Page 119

“Piper,” I call, and she looks up at me, her eyes swimming with demons.

“Everything you have been through, I can tell you I have been through the same. You aren’t a slave for years without seeing the worst of the world.

My body is covered in scars, brands, their torture, and pain.

Ivar, the king I killed, was my master. I was his favourite, and he tried for years to break me again and again.

He raped me, his men raped me.” Dray flinches then and Jago growls, even Archel steps closer to her.

“They tortured me, they killed the boy I loved, they killed the man I loved, and they took me from my family. I don’t say this to diminish your pain, I say it to be frank.

Whatever happened, here, there is no judgement.

How could there be when most of us have been through the same?

You were from Paradise, correct? Evan told me you disappeared, that he was told you were dead, but he searched anyway.

What happened? You do not have to share everything,” I add, knowing personally how difficult it is to talk about.

She holds her head higher with each word, sitting straighter, that fire in her eyes burning brighter.

“I was usually on patrol with Jago, they changed that, and on patrol that night they attacked, raped, and tried to kill me. Ferals got to them and Archel saved me. He took me to a place of people, The Forgotten, they were once from Paradise as well. They learned of the corruption and left.”

“Who, what corruption?” I ask, sitting forward.

“The captain, he ordered it, he warned me. The people, my people, told me this was done often, nearly all the time, and anyone digging too deep was killed. Paradise is corrupt, you say the captain is here? Let me be the one to kill him,” she begs.

“He’s yours,” I agree instantly, knowing she needs that. “Sands below, I knew something was off here.” Dray rubs my back. “Okay, you know anything about the Cities?”

She shakes her head but Jago looks at me. “I do.”

I narrow my eyes. “Tell me,” I demand and he growls, but Piper lays a hand on his arm.

“I trust her, Jago, and I trust Archel and Evan,” she assures him softly. He curls into her touch and sighs.

“I’ve been there once, was sent to map it,” he admits, and I almost flinch in shock.

Fuck, did we just find our leverage?

“Let us start from the beginning. Bern, grab some water and food and get Erik and my father,” I order, and the big guy lumbers away to do just that.

Piper looks from him to me. “Will you marry me?” she blurts out of the blue, and I blink at her, unsure of what to say. “Sorry, but damn, that whole power, in control thing is hot as hell.” She shrugs, not the least bit embarrassed.

“When she’s marrying anyone it’s me,” Dray comments, and I turn to him with a glare and he smirks at me. “What? I said when.”

“Does that mean I get to be best man?” Archel asks.

I look at Piper and she winces. “Sorry, awkward, so, I gotta know. Girl to girl, you slept with him?” She jerks her head at Archel.

I can’t help it, I laugh. “I like my heart in my chest, not on his knife, thank you.”

“Plus, I’d kill him,” Dray adds.

She nods, accepting this. “Okay, what about Evan?” She doesn’t look at him as she talks.

“Nope, sorry, not my type.”

“Huh, figured, you like the big warrior kind, right? I bet they throw you around and you get all kinky—sorry, I’ll stop now.”

I blink hard, really unsure what to say now, so we sit in awkward silence while waiting for Bern to return.

“I like what you’ve done with the place, very minimalist,” she comments, looking around at the tent.

Just then the others push into the tent. My father doesn’t seem to recognize her, but that’s okay.

“Let’s get started, shall we?” I suggest. “Jago, tell us everything.”

“I was born out here, came to Paradise as a kid, and when I made guard they wanted maps of everything. I prefer it out here, so I volunteered. One day they said they knew of a city down south, they wanted it mapped just in case, so I snuck in…” He holds Pipers hand and starts explaining what he knows of the Cities.

The discussion takes hours, and after it my head feels like it’s about to burst with information, but we have grudging peace, so even Jago started to relax.

I leave them to talk between them and go over everything.

I have enough drama in my life without adding hers.

Plus, she seems like she can handle herself, even if she is a bit crazy.

Probably from being with Archel too long, or dealing with Evan’s moods.

While I leave the love birds to it, I try to focus on making contact with the captain and his men down in Paradise.

They should have opened up by now. That, coupled with what Piper said about the captain, I have a bad feeling.

