Fireblood

THIRTY-SEVEN

We’re seated around the campfires, looking up at Fallon and Xander as they stand before us. Fights have broken out since the transmission yesterday, everyone pulling in different directions about what needs to be done.

If we don’t stand together, then Sebastian has already won. His Force will storm the camp and wipe us out along with the feared monsters. I run my hands through my tangles of hair, anxious for Fallon to take control of the situation and determine a plan.

“We need to march on the castle now!” a man behind me yells.

“And then what?” Fallon shouts.

Xander places his hand on Fallon’s shoulder and steps forward. She’s been pacing and yelling for an hour, trying to calm the mob. She looks as if she’s about to pass out.

“Will you have our leader lead us all to our deaths?” Xander asks him. There’s no reply. “Our leader will not do this.” He glances around. “Not until we’re grouped and ready for battle with numbers that will challenge the king’s knights will we move. All we’ll do is present ourselves to King Sebastian on a platter to be slaughtered.” Murmurs circle, and Xander looks over the seated Rebels on the ground. “Our families are still out there. We can’t chance their lives either. We’ve chosen to be here to protect them.”

Hadley’s face pops into my mind. Sebastian knows of my affection for her. What if he’s already taken her, just waiting for the right moment to torture her in order to force me out?

I rise to my feet, no longer able to sit and do nothing. I can at least find Hadley and protect her from Sebastian’s wrath.

The Rebels quiet down, and I take in their sudden stillness. They’re not looking at me, but at something past me. Slowly, I turn and face the forest.

Citizens.

They’re walking toward the barricade, and more people are emerging from the woods. I try to count, but there’re too many. Then I see Hadley. I don’t think. I start toward her. “Hadley!”

I hear cries behind me, and soon others are rushing toward their loved ones, their friends, their reasons why we’re here. I wonder how long it’s been since the Rebels dedicated their lives to this cause—how long since they’ve seen their families.

Someone beats me to the gate and unlatches it. They file in, and Hadley’s lost in the throng. I search everywhere. Hadley’s dark hair stands out to me, then the green dress I remember she loved so much. She drops her satchel and meets me halfway.

Latching my arms around her, I say, “I’ve been so worried about you. I had no idea how to find you or contact you.” I pull back, find her eyes. “Hadley, so many things have happened. I’m sorry I ran after the announcement—”

“Just stop, Zara.” A somber smile stretches across her face. She hugs me once more, then backs away, her brown eyes searching me. “I was never angry with you. I was scared for you. You hated the thought of being in that castle, and I swear, I wanted to find a way to get you back after they took you and your…” She trails off and looks down.

“It’s all right,” I tell her. “We’re safe to talk about the Taken here. Where’re your parents? You brought them? How did you even find this camp?”

Devlan walks up beside us and gives me a confident nod. I turn back toward Hadley and study her downcast eyes. “What happened?”

I take her to a tent, where I explain about Karm, King Hart, and the true fate of the Taken, and she tells me of what transpired after the prince’s betrothal announcement. Both of her parents contracted the Virus and were taken away. Many more citizens have since become Taken, an epidemic that has sparked widespread fear throughout Karm.

After she lost her parents, she vowed to find a way to me and discovered a coded note my father had given to hers. It was instructions on how to find the Rebel camp in case of an emergency. Hadley didn’t understand the whole message until she saw Sebastian’s recent transmission outing the Rebels.

“Oh, God,” she says. “When he hung those people…” She wipes a tear from her dusky cheek. “The town turned violent. The Force was attacking the citizens right along with those monsters. They beat down doors and arrested anyone and everyone, making accusations of Rebel conspiracy. I knew then that I had to get as many people away from their reach as possible.” She looks down at her lap, and I cover her hands with mine.

The night has come, and the fires burn low, casting shadows against the tent. “You brought them all here?” I ask. “That’s amazing.”

She looks up at me. “I knew I’d find you here. Or at least, I hoped. You weren’t with the prince—I mean the king—during the transmission. And after reading your father’s letter, I knew you’d find a way to escape the castle and go to where he said was safe. I just had to trust that I was doing the right thing by bringing the others.”

