A Cage for Hungry Hearts [COMPLETE]

49. Domare

There's something wrong with me. I've been tricked. I've been lied to. I can't understand what I'm doing here, running away from the people I care most about. The fresh air has cleansed something in me I never even knew was sullied. My head spins with revelations. Winston may as well be dead, and it feels like my fault. I gave up on him. I shouldn't have left Grandmere behind either.

Why? Why did I abandon them?

Shame pours through my veins like a river of ice as the first jet comes swooping in. I lash out at it with a slice of the strange power that has always coursed through me, amplified now by my anger, and the aircraft cleanly breaks in two. One half crashes into the fire from the missile it had tried to drop on us, the other lands further away. I can only fight so many aircraft. Eventually, they will get us if we don't run.

I flex my hands, fingernails itching. I can't do this. I can't leave without them. I'd mindlessly let Mother herd me into the empty desert. I had let Michael push me into merciless slaughter. What was I thinking?

There's a commotion at the back of the crowd as another plane swoops overhead, cutting through the air with a violent whistle and an ear-splitting roar. Someone screams, and it strikes me hard that they are my responsibility. I don't know that I am strong enough to keep everyone safe. I am not Grandmere. I am not a leader!

I turn on Mother, my rage mounting. She looks different, so small and insignificant outside of the lab, so much less intimidating. There is something in me that stirs at the sight of her, that beast in me that so easily kills without my permission, but we're aligned now. I can feel the bloodthrall coming on, but my head is clear, and for once I know who to blame. "What did you do to me? Why am I here?" I snarl, secondaries descending. "If you really loved me, why did you let me leave them?"

"Darling," she says, palms raised toward me in supplication, "listen! I can explain! I had to do this! There was no other way!"

I tower over her, letting anger pull at my features. "You manipulated me! That spell...what did it really do? I never would've gone on my own!"

"Lewis," she says, and I draw up short.

That name sounds so familiar.

I cock my head. "Lewis...Covington?"

She flinches like I've struck her, actually stumbling back a step.

"Your brother? My uncle?" I say.

"No." She shakes her head, dark eyes shining with tears. "My son."

A breath gets stuck in my chest and words trickle in from motheaten memories. Grandmere's many accusations over the years prickle at me like a porcupine, bringing on a throbbing headache. I put a hand to my head as the truth she'd told me time and time again finally pierces my thoughts.

"You're not my mother," I say, horrified.

"No," she agrees, steel entering her gaze. "Anna Covington was my daughter. You killed her when you were born. You ate free of her womb. You owe me."

"All I owe you," I growl the words, "is pain!"

I lurch forward, but at the same moment, something bursts through my belly.

I look down. There's a hand protruding through my stomach, coated in blood.

My blood.

More of it comes rushing up my throat. I spit up a mouthful, and that's when the agony crashes into me. The hand retreats, and my world dims. I fall forward.

Mordekai catches me, his hand painted in my blood. He rolls me over onto my back, so I can stare up at him from where I'm slung across his lap.

Clarice appears from nowhere, her eyes glowing bright red. "What the hell did you do?" she screams at Mordekai, but all I can focus on is the sound of another aircraft approaching.

"Clarice," I gasp. "Clare, take them!"

She stares down at me, her eyes wide.

Gathering what remains of my strength, I sent the command to the humans and the nosfa, all except Mother and Michael. "Run! Live! Do not let this be our end!"

Clarice's face flickers with hesitation, but she has no choice. She turns on her heel and goes. Brucker is the last of them I see, but his face holds no gratitude or pity.

"Goodbye, Domare," he says.

My nosfa, my family, they disappear into the night with a scant few brave humans and Nexians in tow.

Michael and Mother ignore their retreat, more concerned with me and each other.

"Why did you do that!" Mother shrieks at Michael. His grip on my shoulders tightens, and all I want to do is shrug him off. If I wasn't hurting so bad, I'd probably tear a hole in him.

"This won't kill him. He'll heal, " Michael says, for once sounding shaken. "I had to stop him from leaving."

"This could put us back weeks!"

"It won't take that long to heal."

"We can't escape without his help!"

Even now, a jet engine roars in the distance, growing closer.

"You've killed us," spits Mother--no, not Mother, glaring daggers at Michael. "You stupid, useless whore!"

Michael snarls. "Don't call me useless! You can't keep Lewis sane without my blood!"

Lewis again?

I stare up at the sky, my stomach a pit of agony.

An unfamiliar presence slides alongside my thoughts, friendly and apologetic.

Ah.

I close my eyes.

Hello, he says.

He's been there all along.

I'm so sorry about all this.

The last thing I feel is an unfamiliar mouth on mine, and then I am gone.