Page 9 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter eight

Xavier

" I t's called the Precipice?" I question Mason, watching the man shift uncomfortably every time Fallan looks his way, as if he is debating whether or not killing the man in front of all of us is a smart move.

The few instances the men shared together were brief, one being the night Forest pulled her chip clean from her head right after Fallan had tried his first attempt at murdering her. At the time, he chalked up his feelings for her as his reasoning for holding back ending her life right there against the side of her house. Now, I know the Elyon lingered in his mind, warning him not to go through with the action, despite how much he might have wanted to.

He can tell everyone here he had found love for her, or at least his version of what love is.

I know deep down that any feelings Fallan has felt for Forest have been out of convenience.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"Sanctum made a conscious effort to set up as many of their developments as they could around the globe. Each development has a sister city, one far enough away no one could get there on foot but close enough resources can be traded in between each development, sort of like New Hope and the Sanctuary, and how they often trade off goods. The problem is, since Elyon's control took over New Haven, the development you all know to be home was outcast. My guess is Elyon is making his best effort to extend his control, somehow weaseling his way into an authoritative position in the other developments despite their hate for the Marked."

"I'm only hearing bad news," Kai says, narrowing his eyes at Mason, his cheeks still red from the interaction he shared with Aaron.

"You are a joy in the morning," Mason sighs. "While there may be numerous developments, there are just as many compounds, many hidden, filled with Marked and a spare few Revolutionists ready to spread their word. Most of these compounds, unlike us, have utilized the resources of the fallout of war. The compounds chose to stay above ground, many others decided to go below, growing and branching off, creating their own society void of Sanctum's grasp in ways that makes the compounds defenses and wards look like child play. Those who have fled the cities or not been executed are searching for the underground-"

"The girl found it," I say, finally connecting the dots on the man's obsession with the child that slipped away. "That's why you're looking for her. You have no idea where to start looking. It would seem your Shifter sister and brothers are just as clueless as you?" I question, his posture going a little more rigid.

Ever since Forest's incident at the pond where she nearly wiped out all the waters, all he has done is shut down at the sound of either of our voices.

"That might have been a motivating factor. Regardless, she's a ghost. I don't even know her name."

Perhaps it's better off that way.

"So, where can we suspect this Underground is?" I question, coining the name Mason has been so keen on utilizing.

Giving me a sideways look, he shakes his head, offering me no snarky rebuttal as he normally would.

"I have no clue," Mason sighs, avoiding my eye contact as he speaks. "That is sort of the issue. I have no clue where it is, or where to start looking. I suppose that means the Underground has done its part in staying concealed-"

"I think we have larger issues above ground right now," Kai snaps, his voice quick to be the breaker of silence these days. "My sister is still in this fucking Precipice, and we are entertaining the idea of going after another one of your shitty leads for your own self gain-"

"My own self gain?" Mason questions, disbelief written across his expression.

"You do realize everything I have done for what feels like the past three years has been nothing but for Forest Evermoore? Have you even stopped to question what it feels like to be a ravenous monster, only to be a man who can barely process how to display humanity?" Mason questions, prodding Kai a little further.

"Mason-"

"You shut your mouth, Aaron. Do you have any idea what I went through before I was turned? Before I was stuck as that hideous monster?" Mason questions, pulling up his shirt, an array of hashmarks lining his side. "Do you want to know what this scorecard means, Untouchable?" Mason hisses, backing Kai into a corner of his own making.

"Mason," I utter, grabbing the man's shoulder, his skin hot with the fury of anger. "We are all suffering. No one was trying to discredit-" "Oh, save it, Evermoore," Mason snaps. "You stopped giving a shit about anyone but her the minute she remembered you. Maybe friendship was disposable to you, but the kindness you showed me was one of the few things that allowed me to hold onto humanity, so excuse me if I find some comfort knowing there might be a place better than this shitty fucking ant farm your people dragged me into," Mason seethes, shoving me on the chest, my feet taking several steps back.

A powerhouse of strength when angry, the man pushes back his curls tinged with grey, years of conflict and pain swirling in his eyes.

"You have few allies, Mason," I warn, keeping my gaze on the man. "Do not start mistaking me for an enemy."

Giving me a scoff, he shakes his head.

"You'd burn down the world for her, Xavier," Mason sighs, lowering his head toward the man. "The hell am I supposed to see you as when it's time to light the match?"

Letting the room fall into silence, I digest his words, wondering at what point I find the words to fight his point.

"The Precipice," Aaron says, guiding the conversation away from the direction it has taken. "Where is it?"

Feeling a breeze roll through the cabin, the door swings open on its hinges, the bright eyes of Bekah and Valerie waltzing into the space, both of them sensing the tension from a mile away.

Sporting a much shorter haircut, Valerie's blonde hair rests at her shoulders, her hands concealed in dark gloves, hiding the scars lining her skin. Letting her hair grow out, Bekah's red hair is pulled back into a small bun, her stature as defensive as always. Barely acknowledging the two women, Mason motions them in, letting yet another two people join the tense conversation at hand.

