Because you felt safe when the assholes from across the hall touched you.
Because you trusted them to handle you accordingly.
Because you thought you found your place.
Anger burns in Jude’s eyes as he lifts a warning finger in my direction, but before he can speak a word, Walker hollers from his spot at the top of the stairs.
“She doesn’t like to be touched, Jude. Her abuse left more than physical scars. I told you that.”
Jude purses his lips, desperate to argue back, but to my surprise, he sighs, silently relenting, while I turn my glare toward Walker. He doesn’t bother to meet my stare, knowing how much I hate it when my flaws and vulnerabilities are exposed, especially by him.
“I’m not going to harm you, Little Weapon,” Jude murmurs, an almost soft smile ghosting his lips, but it quickly vanishes when I shake my head at him.
“Stop calling me that.”
Another twist to his lips, another flicker of a tantrum, yet he manages to contain it all into disgruntled words. “She’s spoiling the mood.”
Walker drags his tongue over his bottom lip, tilting his head to the right just an inch, and I recognize it as the look he always pulls when he’s thinking. “How about you show her everything,so she understands,” he offers, and Jude claps his hands together once, the sound vibrating through my feet.
“Excellent! Walker, you can leave now,” he orders, waving a dismissive hand at him, and he leaves without a word.
It’s surreal watching Walker take orders like that. It’s a true contrast to the man that I knew, or thought I knew. The only thing I have actually come to learn is that I, in fact, know nothing.
I stare at the spot where Walker stood, unsure whether I feel better or worse without his presence. Once upon a time, I would have crumbled, but he’s no longer the pillar of support I once had, which means I’m facing Jude alone. Relying on him is something I wish I had never learned how to do, but now, I know it’s not needed anymore. I’m good at standing on my own two feet.
“Come,” he repeats, the command clear, and this time, I don’t give him a chance to reach out to me. Instead, I take the order and keep a step behind him as he leads me up the marble staircase.
It doesn’t surprise me when he opens the double doors in one swift move, grinning to himself, all smug as though the action fills him with power.
The same marble runs throughout, leading to a grand circular entryway with hallways branching off in all directions. In the middle of the floor is the most detailed marble mosaic I have ever seen, and even though that’s because I’ve never really seen any, I know the beauty that lies before me. Tiny pieces are clustered together to form what looks like a snake coiling around the exterior; dark, prominent, and dangerous. Yet inside are the delicate etchings of two hands laced together, bound and promised. I can sense the weight of its message without truly knowing it. All I know is that whatever meaning it holds, I want nothing to do with it.
Jude doesn’t linger as he heads down the left corridor, and I hurry after him, my heart racing wildly in my chest, and despite the obvious, I’m not sure why. As he opens the door at the far end of the hallway, my eyes widen in surprise at the sheer size of the room that awaits us. It’s ridiculously big, with a full sized map covering the wall to the right. It’s completely etched in gold.
I instinctively step farther into the room, and as I do, I realize that each wall has a map engraved on it. Each one is different, more intricate than the last, and it makes my head spin.
The wall straight ahead has smaller maps detailed between the four arched window frames that mostly fill the wall.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask what each of them is for, but I get a grip on my curiosity and keep my mouth shut. He’s looking at me expectantly, though, standing in front of a large oak desk by the windows with his arms folded over his chest.
Clearing my throat, I consider pretending he doesn’t exist, but logically, I think the quicker I listen to him, the faster I can be out of here. I just can’t let my curiosity take the lead, otherwise he’ll think I’m interested in all of this, and I’m far from it.
I meet his stare head-on, lifting my chin an inch higher as I speak. “So, what is your mission?”
He grins, rocking back on his heels as he nods. “To overrun The Sanctum and control the supernatural world.”
My eyes widen in surprise, but I’m not entirely shocked. I think I’m more caught off guard by how nonchalantly he says it.
Raking my teeth over my bottom lip, I lace my fingers together in front of me, digging my nails into my flesh to make sure I don’t let my mouth take control. “What makes you think you’d do a better job? Why aren’t we just letting the supernatural world be?” I ask, just to sate my curiosity a little, but not enough to overstep.
Jude scoffs, waving a hand at me dismissively. “There’s no power in that,” he grunts, and I cock a brow at him.
“There’s equal power.” He snickers at my words, the thought seemingly amusing to him, but he doesn’t bother to respond. Clearing my throat, I take an alternate direction. “Has this always been your mission?”
His gaze snaps to mine. “Of course.”
I nod, humming in acknowledgement before glancing around the room as I continue. “Where are your parents?”
“Prison.”
