I’m goingupthis time. Up to the “purest freedom” I could ever know. Up to five beautiful days of service and worship.
After, I will find a way to escape. Because I did not spend the last FIVE years remaking myself. Because this is wrong. And I am stronger. Years of questioning who I am. Years of choking up the lies—and feeding on the truth I made for myself.
My truth. Not theirs.
I won’t be one of them. Not now. Not ever. I will not be their puppet queen.
Finally, I reach the edge, hands grasping for the lip of the pit. I pull myself up, my body shaking with the effort, and when I finally roll over the edge, my stomach churns with exhaustion, blood dripping from my wounds. But I’ve made it.
My chest heaves, and all I want to do is stay right here and fall asleep. But better than escaping that pit will be the expressions on their faces when I walk right into that cavern like a goddamned ghost come back to life.
Their Goddess in hell. She will shed her skin and rise from the ashes as she always has done.
And then…she will fly far, far away.
19
Vincent
“WE WILL NEVER BE BETTER MEN.”
Citizen Soldier Playlist
“Too Loud”
“Words That Don’t Exist”
“Life Support”
For fuck’s sake, I can’t take another minute of Seth’s ridiculous romcom.
“Seth,” I bellow at him from the leather chair closer to the wood-burning fire.
Rory’s asleep next to him, snoring as usual, wearing nothing but his boxers. And the bandage over his ear. But Seth, in red plaid pajamas, lifts his head, and I’d swear the pathetic moron is glassy-eyed.
I drag my hands through my hair, giving him my best fighter stare because I could really use a punching bag about now. “Seth, you’ve had remote control privileges for a week now. For fuck’s sake, Ineedto see the game!”
Seth, arms crossed, glares at me from the couch, his pillow tucked under his arm like a shield. “No. It’s my turn.” He pauses the movie. “Besides, Noah’s about to do his ‘I want you’ speech to Allie! Just shut the hell up and sit in your chair like Jude!”
Jude doesn’t even glance up from his thick book. He simply waves a hand in acknowledgment. “I’m Switzerland.”
“Next time, don’t suck so much at Mortal Kombat,” Seth taunts me.
I clench my hands into fists, this close, thisclose! “If that wasrealcombat, you wouldn’t get a reset button. And I’d get to watch a different game every goddamn night for a month.”
“Breaking my heart, Vincent.” Seth blows me a kiss and presses play.
I get up, needing to pace even if my back growls in pain from the whippings. At least we only have to wait a few more hours before we get Briella out of the pit. Will she be asleep? Or will she have discovered the graveyard of bones, so many, it was like a damn dragon hoarded its collection.
Raphael hasn’t moved from his chair. With a bone-straight posture and wearing the same suit, he monitors the cavern entrance like he’s waiting for her to sweep inside at any moment.
“Sit, Vincent.”
Without even looking at me, he gestures to the side chair next to his black leather wingback. Creepy bastard set it up like he knew I’d end up here.
Begrudgingly, I slump into the chair and lean back, regretting it when the pain hits me. But I swallow it down like I always do.
“Talk,” he says.