"What did we just walk in on?" Valerie questions, creeping closer to me, my arms ready to embrace her with a hug I didn't know I needed.

Over the past few months, Valerie has warmed up to the idea of me, even pushing Bekah to give me a simple nod or pat on the back when needed. Wrapping her thin arms around my waist, I place my head atop her own, watching Bekah kick Fallan in the ankle as she walks by, shoving his head back the moment he tries to stand up.

Maybe there is more than one redhead I enjoy.

"Mason saw Forest," Aaron says, letting Kai lean into him, Fallan's eyes rolling at the gesture.

"And?" Valerie questions, Bekah's attention now on Mason.

"And she's in some fucking carbon copy of New Haven, most likely killing off cute little Marked, and feeding their blood to their parents," Fallan smiles, motivating me to take a step toward the man.

Releasing Valerie, I pinch his ear, ready to twist it clean from his head.

"He brings up a good point," Mason sighs, rubbing his fingers over his tired eyes. "What the hell is your guy's plan if you make it to the Precipice? You know the bloodshed she has created with Elyon. You infiltrate the city to convince her of what? That she is loved? Last time I checked, that's not enough to get her to fucking come back to us."

“Theres no way she just decided one day, hey, I'm just going to betray everyone I love out of spite," Kai says, throwing up his arms in defeat. "I mean, Jesus, she has everything she could have wanted, and walked away from all of it," Kai says, speaking with no boundaries.

Narrowing my eyes at the talkative brother, he loses his confidence in his careless words.

There's more to why she left.

There's no scenario in which Forest would turn her back on everything she loved the way she did.

Until my last breath.

What were you hiding from, Flower?

Who were you protecting?

"Clearly she is willing to take things to the extreme," Fallan hisses, holding up his nonexistent right hand, forcing yet another smile along my lips.

At least she made her point.

“We are getting more resources by the day. Eventually, Sanctum's hubs and Elyon won't be able to handle the forces we have against them. They want to exterminate the Marked, we want to bring him and his forces down," Mason retorts.

“Does that include Forest?” Fallan smirks, both me and Kai widening our eyes.

“To think, you said you loved her,” Kai scoffs, forcing a frown on the raven's face.

"I do have love for Forest," Fallan begins, all of my rage ramping up to an unprecedented level. "I did love her-"

"Do you wish to lose the other hand?" I question, forcing myself to stay calm. "You have no idea what it means to truly feel her love. You will never know what it means to love with no constraints. Heed your words," I say in a tone no one, not even Fallan, is willing to fight.

"You really think there is no scenario in which she cut a deal to keep us safe?" Bekah questions the group. "Think about it, not once has Elyon or his forces come this way since the night of the ball, or any of the compounds. The bloodshed has stayed confined to Sanctum's hubs, areas that are clearly the Prophet's domain."

"Perhaps that's what they want us to believe," Mason says, shrugging his shoulders. "What better way to get the obstacles out of the way than to lure them to you? Every single one of you is a weakness to Forest in one way or another," dragging his finger over, he waves it between me and Kai. "Those two being the most lethal. If I were her, I'd want to stay hidden from the both of you two."

"I need to see her," I snap. "It doesn't matter what fucked up plan she has involved herself in. I know there's more to all of this than I am seeing."

"You haven't seen the true bloodshed she left behind, Xavier," Mason grovels, empathy finally hitting his tone. "You haven't seen what kind of killer Forest Evermore really is. All the times you have seen her kill, she has been fighting for you. She has had you to be her moral guide, now? Now, what she is willing to do would bring you nightmares. You all benefit from never seeing the carnage she has left behind."

Painting Forest to be something worse than the Prophet, I close my eyes, composing myself as best I can.

There's more to this story.

There's more to all of this.

I just have to get to her.

I just have to find her.

Creeping up on me as suddenly as it had the first time, a chill runs down my spine, a feral need to be as close to Forest as possible, adrenaline coursing through my vein. Gripping the back of the closest chair near me, the instinct to hold her close and tear off the head of anyone who dares to come near her dawns on me, all of my senses fading away. Once before has this feeling flooded my emotions. Despite the quiet connection rolling through us, I feel this force, one much deeper than her and I urging me to find her.

As quickly as it comes, it fades, leaving nothing but a sense of emptiness.

It doesn't matter how far away she is from me.

Something always pulls me back to her.

Tuning back into the chatter around me, I blink past my sudden absence, releasing the chair, now scratched with my nail marks.

"You have Marked to be training," I whisper, creeping into Mason's mind, getting a clear picture of the path he took to make it to the Precipice. "Thank you for the information. We will rest here one last night, then be on our way," I smile, excusing Mason from an already heated conversation.

Shaking his head at me, he takes the cue to leave, giving the space a look of disapproval. Swinging the door open, the man turns to leave, keeping his focus toward the water.

"When you light that match, Xavier," Mason says, his voice cold. "Know there will always be someone waiting to blow it out."