I nod. “You did. Sebastian is dangerous, and the truth about Karm needs to be known.” I glance at Devlan. His eyes confirm what I’ve been thinking. Would the citizens band with us? Would they go to war against the new king and his Force?

Devlan looks between me and my friend. “I’m going to speak with Fallon and Xander. I’ll return soon.” He gives me a quick kiss to my forehead and leaves the tent.

Hadley raises an eyebrow. “You can explain that later.” I give her a small smile before she continues. “I want to help.”

“You have,” I assure her.

“No. I want to help get my parents back.” Her hands ball into fists beneath mine. “Whatever it takes, Zara. I have nothing to go back to otherwise.”

Pressing my lips together, I remove my hands from hers and consider her offer. There’s no way I could let her fight in a battle. Even if I had weeks to train her, she wouldn’t be ready. Hadley wasn’t brought up the way I was. She’s delicate. Although, her putting a mission together all on her own to bring citizens to the Rebel camp has admittedly shocked me.

“Okay,” I say. “I know the Rebels will need your help.”

After I help Hadley make up her cot and she finally drifts off, I walk the perimeter of the camp. I find a quiet spot away from the chaos—the citizens and Rebels reuniting, arguing, trying to find a solution.

I lean against a tree and am reminded of the first night I came here with Devlan. Hadley is every bit as determined to find her parents as I was to save my father. I can’t deny her that right to try.

“Is she all right?” Devlan comes up beside the tree and moves me in front of him, wrapping his arm around me.

Pressing the back of my head against his chest, I stare up at the nearly-full moon behind the gridded sky. “I think so. She wants to help the Rebels bring the Taken home.”

Devlan brushes his cheek against the crown of my head. “Maybe she can. We’ll need someone to help Silas monitor the Taken while we invade Castle Karm.”

I turn in his arms and find his eyes, silvery blue pools reflecting the pale light. “The citizens are joining our forces?”

“Fallon believes she can convince them come morning.”

“Then this is it.”

He nods. “This is it.” Lowering his head toward mine, he softly caresses my lips into a kiss. My heart pangs with the knowledge that this may be our last night together. That tomorrow, no matter what, everything changes. I wrap my arms around his neck and press closer to him.

A howl wrenches the night, and Devlan pulls back. “We shouldn’t be so close to the barricade.” He takes my hand. “Come on. I want you in my arms for the rest of the night.”

Heat replaces the chill invading my skin from the cool air, and I allow Devlan to lead me away.

As we move through the camp, I think back on the choices I’ve made, and wonder if anything could’ve spared Madity her fate, if there’s a way I can spare Hadley and the others from sharing it. I palm the crest on Madity’s necklace, wanting to feel her arms around me, reassuring me that everything will be all right.

I’m not confident Sebastian or the Force found incriminating evidence against Madity. I wear around my neck the only proof of her involvement. Hanging her was a message directly to me—my punishment.

Regret for many decisions I’ve made weighs heavily on my soul. And yet, despite how hard I strove throughout all of it, my father remains Outside. This has become much bigger than just saving the Taken, though. Sebastian has become a power monger, reigning with a terror I fear even King Hart couldn’t have matched.

Deep down, I know I never could’ve changed what Sebastian was to become. Despite everything, he’s responsible for his own actions, and he’s made his choice. I have to believe I tried my hardest to save him, or else I’ll go mad. I know what has to be done, and I won’t allow him to make me second-guess myself again.

He’s called out the Rebels, exposed us, and I know exactly why.

Sebastian said he refuses to hide himself away as his father did. King Hart, even in death, has planned out his control over his son by using the Rebels as his excuse, claiming they were the reason he lived in fear. Sebastian’s vanity will never allow him to hide away in such a manner.

He wants the threat gone. He desires to rule the realm with a power that will make him a legend, and he can’t do that tucked away in a secret chamber.

My mind releases its burdened thoughts as Devlan guides me toward his tent. Tomorrow, I will have to do battle, to give myself over to the trained fighter inside me.

But this night, I’m his.