Winters Rising Page 15

  “No!” Jax roared, struggling against the restraints holding him.

  Victor would never allow her back, none of them would. Not Jax’s family. Not council. Not the elders. To fight for change was different than to fight for her life. Jax hadn’t been willing to stand up to them to change a measly rule or two, but now to stand up to change the Lexcon way...there was no win for her...for them.

  Brea looked at him. “Why? What difference does it make to you? You decided my future when you didn’t bond with me. What do I have left? My whole life, my destiny, my reason to live, I’ve been told, was to bond with you, and you denied me. What’s left? Nothing.”

  “Everything,” Jax didn’t sound convinced.

  “I’m ready.”

  “No!” Jax lunged to his feet, surprising everyone.

  Brea jumped at his quick movement and watched in horror as all the men bounded into action, tackling Jax again to the ground.

  Brea turned to Melora. “You can do what you need to with me, but you keep them safe.”

  Brea heard the scuffle. They would forget anyway.

  “No Brea, you fight! Dammit, no! Brea!”

  Brea walked away from the destiny forced on her and felt her heart rip out, and her soul shatter inside her. But, soon enough, she wouldn’t remember anything.

  Chapter Nineteen

  THIS WAS ALL his fault.

  Jax paced the length of the metal cage they were locked inside and could feel the anger intensifying with each step. He’d broken Brea. When he’d worked his hardest to protect her, he’d driven her away and crushed her in the process. He took full blame for every part of this on him, but he wasn’t the only one at fault. He was the reason his wife wouldn’t fight, but he wasn’t the reason she’d needed to fight in the first place. That fell on the elders and council.

  Brea had been right, it all needed to change. The order of everything lay shattered around them like bits of broken glass. He needed to fix things. But first, Brea had to live. Jax needed to find a way back to her, save her, take her out of this rip, and bond her to him forever.

  What would an Unborn and a Gatekeeper bonding be like? And why exactly were Unborns put in a nursery to remain in infancy for all of time? Brea wasn’t a threat...was she? How could she be dangerous? Her bark seemed worse than her bite, but how could he know for sure?

  Jax pushed his thoughts away to give his full concentration on evaluating the cage coated in the electricity. He would swipe every single area until he found a flaw, their escape.

  “Jax, maybe we shouldn’t worry about fleeing,” Declan said. “By doing so, we are disobeying the elders, and if time’s been compromised, they will know. We should let them fix time, whatever the consequences are. Isn’t that what we do? Fix time that’s been altered?”

  “We’ve done what the elders have declared is the way of gatekeeping, but how do their actions, or our actions, make a nursery full of people−”

  “Unborns,” Declan said.

  Jax didn’t pin Declan against the wall like he wanted to for making Unborns sound degrading, but he spit out, “People. They are people who the elders have stripped of their opportunity to live and it’s unacceptable.”

  “Only because you’ve met Brea,” Declan said.

  Jax fisted his hands at his side. “I’m not leaving her,” he told his brother in no uncertain terms.

  “You won’t remember her and Brea agreed with the elders, so maybe she knows something about Melora that you don’t.” Declan tried to drop his know-it-all tone and replace it with brotherly sympathy, but there was no denying the undertone of his disapproval.

  “Brea is my soulmate.” Jax would be damned if he would be arranged another one just because council thought Brea to be dangerous. They’d provided no proof, reasoning or explanation to support their allegations and Jax wouldn’t settle for any less when his wife’s life remained at risk.

  “You must have known, Jax.” His muscles flexed as Gabrielle’s hand gently touched his arm. “Deep down, when you didn’t bond with her, it was because you knew she was an Unborn. You must have known it wasn’t right. You can’t do it. You can’t let her−”

  “What? Live?” Jax demanded, pulling his arm away from his sister, and stepping back enough to catch both his siblings in his dagger-like stare.

  “She’s dangerous,” Gabrielle said, softly again.

  “We don’t know a damn thing about Unborns, their abilities, nothing. But I certainly know my wife and she is not dangerous. I know her soul.”

  “No, you don’t. You haven’t bonded with her. What we know for sure is the elders don’t put Unborns into society. And the Unborns are starting an army against the elders. That can only mean they are a threat to our society.” Declan was really starting to get under Jax’s nerves.

  Step out of your box, Declan, and open your eyes.

  “You know only what the elders have told you. And right now, they’re not on my side,” Jax said.

  “You’ve never been on their side and maybe this gives you a good reason to push the limits now. But are you sure you want to push them?” Declan asked, always calm, always practical, and right now, naive.

  “Are you that desperate to have your kids become Gatekeepers?” Jax scowled, knowing Declan would never have had that thought, but Jax grew angrier as his siblings failed to fight for his wife’s life. “So desperate that you would leave the other half of my soul here?”

  “No,” Declan said. “This is about Brea being an Unborn who could destroy Lexcon.”

  “Could. Says the lady who had my face beat numb. I’m not leaving without Brea. Conversation over. Finished. If you’re not with me, then get out of my way because I will get out of this cage and save my wife, then, and only then, when she is safely by my side, will I listen to reason.”

