Page 97 of Fragmented Illusions

It’s fucking electric, staring your demise in the face.

The odds aren’t in our favor with this one. Two men versus three—only we have an incapacitated female we have to work with as well.

I keep my eyes locked on the men as I say to Spence, “Are you ready?” His deep breath is the only thing I hear before he finally answers.

“For her, I’m ready for anything.”

Part VII

“Sweet was their death — with them to die was rife

With the last ecstasy of satiate life —

Beyond that death no immortality —

But sleep that pondereth and is not “to be”!—”

—Edgar Allen Poe,AL AARAAF Part II

Chapter Nineteen

Spencer

I watch in my peripheral as Solomon leans down and sets Fallon on the floor. Her red hair fans out around her and she stirs momentarily before settling. He brushes her hair back and tucks it behind her ear, trailing his fingers along her freckled skin.

My throat closes up and tears prick my eyes as I watch the sentiment. I once was slightly jealous of the way Solomon cared so much for Fallon. I had always wanted him to care for me like that, but now I realize he did—in his own way.

Love is weird like that. It showcases itself in different forms for different people. It’s not always the same and that’s okay.

He loves me, and her.

I love them both.

I always imagined the three of us dying together.

Sol stands and steps in front of Fallon, almost as if he is trying to shield her with his body. I shift until I’m next to him, doing the same. He never takes his eyes off of the men in front of us and I never take mine off of him.

If this is it; if this is the end of us, I want to die with the two of them being the last things I see.

“Fight with everything in you, Spencer. You’re the only one with a knife because I was foolish enough to believe we could make it out of here unscathed.” I feel his hand clench between us.

“If you get the opportunity to take her and get out of here, do it. Grab her and fucking run, Spencer.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” I growl at him, tightening my hand around my knife.

“I’m not giving you a fucking choice, Spencer Rhys. Youwilldo what the fuck I tell you. This is about Fallon. We need to get her out of here and you will probably be her only shot. If you see it, take it.”

“You’re not leaving with her,” a voice booms at the other end of the hall, cutting off our conversation. Which is fine by me because Sol was starting to piss me off.

Either we all get out of here, or none of us do. I know Fallon would be okay with that decision too so there isn’t even anything to fucking argue about.

Sol is too stubborn for his own good sometimes.

I bring my icy gaze back to the three dumbasses in front of us. I roam my eyes over each of them, taking in their features. The way they stand, how they hold themselves. Every minute detail—and I know Sol is doing the same.

All three of them move at the same time, coming right for us. A burst of adrenaline surges in my veins and I jump from foot to foot. I clap my hands excitedly as my body screams at me.

Fight. Fight. Fight.