by Jenn Vakey
Though it was still there in the back of both of our minds, neither of us talked about what would happen if we failed. Our plan was good, but nothing was guaranteed. All we could do was hope for the best and fight with everything we had.
“I hate waiting,” I told him.
Rhydian rubbed his hands up and down my arms. “I know. Things will move quickly once it all begins, though. You should take advantage of the downtime while we have it. It could be a while before we have the chance again. I’m sure Harun has a place where you can lie down. You didn’t get much sleep last night.”
I tightened my grip on him, pulling his arms more firmly around me. He was right about me not getting much sleep. I was too on edge. With the anticipation of what was to come, I knew it would be a hopeless cause to try now.
“I’m okay,” I answered. “I couldn’t sleep right now if I tried. Besides, we should all be on guard in case someone shows up who isn’t on our side.”
Before he could try to argue, the air shifted in the room. If felt like someone had left a window open during a storm, letting a strong wind in. Rhydian and I shifted as one just in time to see a form appear right in front of us. It took my mind a moment to make sense of what had happened. The movement, the way Paxton seemed to almost materialize out of nowhere.
But that wasn’t what had happened.
Paxton was… fast!
“That’s a new one,” I breathed out.
Pax’s eyes were wide with excitement as he smiled down at me. He didn’t look like he completely understood what was happening. That didn’t mean he wasn’t thrilled to have such an ability. I liked mine, but I could admit that I was also a little envious.
“It’s vampire based,” Rhydian told us. “We have a woman in Alkwin with it, although she can’t be out in the sunlight.”
My heart clenched as I remembered what Rhydian had told me in the past about her. Similar to the way that Zaydan had to be in water for an hour a day, she had also been struck with the downside of her ability. An aversion to sunlight. I had completely forgotten about it. Had Paxton just been given the same restriction?
“It doesn't look like you have that problem,” Rhydian said, quickly putting an end to my fears before I could voice them.
As he said it, I looked to where the sunlight coming in through the window rested against Paxton’s exposed flesh. There was no sign that it was causing him any discomfort. I didn’t know the specifics of the woman’s reaction, but Rhydian did. If he was saying that Paxton wasn’t showing the signs, that must have meant that he wasn’t.
“Well, I guess it’s an okay ability,” I said, hiding the relief I was feeling. I had to forcibly keep the panic that swelled thinking about the hundreds of people we had given the serum to. In our desire to build our numbers, we never mentioned the downsides that could come with the abilities. Nothing more than the dangers that just came with being Tainted.
At my words, though, Paxton narrowed his gaze. Then he stated firmly, “You’re lying.”
It wasn’t just a guess. I could see it in the way he looked. It was the certainty behind it that I was all too familiar with.
Paxton was like me.
“That’ll be handy in the future,” I said. I smirked and shook my head. “Oh, my poor sister.”
“Did you tell her I was in love with her?” he asked.
“No,” I answered quickly. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face, though.
Paxton chuckled and surged forward. He pulled me from Rhydian's arms, spinning me around as he engulfed me in a hug. "Liar," he accused, then planted a kiss on my cheek before stepping back. "I'll forgive you this one time."
He teased, but I knew how happy he was. That look of longing he had always had wasn't there any longer. It had been replaced with one of contentment. Joy. And I couldn't have been happier. There wasn't anyone in the world I would rather see with my sister.
Time moved slower in the final minutes before we were to leave. By the time we stepped out and started moving in a single group toward the prison, I felt like I was going to explode.
Though we were still dressed in Sentry black to cover our movements, we were armed with our weapons. The only step we delayed was putting our harnesses on. They were too far out of the norm for Sentry to risk it. Especially since Rhydian was no longer disguised.
As we moved through the city, I could see that we weren't alone. Men and women, most of which were also donned in black, moved parallel to us in the surrounding blocks. A lot of them I recognized from earlier in the day. Our army.
They each held themselves tense and ready. Ready to defend themselves should any of the others out not be with us. Ready to defend our group if needed.
"This is going to work," I whispered.
It had to.
We reached the courtyard outside of the prison five minutes before Neema was to have the interior doors open. As instructed, the majority of the people we had recruited lingered between surrounding buildings. Out of sight, but still close enough to jump into action when the time came. The only ones that came out to meet us were Kavon Trombly and his two chosen men.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
I looked to Rhydian and nodded. He didn't like this part of the plan. After Dex's confession was aired, there wasn't anyone in Eden who wouldn't recognize him now. We were already taking a chance hoping we could do what we needed before someone recognized me. That was unavoidable, though.
