Birthright (Residue Series #2) (45 page)

His voice raced, telling me he was either anxious about being held captive or
about
the Vires
’
return. It was probably both.

“They brought in everyone. The entire city. Then they threatened we would each be punished
,
unless someone confessed to killing their associates. Neither of our families has said anything yet.”

Right then,
I realized that the Vires had little interest at all in finding their asso
ciates’ murderers. They never had
.
Everything they
had
done to date was with a single goal in mind
, using
their associates
’
deaths to get to us. The attack on the French Quarter shops, the belief that the tools found in the swamp were the Caldwells, the imprisoning of innocents had all been orchestrated to
catch
us.

Then a
familiar voice spoke from behind us
,
one that made my skin crawl.

“Welcome,” said Sartorius. “We were wondering when you would arrive.”

Sartorius’s greeting told me that he wasn’t alone
,
and far worse, he knew to expect us. Before turning around, I predicted an entire squad had been assembled
,
but I was wrong. It was an army.

They were all present, too. Theleo. Turcott. Behind them were over a hundred Vires, each wearing
an
olive-green
moldavite
stone on the lapel of their black uniform
s
.

Miss Mabelle and Miss Celia were being held by four of them
,
off to the side, their faces stiff and
as
emotionless as concrete.

Sartorius stood in front, dressed in a
different
business suit – this one
a
grey pinstripe. It looked like he
wore
only his best
,
because he
donned two
moldavite
stones for th
is
occasion – one on each cufflink.

“Sartorius, all of this for us?” asked Jameson with a sweep of his hand across the forces standing in front of us, his expression and manner buoyant.

Sartorius smiled casually. “You really shouldn’t take credit for anything, Jameson.” The unspoken insinuation was that he simply wasn’t good enough, which caused my anger to
swell.

“He’s a better man than you’ll ever be,” I seethed
, my lips sneering
. “And the truth is, Sartorius, you know it. That’s why you’re after us.”

His retort was a mocking laugh and a frighteningly accurate statement. “We are after you because you have killed two Vires.”

He waited for a response
,
and after my silence confirmed his assumption
,
he smiled knowingly.

“That sort of crime does not go unpunished.”

I realized the encampment had fallen silent. They were
all
listening to us.

“I would have believed you if you had detained us yesterday for that reason. Instead, you merely attempted to kill us.”

While I knew I was provoking him, I wanted to send a message to the prisoners
,
enlightening them that we had survived an attack by a Seven and lived to tell about it. And if we could do it, so could they. This was precisely what The Sevens feared
,
so it was no surprise to me that Sartorius didn’t react.
He was busy
calculating his next move.

Nonchalantly, Jameson took my hand in an expression of protectiveness as we waited for Sartorius.

Behind
Sartorius, I saw Turcott’s eyes narrow and Mrs. Gaul shift to a readied stance. Theleo, however, remained stationary, his expression indicating nothing but attentiveness.

When Sartorius spoke next it was below
his
breath and so quiet I could barely hear him, but this did not conceal the hatred in his tone.

“You believe you will triumph. You think by converting these people’s beliefs they will join you and turn against us. But you fail to take
into
account one factor,” he continued, his voice softening to a faint whisper
,
as if he
was
telling a scary story to a child. “By the time the sun rises and a new day begins, none of them will be alive any longer.”

I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that we had defeated him before and we
would
do it again. But from my peripheral vision, the sea of black and olive green kept me silent. It wasn’t the feeble wooden structures keeping everyone imprisoned. T
he Vires
were the actual wall containing us
, and
they seemed insurmountable.

As if Sartorius could see me processing this, he straightened with a gleam in his eyes.

This was it. The Sevens were about to have their greatest desire fulfilled. Our family and friends,
after being
used as bait to
lure
us here, would suffer the same fate as us. They were liabilities to The Sevens now. They couldn’t witness our deaths and live to tell others. It would cause upheaval throughout the provinces – the very thing The Sevens worked
so hard
to avoid. No, they would die with us.

My heart began
to pound harder in my chest and my muscles stiffen
ed,
because, while I didn’t care so much about myself, I was terrified at being unable to protect Jameson
…
or our families…
or
everyone.

Truthfully,
my death – and mine alone – would be the best resolution. The Sevens would
finally
have their peace of mind
, knowing
their future had been permanently altered for the better
, and
Jameson’s life would be preserved
,
because I wouldn’t be around to end it.

“No,” Jameson’s voice shouted through my head, having read my thoughts. But it was too late. I was already pulling my hand from him and stepping forward.

“Take me, Sartorius. You only need one of us. Take me
,
and let everyone else go.”

