Rise [Bruno Mars]

Chapter forty-six

Chapter forty-six

Beside me, Bruno froze.

I sensed his confusion. His gift had done us wrong. All wrong.

"I—" Bruno began. He turned around, scanning the advisors, forehead wrinkled. "Adrian—"

"Betrayal," Joseph said softly, drawing back Bruno's attention. "Is that what you feel? From our time of travel, I have studied you. Danger is what sounds your alarm, and I have no intention of harming either of you."

Despite his words, Bruno shifted his body in front of mine, I think, unconsciously. He still appeared bewildered, like he didn't know up or down.

Joseph narrowed his eyes. It was difficult to process the truth of him. For weeks now, he had been my dream thing, something to cleanse away each morning. But particles of him forever remained on my skin, no matter how hard I scrubbed, or deep I tried to bury them. Because even when I stopped waiting for him, I waited for him. My dearest hallucination.

Him becoming this real thing was the least of my expectations. Especially this real thing sitting on the Dev's throne, observing with interest the tiny distance separating Bruno and me. I struggled to piece together the surrounding truth and reality. The throne room was angular in structure, coated in grayish stone and bordered in dark silver. Three slender, pointed windows stood high above Joseph, letting the gloomy light of winter flow in.

Bruno took my arm, his grip tight enough to stop the blood flow to my fingers. "All this?"

"A year ago, one might have said Aegrimonia had perished in a fire. And a year ago, I would have agreed. Until now," Joseph said. "As one of the Incurses' predecessors, it is my duty to make sure its heart beats on."

"Last time I checked you weren't their predecessor," Bruno responded darkly.

Joseph's fingers tightened on the arms of the throne, the rest of his body composed. "Release her."

Bruno exhaled a dry laugh. He turned to look at me, his eyes flicking over my face. What he saw made concern creep into his eyes, and rage. I mirrored his emotions.

The fantasies of the cure lie dead at my feet.

"You are correct, Adrian. There is no cure."

My body went cold. Hearing those words spoken made me want to scream, to yank my hair out, to crawl into a corner and die. Instead, I warmed with relief, the ice in my veins melting into a hopeful refusal to believe. "You expect me to believe you? After the lies you fed me. After this"—I looked behind me at the line of advisors with their heads bowed—"trick?"

"I've made you a promise. My team of scientists are researching night and day. I will find the cure for you."

"They're not yours." I was suddenly grateful for Bruno's hold on my arm. Without it, surely I would have hurled myself at Joseph and possibly risked all our chances of survival. "They're the Dev's."

"The Dev's," replied Joseph, "are no longer in service."

The breath knocked out of me. "You killed them?"

Joseph lowered his gaze. His fingernail dragged across the armrest. "I am not the monster you think I am, Adrian."

"Prove it to me. Where are they?"