FALLOUT

8

Abditorian soldiers swept over the top of The Berm like a sickening wave of brute force. Callum remained still, arms crossed over his chest as his minions overtook us. Theon closed in on me, and took a moment to lay Ezzarah down, closing her eyes gently. He took my hand and a calmness overtook his face.

"The Protectors believe in the legend. Believe in you. As she did ever since the first time our father told us the story of The Athans. No matter what happens, remember that."

Tears rolled down my face and I nodded just as soldiers reached us and yanked us both our feet. They made haste in tying up our hands and feet, leaving just enough slack for us to walk in small steps, shuffling noisily against the dirt. Several more of The Protectors were herded towards us as we were dragged towards The Berm, stopped at the base, and lined up on display.

Callum stood looking down at us, his angular jaw jutted out as he ground his teeth, a habit he'd had for as long as I could remember. Brows knit deeply together forming a narrow V on his forehead, he uncrossed his arms and marched down the side of The Berm. He started at one end of the line, and his beady eyes that I had once found handsome settled on me like a ton of bricks, suffocating me with each slow step in my direction.

He stopped in front of me and the smell of his moonshine seeping out of his pores from the night before wafted out over my face, making my stomach turn.

"Hello, darling." He smiled without feeling and reached out, gripping my jaw in his hand and squeezing. "I do believe we need to chat." He shoved my face away forcefully and I stumbled back, catching myself just before losing my balance altogether.

"Take them to headquarters," he barked, waving a hand at the line. "And bring her straight to the lab. I'm not wasting any time."

We were all pulled up The Berm and when we reached the top, I gasped. Abditory had always been impoverished since the wars, but what I saw was beyond belief. Trash littered the makeshift alleyways and streets, amongst the metal shacks and shanties. People roamed, dirty and scrawny. A pack of wild dogs ran across the base of The Berm. Theon shot me a look and nodded as he was pulled down and away in the opposite direction and was loaded into an awaiting military vehicle.

I was pushed up and into an ancient looking HUM-V, which started up with a rattle and a shake as a gaggle of soldiers hopped in, surrounding me. Callum was not amongst them. Apparently the king was above riding with his prisoners. Or he just wanted to give me more time to worry about what his plans were for me. It was probably a little of both.

After driving through the maze of streets, we had reached the town center. I knew this section of the sector well. This was the only building that had survived the wars. The lab. Where it all began. Everyone wanted my father's technology. So this was the only site that was not targeted. Left virtually unscathed among devastation so massive you could not imagine unless you'd been there to see it, as we had.

Some of the windows were boarded up, but the circular building stood tall. A grim reminder of everything that had happened. With my father. With Wyn. With Callum. And with me. The sour taste of bile rose in my throat and Ezzarah's lifeless gaze flashed in my mind. She was but one of the countless lives that had suffered because of this place. Because of my father. And Wyn. And Callum. And me.

The HUM-V jerked to a stop and the soldiers piled out, one of them yanking on my hands. My foot caught on the edge of the vehicle and I stumbled, falling forward, the ground scraping into my hands and knees.

"I know you're not my equal anymore but there is no need to bow to me, Bex." A worn black combat boot tapped in front of my face on the cement. Callum reached a hand out and pulled me up under my arm, yanking me against him. He lowered his face close to mine, breath a warm hiss against my cheek. "We're going to have a lot of fun."

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