I grab Jason on the way because although he’s kind of annoying, he seems to know a lot about the mechanics of things up here.

“Okay, is there a way to contact them down there? They can see us, so I’m betting they can hear us, yet we are blind.

I want in or I want visual and audio. Tell me how. ”

His eyes fly wide. “Err—what?” he asks and I sigh.

“I want visual and audio or I want in, can you do that?” I repeat.

He nods, looking around, seeming to think before he actually jumps and claps. “Yes, yes, I think I can. If we access the control panel at the bunker door, I might be able to gain access, but I’ll need help. Be right back!” he calls and jogs away.

I wait with Dray, both of us watching the camp, until Jason comes back followed by a skinny guy who looks away as soon as we make eye contact. “This is Lupin, he can help, come on.” Jason starts towards the bunker door and I follow after him, with a nervous, pale Lupin close behind.

He’s a tall kid, skinny as hell though—lanky, I would call him. He has on black glasses framing dark eyes and a long, pointy nose and high cheekbones. Even the way he is holding himself looks awkward.

Jason ignores the Berserker guards who stare at me questioningly and heads straight for a darker grey patch hidden to the right.

He pulls out a screwdriver and pops open a small hatch, showing screens and wires he and Lupin bend together while whispering and working.

So I turn to Dray and step closer, making sure to lower my voice.

“I don’t want to leave them defenceless with whatever is going on down there…” I start.

He grips my chin. “But you have shit to do, I get it. These aren’t your people, soulmate. Your people are hundreds of miles away and need your help.”

I nod, leaning into his touch. “I’m being pulled in two directions,” I admit, telling him my worries.

“Family always comes first, soulmate, no matter the cost. You have fought too hard to lose this now, so we stay today and help them as much as we can, then they need to learn to fend for them fucking selves like we had to. You can’t save everyone, soulmate, you know that,” he growls.

I nod, knowing he’s right. Blowing out a breath, I straighten my spine. “We stay today, I will figure out a plan for them, then tonight we head to The Ring.”

“That’s my girl,” he whispers, and then leans down and kisses me.

He sucks on my tongue and I lean into him, losing myself in his touch until a throat clears next to me. Instantly, both Dray and I are pointing weapons at the person and pulling away from each other to see a pale, shaking Lupin stumbling back from us, warding us off with his hands.

“Sorry, sorry, we, erm, fuck,” he stutters, still backing away.

Rolling my eyes, I sheathe my sword before he pisses himself, and turn to fully face him. “What’s wrong?” I ask impatiently.

“I have double-checked, but it looks like someone inside has disabled the cameras and audio on purpose. We can’t see in at all.

I’m trying to remotely open the blast doors, but the likelihood is low, they weren’t made to be opened from the outside,” he rushes to explain, not even taking a breath between sentences.

“So only those down there know what’s going on, and we can’t speak to them or know if they are alive?” I summarise and he nods.

“Keep working on it,” I order and he nods again, stumbling over his own feet in his haste to get away from me. I look at Dray then. “It’s time to come up with a plan.”

We are all gathered around the makeshift table outside.

My father and a few of his dwellers, surrounded by Seekers, Berserkers, and, well.

.. Piper. She is sitting between Jago and Archel, swinging her legs back and forth.

She looks happy and relaxed, but I spot the tightness around her eyes, and when someone comes up from behind she jumps and grabs a knife from her side, ready to attack.

“I’m going to make this fast and simple.

We don’t know if they are dead and we don’t have time to stay and find out.

If they are alive, they aren’t opening that door and you could all die waiting for it, if they aren’t, then they aren’t opening it for a reason.

My people and I are leaving this afternoon, we still have a war to win, so before then we need to come up with a plan for you.

” I look around then and stop on my father. “I say you leave Paradise for good.”

He jumps to his feet, his eyes wide. “B-But this is our home! We don’t know how to live out here!” he yells, drawing everyone’s eyes while my men stroke their weapons. I stop them from attacking by raising my hand.

“I feel like I need popcorn,” Piper whispers.

“Then you fucking adapt. Everyone else had to. It’s time you stopped hiding in the bunker.” With that, I dismiss him and look at Piper. “You offered your help, does that still stand?”

She sits up taller in her chair and for once doesn’t babble. “Yes.”