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He’s out cold, his jaw slack, his skin pale. “You didn’t have to hit him.” Gently, I tap the boy’s face, trying to rouse him, but he doesn’t stir.
Fingers latch around my bicep in a crushing grip as Cade hauls me to my feet and begins to drag me toward the door. I stumble, tripping as I try to keep up.
“Let go of me!” I yell at him, batting his hand away in an attempt to get him to release me.
As much as I don’t want to hurt Cade, I’m not going to allow him to hurt me either. I push my power out of my body, slamming it against him.
The strangled sound he makes as he’s tossed across the garage before slamming into the opposite wall cuts me to the bone, even as I feel the rush of power and adrenaline through my body.
I watch as he crumples onto the floor, groaning in pain.
I’m horrified at what I’ve done, even though my arm aches fiercely from where he gripped me.
“Dove…”
Ayden’s drowsy voice is enough to break me out of my spell. I rush over to him, dropping onto my knees next to him.
The boy’s eyes are glassy and a little dazed, but he doesn’t complain as I help him sit up. This is a disaster. My intention wasn’t for anyone to get hurt, and now both Ayden and Cade are.
Ayden’s gaze flicks to Cade’s downed body. “We need to go.”
As he pushes himself up to stand, I grab his wrist. “Promise me you won’t hurt anyone here.”
The emotion that swirls in his eyes is hard to read, but I desperately need to believe he is on our side and that I haven’t just betrayed my friends and Jackson.
“They bound my magic. I can’t hurt anyone.”
“I don’t mean you. Your organization… Everything you said is true, right?”
He could be lying about everything. Maybe I am a naive, stupid girl, but I need this to be true. I want to fight, to free those caught in the Order's chains.
“It’s all true,” he assures me. “I know you’re taking a risk here, Dove, but everything we’re doing is for the greater good of our kind.”
“If you’re lying… I swear I will level your entire organization with my power.”
He gives me a lift of his lips. “Save that anger for the Order.”
I help him to his feet, steadying him as he wobbles, closing his eyes. “Damn, he packs a punch.”
“I’m sorry he hit you. Can you walk?”
“Yeah.”
I grip his arm, guiding him toward the door. We barely take two steps before Cade is on us. I drop him again, hitting him with a wave of power that forces him to his knees. “I don’t want to keep fighting you!” I yell at him.
“I’m not going to let you do this,” he groans, trying to stand.
Using my power is going to attract the attention of the other females in the Sanctuary, so I don’t reply, shoving Ayden to move again instead.
As we reach the door, he peers around the edge of the frame, trying to see if anyone’s out there. “It’s clear.”
Without warning, he grabs me around the neck, pulling me against him so my back is pressed to his chest.
I let out a squeak of surprise. “What are you doing?” I grab at his forearm even as I hold my power ready.
Hurting Cade is one thing; hurting a child…
“I’m not going to do anything to you; I give you my word, but it’s a long way between here and safety. I can’t risk running into anyone when I don’t have the ability to protect myself. If they think I’ve forced you into freeing me, we’re more likely to get out of here in one piece. Please don’t attack me.” He adds the last line with a hint of humor in his voice.
