Page 13 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter twelve

Fallan

L ugging the massive bags into the vehicle, I glare at the cabin door, shoving down every hateful thought toward every single person in that cabin. Kicking the tires of the vehicle as I work, I clench my hand into my palm, struggling to get the vehicle loaded with only one hand. Replaying Mason's words in my mind, every vile action Dove inflicted replays through my mind, all ending with the imagery of her head being ripped clean from her body.

All anyone has done is vile actions to protect the people they love, what makes what she did any different?

I have allowed myself to be housed by the very people who killed the woman I love, all in the name of finding a way to find some peace in this life. Falling for Forest was the farthest thing from part of the plan.

In many ways, she was the closest thing I had to her sister, entirely different despite the blood they share. Now, I know I held onto her out of obligation to Dove, but at what point do the lines no longer blur?

Shoving yet another heavy bag onto the bed of the vehicle, the whole vehicle shakes, my body quickly taking several steps back, my words caught in my throat once I catch a glimpse of what rocked the massive locomotive.

Sitting silently on the hood of the car, her hood is drawn, her silver hair pulled back into a long braid. Slim in the face, her glowing eyes watch me like a hawk, her cloak drawn, her legs dangling off the side of the hood. Holding a knife in her hand, she twirls its point on the hood of the car, watching me with a cocked head.

Ready to shout out to the others, my throat feels closed, my words nothing more than a few silent gasps.

"You think I'd allow you to scream out to them?" she questions, clicking her tongue like a disapproving mother. "I thought you knew me better than that, Fal," she mocks, her tone rigid, so very distant from that girl at the academy.

Pointing the dagger in my direction, she pulls back her hood, letting the sunlight cast rays across her enticing face.

"If I allow you to speak and you try anything stupid, this point will lodge itself in your throat. You should know I keep true to my word," she smiles, pointing to my absent right hand.

Feeling the strain in my throat begin to die down, I cough, letting myself take a step closer.

"What are you doing here, Forest?" I question, shifting my eyes back and forth between her and the cabin. "Xavier and the others are only a few feet away-"

"It's a good thing you're the one I wanted to speak to," she smiles, sliding off the hood of the car, her grin wide and welcoming.

"We never really did get to have a conversation about your betrayal, did we?" she questions, leaning into the vehicle with an unamused expression. "Fucking my sister and using me as a replacement. Didn't think you had it in you, Markswood," she smiles. "I suppose I deserve it for what I did to my bitch of a sister-"

"Dove wasn't-"

Winnowing before me, she grabs my collar, yanking me toward her, all of my limbs rendered useless in light of her Hold.

"Shall I replay the torture she oversaw to Xavier and let you continue justifying her actions to me?" she whispers. "I promise you, the outcome of ignorance like that will not be in your benefit."

Shoving me away, I stagger backward, her eyes lowered with hate.

"I didn't come here to speak about my dearly departed sister, though you clearly have a type, don't you?" she mocks, my face flooding with heat.

"I did love you-"

"Ah, ah, ah," she smiles, waving her finger in the air. "You loved the idea of me. You loved the version of me that knew nothing but you, which, I hate to break it to you, Fallan, wasn't me," she spits, her engagement ring flashing on her finger.

"You really did come back last night," I whisper, her eyes briefly widening at the statement.

"So, Xavier has already told everyone then?" she questions.

"If you mean does Kaiden know, then yes, he does. It would seem your visit has only motivated them to come looking for you-"

"And you, Fallan?" she questions, crossing her arms. "What's your play here? I doubt they forced you to stay in my home. Why the hell are you here?" she pushes, inklings of guilt swirling in my consciousness.

"Regret?" she questions, laughing as if the emotion is comedic. "Perhaps you should have felt some regret with you fucked me and brainwashed me into thinking I loved you," she warns.

"You did love me-"

"No," she smiles. "I really didn't. Xavier was always in the back of my mind, and you hated him and I for that. Do not stand here and act as if you are a man filled with remorse. You got caught. You cannot honestly tell me that the act you were portraying would have lasted a lifetime," she smiles, regret swarming me.

"You think what you're doing now is love?" I push, glancing toward the cabin. "Do you have any idea how much your brother has spiraled? Or Xavier?" I hiss, more emotion breaching through her cold expression.

"I have only ever acted for the people I love," she pushes, sheathing her knife, her cloak devouring her body in black satin. "That's a concept you will never fully understand."

"Then why didn't I kill you?" I push, watching her smile drop at the statement.

"What?"

"If I didn't love you, Forest, if I hated you as much as you think I do, then why the hell did I not kill you?" I push, a smile creeping along her lips once more.

"That answer is simple," she whispers, taking a step closer. "You were a damn idiot."

Reaching her hand up toward me, her fingers graze my cheek, her eyes observing me the closest they have before.

"You will always say whatever you need to stay alive," she says with awe, funneling her Call into my mind. "Redemption is one hell of a thing, sadly, you've exhausted that opportunity with me," she continues on, touching my chin to get me to look down at her. "Though I won't kill you, Fallan," she sighs. "Because perhaps you're right, I did have some love for you," she laughs, glancing at my tattered hand. "Clearly not enough."

