Page 149 of I Will Mend You
They remain in place, and I can’t fault their suspicion. These boys have been conditioned to trust no one except their instructors. I take a step closer, wishing I’d brought Amethyst or another female operative to add credibility.
“I know what you’ve been through,” I say, pointing to my former bunk. “I lived in this dorm for four years before Delta moved me to another facility. Children shouldn’t do the work of adults. They also shouldn’t be held prisoner underground. I’m here to set you free.”
Silence stretches out across the dorm as the boys process my words. Their leader glances at his companions before turning back to me. “What do you want us to do?”
“Go to school with children your age. Play games outside. Make friends. Read books not related to combat strategies.” I shrug. “Meet girls.”
Some of the boys snicker. Others’ expressions are longing, telling me I’ve struck a nerve.
“Will we have a dorm like this?” asks a smaller boy.
I shake my head. “No bunks. No more dickheads kicking your mattress while you’re trying to sleep. No more waking up in a cloud of some asshole’s farts.”
They laugh.
The leader bites his lip and glances at his friends again, who shrug. “Okay,” he finally says. “We’ll come with you. But if this is a trick…”
“It isn’t.” I raise my palms. “You have my word.”
When the boys break formation, I motion for my operatives to start moving them out. Jynxson and Camila will scan the children for trackers before taking them to a safe house.
As the last of the boys file out of the room, I take one final look at the facility that was once my prison. The happiness I experienced here is tainted by the manipulative tactics Father used to keep me compliant.
I’m so close to retribution that it simmers beneath my skin, a buzzing anticipation to face him after all these years. I’ll make him bleed for what he did to us all, but he’ll lose body parts for touching my Amethyst.
SEVENTY-TWO
AMETHYST
Hours after the raid, I follow Xero into a cottage nestled within a sprawling estate. My limbs drag like lead weights, each step a monumental effort. Sunlight floods the wood-paneled room, casting warm golden hues, but my heavy eyelids struggle to stay open.
The adrenaline that once coursed through my veins has long since drained away, leaving me hollow. Every inch of my body aches with exhaustion, burdened by memories I can’t escape.
We spent the rest of the night transporting and settling the children into a safe house on the grounds of this estate, guarded by Xero’s people.There were only twenty-four child assassins, yet over seventy operatives arrived to help.
Navigating the old summer camp was like walking through old memories. It wasn’t just the location that pricked my mind, but the anguish etched in the girls’ eyes. Their faces reflected the pain and fear of that terrible summer, mirroring my own haunted past.
Xero turns around and cups my cheeks. “You alright, little ghost?”
I can barely hear him through the ringing in my ears. “Just exhausted.”
That’s an understatement. Last night was intense—from nearly getting blown up, finding and interrogating Charlotte, to returning to Three Fates—the weight of it all drapes heavily on my shoulders.
Eyes sparkling, Xero gazes down at me with a soft smile. “You did well for your first mission.”
I lean into his chest. “Thanks.”
“Anything hurt?”
“Just the usual aches. It feels like I’ve fought my way through hell,” I mutter against his shoulder.
“Did you win?” His arm slides around my waist, pulling our bodies flush.
“This round was a victory,” I reply with a yawn. “Making Charlotte scream was so satisfying.”
Chuckling, Xero walks me past the cottage’s cozy cream furniture and sits me on the edge of a bed. Kneeling at my feet, he unlaces my boots. His touch is gentle, almost reverent, and my heart aches with the intensity of my gratitude. What did I do to deserve this man? How did I become so entwined with someone who sees the broken pieces of me and still chooses to stay?
He slides off my socks, his fingers grazing the sensitive skin of my soles. Shivers erupt along my spine. The exhaustion fades away, replaced by a flicker of arousal.