THRIVE: Book One

Chapter 60- Blood for Blood

"Rain!" I scream, but it's no use. She can't hear us anymore; she's trapped inside her own mind, being tortured by memories from the past. "Isobel, talk to me. What do you see?" I ask frantically. Isobel looks like she's in pain as she peers inside Rain's mind.

"I don't know, I can barely see anything without doing a full dive." Isobel cries.

"Can you do it?" Serene asks nervously. Isobel shakes her head, unsure.

"I've never seen someone be forced into this space, and without consent, it turns into a labyrinth of painful memories," Isobel explains. "I can go in, but I don't know if I can help her," she explains, sounding utterly defeated. Serene suddenly picks up her sickle and launches it into Iker's shoulder. He screams as she digs it in deeper.

"You're lucky that we can't kill you yet. But I am going to make you wish you were dead." Serene says menacingly as she rips the blade out, tearing his skin open. She throws the sickle on the table and quickly sorts through the vials she has collected, finally selecting one. She pops it open and pours it on his wound, and he winces painfully as it seeps through his skin into his blood.

"I'm going in." Isobel sighs as she hears Rain scream louder.

"Are you sure?" I ask nervously.

"I don't know, but we can't leave her like this," she states. I put my hand on her shoulder, holding back tears.

"Be careful," I say, squeezing her shoulder. She nods as she focuses all of her energy on Rain's mind. Isobel practically freezes in place, and Rain suddenly stops screaming. There is nothing we can do now but wait.

"Serene, we need to find a way to break him as soon as possible." I start as I stand up and go over to her work table. "Maybe if we can't break his soul, we can trap it in that body so it's stuck when he dies," I explain. Serene thinks for a moment, then sifts through her charts and finds a detailed diagram that Isobel had written.

"It's possible, maybe. There's no harm in trying I guess," she states as she grabs an empty flask.

"What are you going to do?" Zade asks nervously.

"Potions are my specialty, mix those with a sealing ritual and it might be enough to stop this," Serene explains as she starts dropping random herbs and things into the flask. Iker suddenly starts laughing, sounding all too pleased with himself.

"Cute idea, little girl." he laughs "But I think you don't understand what all that entails," he explains.

"Ignore him." Eloy states "He's just trying to psych you out."

"Honey, come here." Serene motions at him and takes his hand, then picks up a small dagger "Sorry about this." she states as she slices his palm, letting the blood drip into the potion.

"What the hell?" Ava asks, still kneeling beside Rain.

"They're brothers, this will make it stronger," Serene states as she wraps his hand. "And for good measure," she suddenly slices her own palm.

"I'm officially creeped out," Calem states nervously.

"Join the club," Ava adds, seeming wary of Serene. Iker suddenly starts laughing maniacally again, but Serene isn't having it. She quickly sets the flask down and smears her blood over his eyes.

"Quit pissing me off, will you?" Serene rolls her eyes as she goes back to her work.

"While we're here, we might as well try to get some answers out of you." Zade sighs as he approaches Iker. "What have you been plotting this time? You clearly went after your brother and my wife. But why?" he asks, frustrated.

"Wife...?" Calem says in shock, staring wide-eyed at me.

"Shh, later," I state, turning my attention back to Zade.

"Dante, do you really have this much trouble seeing my motives? It's not like they have ever changed." Iker grins, looking even more twisted with Serene's blood on his face.

"So, I'm guessing you wanted to take the rest of us out and keep those two for yourself," Ava states.

"Clever, clever. But there's always more to it than that, dearie." He smiles at her twistedly, Ava seemed frightened by his stare.

"What else were you planning?" I ask, trying to get his attention off of her.

"My sweet Hexa, I just wanted everyone else to pay for what they had done defying me." He explains "The plans were already in motion, unfortunately, I didn't accomplish all of my goals." he grins.

"What the hell did you do?" Eloy asks angrily. Iker shakes his head and looks away from us.

"That's none of your business." he scoffs. Serene suddenly storms off into the next room.

"I'll be back, I'm sick of this shit," she states angrily. I watch her go, feeling concerned. This entire conversation has me on edge. Suddenly, Serene comes out with a piece of iron that was glowing red on the end.

"Is that a branding iron?" I scream as she passes me.

"Serene!" Zade yells, but she ignores him.

"What the fuck did you do, Gael? I am done playing games." She states angrily as she gets closer with the iron. Iker sighs sarcastically.

"Fine, fine. But I fear telling you isn't going to stop you from poking me with that thing." he sighs "I simply started by punishing the one who wanted to keep my lovely little Hexa away from me." he glances at Zade.

"How?" Zade asks frustratedly.

"I wanted to take something of yours, equivalently exchanging our griefs." he sneers. "I simply got a hold of one of your possessions and... influenced her," he explains. Zade stares at him in horror as my heart drops deep inside of me. Suddenly, Ava stands up, clenching her fists.

"You son of a bitch." she grits her teeth, suddenly ripping the iron from Serene's hand, and she let her take it willingly after realizing what was going on. "You murdered my sister!" she screams as she jabs his side, pressing it into his skin as hard as she can. He screams in agony as she twists it.

"You're the one who drove her insane," Zade yells as he watches Ava punish him. I pick up Serene's bloody sickle and spin it around in my hand, then quickly hook it into his thigh. His screams become louder as the two of us make him bleed.

"Have at him," Serene sighs solemnly "Just don't kill him until I'm done," she suggests as she stirs up the potion.

"Sister..." Zade holds out his hand to her as she passes him a thin dagger. He looks at Iker, stone-faced, as he cuts an 'x' into his forehead. Iker's screams echo through the room, but that just makes me more determined to make him pay for it.

"Guys!" Calem suddenly shouts. I turn to see him kneeling beside Isobel, who had fallen over. She and Rain both look pale, and Isobel's lips were turning icy blue.

"Shit!" I quickly run over, and Calem and I try our best to wake them up. Isobel continues getting colder as Calem pulls her into his lap, trying to warm her up.

"I told you," Iker chokes "She was nowhere near strong enough." he laughs as he spits up blood. Zade glares at him angrily as he clocks him in the jaw.

"You better pray they wake up." Zade clenches his fists, ready to punch him again if he says another smart-ass comment. Suddenly, Rain gaspes for air loudly, quickly sitting up. I try to get her to look at me as she catches her breath, but she still seems completely zoned out.

"Oh, thank god," Eloy says in relief.

"Rain, can you hear me?" I ask, trying to get her attention. She nods quickly as she grips the sides of her head. I look at Isobel, but she is still out cold. Calem looks more and more terrified the longer she's unconscious. Suddenly, Rain lets go of her head as she begins to focus on me.

"Big sister?" she asks in tears.