by Jenn Vakey
My heart was pounding at just how close that had been. Whoever had taken the shot had been aiming for a kill. Wanting to keep me quiet. While it might have made some of the innocent Sentry out there believe what I was saying, it didn't leave me with positive feelings about how this whole thing would end.
“I couldn't see where it came from,” Lamont said, shaking his head in a way that told me he was just as shaken as I was. “This Trombly guy seems to be trying to hold them back for now, but were surrounded. And you were right. At least one of them wants you dead.”
And I had a feeling they would get their wish before this was said and done.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
LEEYA
The broadcast tower wasn't difficult to get to. It did take a lot longer than I was happy with. Rhydian was in trouble, and I needed to help him. Every minute could count.
I was actually surprised there weren't any Sentry positioned around here. I guess no one ever considered that someone might try to do the exact thing we were going to.
There were four people there when we walked in. Likely still there after Dex had his message sent out. Monitoring it until it was time to end the repetitive transmission. All the better for us.
“We need to record a message,” I said, facing them when they turned to see who had walked in.
There were three women and a man. Most at least in their forties. The one who wasn't, a young girl still in her teens, actually cowered back some. I thought it was the fear of Tainted for a moment, then remembered we were dressed as Sentry.
“We are under strict orders to keep this message playing,” one woman said as she stepped forward. “If another is to be recorded, we need to see your authorization paperwork.”
I readied myself to use whatever means I had to in order to get them to do what we needed, but Gryffin stepped forward in a move that matched the woman's.
“Do you know who I am?”
Like with every time Rhydian had asked the same question, I watched the range of emotions work through their faces. Confusion as they looked, then recognition when they could see it, and finally shock when they accepted what they were seeing.
“Adler and Dex conspired to kill my family to steal the throne,” he told them. “My siblings and I might have gotten lucky, but they did actually murder my father, King of Eden. You are going to do exactly what this girl tells you to do.”
Rhydian had always had an air of command about him, leadership that people followed. An air about him that would make for a good prince. What Gryffin showered here in just these sentences was so much greater. He wasn't a prince. He was a king.
The broadcast team didn't even hesitate after that. They all got to work getting things set up and directing Gryffin to where he needed to be.
The woman who had spoken earlier counted down, then nodded. Just like that, the screen in the corner that had been showing Dex’s message now displayed Gryffin.
“People of Eden,” he said, that same confidence flowing from him. “You have been lied to. My late uncle, Adler Behrer, and his son, Dex, conspired to steal the crown from my family. They abducted me, killed my father, and attempted to kill my brother and sister. I'm here to tell you that we are all alive. Yes, there are Tainted people in Eden. There always have been. Unlike what you have been led to believe, they have never done anything to harm our society or its people. They have been the victims, abducted and tortured at the hands of Adler and the council.
“My father, King Phineas, knew this, and he vowed to stop it. To let the Tainted people leave Eden peacefully. Adler assassinated him for it. You do not need to fear the Tainted. You need to fear a ruler and council that would torture and kill families for scientific research. They are no better than the scientists of the war.
“Citizens, go back to your homes where it is safe. Sentry, you are called off. I am the rightful king of Eden, and I order that any Tainted person who wishes to leave Eden be allowed to do so. I order that my brother, Prince Evran, be left unharmed and protected against Dex and the council that wishes him harm.”
He nodded and the feed was cut. Like with Dex, I saw it start again almost immediately.
“I put it on a loop and locked it,” the woman stated. “Even if they come to take the system down, it will still get to the people a few times over first.”
Gryffin nodded his approval, but my focus had turned to the alert on my communicator.
“Leeya,” Rhydian's wonderful voice sounded through my ear. “Have I told you recently how amazing you are?”
His relief managed to flow right through and settle into me. That could only mean one thing.
“It's not something I'd ever get tired of,” I countered, trying to keep my emotions in check, knowing just how many people were listening.
“The Sentry are pulling back,” he stated. “I think even the ones working with Dex will be hesitant to try anything right now.”
Gryffin met my eye and nodded. We had done it. They were going to be safe.
“Get to the exit,” I told him. “We're leaving the station now. We'll meet you there.”
I could hear him breathing hard, a clear indication they were already moving. I had no idea how deep into the city they had gone, but hopefully it wouldn't take them long to get there.
“Wait,” the broadcaster woman called out when we started to leave ourselves. I looked back and saw her turning to the others hesitantly, then she faced us again. “My daughter is Tainted,” she said, the words actually sounding painful as she motioned toward the teenage girl. “Will you take her with you? Get her out of Eden.”
The girl’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn't argue with her mother. She couldn't be far from her test. One that they now knew would end very badly for her.
“Of course,” I said gently. “We'll make sure she's safe. I'll have someone get in contact with you so you know she's okay. I promise.”
She nodded, tears running down her face as she embraced her daughter tightly. They exchanged whispered words, then she kissed her cheek and nodded for her to go.