"You seemed to have healed nicely," she smiles, looking over her handiwork.

Feeling a let up in her Hold, I try and reach for my walkie as quickly as I can, feeling her hand coil around the device, crushing it in a matter of seconds.

Watching the fragmented pieces fall to the ground, she shakes her head, forcing her Hold over me stronger than she has before.

"See where trusting you lands me?" she questions, my throat dryly swallowing nothing.

"Now, now, Fallan, no need to be fearful of me."

"What the hell do you want, Forest?" I question, no longer willing to entertain the woman's mind games.

"And just like that, your sweet talks of our love fizzles away once you are not getting your way," she pushes, reading me like a book.

"What do you want?" I snap, watching her eyes fill with thrill.

"There's that killer my sister loved so dearly," she smiles, patting my chest. "It's a damn shame she can't see you now... Perhaps we can dig up her head-"

"Forest," I hiss. "Answer me."

Rolling her eyes at me, she scoffs.

"I'm here to offer you a job you can't deny on behalf of me and my father."

"Your father? Really warmed up to that title for him. What would Andrew-"

"I'll never know," she hisses, grabbing my throat, her nails digging into my skin. "You killed him, which I have yet to forget. Mention his name again, Fallan, and I'll rip out your tongue."

Snapping my mouth shut, I heed the woman's warning.

"A job?" I question, shaking my head. "There's no way in hell I am doing anything for either of you."

"You have done my father's work once before and did so with no regrets."

Her Call festers inside my mind, making it impossible to lie to the woman.

"And look where that landed me."

"Well, you've never made a deal with me before," she smiles, looking around the area. "Are you not tired of being looked at as if you are a walking body bag?" she questions, knowing my answer well before I have said it.

"Come on, Fallan, there was a time you thought you loved me-"

"Thought being the defining word."

"So you say," she urges, taking in a deep breath.

"Xavier is going to come after you," I spit, her interest suddenly sparked. "Your little conversation with him last night has only motivated the man."

Shaking her head at the claim, she clasps her hands together.

"What better time to make an offer then?" she questions, giving me a wide-eyed look.

"Don't you think I know Xavier would come after me? Have you not gathered I allow all things to happen around me?" she questions, her posture isolated, meant to stay away.

Taking a step closer, her nose grazes mine, her Hold letting up once more.

"If you don't take this offer, Fallan, there's no guarantee you make it to see your birthday. I am offering you a way out, I figured you of all people would jump at the opportunity to stand on the winning side," she barks, my arms gaining some mobility.

"You stand on the winning side?" I question.

"Well, of course... I'm on it."

Reaching out toward her, I grab her hips, clamping down hard with my fingers, my thumbs pressed into her hard torso. Feeling startled at her protruding stomach, we both widen our eyes, my shout ready to leave my throat fading away, her body Winnowing away before I can question her. Backing herself into the side of the vehicle, her Hold forces me to the ground, my own hand clamping over my mouth as her first real sign of emotion comes over her expression. Panting like a fool, her cloak is wide open from my actions, her once toned torso now a small stomach strained against her tight black shirt. Widening my eyes at the sight, we both lock eyes for a moment, the Forest that Xavier knows breaking through the surface, her hand gravitating toward her stomach before sliding into her pocket. Tossing a note on the ground, she clamps her cloak back together, her voice shaky as she speaks.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she questions, my voice silenced by my own hand. Shaking her head as she runs her hands through her hair, the sound of others coming toward the door pulls us both away from the moment, giving neither of us any time to digest what has just happened.

"It's an offer you won't be able to refuse," she snaps. "I'll be hearing from you soon."

Winnowing away from the space, she takes the interaction with her, all of the force from her Hold slowly fading away. Scrambling to drag myself to the note, I unfold the message, blankly staring at the offer with confusion.

He wants you and Xavier.

I suppose you are both more worthy allies than we thought.

You have a day to decide.

I look forward to your response.

-Forest

Looking over the note repeatedly, I try to process the offer, my eyes hyper-focused on Xavier's name.

Hearing the door swing open, I shove the note in my pocket, scrambling to stand up, letting my flustered expression pan to each person.

"Winded already?" Xavier questions with a grin, allowing himself to load the rest of the materials, my neck still sore from the places Forest's nails dug in.

Running my finger over the note in my pocket, I think back over the interaction, the image of her body settled in my mind.

There is no way.

There is no way she's preg-

"Hey," Kai questions, waving his hand in front of my eyes, bringing me back to reality.

"What?" I question, barely registering anyone's words.

"I asked if you're ready to go?" he questions as everyone loads into the vehicle.

Taking several seconds to compose myself, I watch as Mason excuses himself from the area. Winnowing away from the space, his look of question is the last thing I see before nothing at all.

Slowly nodding my head, I let the interaction fade away, moving toward the vehicle, Xavier's hand grasps my shoulder.

Lowering his head toward my ear, his voice is low, his tone something straight out of nightmares.

"She should have known better than to think I wouldn't sense her."

Patting me on the back, he loads himself onto the vehicle.