Page 106 of Pet: Genesis

Another day has once again passed with no progress on our end. I silently make my way through the emptying streets to where Cypress resides. I find myself dreading going home. Cypress is rarely there, and when he is, he doesn’t speak to me. I’m constantly stuck with my brain going in circles about my current situation. Just existing like this is torture in itself.

For once, the lights are on in Cypress’s home, meaning he’s returned. A small sense of joy washes over me. He’s lived to fight another day, and the Levithan have grown weaker. I push open the door, feeling my heart sink at the sight that greets me. Cypress sits at the small table with a pack of ice over the bloodied right side of his face as a human I recognize as another leader stitches up his arm. I cross the room in an instant as panic sets in.

“What happened to you?” I ask. His arm is gouged out like he was attacked by a wild animal. The rest of his skin is covered inscratches and blood as well. Cypress keeps his gaze down before finally meeting my gaze.

“We were ambushed by her. Xion is alive.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Iris

I haven’t felt fear this intensely since I first encountered Remus. I vividly recall the encounter. Remus stood before me, a mystery to my mind in all his intimidating glory. I was so terrified at the time that I felt there was no other option than to take my own life along with his. But that was before I knew what he was exactly, and that stopping an explosion for him was child’s play. My legs tremble slightly, and I find myself unable to take in enough oxygen to push off the headache assaulting me. It takes all my willpower to force myself to inhale and allow my lungs relief.

Xion is alive. Judging from my brother’s condition, she is out for blood. I make my way to where Cypress is seated, taking in his wounds. The armor he has on has been shredded to ribbons, doing very little to protect him. And it takes all my resolve to remain calm even though I feel like I’m about to pass out. The stitching isbeginning to look pointless as I notice more of the blood covering the extensive damage to his arm.

“Cypress, you need a medic,” I say softly. Cypress keeps his head down, but I notice the small tremble in his fingers. I recognize it because my body was the same way when I saw what Remus was truly capable of. Cypress’s illusion of how easily these creatures can be taken down has been shattered. He must have encountered her personally. I gently place my hand on his back to still his tremors.

“What happened?” I ask.

“She wiped us out with barely any effort. The brute strength was unlike anything I had ever seen. She was nothing like Remus. She was an animal,” he says. I release a frustrated breath, looking away.

“That’s because Remus was always holding back with all of you,” I say absentmindedly. Remus is the oldest and the most in control. He was calm and patient in dealing with humanity on our own level. But now Xion is involved, and it doesn’t seem like she is holding back. She has no reason to.

Cypress sways lightly under me, and I try to catch him. The ice pack falls from his face as his consciousness wanes, and my heart immediately leaps in my chest as I take in the bloodied gash on his face. I look at the other resistance leader in a panic as I try to shake him back to consciousness.

“He needs a medic now!”

The trip to the facility takes longer than I would like, especially since Cypress is dead weight at this point. He’s lost consciousness, revealing the hideous bruising on his face. There’s a massive gashrunning above and beneath his eye, and he’s losing too much blood.

“We need help!” I scream as we burst into the medical wing. My words are swallowed, however, by the large number of injured resistance members strewn out along the walls. I have to fight back the vomit threatening my lips as I take them in. Their wounds are deep, some missing limbs while others are bleeding out profusely. And Cypress is one of them.

The medical team notices that I have Cypress on my arm, and one immediately comes to our aid, her eyes roaming over him in horror.

“Why is he just now coming to us?” she hisses as she takes in his wounds. I shake my head, handing him off on the gurney as they begin to check his vitals.

“He went home...I guess he thought his wounds weren’t as serious,” I say softly as they start screaming commands at one another. Tears fill my eyes as I watch Cypress bleed out on top of the gurney.

“Please save him,” I murmur. My heart aches at the thought of losing my brother. Even though he’s treated me indifferently, a part of me still sees him as my brother. I can’t lose him, not like this. I watch helplessly as they wheel him away, already cutting away at his clothes, tensing when I feel a hand on my shoulder. It’s the other resistance leader. His name is Mark, I recall.

“There’s nothing we can do now. Let’s get out of the way and leave them to do their job,” he says. I look around the crowded hall once again, forcing myself to regain my composure. Afterconvincing myself that he’s right, I make my way out of the medical wing, cradling my arms to my chest.

Xion is alive. Someone miscalculated their plan to end her, and she has returned with bloody intent. A chill ripples up my spine as I imagine what she’ll do if she finds this place. And she cannot be far. If there’s one thing I’ve come to understand in Remus’s care, it’s that they are always somehow steps ahead of us. And they love breaking us down as much as possible when revealing that fact.

I’m so deep in my thoughts that my eyes remain lowered, and I don’t see the figure right in front of me. I walk face-first into someone, looking up in shock as I utter my apologies. “I’m so sorry—”

I trail off when I realize it’s Iriel looking back down at me. His expression is twisted in irritation as he looks down at me. His eyes narrow slightly, studying me before shifting behind me to the medical wing where humans now reside, gravely injured. He looks back at me, chuckling softly as he shakes his head.

“Five years, I’ve managed to lead this place with no hindrances from the outside. You come here for a few weeks, and she ambushes us in the same region,” he says. I can feel his anger as he looks down on me.

“What did you tell them? How did she know our location?” he asks.

Part of my brain goes immediately on high alert from his tone. It screams danger. I look around me to see that I am all alone with him, and it doesn’t sit well with me.

“I didn’t tell her anything,” I say firmly.

“Do you take me for a fool? I know you visited Ezra while we were away. And days later, we’re attacked.” Iriel steps closer to me, his eyes roaming over me in anger.

“My patience for you has thinned significantly, Iris. Do not lie to me. I cannot promise your brother will make it out of this safely if you continue this farce,” he growls. I know I should feel fear from the weight of his words, but I don’t. Compared to the presence of Remus, dealing with Iriel is child’s play. I narrow my gaze, stepping closer to him.

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