Page 47 of Cerulean Truth (Sapere #1)

I turned sharply, my gaze locking on Maurice.

"Tell Maria to lift the bubble. Now." My voice was low but edged with steel, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Make sure she's upright enough; it'll make the blood run faster," the third voice chimed in.

They shoved her rather roughly, prompting a soft whimper to escape from Emma's lips.

Something unhinged inside me. Since I started training as an Offensive, I had prided myself on maintaining control over my anger. Every action and emotion, carefully measured and intentional. Every translation, I always remained in control.

But watching her suffer like that, hearing them talk about her life, every ounce of fear, anger, protection I heeded, came raging through, and without another thought I lunged myself forward, a primal roar escaping my lips, completely forgetting about Maurice and everything else.

All that I was, all I aspired to be, and every iota of my knowledge manifested in that moment.

My rage haze came over me and greeted me like an old friend.

All that time spent, trying to contain it, learning how to control it.

All that time was now in vain. I surrendered to it.

I let it out. I let it all out. My rage was pure, unadulterated power and those three assholes would bear the full force of its wrath.

It took no more than a few seconds. A few seconds of translation, powered by my rage and those three guys were lying on the ground, bleeding out. Alive but barely. I hadn’t even broken a sweat, and without acknowledging them further, I rushed to Emma’s side.

I checked her vitals quickly, and relief flooded my system when I found her breathing and with a steady heartbeat.

"I've got her, you check on them," I ordered Maurice, dismissing any notion of his so-called superiority.

Maurice nodded. He, being a Healer once upon a lifetime ago, patched the three Radicals up quickly and portaled them to the Bastille.

“I want to question them!” I hissed menacingly at Maurice right before his departure. I caught another nod from him out of the corner of my eye before he vanished.

Emma was still unconscious as I pulled the tube out of her arm.

“Emma,” I whispered her name, my voice thick with worry. But she didn’t respond. With a swift motion, I translated away the ropes binding her to the trunk, freeing her from the tree's grasp. I caught her as she slumped forward, her weight collapsing into my arms.

I held her up with one arm, as I destroyed the blood bags lying next to it, ensuring my promise to her no one would ever use her as a lab rat.

“Emma,” I spoke with heightened urgency, anxious for her to wake the hell up.

Maurice reappeared. “Let’s get her to her dorm,” he instructed when he returned. "I'll inform Maria."

Carrying her in my arms, I observed her unnaturally pale and still body. The indescribable impact it had on me resonated through my entire being… I was going to torture and kill every one of them who had dared to touch her. And I would fucking revel in it.

We portaled out. On entering her dorm, Maria was already there, sealing off the room and rendered it soundproof. I gently laid Emma on her bed and covered her with a blanket. Despite her regular breathing, she still remained unresponsive.

Maurice promptly attended to her, reassuring me that while she had lost some blood, her life wasn't in jeopardy. "However, it's best for her to rest," he advised. I nodded, settling into a chair across the room. There was no way in hell I was leaving her before she woke up.

The Maumars exchanged glances, and I thought I detected a hint of a smile in their eyes. They maintained their silence, translated two additional chairs and seated themselves across from me.

"What happened tonight..." Maurice began, his voice laden with concern.

"Is deeply troubling," Maria concluded with a stern expression.

I clenched my jaw, acknowledging that their declaration was an understatement of monumental proportions.

"At least we now understand why they targeted this place—they came for her," Maria added, her tone firm.

"But why? And what's the purpose behind extracting her blood?" Maurice pondered aloud.

A sizable lump lodged in my throat, and I struggled to find my voice. The weight of the night's events was only beginning to settle in.

"They know..." I spoke in a hoarse whisper.

The Maumars exchanged quizzical glances, waiting for an explanation.

"They're aware her translation is untraceable in the Human World... why else would they be after her blood?" I clarified.

"How is that possible? We are the only ones who know," Maurice whispered in disbelief.

"Us and the Council," Maria added, her expression grave.

I nodded, my concern deepening. "We might have a mole."

"In the Council?" Maurice almost shrieked. "Impossible! I know everyone on the Council, most of them since they were kids. There's no way!" I had rarely heard him speak with such vigor.

Maria offered a consoling pat on his arm. "Then how do they know?"

"We don't even know if that's what happened tonight," Maurice retorted through gritted teeth.

“We’ve got Radicals breaching our Layers, bleeding out the one maga whose translation is untraceable in the Human World, which at least suggests, the Radicals got wind of it…

What other reason for her blood could there be?

To prove she’s different. To prove humans have reason not to trust us and to prove to all the exposure is a bad idea?

” I clenched my hands into tight fists, frustration boiling within me.

"Whatever we think we know, or don't know, one thing is certain—they came for Emma. Whatever the reason, she must be protected at all costs," Maria declared, her tone resolute.

I couldn't agree more.

"Any progress on identifying the Radicals responsible for the human's death?" I inquired.

Maurice shook his head. "No, we've maintained constant communication with the team you established, but they haven't uncovered anything specific yet. Why? Do you suspect a connection to the three we currently have in custody?"

I nodded thoughtfully. "Possibly. I'd like to conduct the interrogations myself."

And kill them without anyone knowing.

"Of course, you do whatever you feel is necessary," Maria replied graciously.

Oh I will.

I glanced at her, appreciating her resilience. Thank fuck Maria had bubbled us in. If she hadn’t…

"James," she addressed me, interrupting my thoughts, "we can't keep Emma in Scola; she needs proper training. Tonight happened because she was entirely defenseless against their translation..."

“You can’t send her to the Academy without the basics? She’ll die within the first week!” Maurice exclaimed.

I flinched at his words.

While the Maumars started bickering about Emma’s education, my mind drifted to dark places. Places where tonight could have ended if we hadn't reached Emma in time.

"I'll train her myself," I heard myself say, commitment settling in my tone. “I’ll train her as an Offensive, and I’ll teach her the basics of the Scola .”

It was a ridiculous notion to put her in a classroom full of seven-year-olds anyway.

"I can keep an eye on her while I do. As an Offensive, no one's better equipped to protect her until she can do it herself."

The Maumars exchanged glances, then Maurice spoke softly. "That might not be a small undertaking, James. It's very admirable of you to offer, but you're being groomed as our Leader. Surely someone else could take it on."

The notion of her being protected by someone else was not only laughable but also…

"I want to," I spoke up louder.

Maria nodded. "Then so it will be. We will keep this between us three.

Maurice and I will focus on investigating the three Radicals in the Bastille; I had them cleaned up, and you'll conduct the interrogations in the morning.

Your concern from then on is Emma. We'll meet up covertly as much as we can to inform each other of the progress, and for now," she held up a hand to silence Maurice, who was getting ready to object, "we'll keep this from the rest of the Council.

In time, we'll tell them once we know more, and are sure we do not have a leak. "

It was clear the conversation wasn't over, but as Emma made a sound of restlessness, the Maumars stood up swiftly and left the room without another word.

I stayed all night in her room, watching over her as she slept.