A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 23: If It Keeps the Garde Hidden

How the hell did he get here?! Did they find him? What happened to Six? And John? Where's Pixie?! If anything happened to her—I take a breath. I'm spiraling. "Henri..." I start. My eyes are heavy knowing that he's now thrust into the same situation as me. "What happened?"

He only bows his head, and I hate knowing that he can't possibly answer me. "He has made the stupid decision to run in here searching for you," Setrákus Ra answers for him. "It wasn't long before we caught up to him, but he is as persistent as you." He pauses, as if letting the truth sink in: He's here because of me. "I assure you both; today is the day I finally receive answers."

I look at Henri. He looks at me. This can't be happening.

"Shall we get started?" he asks and picks up a curved dagger to put on a delicate show. I gulp and turn my nose down. He walks over to Henri and points the tip at his chin. "Won't you talk to me now, Emily? How were you able to escape my scouts in the state of New York? For someone with no knowledge on how to fight, you sure did handle yourself well."

"No—" I try. "Don't hurt him. Please. I'll tell you everything; just don't hurt him."

All the outlandish commander does is smile before making an incision down Henri's arm. I hear him scream a muffled scream, and I can't stop the one that follows from me. "I didn't, ok?!" I shout. "I didn't do anything! I swear to you; I didn't."

"My patience is running thin, Emily," he says, clearly not impressed, "and judging on this Loric here, I don't believe he will last much longer."

I really don't know what else to tell him. I didn't do anything that day in the clearing; it was all Pixie, but I don't know if I can tell him about her. What if he realizes a Chimæra escaped his facility, and he sends a horde of Mogs after her? What if she can't fight them off? Not only that, but I know I need to be careful. Whatever I tell him, I need him to think it's the truth, but I can't tell him too much, or else he'll kill Henri before I can find a way to get us out. It'll be the same as what happened to Six and Katerina. If I talk or not, Henri could die.

"Please don't do this," I beg; it's all I can think to do. "Don't hurt him."

Setrákus doesn't miss a beat. He swipes the blade across Henri's cheek and Henri winces before he asks the same demeaning question. I drag in a breath. "I didn't do anything," I say again. "Your scouts just suck at chasing. They couldn't catch up to me and I lost them in the woods."

Setrákus withdraws the blade and steps away. He walks right up to me and puts the sharpened end against my throat, lifting my chin. "You think this is a game?" he sneers. "You think my scouts are stupid enough to lose you in a simple chase?" He laughs then, a deep laugh that sends guilt coursing through every vein in my body. "I know one of them had you in his grip; the question is: How did you survive? If you lie to me one more time, that Cêpan is as good as dead."

I swallow, and when he releases the blade from my throat, he waits, expectantly. "A—A fox," I mutter. "A fox saved me; bit the ankle of your scout until he dropped me, and I ran away. I don't know where that fox is today."

"And what of Spain?" he asks again. "And India? How did you know my soldiers would be there?"

"I took a guess," I murmur, shrugging half-heartedly. "Call me paranoid. After Paradise, I didn't want something like that to happen again."

He grabs a handful of my hair, hard enough to tilt my head to meet him. "Don't play with me, girl!" And all at once, that insufferable hissing is back.

"I read it!" I exclaim, straining with the pull he has on my head.

"Read it?" Why does he sound so intrigued? "Explain."

"Pittacus..." I murmur and instantly regret it. But a look from Henri—his worried eyes and blood to his cheeks—makes me reconsider. So be it if I need to expose it. "He wrote books."

"What kind of books?"

"Books on your war... with the Loric," I utter, shaking at my core. "Hidden in a story. I didn't think it was real at first, but I... You..."

"And you read all these books?" he inquires. What? Why does that matter?

"Y—Yes."

He nods, a look of approval on his face, and I can't help but feel like I'm back in class again, having just gotten my test back to find that I barely received an A. "Final question for today," Setrákus states, "and I expect an answer without hesitation. Where are the Garde hiding?"

I swallow. "New York City," I lie, it being the first location that came to mind.

He raises a brow. "Where about?"

I bite my lip and eye the dagger as he twirls it in his palm. Henri's smiling in the background, some semblance of pride in his expression. "The Empire State building." It's one of the few places I know in the whole city, and one that I hope ends this. I don't even care if Setrákus sends a squadron of scouts to check it out. I don't care if he threatens innocent lives there. If it works, if it keeps the Garde hidden... then it'll be worth it.

"Of course," he notes, seemingly in an epiphany as he turns away. "A building dedicated to nothing but offices: the obvious place for a bunch of children to hide." Offices? He looks back at me over his shoulder, smiles, and mutters, "Nice try."

Before I can even configure what on earth to tell him, he throws the blade across the room, aimed directly for Henri's chest. "NO!"