Page 47 of Saints & Sinners

Chapter Twenty-Four

Later that same night, I sat at my desk, with my chin resting against my arm, as I drew random things on a piece of paper. It had been hours since Marnie left that I was beginning to think I had found a new talent in drawing.I hadn’t.

Eventually, I heard a noise. It was faint, but it sounded like the boys were talking.

I sat up, frowning. It wasn’t the usual banter I would hear from them. This was something different.

Standing, I cracked open my door, peering into our small living room. Brandon and Silas were awkwardly carrying someone between them—someone slumped, their feet dragging against the floor. I cleared my throat, and as soon as they heard me, they panicked, dropping the person behind the sofa.

Both Brandon and Silas were the picture of fake innocence as I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.

“What did you just drop behind there?”

“Nothing,” Brandon and Silas said at the same time, a little too quickly.

Brandon cleared his throat. “You’re up late. That’s no good if you want enough beauty sleep.”

I narrowed my eyes, walking towards them. When I glancedbehind the sofa, my eyes widened. “Oh my god!” The words left me in a gasp as I saw that the person they’d dropped so carelessly was Hunter, bloodied, battered, and barely conscious.

I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands hovering over him, unsure of where to even start. “What happened?”

“He went into town,” Silas said, to which Brandon slapped the back of his head.

“What?” I shot back. Concern and, most of all, anger seeped into my chest. “How did he even get into town if there were no buses this weekend? H—how did he not get caught? Actually, scratch that. Who the hell didthis?”

Brandon and Silas exchanged a look.

Silas sighed first. “Well...”

“Well, what?”

“There’s this car,” he admitted. “It’s a rusty old thing, really. We found it years ago in the woods, and Hunter taught himself how to drive it. I’m surprised it still even works.”

I stared at him, then at Brandon, nodding along. “How were you guys ever chosen to be Ascendants?”

“Um, we were chosen before birth?” Silas shrugged and made a face. “So, that’s not really our fault.”

I scowled, feeling a rush of frustration run through my veins. “Why didn’t you take him to the Healers Sector?”

“No one’s allowed out of their designated dorms after nine.” Silas scoffed. “Plus, it’d just be too risky.”

Unbelievable.

“You allowed Hunter to leave the academy when there’s a whole ban set in place and didn’t think that was risky enough?”

I always questioned where Hunter was at times, but I believed him when he said he was meeting Azrael for extra training. I didn’t expectthis.

Brandon grimaced. “Grace—”

“Aaron,” Hunter mumbled.

I frowned, glancing back at Brandon. “Aaron?”

Brandon sighed, a heavy look passing between him and Silas. “That’s his brother’s name.”

“His brother?” I said slowly, not understanding anything.

“Yeah,” Silas said, his voice suddenly quiet. “Hunter’s been searching for him.”

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