The Darkness in the Light

Chapter Twenty

An hour later, a small group of us were moving through the drains. I was leading the way, the only one capable of seeing through the dark. Everyone else had linked hands, guiding each other in a line down the sewers and through the mucky water. It was a relief when we came out into the drain in the alley that I had pulled Harris through not long ago. I helped everyone up, not sure how to use my darkness to move them like I'd seen Jax do. I could only give them a small boost, my concentration barely allowing me to form a solid enough shadow to push them higher.

If only Jax was here to show me the ropes.

We all got out, and Gemma and I pulled our hoods over our face to hide that we were females. We had to remember that this world was different to the safety of our home, and females out in day light were sure to bring attention. We stayed between Joe and the other guy that had tagged along, walking together towards the council courtyard. We weren't alone.

Clusters of men were making their way to the courtyard, chatting and talking amongst themselves. This was one of the safer areas in the city, with no drains and bright overhead lights, surrounded in tall fences. We reached one of the access gates, which hung wide open, and it was surprisingly easy to step through. No one questioned us.

"Why are there so many people?" Gemma whispered to me.

"I don't know. But they're all going the same direction."

"Then we follow," Joe said.

And we did. Soon we reached the main courtyard, people milling around in a much larger crowd. I felt Gemma stiffen beside me, and Joe grunted under his breath. Daring a look from under my hood, I couldn't hide the gasp that escaped me.

Jax?

He was slumped in a cage, each wrist bound and tied above him. He was on his knees, his head down and hair falling in front of his face. He didn't answer me, and I realised he was unconscious. He was shirtless, and the whole right side of his torso was grazed and bruised. There were lights on all the bars of the cage, illuminating him and eliminating the shadows.

"He can't use his darkness when he's illuminated like that," I whispered to our little group.

"Is that how they captured him?" the guy with us asked. His name was Tristan, I remembered. I shrugged.

"He'll be able to use some of the shadows around him, the darkness hiding in the folds of his clothes, but it takes a lot more effort, and he doesn't look good."

I was watching the rise and fall of his chest, partially glad that he was shirtless so that I could make sure he was breathing. But it also meant that there were even less shadows for him to use. He seemed very human.

"This is the one that stole the Merrybank children," someone said loudly nearby. I winced, wanting to say I was right here, not stolen and freer than any of them could begin to believe. But I held my tongue.

"How did they get him?" someone else asked. We all shuffled closer, wanting to hear what they had to say. We weren't the only ones; everyone wanted in on the gossip.

"They tricked him into coming out. Once he stuffed up and took all the Merrybanks they realised he might have a certain taste for family lines. So Mr Merrybank acted as bait and when he came out of the drains to snatch him the council was waiting. Bloody genius if you ask me, but I don't think I'd ever have the balls to act bait."

"It's not balls mate, its pain. He lost all his kids. No one to look after him when he grows old, his wife is still relying on him to make ends meet. It was suicidal, he's just lucky it paid off."

"I don't know if it's luck or not. People that are suicidal generally don't want to live. And it's not as if the monster can bring his kids back."

"But at least he can get some revenge. Apparently he has already. I imagine he won't be the only one lining up for a piece of this guy."

Gemma's hand on my arm was the only thing that reminded me to stay quiet. My body was burning from how tense I was. That my dad had been the one to do this, of all people. But how could I be mad? He thought Jax had killed us all. How could I blame him for wanting revenge on the monster that took me?

But why did everyone have to line up for a chance at revenge? No one deserved that, monster or not.

"I've put my name down to go in there. It's sort of exciting. What other chance do we get at being this close to one of the monsters that's haunted us our whole lives?"

"You can, I aint got a death wish."

"He's locked up and unconscious!"

"Yeah, sort of takes the fun out of it. He's not even aware what we are doing to him."

I grabbed Gemma's hand, glancing up at Joe and Tristan, before I lead them all away from the main crowd, further from Jax and the commotion. Once we were in a quiet corner, hiding under the eaves of a shop front, I lifted my head enough for them to see my face.

"Jax can't get himself out of this," I pointed out.

"There's a lot more people here than there is us, and the leader doesn't look in any way able to help at all. Tristan and I might have to carry him out of here," Joe said.

"And how are we even getting out of here?"

"We need an escape plan, and a diversion," Tristan said, surprising us. We weren't sure why he'd joined us; most everyone wanted to stay behind. But he'd been one of those wanting to leave Rewes, yet he was adamant he help save the leader. I'd thought maybe he just wanted a chance to escape Rewes, but he was still here. He could have taken off ages ago.

"You know Tristan, if you want to escape now, none of us will stop you," I pointed out.

"I know," he said, looking at me, "and that was my plan. But this is wrong, and as much as I've hated the leader for bringing me down here as a kid, I'd never want him to end up like this. He was trying to grant me my freedom, I'll try and help grant his."

We all nodded. Joe took over.

"Okay, diversion or escape plan? Which is easier to figure out?"

"Escape plan," Gemma said, "A diversion is pointless without an escape."

"Besides," I said, surprised to feel a smile creeping across my face, "I already have the perfect diversion."