Darkness Rising

CHAPTER [ 31 ] A FAVOR

It was over.

Somehow, against the odds, they accomplished the impossible. Lenore tilted her head back and heaved a great sigh—the sigh to end all sighs. Was this relief that she was feeling? Everything ached, right down to her pink toes. It was a wonder that she was even standing after all that. Once the adrenaline wore off—well, Lenore didn't want to think about what she'd feel like then.

There was clambering and crashing of rubble behind her. Lenore turned, catching the sight of Camila's face and Emilio's wide chest before they knocked into her; arms wrapping around her tight, lifting her up off the ground in a joint, crushing hug.

"You were brilliant!" Camila cheered in her ear.

"Well done! I never doubted you!" Emilio's voice rumbled.

Even though she couldn't breathe, and her body screamed under the bruising touch—she didn't fight it. This was the place she was missing her entire life. This was the place she belonged. The image of her mother and father flashed through her mind. Lenore stiffened, there was still one thing to do, then she could put her revenge to rest.

They set her down on her feet once more, sensing the shift in the mood. Camila didn't lose her smile, though it appeared a bit less vibrant.

She peered around Lenore to where Kaiser stood just as battle torn as the rest of them.

"You don't need to worry, Boss. Thanks to Lenore we were able to get everyone away with only a few injuries."

Was he worried? Lenore glanced back over her shoulder at him. After everything that she learned in the void, and now that the battle was over; it was even more uncertain whether he could be trusted.

"Looks like everyone here is accounted for." Patrick's voice caught her attention.

She turned to see him, face spattered with a muddy substance, but it was the man limping along beside him that pulled all her attention.

Her Uncle.

She grinned at the sight of him. The time had finally come—the end of everything. Lenore and her family would be able to rest at last. After this, no one would remember the Gillard family. They would be lost to history, just as she wanted things.

The perfect revenge.

Patrick stepped forward, shielding her Uncle. Her heart stuttered at the action, blood turning colder. The smile slipped from her face, morphing into a deep frown.

"What are you doing?"

Patrick's gaze shifted from her to somewhere over her shoulder. To a person behind her—anger began to churn in her stomach. Lenore didn't need to look to know. This was Kaiser's doing, but what exactly was he doing?

"Lenore—"

"No!" she snapped before Kaiser said anymore, hands curling into fists. He was not going to stop her now. She allowed it before, listened to his reasons and gave into them. But not again.

Patrick glanced between the two of them, a wary and uncertain expression on his face. He didn't appear happy about the situation, either. Her Uncle, on the other hand, was staring her down with a knowing light in his eyes.

He had warned her hadn't he? Thrown it into her face. This couldn't be happening. She didn't want to believe it.

"I can't let you kill him, yet."

Lenore spun around then, body trembling as it threatened to splinter under the force of her rising anger. "Why not? What's the reason this time?"

At least, Camila and Emilio had the decency to look ashamed. Not Kaiser, though. He met her gaze without an ounce of remorse. And that was how she knew that he'd planned this from the beginning. The apology in the bathroom echoing through her mind and stabbing her in the heart.