Violet Path (31 page)

“Don’t worry for him. He knows what he’s doing, and I’m not letting you leave until you’re healthy. He took your place for a reason. Please, sit down.” Megan gently grabbed my hand. “Please. You know what’s right. Besides, what would he say if I didn’t do my job? You need to trust me. I know you feel betrayed, but you need to be reasonable. Please, Alex.”

I looked away. I knew she was right, but I didn’t want to give in. I wanted to prove her wrong and take matters into my own hands, but I couldn’t. Maxime wouldn’t have it.

Later that evening, after I had showered and taken some painkillers, David and Maxime came to fetch me. Maxime had a cut along his right shoulder. A thin line of blood streamed beneath his sleeve and was starting to seep through. His hair had been messed up and he seemed to favor putting weight on his right leg instead of left.

“Are you all right?” I rushed to him as he entered my room.

“Yeah, fine.” He looked away, lost in regret. I was furious that he had to endure the challenge in my place. It was obvious he hated what he had done and was already trying to forget it. “How’s your arm?”

“You’re bleeding.” I reached out to examine the cut, but he pulled back. “What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter. It was stupid, and Tom is okay. Just forget it.” Maxime took another step but quickly returned his weight to his right leg as his eyes squinted in discomfort. “Are you ready to go back?”

I nodded.

“I’ll take Alex back; you need to wash off and take care of that cut. And by the way, good job.” David took me by the arm and led me out before Maxime could even respond.

“You only cause him more trouble! What’s the matter with you? He took your place and got hurt. I told you to stay away, yet you don’t!” David whispered aggressively as he pulled me down the stairs. “Just try to stay out of trouble the rest of the night, please. Just for a few more hours, that’s all I ask.” His tone became softer and more understanding as we approached the tables.

The announcements were about to start. I sat with my group, and all eyes were on me. I wanted to disappear.

Anton stood in front of everyone and announced Sarah’s engagement to Chris. He also mentioned that he was Andrew’s new right-hand man, and David was the new general for The Shadows. After the announcements, the music resumed, and couples danced elegantly on top of the snow.

A young girl around my age skipped up to me and smiled. “Do you want to dance?” she asked.

I froze. Sam nudged me to get up, and I followed her to the dance floor. She had long, brown hair, chocolate eyes, and wore a short, red dress. Awkwardly, I put my hand on her waist and escorted her around. I couldn’t even make eye contact; it was too weird. I glanced over and saw Maxime smirk.

“I’m Emma,” she said.

“I’m Alex.”

“I know,” she said in a flirty voice.

My muscles tightened. I needed to get out of the situation, but I was trapped. David was laughing at me from the sidelines. Emma kissed my cheek. I looked around frantically, lost. I felt someone tap my shoulder and spun around.

“May I have this dance?” Maxime asked.

I was jealous, but also relieved. I sat back down to drown in my own misery.

“Well, that was interesting,” David said as he sat down. He was tormenting me.

“Please don’t remind me,” I groaned.

“It wasn’t that bad. Be nice to her. After all, she is Anton’s granddaughter. He’s very protective of her. And he, being your teacher, can make your life very miserable.” David patted me on the back.

“You’re joking, right? Emma can’t be . . .” I looked across the field. Anton, although very friendly, was also known for having a short fuse, and irritating him was dangerous, especially because he was my instructor for weaponry classes, particularly swordplay. If he didn’t approve of my treating of Emma, he would surely make me regret it during our next class. Besides, I needed to earn his trust after what he had said about my eyes that morning, not make him dislike me.

“Who would joke about that?” David smiled.

“Since when do you smile?” I teased.

“Someone has to be the bad cop when Andrew always plays the good one. Others fear him for his authority, not who he is. I’m kind of the opposite. Don’t tell anyone that. I have a reputation to keep.” He laughed again, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

The song ended, and Maxime joined us. “Well, you definitely attracted Emma,” he laughed. He didn’t sit down for more than ten seconds before two men from another community asked him to follow them. Maxime rose and walked over to the other leaders.

“Sorry, Alex, but I should probably go as well. They don’t get along very well. Excuse me.” David walked off with the burden of keeping peace for the rest of the night.

From afar, I could see Emma heading toward me, so I quickly took off to my room, avoiding her at all costs. It had been a long day, and all I wanted to do was curl up and think of Maxime. Just as I placed my hand on the doorknob, Maxime appeared around the corner.

“Don’t you have to speak with the other leaders?” I asked. As happy as I was to see him, he’d startled me.

“It’s Christmas. I’m not interested in sitting at a table with so-called allies telling me all of Matthew’s faults. I know what he’s done and do not wish to be reminded of it.”

“Then what do you wish for?”

Maxime took a step closer and kissed me.

“What if someone saw that?” I said with a smile.

“Then rumors will fly around. I don’t care.” He smiled and kissed me again. He wrapped his arms around me as I pressed my lips against his. Somehow we made it to my room without getting caught and let the door fall shut behind us. His embrace was warm, and his sweet lips explored my neck. He delicately undid my armor lacing, and I pulled his shirt over his head to reveal his velvet skin. My heart was pounding as his breath danced on my neck while we undressed. I ran my hands along his back as I lay on my bed. He leaned over to kiss me.

“What happened to being too innocent?” I questioned as his hand found its way around my hip.

“I figured that if I killed all of your demons, your angels would die too.”