"You'll be going in with me," I said, looking back to Kavon. "There should only be two Sentry stationed inside. Ask them one at a time who the true king is. We'll handle the rest."
He nodded his understanding and started toward the entrance. Lamont and I followed, each holding our guns out of sight but ready. They weren't something I was used to handling, but if they were seen, they wouldn't draw attention the way our crossbows would. They also gave the added benefit of being able to fire more than one shot if needed.
The sound of my heartbeat filled my ears as we closed the distance. Fifteen feet. Ten. Five. Then Kavon pulled the door open and we were in.
I had never been inside the prison before, but it was exactly the way Paxton and Gryffin had described it during our final planning session. Similar to the facility, there was a pair of Sentry stationed behind a counter to one side of the narrow room. Monitors covered the wall beside them with footage from inside the prison showing. Still quiet.
Both men appeared to be in their late twenties or early thirties. They looked over the three of us as we entered before giving Kavon their attention.
"Good evening, Zakk. Treyson," he said tersely. Both nodded in response. I took it as a good sign that they knew each other. That meant they would trust him enough not to be on guard. "Who is your king?"
The man closest to the monitor answered first, standing tall and proud as he said Dex. When asked the same question, the other gave a similar response.
"One," I stated.
In unison, Lamont and I both raised our guns toward the Sentry. Only a single shot was fired, though. The lone word had been enough to tell Lamont exactly what I had learned. One meant his Sentry was to be sedated. Two meant mine. Three meant both.
I kept my weapon trained on the Sentry left standing. Treyson, Kavon had called him. The one of the two who had been lying when he said Dex was his king. He tensed as if to reach for his own or press an alarm. Before he could, the door opened behind us. As I watched, his eyes widened and the fight left him when Gryffin, who no longer wore another face, and Rhydian walked in.
"I am taking back my city tonight," Gryffin declared. "Will you fight for us?"
Similar to the way the other man had, the Sentry straightened. "Yes, my king."
Smiling, I lowered my gun and pushed it back into the holster on my hip. He was telling the truth.
"Would you like to have access to your Tainted abilities?" Rhydian asked from behind me. "They will take an hour to activate, but you'll have them by the time we storm the palace."
It was then that I really looked at him. He was a few years older than Rhydian. His hair was cut short, but undeniably red, and his pale skin was dotted with freckles under his eyes. Then there were the light brown eyes that looked all too familiar.
"Aarys?" I asked as I held out a vial I had pulled from my pocket.
He tensed at the name and met my eye, his brow lowering. It told me I was right before he even opened his mouth. "How did you know that?"
"Shit," Rhydian breathed out, barely above a whisper.
I couldn't keep from smiling. What were the odds? "She's my friend. She had to leave because of her cry. Banshee scream. You have the same eyes."
Treyson just blinked at me several times before his shock faded enough for him to remove the top from the vial and drink it. I was sure he had questions. Now just wasn't the time.
Especially not when I looked to the monitors and saw the cells starting to empty and our people heading this way.
"Open the doors," Rhydian said.
Treyson nodded and turned toward the panel. When his eyes passed over the monitors, he actually paused for a moment. An extra dose of shock at the sight. Then he pressed something and the lock’s click echoed through the room. It hadn't fully disappeared before Kavon tugged the door open and stepped back.
The first people to appear hesitated just long enough to catch sight of the princes before leading the rest of the group out.
Treyson stepped out from behind the counter and joined us as we all walked out into the city.
"We need two of your most trusted to take over here," I heard Rhydian tell Kavon as the courtyard started to fill. As those we released came out, the others from the city emerged to join them. I had known the approximate numbers, but actually seeing it felt so much larger.
"The Sentry we left needs to be locked up," he continued. "We'll have teams bringing in others as we go. As the council members start to arrive, we'll also be leaving a larger group of guards."
It took us five minutes after that to break up our group into three parties and give out instructions. Lamont and Paxton would be leading a group of twenty-five to take Sentry headquarters and arrest Othman Meltzer. Jarrell and Kavon would be heading a slightly smaller group to the power station to bring in the Maker councilwoman. The rest of us were moving on the palace. A red strip of cloth was given to every Sentry wearing their black jumpsuits to tie around their bicep. A way for us to recognize friend from foe.
Then it was time to go.
Even before Gryffin’s message began to play throughout the city, our group had started to draw attention. At first it was fear. People wondering what such a large group of Sentry and people dressed in a blue they wouldn’t likely recognize meant for them. Then the broadcast aired and they were told by one of their lost princes just what was going to happen.
