“Stand, Jon!” Ezekiel barked out, Jon rising to his feet and dropping the knife to the ground and keeping his eyes lowered. There was no way that he could met Ezekiel’s gaze in the state that he was in. Cassidy watched as the scene unfolded, terrified to ever become like Jon, terrified that the League would do whatever they deemed necessary to achieve their means. They were ready to do anything to bring the Exodus down.
“Not only did you harm a fellow Exodus member, you attacked another person within your Origin and tried to weaken our defenses. You have dishonored the Chi Origin and are hereby exiled. So say I, so shall it be.” Ezekiel’s voice filled the room in deafening silence, his arm grasping Jon’s and the red magic that flowed between them was brighter than Cassidy had ever seen before. The pulse grew brighter until a loud and distinct pop echoed from Jon’s body, his blood curdling scream ripping from his chest as he dropped to his knees. Never before had Cassidy watched as someone’s connection to their Origin was stripped from them but watching it for the first time was enough to make her never want to see it again. The feeling to hurl stirred in her stomach, unable to hold it back as she bent at the waist and lost it. No one in the room even batted at eye at her getting sick. Perhaps they were used to such a reaction. She couldn’t understand how everyone else was so calm as she listened to the screams of Jon writhing in pain. The color had drained from his face by the time she cleaned off her lips. The man looked like a fraction of the person he was not even five minutes before. She had heard stories of how hard magic addiction hit a person but to see someone have it completely stripped from their body, from their soul, it affected Cassidy in a way that she wasn’t sure she would ever recover from.
“If I ever see you again, this pain will be laughable to what will happen to you. You have disgraced yourself for a lifetime, guards will escort you to the edge of the barrier and you are banished, forever,” Ezekiel said, grabbing Jon up and tossing him towards the door where guards met him, dragging him away as his screams continued to echo against the walls. Cassidy wiped away the tears from her face, her heart nearly exploding out her chest once the action settled. She let her eyes settle on the blood on the floor, gazing at the knife that Jon had used to break the trust of his Origin and she was flabbergasted that one act, no matter how big or how small, pushed the Elder to exile him immediately. There was no trial, no jury of his peers; the Elder was jury, judge and executioner.
The only thing that managed to pull her from her daze was Chase entering the room, looking from his Elder to the two on the ground to finding Cassidy standing there, chest still heaving and the color drained from her face.
“Cass,” he said, snapping her out of thoughts long enough to get her to raise her eyes to him, the pain evident on her face. His face dropped with hers, reaching out and squeezing her hand with a heavy sigh. “It’s okay,” he whispered, closing the space between them. He could tell how directly affected she was at watching what she saw, hearing the screams like she did. Maybe she wasn’t as strong as he thought she was.
“No,” she laughed derisively, shaking her head, “it’s far from okay!” Her voice sounded broken but she swallowed hard, trying to push through her emotions. “We were attacked,” she said, flatly, gazing from the knife on the floor to the healed Chi who was moving to his feet to the Elder. “Th- I could see it in Jon. I know what he was feeling,” she swallowed hard, clearing her throat and wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand. “The League... they broke him until he had no other option,” she defended, knowing that her take on the story that unfolded was different than most. Jon seemed desperate to save himself from the pain that he had experienced with the League. Cassidy had only experienced a fraction of that agony but she knew their tactics. She knew that they were depriving him just like they did her but probably to an indescribable extent.
“He had a responsibility to protect us all and to protect his Origin and he chose to attack it. Plain and simple,” Ezekiel said, dismissing Cassidy’s comment entirely.
“No. No one makes that choice because they want to. Did you not hear his screams? He had no other option. The League... They’re far more craftier than all of you give them credit for. They tell you a truth but pervert it with disgusting lies. They make the best thing seem tainted and they do it all while making you feel like you’re in control. Well, they’re controlling the narrative and it’s time we stop taking the defensive. We need an offense. The only way to protect our people, to protect what we’ve grown here... to stop this war before it ever can get off the ground is to know our enemy. We need someone on the inside,” Cassidy spoke and as the words left her mouth, her voice grew stronger. It was evident that she felt passionate about what she was saying. It didn’t matter that her memory only spanned the past few months inside the Exodus. Her father was Chancellor, her mother was being painted as a traitor and had someone stuck up for the origins before she ever got sick, she might not have traveled down that path. Someone could’ve saved her. Cassidy couldn’t just stand there and watch as someone else lost their mother, their father, their friend.
“And what, you think you’re that person? No, never,” Chase said with a laugh, shaking his head and Cassidy never looked more serious in her life.
“Why? They’ve already tried to recruit me. Who else has a better chance of working them? They need me more than we need them. And, I can do this! Look at me and tell me I’m wrong,” she said, squeezing his hand as she pitched her case, trying desperately to have him see her potential.
“You’re wrong!” he said, not even contemplating it. “It’s not safe. Your father would never put you in harms way again and you’re too much of an asset to risk out there. If they found out, they’d have you killed and then where would we be? We wouldn’t have you anymore.” Chase couldn’t stop the words from leaving his lips but they were on the table nonetheless. Whether he would admit it or not, he cared for the woman who was volunteering to risk her life for a cause that she barely knew. “If anything, it should be me in there. I’m a Chi, I can use my abilities to my advantage. If I get caught? A wave of the hand can fix that,” he said, straightening his jacket.
