Page 15 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter fourteen

Xavier

" H oly shit," Kai mutters, the massive city sprawling before us one that of dreams.

Taking it all in, the Precipice is far from the place we once called home. Filled with dozens of newer buildings and manpower, the city is a fortress meant to keep anything beyond its borders out.

"I guess Mason wasn't lying when he said Sanctum funneled more of their resources into a few of these hubs," I mutter, tucking away the coordinates the hesitant man had given me.

Despite all that we have gone through together, Mason is reserved, keeping us all at a safe distance, as if at any moment any of us may snap, ready to bring him down with us. I don't know why I am surprised. Mason has always held true to his need for isolation, allowing no one or nothing in, keeping all parts of his life closed off from everyone around him.

Mason's life before his time as a Shifter has always been something he chooses to stay quiet about.

I'm starting to wonder why.

Parked just close enough to get a look at the city without being spotted, we all stay crammed in the vehicle's bed, resorting to binding and gagging Fallan as an extra precaution. The last thing we need is Fallan calling out to Elyon in some desperate attempt to get back in his good will. For the most part, Fallan has been silent ever since we left the cabin, making me that much more suspicious of his actions.

Generally, all the man knows how to do is speak. Now he sits in silence, patiently waiting for one of us to make the first move.

"Problem with that," Aaron signs, his finger pointing out the gleam of the city ward.

"I'd say we are hopeful if we think their ward is as compromised as New Haven's," Aaron hisses. "How the hell are we getting in?"

Taking several moments to look over the spacious empire, one large entrance faces the front of the city, armed with guards ready to fire at will.

"That can't be the only way in," I mutter. "The city is too big to make that their primary way in."

Eyeing me with question, Kai raises his brows.

"I was in charge of New Haven long enough to know Sanctum's preferred architecture," I snap. "There's never just one way in."

Making our way around the perimeter of the Precipice, a gaggle of guards catches my attention, all of them swarming one of the more secluded portions of the ward. Watching them all take long drags from their cigarettes, they work in rushed movements, clearly utilizing a contraband item in their city.

"A lot of the Officials in New Haven would hide their contraband outside the city's ward. Drugs, pills, anything they wanted out of reach from upper leadership," I smile. "It would seem the more addictive side to human nature always seems to prevail."

"So what's the plan?" Aaron questions, my hands gripping the steering wheel.

"Simple," I smile. "A distraction."

Grabbing my blade, I tug Fallan toward me, allowing my knife's point to plunge into his side, his mouth stifling a loud yelp. Cutting him in a place that serves no real damage, his body already tries to heal, his teeth clamping down on the gag with hate.

"Play prisoner for me, pretty boy," I smile, shoving him off of the truck bed, the others following shortly after.

Keeping our vehicle hidden by rubble and debris, I shove Fallan past our way of staying hidden, letting him stumble within the eyesight of the guards observant enough to notice our sudden intrusion. Clutching his bleeding side and throwing me a mental fleet of cusswords, I urge the others to stay hidden.

"Wait for my word," I whisper, all of the guards, once conversing with smiles, are now staring in my direction.

Taking a step, they draw their weapons, each one eager to pull the trigger.

"Who the hell are you?" One of the guards yells, my hand's raised.

"My name is Xavier Evermoore, I have a prisoner here on behalf of New Haven-"

"Evermoore?" one of the guard's questions, all of them exchanging a glance of confusion.

"Yes," I start, ready to continue on with my act. "I have-"

"They were expecting you and Markswood," the closest guard snaps. "I'm assuming you accepted her offer?" one of the guards questions, my confusions escalating.

"What offer?" I question, Fallan now flailing like a madman.

"Forest Morgan sent out an offer to Fallan Markswood and has now extended the invitation to Xavier Evermoore. You being here means her message was well received?" they question, the smile from my face immediately dropping.

Crouching down to the ground, I grab Fallan's hair, tearing the gag free form his mouth. Ready to do more than give him a small poke to the side, I raise my fist, nothing but violence guiding my actions.

"Front pocket, asshole," Fallan hisses, keeping his voice down. "I didn't really know when the best time to tell you was in between being gagged, detained, and stabbed."

Reaching into the man's pocket, I pull free the note, the others still silently waiting for my word. Looking over the familiar handwriting, the words scrawled across the paper settle with me, some small bit of hope forming in my heart as I choose to read between the lines.

"She gave you this?" I question, Fallan's eyes going wide.

"It's clearly a trap, Xavier-"

Shoving his head back down, I ignore the ramble he was sure to begin, waving the note in the air.

"Of course, we accepted the offer, but we brought a few others to partake in this beautiful city," I smile, throwing on the Commander charm as best as I can.

Waving my hand to get Aaron's attention, Kai and Aaron step out from concealment, leaving Valerie to keep watch on the vehicle. Looking over our group with grins, the guards step aside, clearing a straightforward path through their back entrance.

"Right this way, Mr. Evermoore," one of the guards smiles, a thin mask of color coating over the guard's eyes.

Odd, I've never seen color like that in a Cleansed eye.

Helping me lift up Fallan, he stumbles to his feet, my hand severing the cords around his wrists with the knife still stained with his blood. Once we drag Fallan to a standing position, Aaron and Kai lug the man, all of us moving past the guards with stiff shoulders. "Your woman is waiting on you," one of the guards mocks, the mention of Forest in any connotation sending fire rushing through my blood.

"Fiancé," I reiterate, my voice cold. Forcing my arm forward, I grab the man by the neck, clamping down so hard bones shatter after a mere few seconds. Watching his body barrel toward the ground, the other guards stand in disbelief, the others in my group watching as if this is nothing to them. "Tread carefully when mentioning her," I hiss, anger dripping from my tone.

