Page 20 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter nineteen

Aaron

T ripping as we follow Niverna's trail, we all slip on the cobblestone path leading out of the alleyway, our shoes leaving a trail of blood behind. Barely able to stomach the atrocities that lay before us once we mustered the courage to leave the small hideaway, the mangled bodies of the Revolutionists painted the walls. Torn limbs and ligaments scattered the floor, eyes plucked clean from the sockets of those willing to try and beat the Commander attached to Elyon's arm. Slipping on blood puddles, the bodies create a vile smell, all of us gasping for air once we have exited the establishment.

"I know a way out," Niverna gasps. "We have to move quickly-"

Hearing commotion at the end of the alleyway, I ignore the other's pleas to have me stay behind, our group is already two men down, just waiting for more to be stolen.

"Would Xavier leave us behind like this?" I snap, everyone, growing silent.

Stealing the opportunity to slip away, I press myself against the wall, looking at the commotion stirring once I've found an opportunity to look closer.

Driving his fist into Atticus's face, a figure pulls away from the swarm, watching Xavier gain the upper hand. Flooding Atticus's face in his own blood, Xavier is merciless, his anger derived from a place I can't pinpoint.

"Aaron," Kai whispers, his lips pressed to my ear. "We need to go-"

Watching with confusion, we both focus on the display of force happening before us, narrowing our eyes as the man who ruined our lives breaks away from the crowd.

"Xav-" Kai begins to yell, ready to warn Xavier with no thought as to who he could be exposing. Covering his mouth, I drag him into me, letting his frustrations die down the longer he watches the encounter.

Dragging Fallan and Xavier, Elyon's Hold is clung to both men, forcing both Fallan and Xavier into submission.

"Leave her pests to roam," Elyon yells, waving his hand in the air, excusing the crowd that has gathered to watch the fight.

Trying to seek out Forest in the crowd, I draw blanks, seeing nothing but Elyon's men.

"We have to go, Xavier will find Forest," I whisper, the crowd's dissipation only making us that much more exposed.

"Now, Kai."

Snapping his eyes to me, a look I've never seen in his eyes startles me, his jaw clenched with anger. Pulling his hand away from me, he takes a step closer, his words as cold as ice.

"You better be right."

Drawing his hood, Kai heads toward the others, each one of them impatiently waving me over, ready to leave this wretched hub.

Nudging past me, I grab his arm, stopping him from leaving like this.

"Kai, we don't have time to stand here and try and rationalize-"

"We are leaving yet another person behind," Kai snaps. "And once they are with the Prophet, Aaron, they never come back. Who's next, you-"

Grabbing his face, I silence him with my lips, letting his words trail off in my mouth, feeling some relief once his rigid body eases into the touch. Letting his lips linger on mine, I begin to pull away, pleasantly surprised once he tugs me back in, clearly needing this touch as much as I thought. Pressing his forehead to mine, he shakes, the Kai I have grown to love looking back at me.

"I'm scared, Aaron," he shudders. "I'm fucking terrified."

"Then trust me, Kaiden... Trust Xavier," I whisper. "And let's get the hell out of here."

Running back to our vehicle, Niverna helps us slip past the guards, a small tear in their defenses our only way out without being seen. Covered in blood and sweat, Valerie looks at us all in confusion, her finger pointing, clearly counting, trying to make sense of where two of us have gone. Jumping down from the hood of the car, she looks bewildered, her eyebrows narrowing with confusion.

"Where the hell is Xavier and Fallan-"

"With Elyon," I snap, already on edge. "The fucking Commander of this hub massacred a group of Revolutionists-"

"My people," Niverna says, holding back how much that occurrence really shook her core.

"Xavier went after the Commander like a mad man. They grabbed Fallan while we were all trying to hide-"

"And Forest?" Valerie questions, trying to make sense of all of this.

"She was there," Kai mutters. "Not in the ways we were hoping."

Slowly nodding her head, Valerie fumbles in her pocket, pulling out the walkie Bekah had left her with.

"Where are they being taken?" Valerie questions.

"If I had to assume," Niverna interjects. "Wherever the hell they came from. The trucks they came in on were packed, ready to make a new voyage-"

"New Haven," we all spit.

At some point, the place was a home to all of us.

Now?

Hell would probably be more appealing.

"What use are Xavier and Fallan in New Haven? What the hell kind of use do they have there?" I question.

"I suppose that's what we need to find out," Valerie sighs. "I'm going to walkie Mason. Maybe he and a few others can try and keep tabs in New Haven while we migrate back to base and try and make a plan. Clearly, we have no idea what we're doing. It was idiotic to show up here thinking Forest would just come home," Valerie hisses, her fear of loss most prominent at times like these.

"And if my sister doesn't come home?" Kai pushes, asking the one question no one has dared to. "What then?"

Growing silent, I am the first to speak.

"She'll come home, Kai," I say, doing my best to reassure the man.

Picking up static, Valerie finally gets a connection, Mason's voice carrying through the walkie only moments later.

Looking petrified, Kai eyes Valerie, his hands wrapped around his body.

"Hey," I force a smile. "We will figure it out, Kai."

"And if we don't?" he questions. "What then?"

Moving away from me, Kai hauls himself into the vehicles bed, leaning over his knees, his face resting in his hands.

As much as I hate to think about it, Kai poses a valid question.

What the hell do we do if Forest is not willing to take our side?

Do we stop her?

Or let the world burn keeping her safe?

I saw the rage scathing Xaviers face when he looked at Atticus.

It was unlike anything I had seen before.

One thing's for sure.

Whatever Xavier saw in that brothel has changed the trajectory of all of this more than anyone is willing to admit.