Xander

 

I don't want to believe her. She is so stubborn, and like me, does what she thinks she must to protect everyone around her. You'd have thought we would have learnt by now that we are stronger together than when we are apart.

I spent the entire journey back to House Bane trying to figure it out, but I can't tell if she meant it. I’m certain she was put up to it. It didn’t sound like my Addie – and yet, she’s right, she’s changed. My death changed her.

But, regardless of what she says, it doesn't matter, because like I told her, there is no way we've gone through all we have, not to come out of it together. It’s our destiny. I need to speak to my Kaden as I know he will know how best to get her out of this mess.

"Xander."

I turn and see Dimitri, Michael and Celeste gathered in the main room of the house. "How is she?" They ask in garbled unison.

I clench my fists and shake away the image of her chained up like some animal, laid bare for all to see.

"It's bad,” I say. “Bad enough that we need to do whatever we can to stop it, and quickly. Like, yesterday," I say.

Kaden steps forward. “We do need to do something, but that’s not our only problem, Xander,” he says with a grim look on his face. “I met with Kellan earlier today. He has reports coming in from the cities. There are whispers of Humans and Vampyrs alike, becoming restless at the quiet from the Palace. There are talks of a rebellion. The numbers of the Fallen, Vampyrs and Human far outweigh those of the Fae these days. The lack of information coming from the Palace is causing issues. The people have grown suspicious. They have not seen Addie or Dante, and there are rumours they have been removed from the royal court. I’m afraid, brother, that your reappearance at the wedding feast has not gone unnoticed, either. They have put two and two together and come out with five. It’s not unknown that the council had issues with Addie being allowed to live, but her tours of the cities and the schools have given her a large backing. The people love her, and they are worried about her.”

“This isn’t all bad news,” I say. “We can use this to help free her.”

“Using the anger of a few people is only going to create the panic of the many. Think like a soldier rather than a lover,” Kaden warns. “We need to be smart. At the minute, it is embers, all it needs is a little tending and it could become an inferno – and as much as that could be a good thing, you know that once lit, we won’t be able to control that fire. It won’t be an army under a general’s command, it will be a mob – and mob’s don’t care for rules of engagement. And often, they don’t even really care what it is they are fighting for.”

“I know you’re right, but god dammit, you didn’t see her. I never want to see her like that, and the fact that I am, yet again, powerless… It cuts me to my very soul.”

“You are not alone in wanting her free,” Dimitri says, placing a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me. “We need to plan about how we reach out to our people further and find out just how true these whispers of rebellion are.”

“If only we’d known this before she ran back to them. Being a martyr isn’t helping anyone.”

“That’s not exactly true, brother. Kellan and Sophie might not have been locked up in the dungeons, but you know as well as I do, Emily is crazy enough to have used them against her and would have thought nothing of injuring them to make a point. She was desperate, and desperate people do foolish things,” Kaden counters.

He’s right, and I know it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I’m being bull-headed and I know it, but I’m frustrated that we’re in this position again. Sometimes, I wonder what her life would have been like if I’d taken her away to a faraway land as a child, rather than keeping her close. Perhaps I had always acted through selfish motivation.

I shake away the thoughts. What ifs aren’t going to help us now.

Footsteps hurry across the courtyard before the door slams open. A few seconds later, a winded Logan appears in the doorway.

“Tomorrow,” he pants, before bending in half.

“What do you mean tomorrow?” I ask, trying to keep any panic from my voice.

“Addie’s trial before the council – it’s tomorrow,” he says before composing himself. “They’re making their decision regarding the oath, at least that’s what they’ve told the people around the town. There is talk of it everywhere.”

“We need to do something,” I say to nobody in particular. I hate that when it comes to Addie, I lose all sense of myself, and I can’t think rationally. I should be the one who’s able to protect her.

“I have an idea,” Kaden says. “It was a back burner, last-resort kinda thing, but I think we’re there.”

“Well?” Dimitri asks him.

“We’re going to need a transporter.”

 

***

We arrive at the Frostheart Palace and rush to find Rose, along with Dante.

“Nice of you boys to join the party,” Rose says, and I look at Kaden and Dimitri, my confusion reflected on their face.

“Sorry, what?” I ask, and she sighs.

“I assume you got one of the many messages we’ve been sending to you over the last weeks?” She says impatiently. “I guess not.”

“What’s going on?” Kaden asks them both.

“Why are you here?” She counters.

“We wanted to enlist your help, yours and your parents, to help Addie.”

“Well at least we’re all on the same page,” she says. “I’ve been working with Dante since Addie fled, rallying support for her among the people of the Mainland, along with Addies friends across the world.”

“The rebellion? That was you?” I ask, looking to Dante.

“I’ve done what I needed to, to help Addie.” He says and I’m floored. Here we were banging our heads against a wall, and he’s been working for weeks on ways to save her.

“So, like I said, it’s nice of you boys to join the party. Are you ready to do what’s necessary to save our girl?” Rose asks and all three of us nod.

“Well, let’s get this show on the road then. We’ve got a lot to do and about twelve hours to get it done!”