Arise (Cruel and Beautiful World Book 3) Read online

  Right on cue, the hologram of Soren stepped forward and hovered over a crying Deryn.

  “And mistake number one begins.”

  Soren’s face boiled. He turned away but didn’t leave.

  “What do you mean seven years?” asked Xander, eager to drown out the noises coming from the holograms.

  Still facing the other direction, Soren leaned back against the glass. “I’m sure you don’t recall, seeing as how you’ve always been so self-involved, but for years at Eagle I only ever hung out with Veli. So when he became a guard and I still had a year left I was pretty much a loner. Until I befriended another loner. Any recollection of who that was?”

  Xander thought but he really didn’t remember Soren much from his time at Eagle Center. Only when he stepped in as an instructor.

  As the silence drew on, Soren grew frustrated. “Talon Leon, you fucker. Talon Leon and I were friends back then, we stayed friends as guards, and when I was assigned to remove the group his younger sister Deryn was in from quarantine, he asked me to look out for her!”

  Xander scoffed. “You did a lousy fucking job of it.”

  Soren whipped around, his body tense and face flushed. “I was trying to keep the others away from her!” he shouted, pointing at the hologram of him and Deryn. “In a couple of minutes, you’ll see me go up to the president and beg him to give her to me! But he wouldn’t! Elvira came up with the idea to put her in the slave trade to keep her away from me! She knew how I felt about her! She always knew! From that ...” He gulped. “From that first day. The first moment I saw her. Elvira was the other guard assigned to release Deryn and the others from quarantine. I couldn’t hide it. The way my heart raced the moment I saw those eyes. She’d been locked in a room for six months and those green eyes still sparkled. I loved her. Right then. I knew I did.”

  Xander blinked. Deryn’s cries changed in that moment and he sat up on his elbows, watching as Soren hurried over to President Saevus, his words hushed but desperate. Xander couldn’t make it all out, but it was obvious that he spoke the truth. As the next person approached her, Soren’s hologram grew panicked, but the president simply shook his head and walked away.

  “If I were any other Guardian he would’ve granted my request.”

  Xander turned his head to look at Soren again. His sad eyes were focused on Deryn’s hologram, being caressed by Stuart Scout.

  “But Elvira ruined everything. She’s always ruined everything. She kept Deryn from being mine and she kept her from being free. Every fucking time I told Talon where she was, Elvira found out.”

  Xander’s heart stopped. “What?”

  Soren gave a small smirk. “How did you think the Resistance always knew where to look for her? I was Talon’s rat for years. Until Elvira ruined that too.” His tone changed, his pitch higher as he imitated Elvira, “Talon Leon, why don’t you ask my husband what he does with your sister every time he’s the one who owns her? Ask him why he never has you raid our house?” Soren scoffed. “Fucking bitch kept the girl I loved from me, then took away the only real friend I ever had.”

  Xander’s eyes drifted to where a camera was presently watching him. It surely had sound and whoever was behind it was getting quite the confession.

  Soren followed his gaze. He chuckled lightly. “Elvira’s monitoring you. She doesn’t trust anyone else to do it and she wants to make sure you’re good and executed. I’m sure she muted us when I started talking about the first time I saw Deryn, if not before. And even if she didn’t, I’m not saying anything she doesn’t already know.”

  “And how much does the president know?”

  Soren shrugged. “More than I’d like but, I suppose, if he loves anyone it’s Elvira. He doesn’t see me as any sort of threat so he won’t actually have me executed until she says the word.”

  Xander put his head back down on the floor. “Why are you here, Sorey? I’m not exactly in a position to put in a good word for you to Deryn, and I’d never fucking do it anyway, even if I didn’t love her. Maybe you’re the reason she’s still alive after five years in the slave trade, and I guess I’m grateful for that, but you’ll always be scum. If you ever had any sort of chance with her you lost it the first moment you touched her.”

