61. MADDY

61

MADDY

"Let me go!" I yell, trying to break out of Nilanski's arms as I'm being dragged through the jungle that gets darker with the downpour.

I can't leave Raven.

I can't lose him!

Nilanski drops me roughly and jerks me around to face him. "Stop! It's his order! Was before we got here. I need to get you out!"

"Go-go-go!" the other guards yell. "We need to go!"

Tears stream down my face as I lunge in the opposite direction, but his grip on my arm is violent, like never before.

"We have to go back for him!" I plead. "We have to!"

"No!" he roars. "They have more men. We can't take chances for one man unless Mr. Crone gives orders."

"But—"

"Move!" he barks coldly, the rain suddenly too suffocating.

I can't breathe.

I need to figure out how to fix this.

And then I hear a shot in the distance.

I whip around. All of us do, staring into the jungle darkness, my eyes widening in disbelief.

They can't execute Raven.

Not him.

It can't be happening.

"No-no-no," I murmur, tears spilling down my face as I halt. "That's not?—"

Another shot echoes, cutting off my words, the sound hitting me like a bullet. Then another, the sound jerking my entire body.

"Noooo!" I scream and lunge forward, toward my Raven somewhere out there.

But Nilanski's arm wraps around my waist, jerking me back and off the ground.

I scream. I thrash. My feet pointlessly kick the air as I am dragged away.

And nothing can drown the echo of another shot that cuts through the jungle and rips my heart into shreds, making the last remnants of hope scatter through Zion…

Curious what happens next?

Read MAYFLOWER , book #6 and the last book in the RUTHLESS PARADISE series!