“You’re practically the Counsellor’s right hand. You defecting wouldn’t make the least bit of sense and they wouldn’t feel apt to spill their beans to you because you’re a Chi. Your Origin leads you to be untrustworthy, despite that face of yours. I’m an Epsilon. I can show vulnerability. Besides, I’m still new. I’m still a baby in their eyes. I am a better bait and you damn well know it.”
“The decision isn’t either of yours to make. If we’re going to risk anyone, it has to be a unanimous decision. All five Elders and the Chancellor will have to agree to putting you in a position where you could die. Or be tortured. Or be pushed to your breaking point. You could fail, you have to know that before going in. Being a double agent wanes on you after a while. This isn’t something that you can enter in lightly, Miss Hawkins.” Ezekiel closed the space between them and watched as he spoke to Cassidy, trying to gauge her heart. For someone so new to the fold to feel so strongly about a cause was surprising but after all she had experienced, it wasn’t far fetched.
“You let me know when I get the go,” she said, standing her ground and not backing away from him, despite her utter terror of him. He was such a large man who commanded a respect that oozed from his skin that she only wished that she would be in the same shoes one day. Ezekiel’s firm glare let way for a bit of a smirk, nodding to her and then looking to Chase. “We’ll make our decision by day’s end,” he said, looking disapprovingly at Chase for his utter lack of confidence in Cassidy’s ability to hold herself up. It wasn’t that Chase didn’t think she could do the job, he was fearful that she’d end up like Sebastian, eventually. He knew all too well what the League could do with magic and he knew that Cassidy would rather die than admit to her faults and weaknesses.
Ezekiel walked off, helping Garrett and the Omicron to the infirmary to ensure their safety in the fight and to
alert the other Elders and the Chancellor of the undertaking that Cassidy had volunteered for. When the others had left, Chase stared Cassidy down, his face already displaying his utmost distaste for what she had gotten herself into.
“You’re ridiculous,” he complained, turning away from the fight that he knew was about to start and trying to walk out of the room.
“I’m-what are you saying? Are you saying that what I said didn’t make every bit of sense to you? Because, I don’t see any fail in my logic. The League isn’t going to trust that you’ve suddenly seen the error of your ways and I’m the perfect person to put in such a position.” Cassidy quickly caught up after him, Chase leading them down the hallways back to her room.
“But that’s just it! There’s a reason you’re perfect for this job!” Chase spat out, walking faster as if he was trying to get away from her.
“No... you’re-you don’t trust me,” she said, hurt by the words that left her lips as she stopped walking next to him. “You actually think... how could you?” she demanded, standing firm in the hallway, unwilling to just let the conversation go.
“Cassidy,” he said, exhaustion rolling from his body. “That’s not what I meant. You’re still reeling from the other night, you don’t know what’s even going on in your actual life and now you’re volunteering to be a double agent?! Don’t you see how bad that could go? You... they’re smart. Far smarter than I give them credit and you don’t know them like I know them. They will sink their claws into you and make you believe we’re the bad guys and I can’t just let you abandon everything that we’ve grown here to play some heroic quest.” Cassidy listened to him practically beg for her not to go and before she knew it, she closed the space between them and pulled his frame to her, eagerly lifting her lips to his own. Her fingers snaked through the strands of his hair, pulling him closer to her lips, tugging on his bottom lip with her teeth before releasing him, making sure to lock her eyes with his.
“I’m perfect for this because I have something no one else has. You. You ground me here, in the home that I’ve made here. You have a bond with me that keeps me from forgetting what I’m growing here. My father is here, you’re here, I’m not going anywhere, I promise you. I’m protecting what I’ve made. I’m fighting for this,” she whispered, resting her frame against his as he held her to him. He blinked a few times before smirking and shaking his head.
“You’re going to be the death of me, you know?” he teased, leaning down for one more kiss before letting her go and leading her back to her room. Cassidy laughed, shoving him slightly as they walked. It was so easy with him that she found it terrifying her, almost more than going into the League. She’d never felt this way about anyone else, ever. She couldn’t quantify it with a word just yet but she felt like she was headed down that path. And, if there was anything more terrifying than making oneself bait, it was the possibility of falling in love.
Chapter 14
Minutes felt like days once the meeting was called between the Elders. It wasn’t a publicized meeting, no one else other than the ones that were in the room and the Elders knew what Cassidy had proposed to do. It was crazy, if she were honest. Complete madness but Cassidy wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t fight for what she believed in. She knew that her father would be the one to approve the entire stunt and if she didn’t have him on board, it would never fly.
“I just wish they would give me an update already,” she mumbled, playing with the food in front of her on the plate, forking some of the spaghetti and then unspinning it, her fork scraping against the porcelain plate.
“I’m telling you to calm down,” Chase said with a laugh, cleaning up the plate that he had already finished, a knock on the door distracting the two of them before he was able to continue. “See, maybe your worry will be eased,” he said, walking to the door. Quickly answering it, Olivia was on the other side and Chase was honestly relieved that it wasn’t her father. At least he had a bit more time with her before she left for possible slaughter.
