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I put my fist in my mouth and bite down to stop my own scream.
This pain is better than what might happen. I force myself to walk away, taking the long route home. I stumble in and collapse on a chair. It’s like I’m in shock, my whole body trembles, and I feel strange, my head light and heavy at the same time.
“She’s gone.” I whisper the words. They don’t feel real.
Gold inhales shakily and droops. Acton stands up and walks out of the room. Taylor stares at me and nods. His expression could be called serene, but I see the stress lines around the corners of his eyes.
“It’s for the best.”
Barren looks from him to me. Oh, the wounded agony in his eyes. I want to ease him, but I can’t, so I watch as he flees the room. I stand to go after him, but Taylor waves me back. “Let him have a moment.”
“The bond should be easier for him with distance?” I ask softly.
“I don’t know,” Taylor says sadly. “I hope so. But probably not.”
I’ve searched everywhere, and now I’m getting worried. “Where is he?”
Acton frowns. “Who?”
“Barren. I can’t find him.” Panic makes me snarly. It makes me violent. I want to shake Acton until his teeth rattle.
Acton wrenches himself out of his seat, turning white. “Nest?”
“Not there. Not in Scarlet’s room. He’s not in the garden. I can’t find him.” I howl the words and grip my hair, pulling hard.
Gold comes in and stares at us. “What’s wrong?”
Acton swears, tilts his head back and roars Taylor’s name. Gold races out of the room, disappearing without a word. I don’t know where he’s going, but I trust him.
In seconds, we’ve mapped out the house. I find his phone on the third floor with a note.
I have to see her. Just one last time. I need to say goodbye.
I don’t realise I’m crying until I almost trip on the stairs. My hands shake as I thrust the letter into Taylor’s hands.
A moment later, I know it’s too late because the wall between our bonds has dropped, and Barren is screaming. I hear Taylor and Acton shouting, stumbling and falling to the floor. I skid to a stop and stare at them as they go down.
Taylor’s flat on his stomach, his hand stretched out towards me. Acton is still on his knees, but his eyes are rolling.
I pull my phone out and call the first person in the phone book.
“Hello? I didn’t think you’d call me so fast after the dressing down-“
“Annie!” I shout over her. “I need you to drive to the manor, Taylor and Acton have been drugged, and Barren is missing. Please. Can you go up there and check on them.” I pant as I race through the garden and launch into the bush.
“Im on my way!” Annie says.
The phone cuts out.
“Not again,” I whisper. I remember how Merry took us out last time. Drugs. She drugged us. I can’t do anything for them. Hoping I’m making the right decision, I take off running, pumping my legs as fast as I can run. Taking the shortcut to Scarlet’s Grandmother’s house.
I think I catch a flash of crimson far ahead of me, entering Scarlet’s cabin, but I’m running too fast to stop or slow down.
“I’m coming, Barren. I’m coming.” I chant.
I burst into the cabin and come to an abrupt stop. The perfect, blonde omega is standing over Gold’s unmoving form, her face pinched in anger, and an insane light in her eyes. She looks exactly like I remember. A beautiful flower dripping in poison, repulsive and vile. Barren is on the floor, frozen, as he tries to take in the danger. The side of his face is bloody, sending white, hot fear blazing through me. Art stands beside him, levelling a gun at me. He’s a big man, rivaling Acton in size, but he’s got thick scars from acne on his cheeks, and his eyes seem dead. He’s also letting out a distinct smell of decay. Something really bad has happened to him since we last saw him.
Scarlet’s cabin is in tatters, the curtains shredded. The table is broken and laying on its side. Only one chair remains. It’s an empty, desolate sight, and I’m glad Scarlet isn’t here to see it.
