• This is the second book of The Collected series •
"Those who bring pain are here to save, and those who bring hope will bring death. A great evil rests on the horizon, eating away at each setting sun. Nothing is as it seems while you beg for salva...
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It was finally time. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it. Face the things that stole Nicholas from me. Just thinking of it drove a knife deep into my heart.
We stood in the bottom of the ship. Waiting for Zillah to open the doors, waiting for this 'negotiation' to start. We were meeting with a group of six Collectors on a random planet, I hoped they were telling the truth, put wasn't counting on it. Everyone wore metal armour that I could easily use to make weapons or shields if needed. And we were all decked out with weapons, even Max who insisted he didn't need any. Jasper was disguised as a human, hoping it could scare the Collectors that more of us were coming.
We were ready. As ready as we could be.
The ship landed with a thud and my wobbly knees made it difficult to stand. Estelle grabbed my arm and looked up to me, saying the same thing she said to me almost every day for the passed month. "We will get our revenge." It scared me that such a young girl had so much anger. Torryn tried to convince her to stay on the ship today, but even he knew she would never.
"Are we ready?" Zillah asked, being the last to join us. She received no verbal answers, only nods. As no one could find the strength to speak. "Our instructions are to meet in the clearing of the red forest, it's not far. Lets go."
She pressed a button, lowering the door. Outside truly looked like an alien planet. The ground was cracked and sandy liked a dessert, yet great red trees grew tall into the dark purple sky. There was no sign of life other then our small group, making our way to what could be our deaths.
Everything was so eerily quiet, it sickened me to my core. My mind was so clouded with doubt I could barely remember our plan. The only comfort was the metal necklace around my neck and my family around me.
Yes. We were a family. Despite our differences and disagreements, we were a family. I just wish Nicholas was here to be a part of it.
There was movement ahead and and I could see everyone's muscles contract. Zillah lead us through the trees and out into a clearing. In the Center was a large table made of a rich red wood. On the other side sat six Collectors and one small hooded figure. Possibly a child that was learning to become a leader. I felt bad that I hoped it would never get the chance.
On our side there was seven chairs. I couldn't help but feel that Jasper was sitting in the spot meant for Nicholas.
No one spoke for the longest time. Letting the tension build up, until Zillah finally cut through it.
"What have you come to offer?" She lay her palms flat on the table, giving them one of her award winning smiles.
"There's a growing group that want us dead, and they think they can achieve that by killing the three of you." A Collector nodded to Max, Cate and I, "If you leave us be, we'll offer you protection against this group."
"That group is small, nothing we have to worry about." Torryn scoffed, but I could still see the worry on his face.
"They're growing." A Collector burst into an ear-wrenching laugh, "you're just too blind to see it. They want you dead, they want us dead, we can form an alliance over that, don't you think?"
