Page 101 of Remnants: Disruption
Something moves behind the group, and the first one turns to see a woman and her child moving out from the wreckage of the shop. He doesn’t even fucking hesitate before launching the dagger at the woman.
Instead of simply striking her, it fragments and shrapnel hits the child, too. They both fall to the ground unmoving.
The next four men do the same to their captives. Each dying in a brutal, pointless sacrifice.
Then Alice’s captor.
“Oh, please,” I whisper, hoping to any fucking god that exists that this doesn’t end the way I think it will.
She hardly lets out a cry before the dagger tears out her slim throat. The girl falls from his arms, dead before she even hits the ground.
The screen blurs as I unsuccessfully hold back tears. Numb horror floats in my body like an untethered balloon.
“The three of the six in that video are Guild members. One is an NCPD operative—the first and final of the men are directly within Darkrend’s inner circle.”
There’s a hum of voices around me. Except they’re not in horror. They’re curious. They’re even a bit confused.
No, because none of them knew Alice. None of them had lived amongst these people. These were all acolytes of the God Queen. They lived here—with others like them.
The video hasn’t clicked off. Someone’s talking, but I don’t hear them. The screen is frozen on Alice’s limp form falling from the man’s hands. She’s dressed in her usual skinny jeans and polo. Like she’d just gotten to work.
She was innocent. A simple, fucking bystander.
And I failed her. In the end, this goddamned secret war had still claimed her. Like—
Like it’d taken Percy.
Chapter 41
Haunted
November 4th, 1030 A.D., Night
Of the six Tempest council members, only four of them hold a court of their own. Each of their courts answer to the God Queen, but they themselves hold positions of great power within their realm.
Courts, Guide for the Tempest Acolyte, 1020 Edition
Idon’t know how long I stare at the screen. The meeting progresses around me, but I can’t tear my eyes away. The way she looks so terrified. Her lifeless brown eyes wide with fear and anguish.
She was just a kid.
Just a fucking kid.
And there’s no fucking way they chose Arthur’s randomly. No, this has to have been because of me. Because I frequented the place.
I’d lead them right to her.
It’s all my fault.
“Hiraeth.”
I startle and look way from the screen. All eyes are on me. Even Mary’s, though I can’t begin to describe the look on her face.
“Yeah?” I ask stupidly and hear Loki let out a guffaw.
“Do you know why the NCPD is working alongside Darkrend?” the question comes from Bast. At least she sounds sympathetic.
“The fuck should I know?” I say, a little too heatedly. There’s a rumble of disapproval, and I shake my head, giving Bast what I hope is an apologetic look. I take a deep breath and try again.