The air was crisp when we walked outside. I could see people standing back between the buildings, hoping to get a look at the prince they had all believed was dead.
Then more people started to arrive. Ones that left me with a deep sense of dread.
Sentry. Close to two dozen of them.
“Stand down,” Gryffin ordered at the same time that I grabbed the girl and pull her behind me.
I should have sent her ahead. Told her where to go and told her to run. I never considered that the confusion would clear so quickly and they would come after us like this.
Not only did the Sentry not do as Gryffin ordered, but the sound of slow clapping actually sounded from somewhere amongst them. I searched for the source only to see Dex himself step out in front of his troops.
He might not have been as visible as Gryffin had in the past couple of years, but there was no mistaking him. His hair was darker than his cousins’, more light brown than blonde. There was still a resemblance there. He had the same strong cheekbones, the same green eyes. There was just something about him that was off, though. Almost like the evil within him had somehow manifested physically. He looked dangerous.
“Hello, cousin,” he said, almost cheerfully.
Gryffin growled, but he didn't have a chance to respond. Dex held something that looked like one of our new guns up and the world around us was filled with the sound of a banshee scream.
My batons, which I had just finished pulling out, dropped to the ground with a clank as my hands clasped to my ears. It didn't help. The wailing took me to my knees, along with both Dallin and Gryffin. I could even see some of the people hidden back in the shadows fall. One who didn't was the girl we had left with. Instead, she was actually grabbing at the back of my uniform in an attempt to pull me back up.
We hadn't asked for proof of her abilities, but there it was. Banshees weren't affected by a banshee scream.
Jus
t when I was beginning to think that he was going to hold on until we lost consciousness, I saw the gun fall from his hand. No, not fall. It flew away. An act I'd seen once before. With his father.
I gasped in breath as the ringing started to clear from my head, and turned in time to see Rhydian stepping out from between two buildings.
Stubborn man. He couldn't just wait for me at the exit like I told him to do. And just behind him were Lamont and Prestyn.
“Prestyn, take the girl to the exit,” Rhydian said, pointing to where she was helping me back to my feet.
She looked to me for direction, only moving from my side when I nodded.
“You and your strays,” Rhydian said, shaking his head when he took her place.
I'd never been so glad to see him in my life. Even if he had just walked into the fire. One where we were still very outnumbered.
He didn't wait for me to respond before turning back to face his nasty cousin.
Dex didn't look at all perturbed at his arrival. Instead, he looked pleased. Then, with the wave of his hand, the Sentry advanced.
Dallin and I moved forward at the same time to meet them. I wasn't sure where Rhydian had gotten a baton himself, but he was right by my side too. As we fought through the first wave of them that came toward us, I was surprised to actually see Gryffin holding his own against one of the Sentry that had gotten past us. Lamont was taking on another with a weapon of his own, but sticking close to the prince's side. I was glad now that we had given Gryffin a baton before we left the wall.
“We have to get out of here,” Rhydian said when the first wave started to dwindle down.
I knew he was right. Half of the Sentry stuck back with Dex, but I knew he would eventually send them in. Or worse, call for more reinforcements.
Before I could agree, something from the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was the woman from the broadcast station. She was standing off to the side, careful to stay out of direct sight of the Sentry and Dex, but she had a camera in her hand.
I smiled, nodding when she met my eye.
The last of the first round of Sentry fell, something that I was pleased to see annoyed Dex, and I could feel my guys starting to pull back. We might actually have a chance if we ran for it, but I knew it was bigger than that.
“We have to get him to admit it,” I said as low as I could where Rhydian could still hear it. He looked at me like I was crazy, but I pushed on. “Trust me.”
He sighed, not happy, but he did as I asked.
“So you knew what your father was doing?” he said, turning back to face his cousin. “You knew he killed our father.”
Dex laughed. “Of course I did. He was supposed to become king, but then he died trying to finish you off.”
I had to fight the urge to tell him just how his father had died. While I would have loved to see his reaction at that, it wouldn't help things here. Not only did we need to keep him talking, but it wouldn't do us any favors to admit such a thing when all of Eden would see it.
“You actually did me a favor coming together like this,” he went on smugly. Where Gryffin and Rhydian had a royal air to them, Dex just came off as cocky. “I thought I'd have to finish big brother here off, then go out hunting for you. Instead, now I get to put an end to your line. Well, according to your brother, there’s still your bratty sister to deal with. Something tells me that won’t be difficult. It won't be hard to convince the naive citizens that your little speech was fake. Nothing but Tainted trickery. And I'll be a hero for wiping the threat out.”
Rhydian growled, but he didn't let his anger stop him. We just needed a little more. Then there would be no way Dex could talk his way out of it. Things in Eden would forever be different.
“Why were you abducting the Tainted?” Rhydian asked. “Why were you torturing them, experimenting on them?”
