Nearly Broken

Chapter 29 - Chivalry

Nash's POV:

Excruciating pain ripped through my body. I was in some gloomy room. A stone counter was in the middle of the large space and I was tied down on top of it. The last thing I recall is being dragged away from Verona.

Verona.

I needed to get out of here and return her to safety. I laughed at my ignorance. Even if we escaped from here, we'd never truly be safe. The world wasn't a haven; we live on a plagued earth.

I felt blood trickling down my body and face. They had dragged a knife through my forehead, chest, arms, legs, and back. It hurt now, but I could sense my body quickly repairing the cuts.

They gave me something that causes my inhuman strength to weaken. I didn't know a drug like this existed. After I get Verona and I out of here, I need to invest some time in this drug. I cursed at myself as I tried to wiggle my wrist out of the puny metal cuff.

Verona.

She's what kept my strength from withering away. The thought of her smiling happily in my arms gave me hope. I had to break free from these chains for her.

I could feel the metal bending beneath my wrist.  It was about to snap in half when the door opened. A teenager with shaggy black hair waltzed in. His face was turned away from me, so I could only see the back of his red tshirt.

I wasted no time snapping the rest of my metal cuff in half and grabbing for the knife on a medical table next to me. By the time the teen noticed what was happening,  I had already knocked him out cold. Perks of being a Pernicious; one fragile punch to the head from me and they're unconscious.

Verona.

I had to find out where she was being held. This whole mess was my fault, if I hadn't fallen for her she would be living her normal life. I knew what I had to do to save her from Jet.

The kid fell face first and I felt some pity for him, but quickly worked through my plan. The room was pretty dim, so it was hard moving the kid from the floor to the table. I searched around the room until I found an extra pair of handcuffs in a cabinet.

I worked diligently as I cuffed the boy's hands together to the table. My hands roamed the wall until I found the switch to the lamp that hung above the table.

Verona.

I was going to, politely, ask the boy where she was. In my head the plan seemed easy, but when I switched on the light I knew it would be more difficult than I thought.

Hayes.

He was right here. The unknown teen was now the boy I had cried over for years. This was my brother I had spent decades searching for.

I fell to my knees and placed my hand on his arm. He was alive and, aside from being unconscious,  he was okay. But why was he here?

He started to shuffle slightly. His eyebrows furrowed together as if he felt uncomfortable. I watched his face as his eyes moved underneath his eyelids. His elbows bent as if he were trying to stretch,  but the chain held his hands in place.

Once he realized he was chained up, his eye burst open. His body didn't quiver,  but his eyes dashed to observe everything around him. After his eyes found my face, a growl passed his lips. The turquoise color of his eyes immediately turned to a navy blue.

"Hayes?" I whispered and subconsciously reached towards him.

He flinched away from my touch. He knew who I was. Suddenly I remembered what Verona told me; he hates me.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered.

His eyes were throwing daggers at me. He lifted his lips up in a snarl and then looked the other way. I felt my heart break.

"Do you know where she is?"

No response.

"Hayes please!" I cried out desperately.  "I can't lose her too."

I sounded pathetic. Here I sat, in front of my lost brother who loathed everything about me. My broken voice didn't even make him flinch; he didn't show pity or mercy towards me.

"Please." I begged softly.

"It hurts to lose someone you care about,  doesn't it?" His voice sounded baneful. It was quite evident that his words were meant to cause pain.

"I shouldn't have left you. I'm so sorry Hayes. I went back after everything began to get calm. I never stopped searching for you." I tried to elucidate.

"I was just a baby when you left! I was just as pure as you! I didn't want the Pernicious lifestyle Mom and Dad had!" Hayes's built up enmity finally detonated;  annihilating everything in his path.

"But now? Now you can watch as I turn into the thing you hate most. But that's not all, she'll be what turns me." He laughed wickedly.

Verona.

"What do you mean?" My voice was caked with fear.

"I'm going to kill your precious Verona."