Page 84 of Incoronate
“You can’t be serious,” she snapped, staring at me as though I’d just announced the apocalypse was coming via alien invasion and disco balls.
“All I’m saying is, the fewer innocent bystanders we have caught in the crossfire, the better.” I paused, my gaze dropping pointedly to her stomach. “And that means you too.”
Tessa’s expression hardened on a dime. “Excuse me? I’m a Slayer, not an innocent bystander.”
“A pregnant Slayer,” I corrected, trying to keep my voice gentle even as I braced for the fight I knew was coming.
“So what?” She crossed her arms over her chest, her jaw set in that stubborn line I knew too well. “You think I’m just going to waddle off into the sunset while you stay here and get yourself killed?”
“You’re in no condition to fight,” I said carefully, ignoring the last part of her statement. “You shouldn’t be anywhere near this town. And neither should Ares.” I looked down at the bassinet where Ares slept, peaceful and unaware of the war being waged in his name. “We need a safe house. Somewherefar away from Hollow Hills. Somewhere they would never think to look.”
“I’m going to have to agree with Jemma on this,” said Gabriel, his expression softening as it landed on my sister. “It isn’t safe for you here in your condition.”
“It’s not safe for anyone here!” she shot back, a note of desperation she couldn’t quite hide bleeding into her voice. “If I have to get out of Dodge, then we all go. Together. Let them have this fucking town.”
“We will,” I said quickly, trying to ease the rising panic in her voice before it could get the best of her. “Eventually. But I need to square things with William first.” My jaw tightened at the memory of the Senior Magister, standing over me in that ritual chamber while I begged him for the mercy he refused to show me. “He needs to pay for what he did. For what they all did.”
Tessa’s eyes searched mine, and I could practically see her working through it. The realization that this wasn’t just about survival anymore. This was personal.
“So this is about getting even,” she said evenly.
“It’s about making sure they can’t do this to anyone else,” I corrected, though we both knew it was more than that. It was about my father. About Ares. About every choice they’d stolen from me since the day they orchestrated my return to Hollow Hills. “William sanctioned Dad’s murder. He forced me into that ritual. He tried to make me kill an innocent baby, and he’s not going to stop until we’re both dead.” My voice hardened as the truth of it sank deeper into my bones. “He doesn’t get to walk away from that. None of them do. And I won’t live in fear of them. Not anymore.”
“You can’t honestly expect me to just leave you here to fight them alone. I’ve been protecting you your entire life,Jemma.” Her voice cracked slightly. “I’m not about to stop now just because you’ve decided to go all lone wolf on me.”
“I’m not asking you to stop protecting me,” I said, my chest tightening. “I’m asking you to protect Ares. And your baby.”
She drew back as though I’d struck her.
“You’re the only one I trust to keep him safe.” My throat thickened, but I quickly swallowed against it before it could give me away. “If something happens to me, if they manage to take me down, I need to know you and Ares will be safe. And I can’t know where you’re being taken. Only that it’s far enough away from here that you’re not going to become collateral damage or leverage they can use against me.”
Gabriel shifted forward slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable as Tessa’s gaze bounced between us.
“You’re actually serious about this.”
It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway. “If you’re here, if you’re in danger, I won’t be able to focus on what needs to be done. I’ll be too busy trying to keep you alive.”
Tessa’s fingers curled against the edge of the table, her knuckles going bone white. Her eyes were glassy with tears she had no intention of letting fall. “That’s not fucking fair.”
“I know.” My voice came out thinner than I wanted it to. “But you know it’s the truth.”
She turned to Gabriel, desperation bleeding into the line of her mouth. “You can’t be okay with this. With her doing this on her own. It’s too dangerous, Gabriel. Tell her.”
But Gabriel just looked at her with those careful, sorrowful eyes that had seen too much loss already. “I think she’s right, Tessa. You’re too vulnerable right now. Your presence will only complicate the situation. Especially if the Order discovers you’re pregnant.”
“They’ll use it against me, Tess, and you know it’s true.”
Tessa swiped at her face before a tear could fully form, the gesture sharp and angry. “So what, I’m just supposed to run away? Hide while my little sister goes to war?”
“You’re supposed to survive,” I said, needing her to understand. “You and your baby and Ares.”
Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw my sister the way she used to be. Before Hollow Hills. Before the Order. Before everything had fallen apart. Back when the hardest decision we had to make was which movie to watch on Friday nights. “I fucking hate this,” she said, her voice cracking around the edges. “It’s not supposed to be like this.”
“I know.” And I did, but it didn’t change anything.
Jaqueline cleared her throat gently from across the table, breaking through the moment. “Of course, none of this is going to matter unless we can actually bring the Barrier down.”
I turned to look at her, grateful for the shift in focus even as the conversation with Tessa still ached behind my ribs.