He kissed me again, and I fell under his spell, enchanted. I gave him all of myself without hesitation. My skin absorbed his touch as it filled my heart. I breathed deeply while his hand flowed across my back. He possessed me while I stroked his shoulders and attached myself to him. It was as if an eternal flame had been lit as he cradled me. I ran my fingers through his thick curls, and his hand skimmed up my side and rested on my heart. We had crossed the line that defined the world, and we were exploring a new realm with no limits, with only us intertwined and sharing it.

I loved him.

Chapter 29

I slowly opened my eyes. Maxime’s arm was crossed over my chest as if he was protecting me. I could feel him breathing deeply and exhaling down my spine. I wanted to freeze time. I refused to move, inviting his strong embrace. I didn’t know if he was awake or not, but I didn’t care; I just wanted to be by his side. I turned to gaze into his deep, turquoise eyes, and he smiled.

“In love . . .” I said, and his eyes displayed confusion. “Your eyes are black when you’re enraged, green when you’re neutral, and blue when you’re in love.”

He kissed my forehead, then pulled my head to his chest. I listened to his heart beating slowly, while he delicately ran his hands along my skin, entrancing me.

We talked lightly, whispering so that no one would hear us until a pounding fist on my door knocked us back into reality. We quickly jumped up and dressed. We heard the knock again, and I asked, “Who is it?”

“Nick. We need to go hunting.”

I turned to face Maxime, not wanting to open the door. I tasted his lips one more time before he jumped out of the window and ran off. Arguing erupted from behind my door, and before I knew it, David had kicked it down in flaming fury.

“Sir, I think Alex could have opened the door on his own. We are not running late.” Nick was trying to calm David down, who appeared to be scanning the room for his brother.

“Alex understands,” David sneered. He quickly shot a stare that left a dagger embedded in my stomach.

Our small hunting group had to leave early, and I had tears in my eyes as I said goodbye to Ryan. He was going to stay in Maria. His eyes glimmered as he told me he would see me soon. Maxime came by before we left to tell us to leave our horses, bags, and hover-boards, and that the rest of the army would take them back to The Shadows for us. His eyes glittered in the sun. We split into two smaller groups. Nick led Sam, John, Danny, Eric, Mitchel, Tim, and I. We talked for the first couple of miles as we wandered away from civilization. The forest was barren and quiet. We were isolated. John found fresh deer tracks in the snow. With our weapons ready, we crept around, leaving imprints in the snow, as we scanned for the animal, but strangely I felt like we were the prey.

“Nick, something’s wrong,” I said. The deer suddenly dashed off in the distance. John tried to shoot it, but missed, and everyone turned to yell at me. I tried to defend myself, but something caught my attention. Sounds became louder, like they were amplified, and every move, no matter how discrete, caused my head to spin. I turned, confident that something was behind the tree in front of me. I sensed it.

“Quiet down,” I told my group as I loaded an arrow, pointed it at the tree, and advanced, ready to release for the slightest flinch. Everything was silenced, too silent.

“Come out with your hands above your head!” I ordered.

I immediately recognized him. He stepped from behind the tree, and I wanted to release the arrow more than anything, but I was petrified. In front of me stood Zachary, the boy who made my life hell at H.S.H.S.

“Slowly put your weapon down,” he said with an evil grin.

“You’re in no position to give orders.” I tried to maintain my confidence, but my legs were trembling.

“Nor are you,” he laughed.

“Please enlighten me. What’s keeping me from piercing you?” I did my best to threaten him.

“You shoot me, and your friends die painfully.” His voice didn’t change, and his apathy scared me. I glanced behind me—Tamizeh’s soldiers were holding guns against my friends’ heads. Anger raged through me. With shaky hands, I kept my arrow aimed at my opponent.

“Alex, put it down,” Nick hesitated.

I wanted to rewind and start over. We were outnumbered and at gunpoint. Too many voices rang in my head, rattling around uncontrollably.

I spun around and released the arrow before anyone could react, my arrow plunging into Nick’s assailant right between the eyes. If I was going down, I was going to take one down with me. I hated the idea of killing, but when it came to Matthew’s soldiers threatening my friends, I didn’t really need to think twice. I regretted not knowing the man I had shot, and I did feel remorse for his death, mostly because I knew he had been programed to follow orders. But at the same time, it was one less man who could threaten The Shadows, and one less man who could win the war for Matthew. Nonetheless, I felt as if my soul had been cut into tiny pieces, and I promised myself that the next time I’d kill, it’d be to spill Matthew’s blood. No one else deserved to die.

We were still outnumbered, so I threw my weapons into the snow and put my hands up in surrender. Five H.S.H.S. students tackled me. I tried to fight them off, but it was useless. Pinned face down, choking on snow, one of the H.S.H.S. student’s kicked my ribs while I swallowed back a scream.

“Never point any weapon at me!” he yelled into my ears. “Put him out.”

I tried to fight, but there were too many. A heavy palm pressed my head down, while another student jabbed my arm with a needle. I writhed as much as I could until the freezing drug circulated through my veins, and everything turned to black.

“Alex? Are you all right?” Nick was by my side. I nodded as I looked around; high-tech tents surrounded us. “I’m fine, but Danny and Sam can’t take much more. They’re out cold.” Nick turned his head, and I followed his gaze to see our friends’ bruised and bleeding faces.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. He shook his head and told me that I wasn’t to blame, but he was ignorant of what was happening.