  “Jax,” Gabrielle touched his arm again. “We’re not against you. We’re worried, concerned...scared. Terrified actually.”

  “Can you honestly say that you trust the elders? After everything we’ve witnessed? You believe them?” Jax demanded.

  Gabrielle stared at him, long and hard. He could see her internally debating. Finally, she sighed loudly and said, “Okay. We’re with you.”

  “Gabrielle,” Declan hissed.

  “Jax is right, Brea’s a person. And more than that, she’s our family. Vowed to us.”

  “It’s not too late to let her go. No bonding. No connection−”

  “I’m with Jax,” Gabrielle said firmly. “He knows her, even if they aren’t bonded, they are marked and soulmates have a connection regardless.”

  Declan grunted and turned. “Shit is going to hit the ceiling when we bring her home.”

  “Shit’s already hit the ceiling,” Gabrielle said. Jax couldn’t thank her enough for her support. However, he was ready to rip Declan a new one.

  “Fine,” Declan said. “I don’t agree with you two, but let’s get her and get out of here. Then we’ll have a long talk and, Jax,” Declan paused, sending his brother a hard stare. “You will listen to all sides before you hastily make decisions.”

  Jax wouldn’t make any promises and Declan knew that. They stared, challenging each other until Gabrielle stepped between them and started wiping the blood off Jax’s face with material she’d ripped from her outfit.

  “Now that we are on some sort of the same level, we need to figure out the next move,” she said, licking her finger and wiping it over the dried blood on his face. Jax tried to pull away, irritated more than grossed out. A little bit of his sister’s saliva on his face was nothing compared to finding an escape from this imprisonment, but she moved with him.

  “I will find the lock,” Declan said.

  “I’ll help,” Jax said, but Gabrielle touched his face. “Are you okay?” she asked softly. “These are deep cuts and big bruising.”

  He caught her wrists. “I will be better when we’re out of here. Stop worrying about me and worry about finding our escape.”

  “For
a trio of Gatekeepers, you three aren’t very bright.”

  Jax, Declan and Gabrielle stopped at the unfamiliar voice. They shared wary looks.

  “Who’s there?” Jax asked.

  “A prisoner...” The man paused. “...like you.” Another long pause followed before the man continued, “A prisoner who the elders fear will disrupt the corrupt world they’ve built, after taking what belongs to time and not them.”

  How long had the stranger been locked in here? How long would they be here?

  “They will fix the chaos you’ve created for them,” the unseen, unknown man said. “They will send a trio back in time and Brea will die before you meet her. I have my doubts they will let her live and bring her to Lexcon now. Not after what has happened. That has been their plan since discovering Brea was marked for you. Did you notice how long it took to meet her?”

  Not only had Jax been aware of their postponed meeting, but he’d noted the mixed signals when Brea had blamed it on him. What he didn’t know was how this man knew about his life?

  “How do you know that?” Jax demanded.

  Silence.

  Gabrielle made a face, encouraging Jax to repeat his question. He did.

  “I’ve been here a long time. Since the beginning of time.”

  “Why?” Declan asked and Jax glared at him for not allowing the man to finish. Declan sent him a defiant look in return making Jax’s fists eager to give him a beating.

  “Elders don’t like to be questioned or disobeyed and told their ways aren’t bulletproof. You three are a prime example of what happens when facing the elders. Had you let the doctor take Brea away, as a baby, you would be home with no inkling about the lies behind Lexcon. The elders may see the visions, but they don’t control them. However, you saved Brea. So, here you are, jailed until they slip back into time and change it.”

  This man was wasting their time−they already knew all this.

  “But I can get us out,” the man said.

  That sounded like a trap if Jax ever heard one.

  “What are you still doing here if you can get us out?” Declan asked, as weary of the man’s offer as Jax.

  “I can get the gateway you seek to take you home.”

  “That’s not an answer,” Jax growled, tired of word games.

  “There’s only one way for me to get the gateway...”

  If this man took any longer to get his points across, the elders would shift time, and they would end up on a different time rip on the track and with no knowledge of today. Jax grew more impatient.

  “I need to be healed,” the man finally said.

  All eyes fell on Declan.

  Declan shook his head and mouthed, “No.”

  When none of the siblings answered, the man said, “The offer stands. But tick-tock, soon you won’t even remember Brea.”

  Son of a bitch.

  “Unless you two can come up with a better plan, what choice do we have?” Jax whispered to his siblings. He would save Brea and he couldn’t care less how they did it. They would deal with the repercussions of their actions later.

  Chapter Twenty

  BREA SAT IN a cold, stiff chair in a large room. Four other metal chairs surrounded her. Occupying three of the chairs were the elders. Melora, and the two men she’d introduced as Marcel and Melvin. All three glowered down on her with perfectly smooth, ageless complexions and grim lips. She’d thought they would be older, as they were called elders, but they looked to be around the same age as her.

  Their stares punished Brea for being an Unborn, something out of her control.

  It would have been easier to not be born at all, and now that’s what they were offering. An end to her suffering.

  Brea hadn’t expected to experience the amount of anguish she had as Jax worked his cold fingers into her heart. She felt him in the deepest part of her soul. Bonded or not.

