“I was hoping Brink would’ve brought the others here, but I guess he didn’t.”
I run to the grove just to be sure, and it’s empty. My workbench is in ashes, but the wall surrounding the grove is perfectly intact. It looks like the Patrician bombs are designed to destroy only designated targets, not everything around it.
“Now where? We can’t loop around the whole city,” Garrett says, joining me.
“Head Master Edom’s mansion. Maybe they’re there.”
I take Garrett’s hand and loop us to the hallway just outside the dean. Aedox fill the room. Garrett and I are immediately fired upon. I loop us to the upper level. Luckily the suits protected us from being killed. We carefully walk towards the staircase, peeking around the corner to count exactly how many Aedox there are.
“I’ll distract them while you loop,” Garrett says.
“Fine, but wait a few seconds until after I loop.”
He nods. I remove my Kopis and vanish. In the void, I hover above Garrett. He fires his arrows rapidly, striking a couple of Aedox before he’s fired upon. I land in the back of the group, blade at the ready. Two Aedox fall before me, but I have to loop again since the others see what was happening and attack. I don’t land, but stay in the void. Garrett continues to shoot, but he’s running out of ammunition. I project myself across the room, land, slice up two more Aedox, and loop again. Only four Aedox remain. I sheathe my Kopis while still in the void and land next to a dead Aedox. I remove his gun and fire at those still standing. Garrett steps onto the top of the landing when he sees there aren’t any more.
“Here,” I say, tossing him one of the Aedox rifles as he gets off the last step.
He takes another one, along with some extra clips. I do the same, place the ammunition into one of the pockets, and we begin scoping out the mansion, one room at a time. We split up. We start on the upper level and I work my way down to the cellar where the carriages are kept. Empty. Garrett didn’t follow me down to the cellar, so now I have to go looking for him too. I find him in the dining room, and discover he’s not alone. I unsheathe my Kopis and hold it firmly at my side. Vernon smiles when he sees me.
“I was wondering what happened to you when the war started,” he hisses as he sits at the head of the table.
“You let the Aedox take me,” I say, walking cautiously towards him.
“I had to, dear. You see, it was imperative that you get to Tarsus and The Litarian Battles. From what I’ve learned, you’ve done quite well. Leader Fallon will be so pleased.”
Garrett points his gun at Vernon, pressing the barrel almost to his temple. “You’re not going to get the chance to tell her you saw us.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Leader Fallon says, walking in from the kitchen.
The dining room fills with Aedox. Garrett and I are relieved of our guns. An Aedox tries to remove my Kopis, but his hand goes right through it.
“Never watched The Litarian Battles, did you?” I say with a slight laugh.
The Aedox hits me in the back with the butt of his gun, knocking the air out of my lungs and causing me to fall to my knees. My hands are shackled.
“You’ve done well, Garrett,” Leader Fallon says approaching him. “You will be greatly rewarded for your loyalty.”
I glare at him, rage coursing through my veins, as I’m hoisted to my feet.
“It wasn’t me, Max,” he says, pleadingly. “I didn’t tell them anything. I’m with you now, not them.”
“There’s no need to keep trying to win her over, Garrett. She sees the real you now. After all, it was your tracker that led us here,” Leader Fallon says, placing her hand on his shoulder. “This will all be over soon.”
“I can just loop out of here, you know,” I say, arrogantly.
“Yes, but I don’t think you will,” Vernon says, rising from his seat and nodding to a couple of Aedox.
Frey is dragged into the room, blood caked along the side of his head. An Aedox has a gun pressed underneath Frey’s chin. I gasp at the sight of him. He looks at me and smiles. I choke on tears and bile. I step over to him, but the Aedox doesn’t remove his weapon.
“I didn’t know where you were,” Frey says hoarsely.
“I’ve been looking for you,” I reply. I kiss him gently on the lips.
“See, Garrett, Max does prefer Frey over you,” Leader Fallon says.
Garrett’s face flushes red and I can see the anger in his eyes.
“Where are the others?” I ask, turning my attention back towards her.
“They’re with the Dracken,” Vernon answers. “They’ll all be dead soon.”
“How?” Frey asks.
“The Outer Limits will be eradicated like Pentras was. Now,” Vernon says gesturing towards the door for the hallway, “shall we?”
I’m led out first, with Frey behind me. Garrett exits with Leader Fallon and Vernon, who are at the end of the line, which just affirms his betrayal. We go out the front door and are halfway across the yard when gunfire erupts all around us. The Aedox that was holding me falls, as does the one holding Frey. The Aedox return fire while Frey and I drop to the ground and begin searching for the key to our shackles. I finally locate it, give it to Frey, and he unlocks me.
“Come on, I know how to find Brink and Van,” Frey says, taking my arm as we stand.
“Not without Garrett,” I say, shaking him loose.
I pick up a gun from a fallen Aedox and toss it to Frey, who starts to shoot at anything that wears the Aedox uniform.
“Why?” he screams to be heard over the battle.
“He has something the Patrician want, and I’m not letting him give it to them.”
I unsheathe my Kopis and make my way