Dex shrugged. “So we could harness their powers. To make them into weapons to use against you.”
Which explained so much. The gun he had used that mimicked the banshee scream. Adler hadn't had a Tainted in the woods that night. He'd had one of those guns.
Time for the final string. This one was mine. “You know that every citizen in Eden has Tainted genes,” I said. Dex looked surprised I was talking. Like I should be cowering at his feet, the great king of Eden. “Eventually enough people will gain access to their abilities that they will outnumber those that don't.”
Dex threw his arms out in a dramatic gesture. I hadn't been certain he actually knew that. It was something the people needed to know, though. Something to unite them with the Tainted. Make them see that we really weren't so different. But he knew. Everyone would be able to see that.
“And we will kill them all,” he declared.
I smiled, knowing he had just given us exactly what we needed.
Time to go.
But before I could issue the call for retreat, I saw something fly over his head. Right toward us.
I was confused for a moment, staring up at the metal cylinder. Then I remembered the images I'd seen in Dallin's Sentry books. At the same moment that it clicked, I heard him call out from where he stood several feet behind me.
“Down!” Rhydian yelled, then I watched the trajectory of the bomb change course and fly up several feet, then start to move back toward the Sentry and Dex. Telekinesis.
But it was too late.
White light erased the darkness, and a wave of heat slammed into me. I wasn't even sure what was happening. There was a sensation of flying, almost like I’d felt that first day in Alkwin. When Rhydian had carried me in. Then it was followed by pain. Crushing, heavy pain that made the world spin.
Just as everything started to grow dark around me, I saw Dex replace Gryffin on the screen again. We had done it. His confession was being aired throughout the city for every single citizen to see. They would know now.
And the thought brought a strange sense of peace with it. Even as the world started to fade into oblivion. At least I died making sure everyone in Eden knew the truth. They knew who the real enemy was.
* * *
Dear Reader,
First of all, I’d like to thank you for taking a chance on Tainted Rescue. The Tainted World Series holds a very large piece of my heart, and I truly appreciate you joining me in their world.
If you enjoyed the book, I would be very grateful if you could write a review on Amazon. Every review makes a difference and helps other readers discover the book.
As for the Leeya and Rhydian, I am proud to say that their adventures aren’t complete yet. Book three in the six book series, Tainted Crown, is currently available for pre-order. If you would like updates on when the following books in the series will be available, check me out on Facebook here.
Pre-order your copy of Tainted Crown today!
If you’re in the US, click here.
If you’re in the UK, click here.
For any other country, click here.
Love,
Jenn
P.S. I’d love to hear from you! Come say hi on Facebook. I do my best to respond to everyone :)
P.P.S. Need something to read in the meantime? Check out the first chapters of Loving Danger with the added bonus chapters. Just keep turning…
Other Books by Jenn Vakey
Rilynne Evans Mysteries
Delusions with Murder
Deception with Murder
Betrayal with Murder
Suspicions with Murder
Wanted with Murder
Found with Murder
Revenge with Murder
Obsession with Murder
Addicted with Murder
Greed with Murder
Diary of the Pirate Killer
Hidden Adventures: Rilynne Evans Short Stories
Mistaken Reality Series
Mistaken Reality
Desperation
Infiltration
Creatures of the Underworld Series
Forbidden Nights
; Loving Danger Series
Loving Danger
When Everything Changed: Loving Danger Short Stories
Secrets Revealed (Coming Spring 2019)
Tainted World Series
Tainted Plans
Tainted Rescue
Tainted Crown (Coming June 2019)
Bonus Chapters
Loving Danger
Chapter One
There are times, moments that can be looked back upon, that change the entire course of your life. Whether it be a decision you make or a situation you find yourself in, nothing’s ever the same again. As Bailey Mills walked home from the diner she worked at, she never imagined this would be one of those times.
The chill in the October air left her holding her charcoal grey coat tightly around herself as she passed through the entryway of the park. It was a quiet night, with almost no one crossing her path. She didn’t mind. In fact, there was something almost comforting in being surrounded with only the sounds of nature. It reminded her of home. It wouldn’t last.
Men were talking ahead, but she paid no attention to them. The park was heavily frequented, so it wasn’t uncommon for her to see people as she passed through. It wasn’t until one raised his voice that she thought anything of it. A grip of panic held onto her, but she pushed through and continued further. She was only ten minutes from home. Blocking the sounds of the men from her mind, she started moving faster down the path.
Bailey only made it a few yards before she was stopped in her tracks. The sound of the gunshot ringing through the air took her breath away. As if on reflex, she turned and looked for the source. She wanted to run, but her body stood on the path as if it were a statue. All she could do was stare down at the two men dressed entirely in black on the path twenty feet below. At their feet was a motionless mound. She was confused for the briefest of moments until she saw the shine of the pistol in the hand of one of the men. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips. She regretted the act even before the men looked up at her. From there, everything happened so fast.