Moving past the guards, every single man willing to watch us with superior expressions lowers their heads, Kai's body making way next to me.

"Sorry you had to see that-"

"You should have killed them all," Kai whispers. "I wouldn't have minded."

That's the last thing the man says before leading the charge into the unknown city.

Much newer than the Unfortunate sector back home, the people still walk with hunched backs, trudging along to partake in their daily duties, their eyes void of life. Taking extra notice of each passing patron's eyes, the unfamiliar hue coating every person's iris becomes alarming, Kai the one to shine some clarity on the situation.

"They call them Veils," Kai whispers, all of us out of place in our newer clothing. "An upgrade New Haven failed to take in."

"What's it do?" I question, watching the lingering stares each time we make way past anyone.

"Separates the Unfortunates from the Untouchables from what I gathered," he mutters. "But given we're outsiders, I'm sure we are sticking out like a sore thumb right now."

Seizing the opportunity to stand next to Kai, Aaron grabs the man's hand, his focus on no one but the brunette.

"Are you doing okay-"

"I'm fine, Aaron," Kai snaps, a worried expression panning down Aaron's face.

This is not a new thing for Kai.

For weeks he has grown distant, colder.

I thought it would begin to falter the more time he spent with Aaron.

I suppose I was wrong.

Looking at the walls of the downtown portion of the city, faded propaganda posters from the Revolutionists barely cling to the walls, inklings of a fight now lacking a leader. Covered with posters promising to weed out the radicals, it becomes clear how little this city chooses to hide from their people.

They have made the Marked a public enemy to all.

Including those choosing to fight in the Apparatus's name.

Tearing through the air, a violent scream further down the street startles us all, a group forming in place, shielding out eyes from the horrors that could warrant such a large reaction. Pushing forward, a small pull toward the chaos festers within me, the dull warmth of her connection and mine flooding to life.

Forest.

Ready to back away from it all, Fallan shakes his head.

"There's no fucking way-"

"Keep moving," I hiss, grabbing the man's shirt, forcing him to walk despite his aversions.

Leading the group closer to the clamor of people, we all push past the fearful Unfortunates, drawing our hoods, hoping to conceal our identities as best we can. Making it to the front of the group, my blood runs cold, my focus on one person and one person alone.

My flower.

"I asked you how you got past your Expulsion test," Forest hisses, her hand coiled around the young child's neck, his mother's lifeless body settled at her feet, her dead eyes set towards my direction. Flailing in Forest's hand, the child screams for help, every single person witnessing the sight doing so with no regret.

"Dirty Marked," an Unfortunate next to me whispers, the hate these people have for our kind unimaginable.

Watching the child's face grow purple, something inside of me snaps. I need to stop this-

"Don't," Fallan whispers, his good hand grabbing my shoulder. "Elyon is watching her," directing my head toward the vile man lingering in the crowd, he observes Forest like a proud parent. "You have to let this play out."

Swallowing back my pride, I keep my head lowered, listening to the shrill cry of the child.

"I didn't-"

"You choose to defend your vile kind?" she questions, her cloak drawn, her eyes wide with confliction.

Don't do it, Forest.

Why are you doing this?

Grabbing her wrist, the boy tries to use his Hold on the woman, her rage only escalating.

"Bad move," she hisses. "Time to see Mommy."

Twisting the young boy's neck with her free hand, he goes limp in her grasp, cheers of varying volumes filling the space.

Horrified by the look of power encasing her expression, her nose scrunches the moment she faces away from Elyon, a petrified look devouring her face the longer she looks at the boy.

Feeling an overwhelming sense of pain touch my heart, her hand shakily drops the boy, her hand clutching her chest, the connection between us burning bright. Looking around the group, I lower my head as quick as I can, sensing our companions do the same, regret eating me alive.

Her regret.

He's made her do this.

"The Marked still walk among us!" she yells, riling up the group as best she can. "This is what happens to Marked that defy the reign of Sanctum!" she continues, Elyon's smile only growing.

Snapping her fingers, Unfortunates drag the bodies away from her feet, receiving nothing but a small nod from Elyon.

Turning away from the man once more, I watch her face go pale, her mouth barely holding back the vomit threatening to leave her.

As if the nod was permission to leave, her face immediately drops, her hands shoving past the rowdy crowd, allowing her direct access toward one of the more run down looking buildings. Watching Elyon whisper to a few guards, I keep my focus on Forest, turning toward the others as the rambunctious group begins to dissipate.

"I need to follow her-"

"Did you not just see what she did?" Fallan questions, Aaron's eyes wide, Kai's focus on no one but Forest.

"Elyon was watching over her-"

"And that excuses what she just allowed to happen?" Fallan questions, ready to argue with me on this point. "Forest has no limitation to who she is willing to kill-"

"Then stay out of her way," Kai hisses, looking to Aaron, watching the redhead take a deep breath. "Or die trying to fucking test her."

Grabbing Fallan, Aaron works with no words, keeping the man pressed against him. Still weak from the loss of blood, he does not fight the action, giving me a stern look.

"You are willing to risk everything for her-"

"Every fucking time," I snap, pointing my finger into Fallan's chest. "That's why one of us still has one of the sisters."

Leaving him to digest the comment, Kai urges me forward, taking on the responsibility of dealing with both Fallan and an off-put Aaron.

Pulling on a face of Deception, I weave through the crowd, avoiding Elyon's gaze, trailing behind my one reason for existing in this miserable world.