Page 105 of Rising

My attention shifted to Seth, the brother I’d chosen. My stomach churned with unease at his distraught appearance.He doesn’t have the right to be upset. So many lives had been lost because of him. Families torn apart that had thought they’d a chance of life again in The After. He’d let us all down, but most of all he had failed Jax. The reality of that was crushing.

“And you,” I hissed, my finger pointed mere centimeters from his face. “You proved me right. You shattered the trust we had in you. Destroyed our family. I willneverforgive you for what you’ve done.”

Seth pleaded with me, dropping to his knees in defeat. A sight I never thought I’d see. A remorseful Seth Moore.

“You have to believe me, Maia. I never meant for Jax to die. It’s torn me apart—”

“Quite honestly, I don’t want to hear another word.” I injected firmly, “I believe you, but I’ve heard enough from you for a very, very long time. Maybe more than one life can account for. You’re lucky I don’t take your life right here. Oh,” I chuckled. “How I’d like nothing more than to drive my fist through your chest, and feel that last beat of your heart clenched between my fingers. If you think I’m not tempted to leave you open on the floor the way you left my Jax … well then you’re poorly mistaken. You should probably hug your sister for that blessing. Don’t think she’d ever forgive me for that, despite the anger and pure disgust seeping from her damn pores at the moment.”

I turned to face my friends who’d always felt more family. Like blood despite all the pain we’d been through. Though I hated Seth, would never forgive him, wanted him dead at the moment … I still cared for him deeply.

“No one was in real danger,” I said confidently. “Riley’s my true second and has been from the moment I walked up those steps and entered The Arena. He knows it. He’s been my eyes and ears for months. Nothing classified ever crossed Seth’s desk, only tests or menial tasks. And even then, nothing made it to his desk before it crossed Riley’s.”

I waited for them to challenge the trust I’d put in Riley. Ask why he hadn’t been someone I’d suspected, withheld information with. But none came. Riley’s loyalty was clear as day.

I turned my gaze back to Seth, narrowing my eyes, daring his temper to unleash. “Which is why Riley stayed behind. Not to man the gates or serve as my temporary second, but as my lieutenant.General,should something have happened to me. He has specific orders to debrief Prescott if he doesn’t hear from Seth with particularly specific phrasing in the next three days, a messenger within the month. Should we have been unsuccessful in our travels.” He’d arranged all the details down to the halfway point for his men to meet, nothing left to chance.

Tomoe slammed her palm into the table before sitting down, putting her hands on her head in disbelief and exhaustion.

“Unbelievable,” Reina mumbled.

I felt terrible. I’d betrayed them too by taking their choice away. Again. My intentions had been good. I didn’t regret my decision. If I had to do it again, I would. They’d had those last few months of happiness, not having to carry this heaviness around with them. All the memories they’d made between then and now would go untainted. There would be no guilt on their end.

“I can sit here and tell you how sorry I am all day. None of you would accept it.” His words weren’t bitter but conscious-stricken. “But that’s not gonna get us out of here. I stopped giving them information five-hundred miles back … didn’t seem right.”

He glanced shamefully around the room. “My father,ourfather, has chosen to have us executed. I’m no longer useful in this, and that’s what we need to focus on.”

“Good thing I don’t need you to be Seth. I wouldn’t expect that from you, anyway.” I rolled my eyes and let my repulsion for him show. “I need a minute to think through what we have to offer. But we’re getting out.”

* * *

Everyone had movedinto separate parts of the cell. It’d been hours since anyone had spoken. Reina had since fallen asleep, sniffling quietly, while Seth paced back and forth at the door, occasionally mumbling to himself and pulling out strands of his hair.

Alexiares sat opposite of me, still watching, but saying nothing. Not wanting to be silenced again. Part of me wondered what he was thinking, of the mess I’d made. I doubt he’d pass judgment, we’d both done far worse things in this life. But seeking comfort in his presence didn’t feel right. I needed to sit with this. Deserved to.

Tomoe approached me, fists clenched in anger, her expression fierce. “I saw it. He fucked with my mind. Isawthis, and he convinced me it was nothing.”

She’d channeled him, but received more than vague memories, instead receiving a jumbled play-by-play of his life. Unable to determine when most of the memories were from or if they were just options of the future. She’d felt as if shewerehim, and not just a vessel receiving moments, bits and pieces.

He’d reacted similarly, though she never learned what exactly had occurred on his end. Seth had insisted they’d kept it to themselves, dodging the conversation every time she’d brought it up. She’d thought he’d just been spooked. She’d been spooked too. Wasn’t sure what to make of it. But now she had a theory, vulnerability.

It’d happened in a moment of vulnerability, and now she’d wanted to understand why no one had come forward with it before. There had to be some trick to it. We just didn’t know what. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t leverage it.

Alexiares whistled. “Power-sharing. Never saw that one coming.”

Seth’s guilt was laid bare, stopping his pacing as he glared at Tomoe’s back, frozen at the revelation.

“This changes everything.”

Amaia

“Adeal?” Sloan gave a curt laugh. “There is no deal to be made when our citizens’ lives are at risk. They expect information from us every week. If they don’t get it, our guys die. Ten for each network that doesn’t have anything to offer.”

There were dozens of independent trade networks. Each settlement could develop trade with whomever they wished, though there were four main ones running through what once was the continental United States.

Powder had been expelled through the vents, firing off loudly, echoing from the compressed air, stabilizing our magic before she’d stepped foot into the cell. She’d left a disaster in her wake the night prior and knew it. I hadn’t known why she’d returned. Didn’t give her so much as a moment to tell us, proposing a deal the second she entered.

Welp, five-hundred miles was a few weeks, Seth’s body count was truly racking up. I wanted to rub it in a bit, let this betrayal smack him in the face, hurt him as much as he hurt us. But one look at his face showed he’d done the math.

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