𝙄'𝙈 𝘼 𝙎𝙐𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙑𝙊𝙍³ ➣ 𝐵. 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑘𝑒✔

19 | Attempted Assassination

I hid with Gaia and Echo as Ryker revealed the truth about the Primes to Delilah's parents and another man. Sanctum is on lockdown and our friends have been locked up and we're hiding on the second floor of Ryker's shop. This is the first time I've actually met Ryker.

I've also learned that Madi killed a woman named Miranda, who was also a Prime, which ended up in everyone going to the palace. Madi then went to stab Priya, but Jordan stopped the girl and got stabbed instead. After that incident, our people were locked up.

"Okay. The ship is back, the fuse is lit," Gaia spoke quietly. "Now how do we get our people out?"

I shook my head. "Relax. Revolutions take time."

Gaia scoffed. "I don't care about their revolution. We need to get our commander out of here."

"She banished you," Echo butted in, causing the two of us to look at her. "Still, she's all you care about. Let's hope the null guards are more easily swayed."

I looked at Gaia as she furrowed her eyebrows at Echo. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning if they don't rise up and overthrow their false Gods once they learn the truth, we're gonna need a plan B."

Just then, there was a knock on the door and I took a step back into the shadows, grabbing my knife as Echo readied her bow. Ryker answered the door before coming back and instructing the three people with him to go back to their quarters.

"Once enough people know the truth, we can change things, peacefully," the man concluded. The three people walked out of the shop as Gaia, Echo, and I walked down the stairs.

"Peacefully, huh?" I asked, causing the man to let out a sigh. "Keep telling yourself that, Ryker."

I watched as the man walked away from the door, rubbing his face with his hand.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Gaia asked curiously.

"They're executing one of your people tonight for killing Miranda." My face fell as I exchanged looks with Echo and Gaia.

"Madi?"

Ryker shook his head. "No. Won't be her. She's a host. If I know Simone, she'll let them choose who dies themselves."

"How do we stop it?"

Echo shook her head. "We don't. I'll need you to add a scope to my bow and get me to a window with a view of the execution."

"Plan B," Gaia muttered as Ryker shook his head, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Whoa, slow down. You're not assassinating anyone. I agreed to hide you, I agreed to tell people the truth."

I gave the man a look. "You did that because I threatened to expose you as the traitor who let the demon Gabriel go free, which is exactly why you'll do this."

I grabbed Echo's bow from her and held it out to the man in front of me. He was definitely reluctant but took the bow anyway. He turned and walked to his workbench.

"Ryker, admit it," Echo said, causing the man to look at her. "It feels good to be on the right side."

The man rolled his eyes as he continued working on Echo's bow. My eyes darted to the two girls as they turned away, talking in hushed voices.

"If you miss, one of our people dies," Gaia stated, her arms crossed over her chest.

I stood beside Echo. "That's why she's not going to miss. Right, Echo?"

The woman nodded. Gaia pursed her lips before speaking. "So who will they choose?"

"Well, that's easy. Murphy."

°°°

I tapped my foot anxiously as Echo and I waited. Gaia had been caught purposefully to tell our friends of our plan and I stayed behind with Echo. While we were on the ring, Echo had taught me a thing or two about bows and how to use them. So, if she does miss, I'll be backing her up.

"Will you please stop tapping your foot?" I heard Ryker grumble in annoyance. I shot him a look as my foot stopped.

"I'm sorry if me being anxious is distracting to you," I shot, resting my elbows on my legs. "If you didn't know, one of my friends is going to be executed in a few short hours."

The man said nothing as he grabbed his jacket and left the machine shop, leaving Echo and me alone.

°°°

"I came to this world with a dream," Russell announced into the microphone. "From that dream, we created Sanctum and gave life to every single one of you. Simone and I have loved you as we loved your parents and their parents before them. You are our children, and for 200 years, we taught you not to fight, we taught you to forgive--"

As Russell went in with his speech, Echo opened the window from our perch and aimed her bow. We plan to kill Russell to save our friends. Apparently, the man had changed his plans because instead of burning one of our friends at the stake, he was burning all but Madi.

I stood behind Echo, watching. Ryker came up beside me.

"Why didn't you tell us it would be all of them?" Echo asked, her bow still trained on Russell.

"I didn't know."

"Josephine is missing, taken by them through the shield and they must now be presumed to be dead. I pray to you all that is holy that she will someday return."

"Damn it. Stop moving," Echo muttered angrily. After a minute or so, I heard Echo whisper. "Got him."

"I'm sorry," I heard Ryker say behind me before I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head and everything suddenly went dark.

°°°

Sorry, this one is so short and kinda boring, you guys. I felt like this one was kinda boring, but okay besides that.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one.

Buh-bye.