“No, Jocelyn.” Jameson
stepped
in front of
me
,
attempting to take my place. “That’s not going to happen.”

“You really don’t have a say in it, Jameson,” I snapped back
,
on the verge of tears.

“Yes, I do. I’m not letting you do it.”

“This is my decision,” I declared. “Not yours.”

“I’m not going to stand back and allow you to kill yourself.”

“You can’t stop me.”

He laughed
mischievously.
“Oh, yes, I can.” He turned to Sartorius and commanded, “My life is just as valuable. Take mine.”

“No, Jameson! No!”

He ignored me
, keeping
his eyes on Sartorius
,
awaiting a response.

While Sartorius remained stoic, Turcott
smirked.
He knew what the next words would be from Jameson’s lips. While they would crush me, they would elate him. This would be his most glorious moment, one he would relish long after this altercation ended.

“How quaint,” Sartorius muttered
,
snidely. “Lovers offering themselves up as a sacrifice to save each other. Altruism, however, is a worthless undertaking.”

I wasn’t quite sure what that meant other than he would never give his life for another. This didn’t surprise me. In fact, I expected it. None of that mattered
,
so long as he chose to take my life instead of Jameson’s.

Moving another step forward, I held out my wrists insisting he handcuff me.

Sartorius stared momentarily at my outstretched hands, seeming to
debate
internally. I figured it was a
clear-cut
decision on his part. He would be the one to
end
the life of The Relicuum.
The ministry,
his
associate
s
, The Sevens, would rejoice in his favor once Turcott proved
I was The Relicuum.
But something else was on his mind, which became clear when he addressed Jameson.

“And why is it you consider yourself as valuable as Jocelyn?”

The obvious answer from Jameson should have been because The Sevens know that together Jameson and I are a danger to them. Remove one from the equation and the outcome changes. That was the strategy I was employing, encouraging Sartorius to take my life so the equation would change. But Jameson upped the ante, making the deal just as sweet for Sartorius by giving away his true identity.

“Because, Sartorius, I am The Nobilis.”

Gasps from behind us told me the rest of the prisoners heard this confession, too.

And t
he truth was finally out.

Turcott was euphoric. He looked like someone vindicated after being repeatedly told they were wrong. Sartorius, however, hadn’t shown any reaction other than the knowing smirk which
remained
planted on his lips.
He
leaned forward
, delivering
a blow that
struck
my mind and my gut
, equally
.

Lowering his voice to a hideous whisper, he replied, “I know.”

Jameson’s eyebrows dipped briefly in shock and rose again. It didn’t change his intent.

“You have The Nobilis. You will be praised for your success. Do what you want with me. If you let Jocelyn and the rest go, I won’t fight you.” To drive his point home, he repeated, “Unlike Jocelyn, I won’t fight you.”

Sartorius
gave us an amused look
before responding.
“The two of you act as if you have any say in the matter. Whatever gave you that impression?” He mocked us with a
snide
laugh
.
To a Vire
standing
behind him, apparently next in command, he said, “Apprehend the boy.”

“No!” I said, rushing forward to block Jameson. Others behind us, who still suffered from the curse
, leaving
them mute, collectively opposed the decision with agonizing moans. In the back of my mind, I knew they came from his family and mine.

As the Vire crossed the ground toward us, I straightened my back and lifted my chin.

“Jocelyn,”
said
Jameson
, his voice softly calling out to me through channeling. It shook me
,
because I was so focused on the Vire. I hadn’t even noticed he had taken
hold of
my arm until he spoke. “Let me go…” he urged
,
tenderly.

My head snapped around when hearing that request. “No,” I said,
so insulted I voiced my response out loud.

Sartorius
didn’t appear to notice. He was too busy roaring his
next statement
.
“You,” he barked
,
while addressing another Vire, “take the girl.”

I
was
looking into Jameson’s translucent green eyes when Sartorius’s command reached him
,
and I watched as they widened with rage.

“No!” Jameson bellowed, the force of his resistance shaking me.

Suddenly, Jameson’s body heaved against the Vire holding him, jarring him from the man’s grip.
He
was at my side
,
and his fist was connecting with the jaw of the Vire who had been commanded to take me
into
custody.
There
were ten of them on Jameson
,
so fast it looked like
he was swallowed by black uniforms.

“Jameson!” I screamed, terror ripping through me. “Jameson!”

I clawed at the crowd
then
, taking skin from a Vire’s face and a
moldavite
stone from a Vire’s lapel
, before
hands came around my arms, pulling me away.

“No! Jameson! Jameson!”

They were separating us
, just what they
always wanted;
but now,
I
wasn’t so confident that
we’d survive the ordeal.