41. Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-One

Remus

I've only ever felt helpless once when Iris tried to take her life by jumping off the cliffside. Had I not been fast enough, she would have plummeted to her death, and that would have been the end of it. In my sheer panic and helplessness, I bonded with her. I extended her life. I made her less vulnerable. But as I silently fix the shattered bone in her arm, I once again feel helpless.

My gaze shifts to study her blank features. Her skin is still swollen from Iriel's attacks. Her mouth is bloodied along with the rest of her body. There are tear streaks on her cheeks, and her eyes are swollen from crying. I wanted her back to punish her for what she did. Her betrayal, not only by attempting to kill me but letting that boy see and touch parts of her body only I can.

Had the resistance not done so, I would have killed him myself. I can only believe Iris's decision to have sex with him was her belief that I was truly dead for her to do something so imprudent. Now, I regret my decision to let her experience the essence of humanity.

By the time I got to her, she was beyond broken. All the rage and anger I felt toward her all but disappeared as I watched her look at me in utter defeat and agony. Now that we are bonded, I can sense everything that she feels. And she is... hopeless. The look of peace on her features when she realized I placed an inhibitor on her is one that will haunt me. I've always admired her fire and desire to be free. But my decision to let her reside within the resistance is one that I will be paying for in months to come.

I've always been understanding of her emotional reactions toward me. In her eyes, I am the enemy. I was pleased to see Iris have some fight left in her. And it was almost exciting watching her outsmart me if it weren't for the Leviathan lives she put at risk in the process. I've always found interest in her obsession with protecting the weak. I never would have thought she would be the one to dangle their lives in front of me to distract and kill me. In so many ways, she's changed since we first met. She showed me she is a very real threat. I let my fondness for her cloud my judgment, and it almost cost my people their lives. But that won't happen any longer.

I place my hand against her cheek, enjoying the softness of her skin. It takes me a moment to realize that I don't want to command her in this state. The lack of emotion I see in her gaze bothers me.

"The traitors have been rounded up."

I stand as Xion approaches, my gaze shifting to what's left of the resistance. I can tell just by looking at the general makeup that most of it was built using our technology. The sound of the walls continuing to crumble in the distance echoes to signify just how destructive Xion and I were in our rampage. She was out for blood the moment the humans blew up the port. They killed hundreds of Leviathan, her crew surviving only because she was on board the ship.

"And the humans?" I ask.

"They're being shipped to the facility. We are still combing the area for survivors," she says.

"And the weapons?" I ask. I pause when I notice something in the distance. It's Ezra. I have yet to voice my disdain for what he has done, putting not only himself but our people in danger. My decision to yell at him is halted when I notice he's carrying a woman in his arms. I raise a brow, studying his features. There's worry in his gaze as he hands her over to the medic.

Strange.

"The plans for the weapon have been secured, and we found the facility manufacturing it. You were right, they used mercury as its base," Xion says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

The weapon, in particular, was made with concentrated mercury. Mercury itself is deadly once it's absorbed within the skin. However, since I am not Leviathan, it only knocked me on my ass for a few days. Zaya, however, still hasn't woken from her coma. And I'm not sure she will. If humans were faster and stronger, they may have had a fighting chance at this point in the war. But Iris only got a good shot in because she outsmarted me.

"So, what now?" Xion asks. I look at her before responding .

"Now that this planet has proven itself a threat, we handle them as such. Without mercy," I add. My patience has run out with this planet. We managed to rid ourselves of the resistance in a little under an hour. The time to handle humans on their level has ended.

"For now, we need to speak with Ezra. I'm sure he has a perfect excuse for whatever the hell he was thinking."

I'll never understand humanity. What was their last hope ended up caring only for themselves, planning to wait for the end of human life outside of these mountains before they made their move. They were already creating an elitist society in the midst of being refugees. If they were smart, they would have made their move immediately while I was recovering from their "weapon." But that was never the plan. The plan was to rid the world of everyone and everything that was not a part of the rebels.

It's easier that way.

