Page 98 of Desecrated Saints
“No!”
“We’re leaving, Eight.”
“MUM! MUM!”
My distraught screams bounce off the concrete walls surrounding us as we flee. Beyond Sadie’s dead body and Phoenix’s bloodied form, all I see is the bleak, hopeless gaze of the monster watching us go. She chooses not to pursue, lying and awaiting punishment instead.
In that moment, I don’t see Lazlo’s empty machine.
All I see is my last remaining parent.
Letting us escape is the only thing she has left to give me.
CHAPTER 20
KADE
RESET ME - NOTHING BUT THIEVES
Arms folded, I stare through the window into the private hospital room. Phoenix is still out of it, several drips feeding antibiotics and pain relief into his prone form. His hand is resting at his side, ensconced in bandages.
Eli stands next to me, his lips pursed. He’s barely moved from this spot in the few days since we got Phoenix back, even when they operated on the remains of his amputated fingers. It was touch and go when an infection took root, but he’s finally stabilised.
Sunup to sundown, Eli awaits the day Phoenix’s eyes will open.
Until then, we’ve lost him as well.
“Eli.” I rest a hand on his shoulder. “The memorial begins in half an hour. I’m sure Brooke’s going to need you there.”
He shrugs my hand aside. “N-No.”
“What do you mean, no? We’re set to start giving evidence tomorrow. Everyone is on edge. We need to stick together right now.”
“Together?” he snarls without a stutter.
Turning his furious, green-eyed gaze on me, Eli’s face has transformed with anger. It’s unnerving to see his usually silent self so worked up and intent on tearing me a new asshole.
“We w-were safe.” He points at Phoenix. “Coming h-here… m-mistake.”
“We had to do something. This is our lives we’re talking about.”
“What l-lives?! T-taken everything… look… h-him!”
“And we’re taking it all back,” I snap while throwing my suit jacket on. “The world is finally listening to us. We have their attention. This will all be over soon.”
“What c-cost?”
His simple, sharp question cuts me to the core. It’s the same one that Phoenix threw at me several months ago, before we escaped. I’ve always been the first one to make the hard choices. Sometimes, you must compromise and bend your own morals to defeat the darkest of evils.
To escape, we had to become the bad guys.
But to win this war, we must find ourselves again.
Unable to appease him, I leave Eli to his silent vigil. He returns to staring at Phoenix, his jaw set in a hard, merciless line. I can’t give him what he wants. The prospect of peace seems as far away as ever, while each day we suffer more and more losses.
Sabre’s medical wing lies on the fourteenth floor of the building, while Sadie’s memorial is taking place in a private, local church. Incendia is on the back foot after our performance in Harrowdean and the extensive media coverage, granting Hunter the confidence to honour her with a small service.
Stepping out of the elevator, I emerge into the gleaming foyer. A small group has gathered at the entrance to HQ, decked out in black and surrounded by the newly enhanced security detail. I can’t make eye contact with Hunter, who is hiding behind a pair of dark sunglasses. His hunched shoulders tell me enough.