  “No. You’re wrong,” said Soren, his voice desperate. “I saw her with others, it was always different than when she was with me.”

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  Soren slammed his hand against the glass. “Yes, it was!”

  “If it wasn’t for your wife, you’d be dead by Deryn’s hand right now.”

  “She hesitated.”

  Xander smirked. “And then she went for it.”

  “She wouldn’t have -”

  “You’re fucking delusional, Sorey!” yelled Xander, shooting straight up and turning his head toward the man. “She would’ve killed you and she would’ve felt no remorse for doing it. She hates you! Now quit feeding me your shit and tell me why you’re here.”

  Soren swallowed, his eyes falling away from Xander and gazing blankly at the floor. “Talon Leon was spotted heading toward Redwood with four others. It’s been over twenty-four hours and he hasn’t returned. Tell me, Xander. If Talon’s found Deryn, what possible reason would he have for not returning with her to the Resistance’s base immediately?”

  Xander sighed and lay back down. “Because she probably blackmailed him into helping her get me out. She likes to do things like that.”

  “She can’t come back here.”

  “You think I don’t know that? But I’m not exactly capable of stopping her.”

  Soren reached into his pocket and pulled out something. Xander turned his head again. His eyes widened. It was a two-way. “I still have this from my days helping Talon. If she got in touch with him I’m sure it was through this. You’re going to find her channel and you’re going to tell her not to come for you.”

  Xander smirked. “Am I?”

  “Yes,” Soren said sternly. “Because you know as well as I do that the only reason your execution is being made public is so the president will have a chance to recapture his leverage against the Resistance. You claim you love her. Prove it and don’t let that happen.”

  Xander hated to admit it but Soren was right. He heard the door to his glass room open but didn’t look over. His eyes didn’t even focus until the two-way was being held in front of him. He groaned but still took the damn thing and switched it on. He flipped to the channel he knew Talon used and pressed the button.

  • • •

  Neo and Odette Boyce sat on opposite ends of their makeshift bed with a hologram of their underground map hovering between them. Odette had the Resistance’s map in her hand and was presently adding the routes of the two together. There was a lot of uncharted territory but it was still progress.

  As Odette chewed her nails while scanning the Resistance’s map for a useful entrance near the president’s home, the two-way resting beside her clicked.

  “Deryn, are you there?”

  She and Neo both looked at the two-way and then at each other, their eyes widening. “Xander?” she asked her husband.

  Neo nodded and reached out his hand. Odette picked up the two-way and tossed it to him. He pressed the button on its side. “Hey, buddy. Long time no talk.”

  A pause. “No names. I have a Guardian standing in front of me.”

  “Roger that. I’m afraid the Outsider princess isn’t available. Anything I can help you with?”

  “There’s a rumor going around that Deryn has recruited her brother and four others to get me out.”

  Right on cue, the door to Neo and Odette’s room opened and an angry Talon held up his two-way. Odette pressed a finger to her lips and Talon turned off his radio.

  “Now, I know there couldn’t be any truth to that, considering you promised me that if I was captured you’d make sure she wouldn’t come back for me.”

  Neo rubbed a hand down his face. He definitely hadn’t forgotten that part. “Did
I?”

  “Yes, you did. You promised me. And they know you’re coming.”

  “Who brought you the two-way?” he asked.

  Another pause. “Soren Tash would like to make sure Deryn isn’t stupid enough to come back here and get herself killed. I assured him that she would never show him the same courtesy.”

  At the mention of Soren, Talon’s face tensed and his hands balled into fists.

  “While I hear you, and Soren, I’m afraid he’s been misinformed. No one is coming for you, Xander. We don’t have the manpower for that. And yes, she’s with her brother at the Resistance’s base.”

  “No, you’re lying. You can’t let her. You promised -”

  “Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time. I repeat, no one is coming for you. Good luck in the afterlife.”

  “No, wait -”

  Neo clicked off the two-way and tossed it aside.

