CH 19 Maria’s POV
Lily has been inside the camp for a few days and tonight is when we will make out move. I glanced over at my two other sisters who were preparing to invade the camp. I struggled to get off the ground and grab my whip. When I touched the whip, I felt a burning fire in my stomach. I knew exactly what this fire was and I knew exactly how to use it to my advantage. I didn’t want to kill people but they killed my sister and if I didn’t kill them, the boys wouldn’t be able to go home.
“Maria...what exactly will our grandmother and grandfather doing for Natalia and Nick?” Katrina asked me. I glanced at her before sighing. I realised I had never told my girls, minus Olivia, about the plan.
“Grandmother and Grandfather believe to have connections to people in the capitol after mother and father’s wedding. We’re planning to sneak them through the countryside to the capitol where our father’s friends, Lucas, can send them home.” I told her.
“Nice to know that there are some people we can still trust nowadays” Katrina sighed after a moment of silence.
“How was Lily, before she left, I mean?” I asked her as Olivia walked up to us.
“She’s losing her mind without her twin, Maria. I wouldn’t be surprised if she commits suicide. She’s...she’s broken beyond repair, Maria.” Katrina said honestly.
“She won’t commit suicide. Lily is mission-driven. She will want to see the boys are safe before she even considers it” Olivia said as she grabbed her sword.
“I know and I know how she is feeling...I just miss Angel so much” I admitted.
“We all do Maria.” Olivia said as she squeezed my hand lightly.
“Are the boys awake?” I asked her after a moment of silence.
“Yeah they’re just getting up now” Olivia said. That’s when I heard Katrina gasp.
“Lily’s wounded!” Katrina shouted urgently.
I immediately ran closer to Katrina who pointed out Lily in the distance. She was limping with a knife stabbed in her leg. Several others were following her! I curse under my breath before Olivia and I took off, leaving Katrina behind to drag the boys to the emergency hide out.
Olivia and I dived onto the scene before running past Lily, who was sobbing in relief. Olivia immediately pulled herself into battle while I picked up Lily. I called out to Olivia who shouted to retreat and she’ll meet up with us soon. She continued to battle against the three others. I recognise them as the remaining competitors of Area 3.
I charged through the forest before placing several fake pathways before jumping into the trees and climbing up with Lily on my back. Her tears managed to soak my dirty shirt. Well that helps with laundry, I guess. I stopped medium high in one of the trees before securing us to that tree. I pulled out a needle that had numbing liquid in it. I stole it from Riley as he was fighting Angel. I entered the liquid into Lily’s leg. She whimpered in pain before I pulled out the arrow.
“Maria...they...they were a diversion...” Lily choked out, trying to keep awake.
“What do you mean by diversion?” I asked her, my heart thumping wildly.
“They...using...Olivia...she...stronger...use...H-H-Harry...as bait” Lily choked out.
“Why Harry?” I asked her urgently.
“She...she’s in love with him. Don’t let Harry escape” Lily said before she passed out.
I quickly unsecured us before pulling an unconscious Lily onto my back before diving out of sight and running to the emergency hide out. I glanced around. Shit! No one was here. I couldn’t leave Lily on her own, but then again...Olivia is out fighting Area 3 and I knew she would be spent and emotional after the death of Angel. Katrina can’t protect the boys against fourteen other competitors but we had an agreement that she will release sparks in the air if she was in danger. I was in internal conflict before Olivia showed up, bloodied and bruised.
“They retreated after I killed one of them.” She growled out.
“Which one?” I asked emotionlessly.
“Natalie, the blonde girl that was trying to flirt with Harry” Olivia said with an eye roll.
That’s when I heard a bang and a single light shone above an area. I cursed deeply before grabbing my whip. Olivia looked at me in confusion so I had to explain quickly.
“Olivia, I need you to stay and look after Lily. Katrina is in great danger” I told her in a single breath. She nodded and I raced through the forest, again!
Katrina was there, battling with them all; the boys were nowhere to be seen! I curse before immediately beginning to help Katrina take down these bastards. Unfortunately, they all retreated once I had gotten there. I helped Katrina up and watch them run away. I growled before whirling onto Katrina.
“Where are the boys?” I asked her. She looked at me with surprise as she heard the anger in my voice.
“Did you really think I would leave them unattended?” She asked me and she pointed up and I followed her gaze before seeing them high up in the tree. I had to laugh as I saw there was green stuff on their faces and bodies.
“How the heck did you manage that in mere minutes?” I asked her as the boys climbed down.
“I didn’t. The boys were in camouflage anyway and I knew something was wrong when I realised there were only three pursuers for Lily. Riley knows that we can take on more than three people easily so I made the boys follow me in the trees” She said with a shrug.
“Hold up... there are only four of them. Where’s Harry?” I asked her. My heart was beating furiously as I tried to contain my fear and worry. Katrina whirled onto the boys who had such guilty looks; I instantly knew what had happened.
“He went to go help Lily didn’t he?” I asked, trying to hold back my obvious anger.
They nodded slowly and that’ when I had no regret in punching each of them on the cheek. They winced in pain but didn’t scream. Well, they are smarter than I originally thought!
“Ok, were you just blind to the fact Harry wasn’t with you, or are you just plain stupid?” I hissed out.
“We actively didn’t know he wasn’t here until now” Andrew- no, Liam, said.
I groaned before Katrina told me we needed to go back to base and talk to Olivia. I nodded and we lead the group back to the emergency cave. Once we were inside, I instantly went over to Lily and Olivia and told them everything.
“I feared this would happen” Lily said, biting her nails.
“So, what do we do now?” Louis asked us.
“We go and rescue Harry” Niall said determinedly.
“We don’t just go and rescue him, Niall. This is war. We need to plan” I said.
“I can draw out where they will be keeping Harry. I over-heard some of the plans they had for him while I was drugged so I can help there.” Lily offered and I nodded.
“It should be a solo mission. I can go in and rescue him” Olivia said determinedly.
“No, this is something we have to do together” I told her sharply. She nodded but I could see her eyes hardening. She was truly in love with Harry. She just didn’t know it yet.
That night, the others had fallen asleep, but there was certainly a suspicious feeling lurking in the cave ever since I told Olivia that she cannot rescue Harry alone.
“Maria?” Olivia called out.
“Yeah?” I asked as she walked closer to me. I notice her eyes were harder than usual but she looked at me sadly.
“I’m sorry” She said to me. I was confused before I felt something collide with my head. I gasped as black spots appeared in my vision.
“I’ll be back by sunlight” She said before leaving the cave. I was going to follow her but my eyes fluttered close.
Damn it Olivia!
