Page 55 of Wicked Fate

Gage ran down the hall to the exit with Sun, Cassie, Kendric, and Xander right behind them.

My gaze landed on the little girl. Her brown hair was matted, and her haunting clear blue eyes locked on me. She couldn’t be older than ten. Why the hell did they have her locked in here?

I swallowed as Bruce ran past me.

Ryker took my hand, tugging me to go with him, but I couldn’t.

My legs wouldn’t move. My body froze in refusal.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

“Please help us,” the young girl asked clearly, despite her trembling lips.

I stared at her—at the girl too small to fight back, too young to understand why her world had become a cage.

I couldn’t leave her.

Iwouldn’t.

A hand took mine, and when the buzz shot between us, I had no doubt who it was. Ryker linked,We’ve got to go. You said you’re feeling the vampires.

I shook my head slowly while my heart hammered. “We can’t leave them. Any of them.” Something inside me screamed for justice for all these women.

He blinked. “We got her. She was the one—”

“No,” I snapped, louder than I meant to. My voice echoed. “What does it say about us if we only save the ones who are useful? If we pick and choose who gets freedom, like the vampires do?” My throat closed. “Then we’re no better than them.”

Ryker froze. A beat passed. “We don’t have time.”

“She’s right.” Sun’s determined voice cut through the thick, rancid air.

Of everyone who might back me, I hadn’t expected it to be her.

Sun stood near the cage of an older woman who had her fingers curled around the bars. Sun turned in my direction and nodded. “We don’t leave them. Not if we can help it.”

“Fuck,” Bruce muttered. “They’re right. Let’s do this fast.”

Ryker met my gaze, frustration warring with urgency in his eyes.

I hated that he didn’t understand my need, but it wasn’t right for us to leave all these women to be mistreated like this.We may never get another chance to help them, and they can be used against us. The last part was true, but that wasn’t the real reason I wanted to save them.Besides, isn’t the enemy of our enemy a good friend to us?

He softened and pushed love toward me.We do it your way, lil rebel, but we do it fast.”

Ryker, Bruce, and Sun started shooting open the locks, moving down the hall in a coordinated rhythm. I followed them, yanking open each door the moment the chain fell, helping each stunned witch out and ushering her toward the exit.

Some collapsed. Some crawled. Some sobbed with disbelief.

The cold pressure was not upon us yet, but I had no doubt the vampires would be waiting outside the magical entrance. It would’ve been that way even if we hadn’t taken a few minutes to free these ladies. I couldn’t swear that each would make it out alive, but at least now they had a chance.

Ryker shot the girl’s cage last, and she didn’t flinch when I opened it—just blinked up at me with hollow eyes.

“Can you walk?” I asked gently.

She nodded slowly. I helped her out, my hand firm on her elbow, and we shuffled back into the corridor.

The entire group now waited by the exit, with Cassi and Xander up front. Cassi held the handle of a door I hadn’t noticed when we’d arrived. It must be the real entrance unaffected by the outer spell. She nodded once Ryker, the girl, and I reached everyone else.

“Is everyone ready?” she asked.

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