he nods. “Are you coming with us?”
He shakes his head. “My job is to stay in Eaton Lake to keep watch over your mother and to look out for any new enemy threats.”
“I need to speak to my mom before we go. She must be worried sick.”
“She is,” Kylie cuts in.
Daniel sends her a warning look, and she clamps her mouth shut. “I have spoken to her at length and explained everything,” he confirms. “She knew we were coming to get you out, and I’ve already sent her a text to confirm you’re safe.”
“And how did she take the news of your betrayal?” I direct my question at Kylie. She bites her lower lip and stares at the floor. “Yeah. I thought as much.”
“Tori, I know you’re pissed at Kylie, and you’ve every right to be, but she was only a kid when she was coerced into this madness,” Daniel says, doing his best to fight his sister’s corner.
“She was old enough to know right from wrong! And when my guys showed up, she had the perfect opportunity to come clean. They could have protected her, and you. I could have protected you both. But she chose to do nothing. Say nothing. To betray my trust and …” I draw a shuddering breath, not wanting to do this with an audience but unable to stop now I’ve opened the floodgates.
I stop talking about her in third person and look her square in the face. “Why, Kylie? Why didn’t you tell me once the guys showed up? We could’ve discussed it and figured a way to make this work to our advantage. Why didn’t you confess then?”
“I wanted to. I almost did. So many times,” she quietly admits. “But I was terrified of making things worse. Once the guys arrived in Eaton Lake, the number of undercover agents around town multiplied. It was like every time I turned around I spotted someone watching. I was freaking out and so scared they would overhear me telling you the truth and that we wouldn’t get to Daniel in time.”
“And you didn’t know any of this?” I arch a brow as I direct this question to Daniel.
He shakes his head. “I hadn’t a clue. I was so caught up in my work with the society and in watching out for you that I didn’t notice what was right under my nose.” He drags his hand along the back of his neck, sighing. “I’ll admit I was suspicious those last couple weeks. Kylie was acting weird and being so secretive, but never in a million years would I have guessed she was spying for the government. That as long as I was working for the society, she was plotting with the enemy.”
“If onl
y we had confided in one another,” she whispers. “Then none of this would’ve happened.”
“But it did,” I snap. “And you can’t take it back.” I lean my elbows on my knees, glaring at her. “You put those cuffs on me! You stopped me from warning the guys, and now they’ve been taken. I will never forgive you for that. Never. Especially if anything happens to them …” My voice cracks as I break off, unable to articulate the extent of my fears.
Kylie’s resolve wavers and tears flood her eyes. “I wish I had a do-over. I’d do everything different.”
“I can’t understand how you would ever think handing me over to the authorities was a good idea. Did you even care what happened to me? What they would do to me?”
Guilt springs from her glassy eyes. “Of course, I care! I was planning on telling the guys once the spotlight was off me, and I knew they would get you out. I only ever saw it as a temporary measure and I”—she gulps, the gesture looking painful—“I thought it would keep you safe in the short-term. I knew that bitch Alandra was a threat and that there were enemy aliens searching for you, and I thought at least you’d be safe in the government compound. That no one could hurt you there.”
“Grow up, Kylie. What exactly did you think the government planned to do with me?”
Her eyes widen as big as saucers, and she clamps a hand over her mouth as tears spill out of her eyes. “They promised me you would come to no harm! They promised they wanted to study your abilities and see how you could help protect Earth from alien invasion.”
“God, Kylie.” Daniel shakes his head. “How can you be so naïve?”
“Don’t you start!” she snaps. “I already feel bad enough as it is. I don’t need you adding to the guilt trip.”
I lean my head back and close my eyes. I can’t do this anymore. It’s all still so raw, and I need time to process. Arguing over what should have happened and obsessing over her betrayal isn’t going to help any of us, so I tuck it away to obsess over another time. “I need to see my mom,” I say, opening my eyes and pinning Daniel with pleading eyes.
The Warrior Princess: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Alinthia Book 3) Page 14