  “That was pretty cold,” said Odette.

  Neo shrugged. “He knows I’m lying. And how stupid would we have to be to admit we’re coming for him, with Deryn, in front of a Guardian?”

  “Saevus’s son-in-law, at that,” she added.

  Talon was still standing in front of the door, stiff as a board except for a vein pulsing in his forehead.

  “Something wrong, Mr. Resistance leader?” asked Neo.

  Talon’s head snapped at this. “I’m not the leader.”

  “And who is exactly? Your nonexistent father?” said Odette.

  His tense hands eased a little. He closed his eyes and sighed. “If Soren is anywhere near Xander throughout all of this then I don’t want Deryn there.”

  Neo cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “That’s my business.”

  “You’re a lot closer to this mission than we are. At this point, your business is our business,” said Neo.

  “It’s your friend.”

  “Who the president is holding hostage to lure back your sister,” said Odette. “You want us to help keep her away from Soren? Then you’re going to have to tell us why.”

  “We’ve heard rumors about his ‘feelings’.” Neo added air quotes to this last word. “Any truth to that?”

  “I don’t give a fuck about what he feels. Soren Tash is a traitor.”

  Odette blinked. “Traitor to you?”

  “Yes.”

  “But he’s a Guardian. Betraying you would just make him normal,” she said.

  “I suppose you’re right,” said Talon. “I shouldn’t have been surprised. But for years he claimed to be helping us when the whole time he was ...” Talon paused and closed his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. We just need to keep him away from her.”

  Neo was about to push for more information, but Odette held up her hand to silence him. “Okay. We’ll do our best to keep eyes on him. But these walls aren’t going to patrol themselves so ...” She motioned to the door.

  Without a word, Talon opened it and left.

  “Soren Tash. Traitor.” Neo chuckled. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

  “It’s not that shocking,” said Odette, returning to the hologram map. “He and Talon were friends during their training days.”

  “They were?”

  “Yes. After Veli graduated, at least. I remember them eating lunch together.”

  “You remember Talon from way back then?”

  Odette smiled and reached across the bed, taking her husband’s hand. “Baby, every girl remembers Talon from back then. He was the hot, forbidden older boy we all fantasized about.”

  “What?”

  “Soren was a favorite too, but when he got engaged to Elvira his status plummeted.”

  “And what was I?”

  “Just an average looking boy our age. Nothing special.”

  Neo scowled and pulled his hand from hers. Odette laughed and tackled him, smothering his sour face with kisses until he cracked and did the same.

  “Ten-minute break?” she asked tearing off her shirt.

  “Twenty,” he said. After all, tomorrow they were going into the snake pit. They could spare twenty minutes on what might very well be their last night together.

  CHAPTER 3

  Even in a dark room deep in the underground, Deryn knew when it was morning. She knew because she hadn’t slept, unable to stop counting the minutes until she would get Xander out of the hell he was trapped inside.

  How many times had he been forced to watch his father rape her? Not to mention the many others that day. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t recall how many there were that first night. Not that she wanted to remember. At least he was only being forced to watch what happened in that one room. It wasn’t until several of those men dragged her into one of the bedrooms that she was beaten until both eyes were swollen shut. She didn’t even remember being brought to Atticus’s basement. She just woke up there one day.

  Deryn didn’t realize she was crying until the pillow beneath her was soaked. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sat up. There was no point pretending any longer. She was awake and she was ready.

  “Did you sleep at all?” asked Nita’s quiet voice from the other side of the room.

  “No,” she admitted. “I can’t sleep without Xander.”

  “Just one more reason to get him out alive then.” Nita threw up her arms and took a nice, long stretch. She glanced at the empty spot beside her. “How much do you want to bet that your brother patrolled all night instead of waking Everett?”

  Her question was answered just seconds later when Everett threw open the door, looking as ill-tempered as ever. “Why wasn’t I woken up for my shift? You know I always get last shift!”

