22. Hellena

22

HELLENA

T he chants fade after what feels like minutes of terrifying waiting.

This frenzy could easily turn into a bloodbath for us, penned in and at the heart of a zealous rally.

When the noise does calm down, Rachelle descends, the crowd parting to bring us face to face again.

"You murdered him."

It's all I can think of to say.

"I did what you failed to do. What you just tried to do, need I remind you? What you should have had the fortitude to do years ago. And again months ago. And weeks, and days." Rachelle pins me with a stare. "You could have saved yourself a thousand times over if you had just pulled the trigger one more time all those years ago, before you ran away."

"What happened to you, Aunt Rachelle?" She is raving. Fucking bonkers.

"I got some clarity , Hellena! Coincidentally, with every single life I took to get here. Each one gained me resources, showed me who was really controlling our lives."

"So you really called those hits. On the Seven."

"Most of them. And let me tell you, they were all corrupt, self-serving bureaucrats who wanted nothing more than to pile the bodies of our town higher, to prop up their thrones with more money. To secure their petty little empires."

"Instead of serving the people they swore to protect. I know. How is this any different?" I beg, still wary of the gun in her hand. Of its proximity to Evan.

I have no clue what she's willing to do to hurt me.

To manipulate me.

At this point, I'm not even sure I matter to her.

"This is different, because I am different. Different from Clive, or Devonde, or Mayor Vanderbelt. Or anyone else who was one of them, or an agent of one of the Seven." Her words drip venom as she corners me. "I am the Seven now, Hellena. They work through me."

"You're a zealot," I scoff, shrinking away from the ghastly mask of her insanity.

"No. They are my zealots!" She points to the masses below us. "And I am their queen! The embodiment of what the Seven were meant to be. And my birthright."

"Then why did you ever need me? Why take me in, raise me?"

"Because your daddy took my place! And hid the truth from me. The wealth. The inheritance from our father. And he didn't even have the decency to tell me who he was as he gave me orders disguised as one of the Seven, manipulated me, just like the rest of them."

"Maybe it's because he could see who you really were." My lips quiver as I lock glares with her.

"He couldn't see past his own front porch for his cowardice. Left his wife and daughter in the hands of a madman."

"And left his sister at the mercy of her mental illness," I mutter, my shoulders dropping.

"What did you say to me?!"

"I said I agree! He was a piece of shit for playing this game with people's lives!" I shout. "Like you're doing right now!"

Rachelle pauses, her eyes flicking from side to side. Silent words flutter across her lips.

Like she's talking to someone else.

That's not totally freaking creepy.

"Evan." I look past her, hoping he can hear me.

"Do not speak to my Angel. He belongs to me now, loyal to the end." And she's back in control, her eyes clearing.

"You've enslaved them. No one is loyal to you."

Her slap takes me off guard, stinging enough to bring tears to my eyes.

"Lay a hand on her again and I'll snap your neck, you wacky bitch," Gavin rumbles, taking a step forward.

"Threaten me again and they'll tear you apart."

"Worth it."

"There's no need for any of this. All you need to do is agree to give up Damon's trove. I know you have access to his files."

"Assuming I actually know where it is."

"You must have discovered something. Otherwise, Marco would have never let you come back."

"I was buying time," I snap.

"Like you're doing right now?"

"I thought you cared about me." Turning the tables on her seems silly, but at this point, I'll try anything. And I do want to know.

"You are the only family I have left, Hellena. The daughter I never wanted. But I did. And I do still care. But you have to understand what you represent to me. Every time I look into your eyes, all I see is him ." She points off to the side, and I'm starting to wonder who it is that she sees in her mind's eye when she drifts off, talking to herself.

"There was a time you wanted to groom me for just that."

"That was before I realized that I didn't need anyone to take those seats. I just needed control over my agents. And more willing, or unwilling but unwavering, followers to see this through."

She's inches from my face now.

"Tell me what I want to know, Hellena. And maybe your friends get to live."

"I will tell you exactly what I know," I lead, noticing for the first time the necklace hanging around her neck, glinting red-gold in the light. "I know that you're being manipulated by forces that aren't even alive anymore. You're sick. And I would help you if I could."

She notices me looking down, reaching up to cover the necklace with one hand, tucking it into her shirt. At the same time, her expression changes, fading from the arrogant, domineering smile to something tired and grim.

"You won't help."

"Not with this. Because you would just do what they did. And I would rather see Sanctum burn than fall into Marco's hands. Or yours."

"Then you leave me no choice."

With a wave of her hand, she turns away, stalking off.

And the horde swarms us, grabbing Tell, Gavin, Alaya. Too many to resist, even though they try.

As I stand there, watching my life torn away from me again.

As Evan lunges forward suddenly to grab me, shoving me to my knees.

"Ow! Evan, stop! You're hurting me!"

But he doesn't hear me.

Or care.

His stare stays on Rachelle's departing form, heading for the steps of the mansion. At the top of the stairs, she turns, glowering down at me.

"Make her talk. By any means necessary. Start with pain. Then start killing them. Either they will break to save her, or she will break to save them."

"Rachelle, please! I love you. You're my family!"

