Page 69 of This Blood That Breaks Us

That’s when I knew we’d made a grave error. This would be a bloodbath. My body knew already because my whole face was numb.

“Connell, did you or did you not give your superior information on how to escape?”

“I . . . It wasn’t my intention, sir.”

“Answer my question.”

“I told him the history of the city.” Connell met my eyeline with soft worry bunching in his brows.

“He’s telling the truth. Don’t hurt him. Hurt me. I’m the one who decided to escape.”

“Oh? Okay, then. You give me your arm.”

I moved forward, and Zach grabbed my shoulder. “You’re not touching him.”

“Punishments must be made. Sometimes, punishment is a gateway to a greater destiny. The faster you comply, the faster we can continue on the path of The Divine.”

I blinked, then Sirius was in front of us. There was a blur as we all attempted to flee while simultaneously trying to protect each other, but there was nowhere to run.

Sirius had Will by the throat. There was yelling. My brother said something I couldn’t hear over the roar that seemed to fill the tunnel.

“Consequences can be painful. Sacrifices must be made.”

My ears were ringing. The lights dimmed. If he’d said anything else, I didn’t hear it. I was already gone. Completely detached. I didn’t feel myself put my hand over my ears and crouch like a coward. I hated being a coward. Being small when I was supposed to be me. Luke—big, strong, and capable. The hero. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t watch someone else I cared about get brutally murdered again. Ihadto close my eyes, or I wouldn’t make it.

Will’s screams echoed along with Connell’s. There was a shuffle going on, but I couldn’t move.

“Please stop!” I begged, grabbing at my chest where it burned. Stabbing. Aching.

One brief glance sent a livewire of pain through my entire body. Sirius had bit into Will’s neck, and there was bloodeverywhere.A guttural scream came from Will’s throat again. Sirius peeled the skin from Will’s arm. First with his fingernails, then Ezra handed him a knife.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t need to, but it didn’t matter. My body wanted to breathe again. To fill my lungs, get up, and run far away.

“It’s all right. I’m here. I’m here.” Zach’s arms were around me, holding me to his chest. He pulled me in the other direction, and I rested my head on his shoulder. “I got you.”

I was floating. None of it was real.

“I can’t do it. I can’t.”

“It’s okay.” He put his hands over mine to help me cover my ears from the cries of our friends.

I still heard it. Will, Thane, and Connell all screaming and talking over each other.

“It’s my fault. It’s my fault it didn’t work.”

“No. It’s not. It’s mine. It’s almost over. It’s okay.”

I wasn’t used to the sound of fear in my brother’s voice, but he hid it well. He was squeezing me so hard.

Like a knife repeatedly being plunged into my chest and back, Will’s screaming threw cascading waves of pain through me. All of it was excruciating. I’d felt nothing like it. Nothing worse than what Sirius was doing to him. The guilt was too much. The fear. The hurt.

“It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.”

All of it. Everything. I tried to move, but my body was frozen. Shaking. My feet were glued to the floor. I wanted to save them.

“Make it stop, please. You have to make it stop.” When would the screaming end? And when it did, would they all be dead?

“Ezra, please,” Zach begged.