  Nita laughed and caught Deryn’s eye. “Part of his morning process. Otherwise he’s a nightmare to work with.”

  “Not funny!” snapped Everett.

  “Be nice to me or I won’t pair you with Evangeline today,” said Nita, finally sitting up and putting on her boots.

  Everett’s face tensed. “If we’re going to risk our lives then you’re going to damn well put me with her.”

  “I didn’t realize the two of you were together,” said Deryn, standing up and twisting the crick out of her back.

  Everett turned bright red and Nita burst out laughing. “He wishes,” she said between chuckles. “But unless he stops being such a twat he doesn’t stand a chance.”

  Everett scowled.

  “Evangeline was the first of us to agree to this mission today,” Nita continued. “Want to impress her? Stop putting your bad energy into the universe. No one is going to die today. Except for the occasional guard and Guardian scum. We’re going in as twelve and coming out as thirteen.”

  Deryn immediately thought of Luka and silently hoped they would be coming out as fourteen. She knew Odette considered Lona a priority over him, but Lona wasn’t the one in immediate danger. If they were given the option, she would do everything in her power to make sure Luka was the one they got out.

  “Go find Talon now and take over his patrol,” ordered Nita as she used her fingers to comb her hair into a ponytail. “Tell him to meet me in the kitchen. I’ll find you when we’re ready to discuss the plan.”

  Everett groaned but nodded, exiting the room without saying a word.

  “What sort of food do you think tunnelers eat for breakfast?” asked Nita, heading for the exit with Deryn at her heels.

  “Some sort of bars. Or something freeze-dried,” guessed Deryn. “Just add water.”

  Nita crinkled her nose. “God, I hope not.”

  When they arrived in the kitchen, Evangeline was already searching the cabinets while Adrian sat on the floor, slowly waking from his slumber.

  When Evangeline saw them she said, “Only bread and coffee in the pantry, but they don’t even have a toaster oven.”

  Nita began making the coffee while Evangeline continued to raid the cabinets. Deryn watched Evangeline from a distance, unable to bring herself to mention the girl’s grandmother. How if she hadn’t given Deryn that knif
e all those months ago, she never would have escaped.

  With a sigh, she stared down at her hand and ran a finger along the bandage covering the spot where Xander had stabbed her with that same knife. He was probably in the right to do it because she would’ve held on until the very end, but she was still angry that he hadn’t let her try and save him for just a moment longer. She would never be free until he was standing there beside her.

  Deryn glanced at Evangeline again. When she and the others had taken her group hostage, she really was the first to agree to their mission. Not out of fear, but because she truly wanted to help. Deryn wondered if she’d feel differently if she knew the man they were saving that day was the very same man who took her grandmother’s life. Even if he hadn’t wanted to.

  Evangeline looked over at her and caught her eye. She smiled sweetly, making Deryn feel even more horrible for not being completely honest with her.

  Odette and Neo came in several minutes later with their tunneler hosts. Evangeline was toasting the bread in a skillet, Deryn was slicing some apples and Nita was pouring the finished coffee. Adrian still wasn’t completely awake and was sipping on the first poured cup.

  “Eating us out of house and home!” joked Rees, the leader of that group of tunnelers. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to convince any others to join their cause. The majority hated Outsiders as much as they hated Utopians.

  “I’m keeping a list of everything we owe you,” said Evangeline, offering Rees the first piece of toast. He took it but immediately stuffed it into Nita’s mouth. She mumbled a thank you and handed him a cup of coffee.

  Talon arrived just in time to be the last one served. Nita punched his arm for taking on that extra patrol shift before handing him his coffee.

  Deryn could feel her brother’s eyes on her while he discussed the progress of the joint maps with Neo and Odette. She gazed back at him for a moment, sighing as she realized their relationship might never feel natural again. It had been a good ten years since they had truly been in each other’s lives. Since before he was recruited by the Utopian guards.