In Shadows We Rise

Chapter 37

Xander

The door clicks shut behind Reia and an unbearable silence is left in its wake. That is until a chilling scream rips through the air, followed by crashing sounds. My friends stiffen around me but I'm quick to recover. I wrench my eyes away from the front door and turn to the one behind me. Rushing inside, I'm met with the sight of my best friend wrecking the room Rei had been in so shortly before. He throws a chair across the room with another scream before his hands find their way to his hair. He starts tugging on his roots relentlessly, his back to me, and I can't take it anymore. I finish the distance between us and pull his hands away before he can do any more damage to himself.

His eyes look haunted as they meet mine and the tears flowing down his cheeks unsettle me. I pull him into my arms and start murmuring soothing words. Even as his knees give way underneath him and he sinks to the ground I don't let him slip from my tight embrace. I go down with him.

His sister appears in the doorway followed by the rest of the group. Her face is pale and I know she's suffering along with her brother, just like the rest of us is.

A has always been there for us, a rock for everyone to lean on. Now he needs us and I don't know if there's anything we can do.

-

Atticus has calmed a bit and is currently sitting at the bar, staring at the amber liquid in his glass. While I'm not usually for letting someone drink their problems away, right now I'll give him a break. His emotions are all over the place and until they have settled down a bit there's nothing he can do.

"Show me what you've found," I order Sorin. The rest of the group is sitting on the couch across the room, all silent and pale.

Sorin blinks at me once before getting to his feet and quietly leading the place. I follow him and hear the other members or our group fall into step behind me. I feel like we're doing something wrong as we enter Reia's room but Sorin seems unbothered and I force my conscious to shut up. Reia's gone and part of the reason why is in this room.

Sorin walks over to the nightstand and hands me a note.

Names, bonds, location of members.
Detailed description of plans and intentions.
You have three weeks

I can feel a wrinkle deepening between my eyebrows before I look up at my friends, who have read the note over my shoulders.

"Tell me that doesn't sound like she's spying for someone," Sorin challenges us. I shake my head.

"This feels wrong," I murmur. I glance back at the bedside table but catch sight of no other piece of paper. No evidence that there is an explanation for this letter.

"You just don't want to believe you've been deceived."

"Just shut up for a second and let me think you bloody meathead," I snap before taking a few breaths to calm down. "If she was really working against us, why would she just let that note lie where everyone could discover her secret and blow her mission? This doesn't make sense."

"She said something about them wanting her to rat us out but that she didn't," Naiara adds quietly. I nod, trying to make the pieces fit.

"Right, you're right. Sorin, did you actually find evidence that would prove her being guilty of trading information?"

"You are ridiculous." He huffs and I give him a pointed look. "No, I did not. I figured this was enough of godsdamned evidence but you are all too trusting!"

"I swear to the gods, Sorin, if you started this whole mess just because you're a skeptic with no boundaries and jumped to conclusions-" I stop myself to take a really fucking deep breath. You don't kill family, Xander. Just breathe.