Diabolus: The Lost Phoenix

Chapter Twenty Two

BEVERLY WOODS

My eyes open like two flashlight beams, the new temporal inserts providing enough light to illuminate whatever I look at. It's a wall, a wall of... steel? But it's moving. All of the place is moving.

It's a car. A truck.

As I try to turn myself, to stand up, the chains on my wrists behind my back stop me, as well as the pounding pain in my head, it's like a knife being twisted in my skull. It shots up fast, erasing every thought from my head and paralyzing my body. It feels like my whole body had been beaten and every movement causes some muscle or bone to ache.

Someone hurt me. Once again.

"Fuck, my head..."

The memories come back to me with a wave of guilt, the things that I could've done differently, that I should've protected myself; I know I could, Kai taught me how. I thought I was stronger, meaner, not the same weak and scared girl that I was a year ago... And yet I couldn't do anything to avoid this situation.

I feel that my face is wet, my hair, glued to my cheek. It must be blood, because the rest of my body is dry. Oh, God, the old man hit me good.

I should have been prepared for this, after all, I knew that Caden is coming for Avery, but is it okay to blame myself that I didn't know how his father looks like?

"Beverly..."

I turn my head to the left, to the sound of something that I trust; to the sound of Avery's voice. There she is, just in front of me, chained to the wall of the truck as well. I see her bare feet on the ground. But luckily, I can see it clear enough to be sure that she's not injured.

"Avery? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. How is your head?"

"It hurts like a bitch."

I try to pull the chains, to let myself free; but it seems like they're holding me hard, and, because of my aching body I can't do anything. I can't let myself free. I can't save us.

"I'm so sorry he hurt you. That's all my fault."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

The guilt sits on her face like it was the only emotion it was normal to feel at this point. It's in her eyes, in those watery whites in her eyes that threaten to burst with tears at any moment. And I know it's not right, it's not right for her to feel guilty; but I know exactly why she does, because, if I was her, I would feel exactly the same. Guilty.

"You risked your lives to save me. Lexi was hurt, and Kevin almost died saving me. And now, this..."

A tear falls down her cheek, and now I know she's completely broken, at the same place she was for thirteen years, alone. And because of some legend, she has to go through it all over again.

"None of this is your fault. It's not your fault they used you, hurt you. And I promise you, they're going to pay for this."

Avery keeps watching me for a while, silently crying, before her head involuntarily starts to nod. I'm not sure what she's going through, what she's thinking, or how she's feeling, but all I know that none of this is her fault. No one deserves to go through everything she went through, and I know now that I'm the one that has to protect her, at all costs.

"Can you tell me what happened? Is everyone okay?"

The last thing I remember is that I was knocked out, with a heavy gun. But what bothers me... where's Kai? Why he didn't came back for us?

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen anyone. When Alexander... hurt you, I found out that there were a lot more men, hiding in the hallway. About five of them, I think."