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“Alex?” a little voice says, bringing me back to reality.
But as much as I might want to open my eyes and turn toward the voice, it’s like swimming through tar.
“Alex?” It’s more of a whimper this time. The fear within just my name is enough to help drag myself from the clutches of darkness. “I’m scared. Please.”
Familiarity tickles my senses, but the only thought I can grasp is that it’s not Evie. She’s not the one holding my hand and giving me hope that everything is going to be okay between us.
A soft sob hits my ears, and I drag some strength up from the depths and open my eyes.
The sight before me shreds my fucking heart.
“Zayden?” My voice is barely above a whisper, but it doesn’t matter.
His familiar blue eyes fill with tears, and his bottom lip trembles.
My body, which previously felt like lead, suddenly jumps into action as he shatters before me.
Wrapping my arms around his trembling body, I clutch him to my chest and hold tight, just like I would if it were his sister breaking down.
“It’s okay,” I soothe, my own eyes burning red hot as he cries on my chest. “I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise, Zay. I fucking promise.”
His cries continue for long, painful minutes as I rest my cheek on the top of his head, hoping that I can give him even an ounce of comfort that his sisters would if they were here.
I’ve no idea how to handle kids. The only ones I have experience with are Theo’s younger brother and sisters, and they’re already a part of this world. Not that I think for a second that they’d know how to handle whatever fucked-up situation we’re in the middle of. But they’re a little more aware of things.
Zay might have grown up in Lovell, but I also know that his sisters have done everything they can to keep his life as normal and stable as possible, trying to shield him from the worst of what happens in that place.
This kind of thing isn’t a part of his life. He hasn’t already started training like Atlas has. He has no idea what we’re involved in or what our lives are really like. And I really fucking hate that he’s about to find it all out like this.
As he clings to me like a lifeline, I look around the room we’re in. It’s dark and dank. The walls are breeze block, grey, cold and damp. The floor is concrete, and other than the bucket in the corner, the only other piece of furniture is the cot we’re both sitting on. And that’s not exactly what I’d describe as comfortable.
The air around us is bitter, nothing like the warm summer days Evie and I had been enjoying on the deck outside the cabin.
A shiver races down my spine, goosebumps erupting over my skin even with Zay’s body cuddled into mine.
Glancing down, I find that I’m still wearing my school uniform, only my shirt is covered in dark, dried blood and dirt.
It’s the first time since I opened my eyes and saw him that I think about myself.
My face throbs, one of my eyes barely opening enough to see. The rest of me aches just like the morning after a good Circuit fight. Only, I don’t remember throwing any punches. Whatever caused the pain was done after they knocked me out.
That thought makes acid burn up my throat.
I’ve no idea who the cunts are who took me—us—but I know they’re not fucking around.
They were waiting for me.
“Evie,” I breathe. Did they get Evie?
My blood runs ice cold all over again as I fight the need to run to the bucket to throw up.
Zay needs you to be strong for him.
It’s what Evie would have done. It’s what you need to do.
“Is she okay?”
But I also can’t lie to him. He might be little, but he’s not a baby. And if he’s going to survive this—which he is because I’ll make fucking sure of it—then needs the truth. He deserves the truth.