"If you really loved me, you would join me. You would give me what I have fought and bled for my entire life."

And then she's gone, sweeping through the darkened doorway.

"Gavin?"

"Yeah, Lena?"

"I love you," I grit out through clenched teeth, preparing for the worst as Evan's grip tightens on the back of my neck. "Tell, you are my heart…"

"Stop it, Hella! Don't talk like that!"

"Lena, I love you too, please?—"

"Alaya… I don't like you."

"Right back at you, Sis," she huffs, clearly having taken a few hits to the mouth and face.

"But I trust you." I tilt my head just enough to catch her eye. To see her gaze light up. To see her nod that she understands me.

"And Evan…"

His hand tethers into my hair, like it's done so many times before. Only this time, it's violent. Painful. Emotionless.

"Evan. I will never stop loving you. So I can't let you do something that you'll never forgive yourself for if you ever come back!" I lunge to my feet, agony searing through my skull against his grip, taking one, then another strike from his hands as he batters me.

As I tear the ribbing out of a seam on my corseted dress.

Even as I feel his hand clutch my throat, his other hand flying for my back, the glint of steel…

I shove my full weight into him, thrusting for his neck.

I know I can't and won't truly kill him.

But it will buy them time.

And if we die together, neither of us will have to live with?—

"FOR HELL!!" Ora's shriek cracks the afternoon gloom.

A battering ram slams into Evan and me, launching us apart, across the lawn. Tumbling, I hit the ground, the breath blasted from my lungs.

I'm still seeing spots when I'm scooped up in tree trunk arms.

The thump of boots brings me around, and I look up to see Gavin, violence rolling off him in waves as he sprints for the back wall. Over his shoulder, I see Ora and the rest of the Block crashing through the swarms of Ghosts, forming a wedge for us to break through.

"Go! Go! We'll cover your retreat!" Ora hollers, pulling a limp body off Alaya and dragging her to her feet. The two grin fiendishly at one another before jumping back into action.

Holding the line for our escape.

I don't deserve them.

In our mad dash for the gap in the wall, I catch a glimpse of Evan, rising to give chase.

He's so fucking fast.

Closing the distance to us too quickly.

When all of a sudden, Tell intercepts him, taking out his legs, sending the two of them into a heap. Tell pops up, swinging a fist down to finish Evan off.

‘Grab him!" I try to shout, but there's no way.

The Ghosts are hot on our trail.

The Block is still outnumbered.

And we can only run, leaving some of our people behind. Leaving Evan there, unconscious in the dirt.

"We'll get him. We'll come back for him!" Gavin growls, and I almost believe him.

At least I know Evan's alive.

Better than the day started.

Through the wall, we make for the trees, staying as close together as we can.

"Past the markers and hit the deck!" one of the bikers barks, waving us on.

The orange flags far to the left and right show us the way. The line we have to make it past.

And if it were just me, there would be no way.

But Gavin is a fucking truck.

With Tell hot on our heels, Alaya and Ora bringing up the rear with breakneck speed and a volley of suppressing fire, we clear the border. The rest of the crew leaps as something metallic snaps tight behind all of us.

A steel cable, whipping up out of the leaves and twigs on the forest floor.

Right in the path of the wall of psychos closing in on us.

"Sorry," Gav rattles off.

"For what?"

"This!"

We pitch forward, hurtling toward the ground and down the hill that appears out of the foliage ahead of us. The ground rises up to meet me.

Just as a sharp yelp echoes.

And an explosion rocks the ground, kicking me up a foot or more before careening into my continued roll down the hillside.

Coming to rest at the bottom, my vision is spinning. My ears are ringing.

"I forgot how loud those things are!" Ora shouts, pulling herself up with Alaya's help.

Everyone looks battered. Dirty.

But alive.

As I struggle to my knees, I scan my surroundings checking for Tell and Gav.

"Tell? Are you…?"

"Buh… need… minute." He groans, lying flat on his stomach, a puff of breath blowing leaves out of his mouth.

"Uh-oh, scarecrow lost his brain." Alaya smirks, displaying a clear limp on her left side.

"He's fine ." Ora snickers. "Not so sure about tin man, though."

A brief panic rushes through my limbs, sending me into a mad scramble for Gavin's side as he lays spread eagle on the grass.

"Gav?! Gavin! Talk to me, where are you hurt?"

"My… ugh," He growls, wincing as he opens his eyes. "My heart ."

"What?!" I reach for his chest, ready to start compressions, looking around for anyone, for medical assistance?—

"Got stabbed through it. Tin man? Seriously?" He grimaces, sitting up and pinning Ora with a glare.

"Ha! But you went with it. Heart! Snort ," Ora snorts loudly, immediately turning bright red.

"You're all terrible people. And I'm so grateful you came for me." I fall back, a cold sweat breaking all over me. "Especially you, Toto."

I turn a wicked glare on Ora.

"Oh! You did not just?—"

"More like the Lollipop Guild—" Tell starts.

"We better hit the yellow prick road before those flying flunkies up there recover!" Alaya makes a gagging gesture as she leads the way to the vehicles.

"Yeah, what the wicked bitch of the southwest said!"