After that, people started to look to our group with interest. Some just watched through windows as we passed, but others came out to march with us. When Rhydian announced that they could take the serum, most came up to get it.
Eden’s people were ready to fight back.
“Sentry ahead!” someone called just as we were approaching the edge of Maker section. We hadn’t even made it a quarter of the way through the city yet. I had hoped Gryffin’s declaration would weaken the loyalty of Dex’s supporters. Maybe it had to a certain point, but it was clear that we weren’t going to have a clear path ahead of us.
A ripple of tension moved through our group as everyone got ready for the fight to come. Though he wasn’t thrilled about it, Gryffin let a group of our Sentry position themselves protectively around him. It had been questioned during our briefing before we started toward the palace if Rhydian was also to be protected. While they didn’t argue with what they were told, it was clear that a significant part of our group didn’t agree that he would be part of the fight.
With Rhydian and me leading the group, they were about to see firsthand just how capable their prince really was.
“Do not kill if it’s avoidable,” Rhydian called out in reminder.
He gripped his staff and twisted, triggering the release to extend the ends out. I pulled my bastons from the harness I had finally strapped on before leaving the courtyard. That familiar surge of excitement raced through my veins. That part of me that loved the fight. It only grew as the group of close to twenty Sentry came into view.
Rhydian and I were the first to come to blows with the approaching men. It was like the fight in Alkwin all over again. There was no communication needed. We moved together seamlessly, attacking as a pair while we also watched each other’s backs.
I would never get tired of this.
Not all of the Sentry were relying on their skills with their batons. Shots rang out around us, mingled with cries of both fear and pain. With the two Sentry we were locked into battle with, I couldn’t turn to see where the threat was coming from.
Only a handful of minutes passed between the first blow and the last. Even though Dex’s Sentry were fighting hard, they were no match for our size or the added abilities many of our group now had. While none of their shots had been fatal, four of our group were injured and in need of a Healer.
The thought had barely had time to cross my mind before a group of six men and women dressed in Healer white practically materialized from in between two buildings beside us. They held no shock in their expressions. They didn’t even need to be told what needed to be done. Although I couldn’t be certain without asking, I had a feeling they had been moving in the shadows alongside us. Ready for when we needed them.
The Healers were quick to get to work patching up our injured. Two of them only stayed down long enough to have their wounds sealed before they were on their feet and ready to continue with us. The other two, who had more significant injuries, were gathered up by other people who had come out to help. One man, an older Maker, pointed behind him as he talked to the group. I could just make out him saying to take them back to his home before they were moving and carrying them away. At the same time, several people arrived on hovercrafts to cart off the now detained Sentry.
“Wow,” I breathed out.
“I know,” Rhydian said from just behind me. His fingers wrapped around my arm as we stood watching them go. “This was what I had wished you’d been able to see when we were leaving that night.”
It was incredible. It gave me hope.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
PAXTON
It took everything I had not to use my new speed and rush toward the Sentry headquarters building. The anger I'd been feeling toward my father since the day Dallin called me to his house and told me about Lillith had been building and building.
I had always questioned whether or not Leeya and Dallin knew of my feelings for Lillith. Even though I was certain she never did. My father was a different story. He had never made it a secret that he knew. Just like he always made sure I understood that he didn't support it. On more than one occasion he had even threatened to disown me if I ever decided to try to court her.
That only made the horrible things he had let happen to her even worse. Every nightmare I had to wake her up from made me despise him more and more. I wanted him to pay for what he had done to my sweet girl. I needed it.
"It looks like the majority of the Sentry have been sent to either intercept the main group or guard the palace,” Lamont said as his gaze swept over the area around us.
We were moving through the residential areas instead of taking the more direct path. It took a little longer, but our plan did appear to have the desired effect. We were already nearly to our destination and we had yet to encounter a single hostile Sentry. At the urging of a pair of men who had come out to inform us of a small group ahead, we only needed to alter our path once.
“The councilman will be i
n his office,” I said to the group behind me as the building came into view.
We stopped in the shadows and watched it for a moment. The small lot near the door where the hovercrafts were kept when not being used was empty. Through the window on the door, I could make out close to half a dozen figures moving about. No barricade that would suggest they anticipated us.
“You all heard our princes,” Lamont said. He turned back to face the others, but I kept my focus on the front of the building. My father was in there. Only a few doors stood between me and the confrontation that was a long time coming. “We don’t kill unless there’s no other way. Othman Meltzer is our top priority here. If needed, we’ll restrain the other Sentry until we can have them moved to the prison.”