Page 95 of The Cult

I reached for the box, but Tobias gripped my hand. “They’re safe. Maddy will keep them for now. You can’t take them with you.”

Tobias was right. The guards would confiscate them. Who knew what they’d do with my dad’s belongings?

“I’ll take good care of them, Abel,” Maddy promised. She opened her palms, exposing Dad’s ring and watch.

“We have to go, Abel,” Tobias repeated.

I nodded reluctantly, my steps heavy as I followed Tobias’s lead, leaving Maddy and Mom.

Maddy hugged me from behind before Tobias opened the door. “Please be careful. I can’t lose you too.”

Her tears seeped into the fabric of Tobias’s shirt. “I will.”

“I won’t let anything happen to your brother,” Tobias added.

Maddy released me from her hold and lunged toward Tobias, wrapping her petite frame around him. “Thank you,” she said.

We went out of the back door, stepping out into the night sky. The Creed seemed to press in from all sides, a reminder of the dangers lurking in the shadows. But despite the fear that gnawed at my insides, there was a fire burning within me, a fierce determination to seek justice for my father and all those who had suffered at the hands of Orcus and his puppets. I clenched my fists, the anger and resolve fueling my every step forward.

“We will seek vengeance, Abel. Do you hear me?” Tobias said. “I will not stop until Orcus is dead.”

I met his eyes; their ferocity mirrored mine. “Together,” I said. “No matter what or how long it takes.” Tobias and I would be in this together until the end.

We made our way through the deserted compound. It remained quiet but far from peaceful. Paranoia prickled at the back of my neck. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. My gut was telling me they knew we were out here. Why are they allowing us to roam the cult freely?

Thirty-Nine: Tobias

Like a grim ritual, mornings at The Creed were the same every day. Guards ran from all directions, some passing by to get to their next post, while others rushed to get to the trainees’ quarters to reign terror on the poor souls. The fear that these young men endured was unimaginable. They didn’t choose this life. Their only fault was being born or brought to this mess by their parents. Hopeless parents who were drowning in financial troubles, who’d traded the life of freedom in exchange for the promise of money.

Everything was making sense. These people had clung to the sharp edge of the blade in desperation. I blamed myself for not being there for Oliver. I could’ve given them what they needed. I could’ve protected them. I could’ve saved him. I ran my fingers through my hair before pulling it until my scalp screamed in protest, punishing me with a dull ache. Fill your heart with revenge so there’s no place for anything else.

I closed my eyes; an image of Abel in despair flooded my mind. He was broken, and I wished I could take the pain away from him. I was accustomed to suffering. Grief and sorrow were familiar companions, shaping my existence. What was one more burden to bear?

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, wincing when my bare feet met the cold cement floor. I made my way to the small wooden drawer, glancing around before fumbling through my pants to find my dead phone and the charger I’d borrowed from Abel’s friends. I rushed to the bathroom and plugged the device into the outlet behind the door. It wasn’t the safest place to hide my only connection to the outside world, but this would have to do for now. It had been days since I’d last updated Archer and Heath on the situation at The Creed, and I could only imagine the questions swirling in their minds. This mission had dragged on longer than I had anticipated, and the time for action was now. Tomorrow, the fight would stop for no one, and we needed to make our move before then.

The thought of Abel facing off in a battle for survival sent a wave of anxiety crashing over me. I wouldn’t be able to watch someone I cared about become a spectacle for these sick monsters. Did I truly care for Abel enough to risk everything to save him? The question lingered in the air, taunting me with its uncertainty. My throat tightened with emotion, but I pushed the feeling aside, unwilling to confront the truth lurking beneath the surface. Not now. Not ever. I willed myself to concentrate, pressing the power button on my phone, but it remained unresponsive. The battery was so dead, not even the green robot showed on the screen.

“What? Where?” a guard walking down the hallway said loudly.

My ears perked up. I pressed my back against the door, straining to better hear their conversation.

“Yeah, he’s dead. One of the guards found his body at the bottom of the hill this morning. He was pretty beat-up. Broken neck and everything,” one of the guys said.

That was fast. News of Napoleon’s death had made it to the barracks, and if the guards knew about the fucker, Orcus surely was aware by now. “Shit,” I muttered. I was hoping to buy more time.

Their chatter faded, but it was followed by frantic footsteps. “Toby, are you here?” Sterling called from outside. “Toby!” His strides neared the bathroom.

I pulled the towel from the rack and wrapped it around my waist. Sterling didn’t need to see my dick flopping around.

“Tobias?” he whispered.

“Yes, I’m here. I’ll be out in a minute,” I said, attempting to power on my phone once more, hoping that the past few minutes had given the battery enough juice. No luck. At least the icon instructing me to keep charging had flashed on the screen. Damn it.

Sterling was pacing my small room and wringing his fingers when I emerged from the bathroom. “You need to get ready,” he said urgently, snatching my neatly folded clothes from the foot of my bed. “Now.” He thrusted them into my hands.

Without hesitation, I shed the towel and tossed it on my bed. “What’s going on?” I asked, the room feeling suddenly too small as I pulled on my pants, then my shirt. Thank goodness for my balance because I’d be on the floor, face down, when my foot caught on the waistband. “Orcus needs us or something?” I asked. I held my breath waiting for his response. Did Orcus suspect that I was the one who’d killed one of his beloved minions? Was my ruse out?

“He needs all of us out in the field,” he answered.

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