Trusting a bunch of strangers to handle a portion of our plan didn’t thrill any of us but we had to focus our attention on the biggest threat—Level 1 and the North Tower. Bowen and Moa had called in favors, surprised to find many shades who wanted a piece of this place. We didn’t want reinforcements to rush in from another area, which meant allowing others to take care of levels 2 through 4 while we faced down the most dangerous.
Brax met my gaze for a moment, so much resting in that one look without us saying a damn word. We’d spent most of our lives looking out for each other, ignoring everything beyond that, but here we were ready to risk ourselves.
I refused to consider that either of us would fall. I couldn’t even picture a life without my twin. It seemed empty and impossible. Still, we’d committed, so I nodded at him, trying to tell him not to worry, that I’d be fine, that I didn’t need him to take care of me anymore.
Brax nodded back, then followed Bowen and Soshi out of the small room.
It left only three of us still there.
Aaron, Deacon and I.
Deacon gave Aaron a look that said he didn’t care for that man. Then again, Aaron had been Hera’s first…everything. Still, that wasn’t a fight to have here, and even Deacon could set aside his jealousy for the moment.
“Keep in touch,” Deacon said, his tone rough. “If there are any changes or issues, make sure you let us know so we can adjust.” With that, Deacon headed out to take care of his own tasks.
Aaron’s gaze followed Deacon, his brows furrowed as if he wasn’t sure how to deal with the man. Then again, that wasn’t a shock. Deacon wasn’t the easiest person to handle, even for me and I’d known him for a long time.
Of course, I wasn’t human. I wasn’t an ex-boyfriend here out of some sort of guilt? I waited to see if Aaron would give up. Moa hadn’t, but that didn’t mean Aaron wouldn’t.
He drew his hands into fists and pulled his shoulders back, and for one moment, I saw what Hera had once seen in him. He nodded as if to answer a question no one had asked then turned back toward me. “Let’s get going.”
I didn’t bother to hide my smirk. Maybe this was one reason Hera was who she was—she’d surrounded herself with people who had more strength than I’d have expected. Or maybe that was the other way around, maybe her courage had rubbed off on the others, had taught them how to stand tall even when facing the impossible.
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said as I slipped past Aaron and stepped out of the small office, into the hallway on the first floor.
After all this time, I was ready to really face Larkwood.
It can throw whatever it wants at me.
* * * *
Hera
“I’m sorry,” Wade muttered, his voice strained and soft.
I sighed before I sat on the floor of the room we were placed in. The action forced Wade to sit as well since our hands were bound tightly together.
This place wasn’t a cell, not a holding area like the others I’d seen in Larkwood. Then again, without my powers, they had no reason for much security. The empty space we were in appeared to be an old office. At least that meant it wouldn’t have any real security and the North Tower didn’t keep regular security cameras around to help keep their dirty secrets quiet.
Instead, I didn’t recognize this area as I’d been taken in. Few people suggested it wasn’t used often, so I doubted it was connected to any of the projects I knew about.
What exactly she planned to do with us, I didn’t know, but it didn’t much matter, either.
I didn’t plan to wait around and find out.
Wade let out a long sigh, and when I turned toward him, the profile of his face made my chest ache.
I leaned closer and bumped him against my shoulder.
He curled his lips into a half-assed smile to reassure me. “Who would have thought there was a place worse than solitary, huh? Got to say, I give the North Tower two stars—rude staff, lack of amenities, but the room is clean, so there’s that.” His words came out with the same humor he always used but it didn’t take my skills to hear beneath them.
Especially since I didn’t currently have any powers, which was exactly the cause of Wade’s poor mood and apology.
I signed with my single free hand. It was awkward, but I went slow to make sure Wade understood.“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not.” Wade slouched forward, his shoulders hunched and his gaze on the floor in front of us. “You’re relying on me, and I can’t even do this.”
“You will.”