We Promised

Chapter 9

The mutation is out of this world, and the powers are inhuman. It's incredible, beautiful to say the least, but my worries begin to sink in like poison. What if these powers don't last forever? I feel powerful, unstoppable. Everyone knows that a high doesn't last long, drugs don't last forever. I can't lose a force so powerful, I shouldn't. Right? Two opposing currents threaten to throw Jax back into the deep waters, out of my protection, which I know he doesn't need. "Pull her back up, Tana. Mission successful." The wire yanks my waist back and I'm dragged back up at lightning speed, water rushing into my nose. My body flies out of the water and soars into the air, inches from slamming into the engine of the bird. I rip the scuba gear from my face to find the pilot initiating departure. I search for him, in the cargo bay, in the passenger seat, anywhere he could be. He's not here. "Pull him up, Blayne. Pull him up now!" My hands press against the belly of the bird, and I try to take even, controlled breaths. "No, Ilvera. The man deserves to die. This was the plan all along." I rip the earpiece out of my ear, throwing it into the cargo bay. The lights flicker above me as I grow more upset. I won't let you die, Jax. I jump without hesitation and by my blood, without scuba gear, and without a harness.

I crash into the sea below, finding him clawing at the surface, the harness tangled around his ankle. My fingers fumble with the wires, tugging at them so he can be free. I'm unsuccessful. The blade strapped to my thigh calls to my attention, and I slip it out of its sleeve, trying to cut at the wire. I'm oxygen-deprived, I know this. I should go up for some air. But, I won't let him die. Not like Liam. My hands spark up without intention, and I burn through the wires. I slam my body to his once he's free, and his arm worms its way around my waist, his free one pushing us back to the haven below the water, the closest place to safety. The surface is too far away. Dark spots fight against my vision. I don't feel it when we resurface. I don't feel anything. I don't see anything. I'm sucked back into the abyss where unconsciousness and I have become good friends. I think I'll stay here awhile.

At first, I think I imagine it. The sounds are warped, and contorted to where I can't make sense of them. My eyebrow twitches in confusion. I guess I'm not dead. How disappointing, I think. I hear the sound again, over and over. It sounds like... flesh hitting flesh. For a moment, I contemplate falling asleep. Maybe if I sleep, it'll go away. I can stay in the darkness, and not think, not feel, just rest. You have to get up, Vera. They're going to kill each other. My eyes snap open and I wince, lifting my arm to shield myself against the lights. I shift so I can sit upright, and the sounds stop. My surroundings are blurred and I blink a few times to adjust to the world around me. I'm back in the castle. How did I get here? More of the room comes in clear and I wish it hadn't. Jax has Blayne pinned against the wall, and my brother is seething with pure hatred, his eyes lit up with murderous intent, something I've only seen for one reason. I guess, here's another reason. "Hey. Hey! Jaxon let him go!" He doesn't hear me, his ragged breaths cutting through the silence of the room. "Let him go," I rasp. He releases my brother with a shove, spitting on the ground between them. "This asshole left me to die!" I glance between the two of them, new bruises and cuts on their faces. Jaxon has a swollen eye, and Blayne has a bruised lip, and a bleeding nose. "You should have died a long time ago, criminal. The only reason there's not a bullet in your head is because of my sister, you little shit," Blayne growls, clenching his fists. Jaxon smiles, tilting his head back in spine-shattering laughter. He's going to snap. "I don't need any favors from you, I don't need any favors from her, I don't need favors from anybody!" I shrink under his volume, wrinkling my nose. I can't find it in me to get up, I feel stuck, helpless, and tortured to have to watch this dangerous scene unfold in front of me. "That's why all your little terrorist friends died in that bunker." Jaxon does snap, as I suspected. He lunges for Blayne, tackling him to the floor. Blayne can hold his own, I know this because he's taught me all I know. If only there was someone here for me to make bets with. I push away my childish thoughts, my heart breaking in two. I don't know who to be worried about. I care for both of them so deeply, that it freezes me in place. I'm stuck in chains once again, held back by my own heart. They grunt as they beat each other to pulps, and I gasp when I hear a crack. Ribs, one of them has broken their ribs. The gauze from a nearby shelf falls to the floor as Jaxon slams into it. "That's enough! Stop it!" My legs carried me faster than I thought they would. I'm between them, pushing them away so they don't kill each other. The rebel reaches for more, attempting to catch Blayne in the jaw. "Jaxon, stop it!" I shriek. He backs away from my fingers. The hurt in his eyes makes my toes curl. The silence makes my hands tremble, the anticipation of what could come next. "You're not getting out of here. You're going to be executed, tomorrow. For treason. Need favors now?" Blayne spits. Athena walks in, her footsteps are careful and unsure. She heard them, heard the commotion and the shouting. "Vera, what's going on? Are you alright?"

"Go, Thena. Go! I've got this!" I don't take my eyes off of him, his state is unpredictable. I watch as his eyes widen, as he contemplates his next move. I don't understand what he does next. I don't want to understand it. He wraps his hands around Athena's head and in seconds, a sickening snap cuts through the room. She falls to the floor, motionless and pale. A bloodcurdling scream escapes me, my fingers flying to my mouth. My knees buckle beneath me and I search his face for remorse, for an apology, something. All I see is betrayal, his betrayal, and mine. I sided with my family, and he sided with murder, with vengeance. He is a murderer after all. I ignored it, I chose to see what I wanted to see. Now, my baby sister is dead because of it.