My eyes shift over the plans we discovered in Iriel's office. A small chuckle escapes me as I study them. Iriel was a top general handpicked by me. He showed promise in all areas I seek when choosing my generals. His plans are thorough and would have been intelligent had he had enough resources and time. He wasn't a powerful enough general for me to take to the battlefront, however. That's where he failed. He didn't know what he was truly up against. He relied too heavily on Iris and Zaya's pet to give him information. He was too hasty, and humanity was too desperate to understand just how far behind us he was. It was doomed from the beginning. It was only a matter of time.

The door to the room opens and I know without looking away it's Xion. She silently comes up behind me to look at the maps and plans herself. Her soft chuckle fills the room as she studies them.

"How vain," she says. I nod my head, pulling one of the rationing plans down.

"It is only their nature," I say, looking at the page.

"And Iriel bought into it," she says in disappointment. I shrug, placing the plans on the table.

"Of course he did. Absolute power over a powerless race is intoxicating when you've barely experienced life," I say knowingly.

The door once again opens and Xion and I both look away as Ezra enters the room. Xion immediately stands tall as she strides across the room. Her hand comes up to roughly snatch the back of his neck, and she uses her brute strength to force him to the ground.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she hisses. I stand, making my way to the two of them to wrench Ezra out of her grip. Ezra rubs his neck in irritation, eyeing her.

"I knew what I was doi—"

"No. You didn't," I say. Silence comes over the room as Ezra realizes just how irritated both of us are. I've rarely seen Xion angry with Ezra. She's always defending him, doing whatever it takes to soften the blow. But not this time, and he sees that .

"We've been worried sick. I thought you were in danger," I snap, eyeing the bruising on his arms that still has yet to heal and his now sheared hair. He opens his mouth to defend himself, but I'm speaking before he can.

"What you did was irresponsible, Ezra," I growl out.

Ezra purposely got himself captured by the resistance, giving them false information on how to harm Leviathan. He faked the pain with certain tests and prevented himself from healing. Had Iris not wandered into the resistance, he would have eventually destroyed it on his own. But it would seem that the information Iris gave them also had some effect on Ezra. And I showed up before he had his moment to crush their hopes.

"I was never in any real danger," he snaps.

"But we didn't know that!" Xion pipes up.

"You didn't think to let us in on your plan? So that we wouldn't be worried about you? You didn't think that your little puppet show would get your people seriously hurt?" I ask.

"If I had let you in on my plan, you never would have let me go through with it," he says.

Before I can respond, Xion is screaming.

"Of course not, Ezra, look at you! They tortured you! Iriel never liked you, and you gave him the perfect opportunity to hurt you! Zaya is in a coma because of you. She could die! And Remus and I were left once again cleaning up your mess. You don't think about the consequences your actions will have on others!" she snaps.

"That's enough," I say, eyeing Xion. Ezra now doesn't know how to respond. He looks to me and back to Xion, but she's not having it. Xion would die for us as we would for her. And the thought of our younger brother being in danger is enough to make us both angry. Ezra sucks in a deep breath pulling out a piece of paper.

"I did think of that, Xion. But if it weren't for my little puppet show, you wouldn't know the location of all the resistances across this planet as well as their mining sites and manufacturing sites for their weapon," he snaps, holding the paper out to me.

"You also wouldn't know the signature of the false inhibitors."

I silently take the paper from him, opening it to read its contents. I suck in a deep breath forcing myself to calm down. Ezra has always done what he does to win my approval, and this time is no different. I can see it in the desperation of his gaze, how he's trying to convince us both that he isn't wrong.

"Okay," I say.

Both he and Xion look at me like I'm crazy.

"You're right. Your plan did help, and if Iris hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have found this place for a while since they were using the cloaking technology you developed." I place my hand on his shoulder, offering him a smile.

"What you did was reckless and stupid... but I'm proud of you, Ezra." His eyes widen, and he smiles. I look at Xion, who still has her arms crossed but finally softens, pulling us both in for a hug.

"We were just worried," she murmurs. She sucks in a deep breath, squeezing us both.

"The divine three back together again," she says softly .

I can't help but smile. In my years being here, I forgot how much I missed seeing my siblings daily. So I laugh along with her, pulling them both in for a tight embrace, for once forgetting about any and everything that has me stressed.