“Good luck.” I nodded toward Miller. “Why’s he just sitting there?”
“I stabbed him in the chest last month. I doubt he’s in any condition to fight.”
A crash behind us turned our heads. The south side of headquarters caved in, cement crumbling and metal twisting. The earth shook as the building collapsed.
Lucas tugged me closer.
The soldiers fighting near the gazebo didn’t pause. I monitored the fight—the bare remains of the people I loved, facing their deaths.
Faces slithered through my mind as the violence escalated… Theo’s stern expression, Adam’s wink, Devon’s wry grin, Zara’s smile, and then a host of others…Isaac, Dr. Grayson, Jayden.
How many of them would I lose tonight?
Lucas led me from the protection of the trees. “Miller’s going to be hunting us. Getting out without being sighted just got a lot harder.”
Anarchy reigned in the battle before us. Bodies hurtled at each other. Metal clanked. Small grenade blasts lit the night at irregular intervals.
Lucas skulked toward it. “You said you’d do what I say.”
My gaze snared on his face.
He met my eyes as we skirted the outer edge of the fight. “Promise me again.”
“I promise, Luke.”
Adam’s form emerged from the darkness, bringing down a Hunter. The man fell, and Adam jogged to us. We hid behind a large cement statue of an angel.
“Did you see who joined in the fun?” Adam asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Miller’s nursing wounded pride,” Lucas said, peeking out from behind the statue. “He’s going to want to kill me himself.”
Adam glanced at me. “What about her?”
Lucas met Adam’s gaze, penetrating as if he was conveying a message I didn’t understand. “If he gets her…”
“Yeah,” Adam said, expression grim.
“And if she’s with me, he’ll use her.”
Dread washed over me.
“Right.”
“You were assigned guard duty today, weren’t you?” Lucas asked, all innocence.
Adam nodded, a humorless smile lighting his face. “Got it.”
“You got this?” Lucas said, harder now.
“Yeah, I got it.” Adam leaned back, searching the crowd. “You see him?”
Lucas nodded.
I stomped my foot. “What’s going on?”
Lucas took my face in his hands. “Stay with Adam. He’ll protect you. Do not leave his side. Take him to the Evanston house.”
“Lucas—”