“Oh, hello,” she said, surprised at Chase answering the door and peering over his shoulder to look at Cassidy, wiggling her eyebrows when Chase looked away from her. Cassidy rolled her eyes, thankful to get up from the food that she was unable to eat and greeting her at the door.
“Sight for sore eyes,” she teased, pushing Chase out of the way and letting her into her apartment, welcoming her to a seat and gesturing to the drinks in the fridge if she chose to partake. “Need something?” She asked, arching a brow as she sat back at the kitchen island and Olivia shook her head.
“No, I thought we’d get some much needed training time in but it looks like I’ve kinda interrupted something else,” she teased and Chase laughed, moving to grab his jacket and slinging it over his shoulders before moving back to Cassidy’s side.
“I’ll let you know when I know, alright?” he said, leaning down and pressing his lips firmly against hers, taking her off guard in front of someone else. There was a difference between being close in private and publicly showing affection for one another. Not that she was complaining by any means, it just wasn’t something she was anticipating. Olivia tried to hide her grin behind her hand as she looked away, giving the apparent couple a few moments by themselves before Chase excused himself, leaving the women by themselves.
“Well, seems like you’ve been doing just fine,” Olivia teased, waggling her eyebrows which caused Cassidy to blush and shake her head again, clearing off her plate and putting it in the sink.
“It’s kinda been pretty sudden but... good, I think. We’ll see, I guess, right?” she said, both as an assumption and as a question.
“Chase isn’t one for connections, generally, so to see him close to someone is a nice change. He’s been pretty distant since he lost his sister Holly and his brother Sebastian,” she said with a shrug, pulling a pillow to her chest and hugging it close as she watched Cassidy's reaction.
“Sebastian? That’s the name of his brother?” she asked, her interest piqued nearly instantly. It wasn’t that the name wasn’t uncommon but for her to meet a Sebastian the same night she was kidnapped by the League, that couldn’t be coincidence.
“Yeah, really twisted history between them too. Rumors were that Sebastian lost his shit to his Origin, killed his sister in a forced trigger gone wrong and defected to the League nearly instantly. Did you not meet him when they had you there?” Olivia questioned and Cassidy shook her head, grabbing two bottles of water and heading to the couch.
“Nah, they kept me in a pretty isolated area. Probably for the best, I guess,” she said with a shrug, instantly wondering why Chase hadn’t let her in on that bit of information. If his brother was still inside the League, there was always the possibility that her inside job could not only solve the issue between the two groups but she could try and mend the bad blood between the two of them too. Chase had lost so much to this war already and it hadn’t even truly started yet. If Cassidy could bring him some solace, she would definitely try.
“I’m glad you’re safe, you know. We were all so worried about you,” Olivia said, cracking a smile and reaching out to squeeze her hand. “We tried to find you but wherever they had you wasn’t accessible to us.” Her smile dropped to a frown. “All that matters is that you’re safe,” she said, taking a quick drink of water. Cassidy managed a smile and nodded, playing with the label of her beer nervously.
“Yeah, I agree. All of us safe and sound, healthy and thriving, that’s all that matters,” she said gently, taking a quick sip of her water as Olivia noticed her demeanor.
“Are you alright? We haven’t really had a chance to talk since you got back. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to come down here sooner,” she said, shaking her head but Cassidy cut her off before she could continue.
“No—no need to be sorry. I had a lot to do when I got back. Spent some time trying to catch up with my Dad, channeled in the Epsilon room to feel more at ease, don’t feel bad.” She knew that she had to stay qui
et about her possible new task that the elders were deciding on but she felt like Olivia deserved to know something.
“How is everyone? I’m sure everyone has heard about what happened,” Cassidy asked, chewing on her lip, adjusting her weight on the couch.
“We’re fine. Worried, obviously, but, we’re just glad you’re whole. And with us. It’s devastating for everyone to lose a member and you, we just were worried,” Olivia said, pushing herself from the couch and holding her hand out to her, grinning. “Why don’t you come out with a few of us? We’ll promise to return you with every hair still in place on your head and it’d do you some good.” She grinned, half dancing in front of her which garnered a laugh out of Cassidy. As much as a night out sounded like a great plan, she knew that the elders could come back to a decision at any time and she needed to be ready.
“While every part of that sounds like a good idea, I don’t think I’m ready just yet. Maybe... soon? I’ll take a rain check and when I’m feeling up for it, we’ll party until I’m too drunk to think straight, deal?” She grinned, but Olivia seemed slightly sad that she didn’t take her up on her offer.
Olivia nodded, accepting the rain check. “You got it. Keep me informed on the Chase front, alright? Fill me in on the juicy details when you have some,” Olivia giggled, waving as she left Cassidy’s apartment and left her all by herself.
The ten minute conversation sealed the deal even more than this endeavor, should it happen, was worth any negative she should face. Cassidy could and would do this better than anyone else to ensure that Olivia and the others could continue to enjoy their lives like they had for years.
Chapter 15
Epsilon Page 10
