𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 || 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

Eleven

❥ "𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐒𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄."

I should have expected this.

He was too calm last night, too collected. Usually, he would be pacing to find a solution. But he tricked me, tricked me into thinking he was fine.

So that I wouldn't see his next move.

"What do you mean he's gone?" I knew what Avery meant, but a part of me just wanted to think it was delusion. "Explain this to me."

Avery was pacing. "This morning, early, Alisa showed up to the front steps of Hawthorne House. She was bleeding, bad, but Vincent Blake let her go."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Yeah, but why would he—" I stopped, my mind working through all the pieces of  information I had just discovered.

Then it hit me.

Grayson once told me, not too long ago, that he would do anything for the people he loved. Back then, we were mere strangers with far off memories. But now? He was home. I was one of the people he considered family.

"Grayson traded himself for Alisa," I said, confirming what Avery was already going to tell me.

She nodded. "He feels guilty. He thinks he's failed all of us." Avery met my gaze, and I had never seen so much worry on her face before. "We have to go after him."

"I know." I said. "I know, but we have to strategize."

Avery laughed. "There's no time to strategize! Vincent has Grayson! Eve has Grayson. They might kill him." I shuddered at the thought of a helpless Grayson Hawthorne. Bloody.

I pushed away the thought. "Listen, remember what Tobias said in the recording? We're young, female, we have to use that to our advantage."

Avery sighed, contemplating my words. She knew deep down I was right. She had to. "Okay, yes, I know. But what are we supposed to do?"

This was it. The plan was falling in place.

I just hope I could go through with the part Avery didn't know about. One part that she would never forgive me for.
—
❥

"This is fucking crazy," Jameson said, opening the car door for me and Avery. "You know that, right?"

Avery shrugged. "We have to do this." She kissed Jamesons cheek. "And, it's for your brother."

"I get it, but this is dangerous. We have no idea what this fuckers agenda is." Jameson looked past Avery and to me. "Be safe?"

I titled, a small smirk forming on my face. "No promises." Avery smacked my arm. "OW! Okay, yes, we'll be safe."

Jameson smiled and gave Avery a long, hard kiss. I looked away, feeling uncomfortable in every way possible. A part of me ached for that— the longing feeling of knowing you had someone to come home to.

Maybe if this all worked out, I would have someone to come back to too.

"Now, we need to over some things," Avery said once the car left Hawthorne House.

I shifted in my seat while nodding. "Soo..."

"Okay, so—" And as Avery reiterated the plan, a twinge of guilt twisted in my gut, knowing I would be doing something she didn't expect.

Something that wasn't in the plan.
—
❥

"I'm so glad you could make it," a voice called as soon as I stepped out of the car. I turned around to see a girl with red hair and piercing green eyes staring at Avery and I.

Eve.

"What are you doing here?" I seethed.

Eve smirked. "I live here—now—obviously." She turned on her heel and began walking toward the back of the house. Turning her head, she said, "You coming?"

I glanced at Avery, who sighed before saying, "Yeah, we're coming."

She tugged on my arm and dragged me forward, much to my dismay.

Eve led us through the garden, and eventually we were stood in front of a staircase which led to a small table on the patio. Vincent Blake's house was huge— no doubt— but it didn't compare to Hawthorne House.

I smirked at the thought.

"They're here," Eve said, but not to us.

To Vincent Blake.

"Thank you, Eve." Vincent came into view, eyeing me and Avery carefully. Something in his face was knowing— a small smirk forming on his lips.

"I'm so glad you two decided to show up." He looked between me and Avery. "I must say, this feels very monumental."

Avery glared at him. "Where is Grayson?"

Vincent smiled, a crooked and evil smile. "Ah, now we're talking. Who would've thought I'd acquire this many members of Hawthorne House at my house today?"

He was playing a game, a tedious and tricky game, and now I had to figure out how to beat him at it.

Vincent gestured to the seats in front of him. "Come now, sit, please."

Avery and I sat opposite each other, and I could tell she was wary of this. I was too, but expressing that now would get us nowhere.

"Where is Toby?" Avery asked.

Vincent sighed. "If only I knew." If that was a joke, nobody thought it was funny. "Oh, that's right, I had Eve kidnap him and throw him in my basement. Poor thing." He winked at Eve.

"Give them back," I said.

"No, girl. Don't you know everything comes with a price?" He titled his head at me.

You're young, you're female.

Tobias had warned us of this.

"What kind of price?" Avery beat me to the question.

Vincent had gotten us right where he wanted. In his backyard, playing his game, and there was no going back now.

"A game," he said. Vincent turned to face Eve. "Darling, would you fetch the others?"

Eve nodded and hurried away.

Something wasn't clicking up. "What do you mean by 'the others'?"

Vincent smirked. "I think it's been a long time coming, Evangeline."

And within the next minute, my whole world would be forever changed. Because the man stood in front of me was one who I had been looking for what felt like forever.

The myth.

"Grant, i'm so glad you could join us." Vincent said.
—
❥

a/n:

RAHHHHH who's excited? only four chapters left.. (I think?) 🫶🏻