General Sikes nodded at the man next to him. “Prepare to take them into custody.”
“Yes, Sir,” the guard replied, raising one hand to salute.
For a brief moment, they were unprepared.
Moran lunged forward, her teeth bared in a vicious snarl. Her hatchets whistled through the air, the blades gleaming in the firelight. She cut down the two guards closest to her, and their faces dissolved into a mist of crimson. “Attack!”
Bruce took three quick steps to the side. His sword flashed, and a severed head sailed through the air. Bear swung his hammer, and three men went flying. He crushed the skull of another, the bone bursting inward like the shell of an egg.
Moran threw herself at the General with a wild yell, but he was too far away. With a flick of his hand, he gave the command. “Fire!”
A rain of crossbow bolts cut through the Rebel ranks. One tugged at Moran’s leg, cutting through the fabric while another grazed her arm. Ignoring the missiles, she continued to hack and slash at anything within reach. Like a whirling dervish, she sowed death to the Watch’s ranks, shadowed by the ever-faithful Bruce.
A guard wielding a spear went down with a gurgle, her ax lodged in his throat. Another took a stab at her, missing by a hair’s breadth. Bruce cut him down, but his blade stuck in the man’s sternum. He yanked a knife from his belt and tackled two more of the enemy. They went down in a tangle of limbs.
“Bruce,” Moran yelled, frantic to save him.
Then came the second wave of bolts. The deadly missiles thudded into flesh and bone. One of the rebels bumped into her, his mouth working as blood gushed from his lips. “I don’t want to die.”
“I’m sorry,” Moran whispered as he sagged to the floor. She recognized him as one of their newer recruits. Only nineteen years of age, he had a mother and sister who depended on him. They’d have no one to look after them now.
She looked around the room, horrified to see that most of the rebels were dead. Feathered shafts stuck into the air, harbingers of death. Even Bear was down, beaten to the ground by five of the Watch. This is crazy. This has to stop.
“Bruce,” she yelled, whirling around.
“Over here,” he replied, sticking up a bloodied arm.
She grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet. “Bruce, this has to stop. We have to surrender. I can’t let you die for me.”
“It’s too late, Moran. You know that,” he replied. “Besides, I can think of nothing better than dying for you.”
Even as he spoke, the General bellowed. “Fire!”
Bruce grabbed Moran and crushed her to his chest, his back turned toward the guards. Their eyes locked, and she saw the moment he got hit. His breath hitched, and his eyes widened.
“No,” she cried, her heart tearing in two.
Bruce smiled, his teeth stained with crimson. “It’s alright. At least, I got to hold you once.”
“I… I didn’t know,” Moran said.
“Yes, you did. You knew,” he said with a cough.
Moran realized he was right. She’d always known there was something between them. Something unspoken. She’d just never wanted to admit it until now.
Bruce sagged to the floor, and she went with him. All the fight left her limbs as she faced his certain death. Why did it have to end like this?
“Don’t go,” she pleaded.
“It’s okay. We went down swinging.” Bruce’s head lolled back on his shoulders, and his eyes drifted shut.
“No, you can’t die,” Moran yelled, shaking him like a rag doll. “I won’t le—”
A blow to the head cut her off mid-sentence. The last thing she remembered was falling to the floor next to Bruce, their bodies tangled together. You’re right, Bruce. At least, we got to go down swinging.
Chapter 11
As promised, Rogue reported for cage duty on the day after the disastrous egg hunt. She followed the directions Olivia gave her and walked along a winding path to where the farm animals were being kept. In the old days, it used to be a petting zoo for kids. Now, it had been repurposed to raise those animals rescued from nearby farms before they became dino food.
According to Olivia, there were chickens, geese, rabbits, cows, horses, and sheep. Although Rogue loathed the idea of being punished for a crime she didn’t commit, she did look forward to seeing the animals up close.
The sun was barely up, its golden globe peeking over the treetops on the horizon. Dewdrops sparkled on the berry bushes like a thousand tiny stars, and rainbow-colored dragonflies whizzed by on gossamer wings.
It would’ve been a lovely day if it wasn’t for the rock inside her chest. She was still mad at her mother for not believing her side of the story. Even worse, Olivia tacitly approved of Ric’s sentence. Her parting words to Rogue still rang in her head: I know you think this is unfair, Lillian, but it’s for the best, I promise.
Best for who? The Exiles, that was who. It would give them a sense of justice. The satisfaction that the two Primes were being punished for their transgressions. In the meantime, the real perpetrators got off scot-free.
But, she had little choice in the matter. It was either that or get kicked out of the Zoo. While she might be angry with her mother, she didn’t want to lose Olivia either. Nor did she want to give up on Prime’s citizens and Moran. They needed saving, and the council was her only shot. You can do this, Rogue. Swallow your pride and do what Ric wants. Show these Exiles what you’re made of.
Rogue spotted the waiting Seth and Ric ahead and jogged toward them. She wore an old pair of shorts and a t-shirt her mother had loaned her, coupled with battered trainers. In a backpack, she carried a water bottle, a lunch box, and her trusty machete. She didn’t dare go anywhere without it. Especially
