Cardinal Tower (Trinity Central Book #1)

Chapter 37

"I'll tell you about it later, but for now we need to find shelter. Cardinal's going down within the hour. What's the plan?" The ground shakes in another round of explosives, and we turn to see the second highest floor of the tower cave in, an amber fire shining through the gray clouds already filling the sky.

He guides me down the screaming crowds of frightened civilians with a hand on the small of my back, and his guards separating a clear path for our group to ease our way back to the burning building. "We need to head back to Cardinal. There's a transport vehicle there ready to take us to an isolated Stafford facility. There should be medical supplies packed on the truck, but it's scheduled to leave in about ten minutes so we need to hurry."

I stop for a quick second at the mention of the word "Stafford" before continuing with the same urgency I had seconds prior.

"Kai," I say, still running, "What do you know about Carpa Malum?" I find myself hoping that whatever my father said about Trinity, or rather his accusations toward Kai, are false.

"Other than the fact that it caused all of this, I have no idea."

"Do you know why it was detonated? Or who created it?" I pray that his answer is the same, the thought of my father being right about Cardinal being too much for me.

"I know as much as you do, Cas. I promise." There's a sincerity in his voice, like he genuinely knows only as much as I do, so, for the time being, I choose to believe him. It's easier given the circumstances, and also given the person. It seems I'm easier to trust Kai rather than the psychopath that raised me. "Why do you ask?"

"My father said something about it earlier, and I just wanted to see what he meant by it." His hand on my back tenses at the mention of my father, the thought clearly disturbing him as much as it disturbed me.

"You spoke with Paxton?" he asks, sympathy in his voice, "I'm so sorry. I should have gotten here sooner."

A third explosion rattles the pebbles on the ground loose, forcing me to lose my footing for a second before being steadied by Kai. We look up to find half of the building engulfed in flames, and the entire first two floors gone. Any sign of their existence has been burned to ash. Kai overestimated our time before Cardinal falls. My internal clock keeps ticking. Four minutes left.

"Clearly you had a good reason," I say, staring at the dark smoke rising into the sky. "Is everyone else evacuated?"

"I hope so, it's Armageddon up there." The sky erupts into a cacophony of explosions and cries of fleeting hope. I haven't seen Trinity in such an apocalyptic state since Carpa Malum was first dropped. Translation: the end of the world.

I knew he wasn't the best of men, but how could he lie about something as grave as what that explosion was? How could my father cause another catastrophe to a society in an already catastrophic state?

The flames continue to pour out of the shattered windows, the once glistening tower now shining from a different light than the sun. We reach the foot of the building where an array of Karmas have captured government officials, ushering them through the crowd with guns pointed to their heads. I manage to overhear a conversation they seem to be having with one nearby, and it went along the lines of "Where's Malachi Blaire." Three minutes left.

Jacoby's heading a group of rampant anarchists running about the entrance of the building, our eyes connecting for the briefest of time. I look away, my heart sinking in not terror, but rather in concern. I can't fight in the state I'm currently in, so all I can do is pray he doesn't realize who it was he just saw.

The children and I cover our mouths to protect from the pouring smoke and raining ashes as we follow Kai and his guards around the front entrance. Jacoby's voice, barking orders, grows more and more distant. He's spouting nonsensical rebellion flattery, noting to the public that an attack of this caliber was imminent, and that this is what they deserve for entrusting their lives to such a cowardly government.