The Last Hope

22 - Threat

SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER - Bad Liar, Imagine Dragons. Linked above! If you enjoy the chapter please vote, it means a lot. Also, I actively encourage commenting and am trying my best to reply to any as quickly as I can. Want a chat? Don't be shy!

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A week had passed since Mona had relocated Mercy's human parents. Four days since Ariah had abandoned Mercy atop a mountain, leaving a very confused Lincoln to take her home. Ariah and Mercy had spoken very little to each other since - Ariah even going as far as to avoid training whenever Mercy was around.

But their hostility towards each other was the least of Mercy's worries - there were attacks happening throughout the city.

Almost daily there was some report on the news - victims washing up in hospitals, some half-dead, all of them traumatised. Mercy knew the signs to look for, confused victims, who seemingly remembered nothing about their attackers other than that they were terrified of them.

"That's the fifth person in three days," Lincoln said, eyes fixed on the screen, mouth twisted into a hard line. Mona had conjured the tv from thin air the day before, telling them all that they needed to watch the news. "They're being reckless." Ariah had her arms crossed over her chest, leaning against a wall. She watched the screen with the same intensity Lincoln did.

"Grunts don't need to feed this often," Keenan intoned from the arm of the couch. The stained velvet sofa was a goner and had been replaced with a much larger, plush grey couch with enough room for four people. Mona had mourned for the old one, looking rather forlorn when Ariah dragged it out to the shop and onto the street beyond. Regardless of its size, Keenan perched on the rolled arm and Felix sat unusually close to him. He readjusted as Mercy caught his eye with a knowing look. "I just don't understand," Keenan said, even more quietly.

Mona, sat beside Mercy on the couch, had an impenetrable expression. "They're not doing this to feed - they're not killing them. They're doing it to send a message," Mona croaked, fingers fisting in the couch cushions. They all knew what was happening, but none of them had wanted to voice it. Finally, Mercy huffed out a breath, "it's because we moved my parents."

Five pairs of eyes fixed on her face. "Cressida was planning an attack and we got them out before she could strike. This is her retaliation. Innocent people are getting hurt because we outmanoeuvred her." No one dared breathe their agreement. "I wonder if she knows it was Sebastian that let it slip?" Mercy mused.

"If she did, she'd have killed him by now. And then we'd never get that rune off you - so let's not hope for that outcome," Mona admonished. Mercy pursed her lips and ran a hand through her hair, she hadn't considered that particular downside to Cressida dealing with Sebastian.

As she stewed silently, Felix asked, "how do we stop them from attacking people?"

Mercy twirled a long strand of hair round and round her finger, "by handing myself over - I guess."

"Well, that's not going to happen," Lincoln bit out - as if daring her to argue.

"Would it stop the attacks?" Her voice was flat and low.

"No." Ariah lied. Mercy twisted her head to watch her face. Cold amber eyes met hers. "It doesn't matter, because it's not an option." Ariah flipped her braids over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm not okay with this - hiding while innocent people get hurt."

"So, what are you gonna do? Hand yourself over, let her kill you? How are you going to stop her from coming to Earth and killing all your precious humans when you're dead? The bleeding-heart act is getting old," Ariah sneered across the room, cold air wafting away from her.