by Sophie Davis
“That’s correct,” I said, mentally preparing myself for the barrage of questions that was about to fly my way.
But no one spoke. So I did.
“I didn’t kidnap her, though. Kenly Baker made a deal with the girl’s brother. The guy was going to help her escape the auction, if she promised to take his sister—Libby, Elizabeth, whatever—to the islands,” I tried to explain.
“Why would Jaylen Monroe want to do that?” Victoria demanded. Unlike with the earlier interrogations, she seemed to want an active role.
“Because he thinks the Treaty is going to be overturned, and he is concerned about Libby’s safety,” I replied. “He wants his sister to have a spot on the islands before the lottery goes into effect.”
“He told you this?” Victoria asked, unconvinced.
“Well, no, not exactly,” I admitted.
I’d read the information out of Kenly’s head. When I told the council this, judging by the skeptical glances being traded, they did not think my mentee was the most reliable source.
“I see,” was all Victoria said. She paused, her golden eyes weighing me. “Elizabeth Monroe is the daughter of the Duke. The Duke is the head of the entire Poacher organization.”
She continued to stare, as if this bombshell was supposed to indeed be a bombshell.
“Um, okay. I know that,” I said, unclear as to the significance of Libby’s lineage.
“The Duke will stop at nothing to get her back, Agent Lyons. Your actions have successfully begun a war with the Poachers,” Victoria declared.
A war? Seriously, how many wars can one girl start in her life?
“While your disobedience in the Pritcher girl matter is understandable and somewhat excusable, this is not. UNITED is not prepared to fight so many battles at once.” In a rare display of her humanity, Victoria threw up her hands and demanded, “What were you thinking, Talia?”
What was I thinking? That Kenly wanted to keep a promise she made. That she asked me to help her. And that I wasn’t going to fail her again by refusing her plea for help. That I stupidly thought I was doing the right thing. Did I tell the council all of that? Would it matter?
Deciding I had nothing to lose, I went for the truth—another heartfelt, emotional excuse for my insubordination. This time, though, it wasn’t received as well. Amberly pointed out that I should have asked for permission to take Libby, at which point someone in UNITED would have told me why it was a horrible idea. Victoria rambled on about how good leaders make decisions based on fact, not emotion. Even Michael Tanaka, my staunchest ally, thought I’d been rash.
Throughout it all, I sat perfectly still and quiet. There was no excuse that would pacify that group, so I made none. I was used to angry lectures and tirades about my many mistakes, so nothing the council threw at me was new. With Erik gone and no logical way to tie this in to either him or Donavon, there was nothing they could say to incense me, either.
“We do not condone the Poachers’ practices,” Victoria was saying, when she abruptly clamped her lips shut. Her attention was on the display screen on the table in front of her.
In fact, all the councilmembers were staring at their screens. A horrible creepy-crawly sensation skittered up my spine. After viewing the screen for a beat too long, Victoria’s gaze slowly rose to meet mine. I should’ve taken lessons from her on how to shoot real daggers with a look.
Oh, shit.
“You let her go!” Victoria roared. She leapt to her feet, outrage and disbelief causing all the color to drain from her face.
Yeah. Shit.
I didn’t need the councilwoman to elaborate. I knew which “her” she was referring to. Kenly.
Someone had realized Kenly and the others were gone. Someone sounded an alarm.
“Take her!” Victoria declared, pointing at me.
“Wait, what?” I screamed. No one in the room moved, every eye fixed on me alone. “Take me where? Are you containing me?”
Even though I’d knew this outcome was possible in theory, I’d never believed the council would do it.
“No, Talia. We are not containing you. You should be so lucky,” Victoria spat, every word laced with poisonous venom.
Suddenly, Victoria nodded. At first I thought the gesture was meant for me, but when fingers curled into my biceps I understood she was signaling Chaz and Viktor.
I fought against their holds, glad I hadn’t used all my juice to manipulate Erik earlier.
