Page 155 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“Shocker.”

“I didn’t need you and your brother running around in the walls and sneaking out through the passageways to escape.”

They did try to escape. The thought only added to the growing anxiety in my gut. The punishments for escaping in that place were probably nothing I wanted to know about.

After another minute, our secret passageway opened into the cathedral where Luke was already waiting for us.

“I fortified the door.”

“Excellent,” Ezra said before turning to face my older brothers. “Do you both remember what I told you about the escape plan?”

They nodded.

“Now, we need to split up.”

“I want to stay with Her!” Presley said. He’d talked the entire way in the tunnel, but I’d tuned out the whole thing.

“I’d like you to stay too.” The queen tugged on Luke’s arm. “Please stay next to me, My Love.”

It was strange. On one hand, the girl I’d spoken to had seemed evil to the core, but the infliction in Her voice made me wonder if there was more of Cecily still in there than I thought. There was something there between my brother and the queen, something unnatural.

“Well, I’m fighting regardless.” Zach rolled his shoulders, like we were boring him more every second.

I interjected. “I want to come with you.”

“You’ll just get in my way.”

“No, I won’t. I learned how to fight with Kilian.”

Zach and Luke shared a look.

“You’ll watch him?” Luke said.

Zach grunted in agreement, then pulled me back through the passageway.

“You don’t have to drag me, you know?”

“You stay close to me. No running off. I need to see you at all times.”

“Worried about me?”

He spun on his heels, and I thought for sure he’d slam me into the wall again. “Don’t you even try to be a hero out there. You fucking die, I’m going to the afterlife to kick your ass.”

I hid my smile. I’d really missed that.

“Got it, brother.”

The sky had turned to a burnt orange and red as we stepped out on the lawn. The smell of explosives and smoke carried in the breeze from the ocean cliffside.

“Stay close!” Zach called over the sound of yelling. My ears rang as we moved over fresh bodies gleaming with blood on the lawn. Black blood melted into the grass and dirt. I’d tried to prepare myself for the death for months, but it didn’t stop me from feeling nauseated at the sight of it. I tried to orient myself. From what I could tell, the main force had moved in from the west side of the castle, but there were people everywhere.

“Sir!” Connell came bounding toward us, nearly getting taken out by a group of guys grappling.

“What the hell are you doing?” Zach spat.

“Looking for you, sir! I’m supposed to protect you.”

“No. You need to hide.”