Page 175 of Hymns of the Broken

“Do you see what you’ve done?” His voice is raw, edged with betrayal and something feral. “You and your precious little rockstars. You think you’re going to be rescued now? You think all their fans are going to storm in and save you?”

I see Sawyer flinch, shrinking into the mattress. She can barely breathe, chest tight, vision tunneling—I canfeelher panic through the screen. Her voice is so hoarse it barely makes it out.

“Why are you even still wearing the mask?”

Right then, I feel Silas tense beside me. I see it in his eyes—he heard what most of us missed. He leans forward, lips parted, eyes darting between the screen and me, and then to Riot.

She knows.

Or at least, shethinksshe knows. That’s why she asked. It wasn’t just fear or confusion. It was a certainty.

He leansin, face inches from hers, mask reflecting her wide, terrified eyes.

"Because when they find you—if they find you—I want them to rememberthis. I want them to remember what it cost to make that fucking video. Every time they look at this mask, I want them to know they’re the reason you suffered.”

Then his fury explodes in cold, mechanical violence. He grabs the knife, drags the handle between her legs.

“This is your punishment, Sawyer. For the video they released. For thinking you could use them to save you. For making me a villain to everyone out there.”

My hands curl into fists. Riot grips the couch so hard his knuckles turn white.

Sawyer tries to talk back—her voice is hoarse but defiant. “You never knew how to pleasure me, anyway. You’ll never get an orgasm from me. Not a real one.”

He laughs. It’s the worst sound I’ve ever heard. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a black vibrator, and holds it up to the camera.

“You’ll fall apart for me, on my knife, with this cunt that belongs to me.”

He presses the vibrator to her, moves the knife inside her. The camera doesn’t blink. Sawyer cries, but keeps fighting, her voice breaking, begging for it to stop.

He taunts her the whole time, saying things like, “Let them watch, Sawyer. Let the entire world see who makes you fall apart.Thisis all you’re good for. Look how pretty you are whenyou’re broken.”

When her body gives in—when she cums, broken and sobbing—he groans, laughing, and leans in, “That’s right. Cry for me. Scream for me.Thisis all you’re good for.”

My vision tunnels. I can’t breathe. Riot holds back angry tears, fists pressed against his mouth to keep from screaming.

Micah’s hands are trembling. Dex and Jace both turn away, shoulders shaking with rage. Ash stares at the wall, jaw clenched so tight I think he might break a tooth. Only Macee stays glued to the screen, tears streaming down her face, fury and grief burning in her eyes.

Silas can’t stop watching Sawyer’s face on the screen, like he’s searching for clues, trying to put together a puzzle that suddenly feels a hell of a lot closer to being solved.

When thevideo finally cuts off, nobody speaks.

Nobody moves.

The room is silent except for the sound of Riot’s breathing and Macee’s soft sobs.

I barely hear Silas murmur, voice low and sharp, “She knows who he is. That’s why she asked. Maybe there’s something we missed.”

Hope flickers—raw, violent. For the first time, we might have something to work with. For the first time, we might find her and bring her home.

But underneath the pain, something burns. Something sharp and cold.

He made a mistake, sending this.

We’re going to find him.

And I’m going to kill him with my bare hands.

RIOT