“Agent Lyons, you are hereby found guilty of treason. You will be taken into custody and relocated to Vault,” Victoria intoned. I had never heard her more serious.
“Treason! You’ve got to be kidding—get off of me!” I cried, elbowing one of the guards in the groin. Using telekinesis, I sent the other one sailing into the wallscreen. The image of the council flickered. Someone yelled an order for more guards.
“Erik? Erik, I need you!” I sent frantically.
No answer.
Chaz was up on his feet again. He reached for me, but underestimated both my speed and combat skills. A swift kick to the back of his knee, followed by a second one to his stomach, had the guard groaning on the ground.
“Erik! Where are you? I need you!”
Frantically, I searched the room for Viktor. He was motionless on the conference table, sprawled out on his back. On the screen behind him, councilmembers were winking in and out of existence. The audio was still up and running, though, and I heard Victoria’s voice above those of her frazzled counterparts.
“Agent Lyons, stop. Immediately. Please, do not make this more difficult that it needs to be.”
Difficult? She hadn’t seen difficult.
“Erik! Erik, we need to run.”
No answer.
Resolved to find him the old-fashioned way, I started for the door. Just as I reached for the knob, I felt them on the other side. Twenty minds. All projecting nervousness. Some projecting fear. Those who wanted to find out if the rumors were true, if I was the one-woman terror of legend, projected giddy anticipation. They each hoped that they’d be the one to conquer the consummate beast.
One mind was brighter than the others. A brilliant diamond among a sea of pebbles.
Betrayal washed over me. We’d never gotten along, so maybe this wasn’t so shocking. Still, I’d thought our mutual love for Penny would have been enough for Brand to stand by me.
At the very least, I’d thought it was enough for him not to stab me in the back.
A high-pitched screech, like nails on chalkboard or claws on glass, filled the air. Framed portraits on the walls began to shake. Random knickknacks—a gold candelabra, a blue and white patterned vase, a china teapot—teetered precariously on shelves around the room. The rumbling started off slow and steady, an ominous noise that reminded me of thunder rolling in the distant.
One by one, the antique trinkets crashed to the floor in a symphony of shattering glass and clanging brass. Without warning, the door flew off its hinges and over my head. It was merely one more item to add to the funnel cloud of debris swirling behind me.
“Talia, stop!” Brand bellowed.
I was beyond words, beyond reasoning.
“We can’t take you. You have to come willingly,” Brand called over the howling wind sweeping through the room.
“Why would I do that?” I growled in reply.
Then I saw her. Her.
She was supposed to be my best friend. Were we really back here again?
Penny’s flame-red hair whipped across her pale cheeks as she worked her way to the front of the group of agents waiting to arrest me.
“Because I’ve seen the future, Talia. Please, go with them. I promise you, it doesn’t turn out well if you don’t. I swear, you need to do this voluntarily,” Penny sent.
Images began to flood my subconscious. Erik motionless and bleeding. Alex hysterical and screaming. Henri crumpled at the bottom of a staircase. Frederick in chains. Penny crying over Brand’s still form. The slideshow played over and over again,
each time the scenes a little more gruesome than the time before.
With that, I understood.
Penny was showing me what would happen if I fought. All of my friends, Brand included, would fight with me. And they would all pay a grave price for it. For some, standing with me would be the last decision they ever made.
If I surrendered, I would save them.
It took more effort to reel in my Talents than it had to cast them out. Slowly, the wind died down and an eerie silence descended on all of us.
Brand was the first of the pursuers to regain his composure. He lifted his gun. For the second time in my life, I was shot full of some drug that took effect before I hit the floor.
Penny rushed forward to kneel beside me. I blinked up at her. Tears spilled down her cheeks. I tried to reach for her hand to comfort her. This wasn’t her fault, I knew that. She was looking out for all of us.
Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to save them.
Penny threaded her fingers with mine.
“I’m so sorry, Talia,” she sent.
I closed my eyes.
Me, too, Penny.
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