  “You won’t even feel it, Brea,” Melora said.

  Brea said nothing in return. Did they want a thank you?

  “This is the right choice,” Melora continued. “You’re a risk like this.”

  “You don’t have to convince me otherwise,” Brea spoke coldly to them. Just because she agreed to their terms now didn’t mean she agreed with their ways. Letting the elders strip her of her life was a selfish act. She intended for it to cure her broken heart. “I don’t have the Winters bloodline in me, so I don’t plan on fighting you.”

  “We need to drain you,” Marcel said with a voice even colder than her own.

  Brea’s eyes looked at Marcel. Had she heard him right?

  “Drain me?”

  “Drain you of your power,” Melora said.

  Brea sighed.

  These elders weren’t as smart as they thought. She had no power, but since they were under the impression she did, why not use it to benefit the Seconds.

  “I have terms,” Brea said.

  They briefly allowed surprised hostility to dance across their faces.

  “We don’t negotiate,” Marcel said, his voice laced in disgust. “Especially with an Unborn.”

  Brea crossed her arms. “You’d better decide what is more important to you: negotiating with an Unborn or watching this Unborn stand up and walk out of this room right now in search of my soulmate to whom I will bond with, therefore ruining your plans.”

  They shared cross looks with each other before Melora asked, “What’s your request?”

  Marcel grunted. “There will be no such bargaining, Melora.”

  “I don’t see the harm in hearing her out.” Melora sent Brea an almost friendly smile.

  “You should have put her in a cage and left her there until we sorted out the rips.”

  Melora ignored Marcel. “Go on my dear. Tell us your request.”

  Brea proceeded with caution. She didn’t trust Melora, but hoped this worked because bonding with Jax wasn’t an option for her either at this point.

  “Teach the Seconds about the society they are raised in. Don’t leave them in the dark about Gatekeepers travels or treat them like nobodies. It only builds up resentment about their futures. Give them the happiness I was never allowed.”

  “This isn’t about being happy,” Marcel snapped. “Do we look happy? Stuck here for all of time, making sure society obeys. We give an inch and Rogue’s start popping up everywhere.”

  Brea stood abruptly, causing the trio of elders to sit further back, their long fingers wrapping around the arms of the chairs. Brea didn’t miss the masked fear of their movement. For the first time in Brea’s life, she felt like she had the upper hand in a situation. The elders were so terrified of her they would not call her bluff. But she had to be careful or they would call their massive guards back in to contain her.

  “Or the Rogues will stop. Have you ever considered that?” Brea asked.

  “Have you ever considered there was a time when Seconds were more involved?” Marcel asked. “A time when such involvement brought uproar to the society.”

  “To give a Second respect, and meaning for their lives and for that of a Gatekeeper will not cause uproar. It will improve society.”

  “Stupid girl,” Melvin mumbled.

  Brea took a step closer, narrowing her eyes on them. She’d spent her life wanting to be right here, with the upper hand, to change the future. She’d be damned if she would let them win.

  “Don’t you mean stupid Unborn?”

  The trio shifted again in their seats and looked at each other.

  “We will take your request into consideration,” Melora said quickly.

  Consideration wasn’t good enough.

  “I want your word.” Brea held up her hand, palm facing the ceiling. She didn’t know what kind of power an Unborn supposedly held, since she didn’t feel any different from yesterday, but the way they eyed her, she knew they thought it had something to do with her touch.

  “What can Unborns do?” she asked. “Should we experiment and find out?”

  “Fine,” Marcel
gritted. “Lessons will be provided to Gatekeeper’s spouses to provide them with minimal, but accurate, amounts of information about their futures. One slip up and it’s retracted.”

  Brea smiled, relieved and dropped her hand, taking a moment to stare at it.

  What kind of power do I hold?

  “Seconds will surprise you,” she said proudly.

  Melvin snorted. “I highly doubt it.”

  It was done now. Brea would give herself to them. A sacrifice for the better good of all Seconds.

  “Do what you must with me.”

  “THIS IS A BAD IDEA,” Declan said.

  Jax stared, arms held tight across his chest.

  “I’ve said my peace.”

  “Over and over again, Declan. Just do it before they come back to retrieve us,” Gabrielle snarled.

  Declan shook his head and moved to the wall where the faceless, nameless man had stuck his hand between the metals bars and through the wall of electricity visible on their side. Declan bent down so his hand was only inches from the ground, then double checked with his siblings to confirm this was the right decision. Jax and Gabrielle gave Declan the nod of approval. He closed his eyes, covering the man’s hand and releasing healing energy into his body.

  The yellow force surged from Declan into the man’s hand and up his arm, disappearing through the wall.

  This healing took longer than when Declan healed them. When he finished, Declan fell to both knees and hands, inhaling short, rapid breaths.

  Gabrielle bent down beside him, and rested her hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  Declan took a few deep breaths before nodding yes.

  The man retracted his hand and Jax waited for a response from the other side.

  Nothing.

  “Hey,” Jax said.

  Nothing.

  Declan stood, his eyes flared disbelief at the mistake they’d just made. Gabrielle’s worried face aligned with her brothers’.

  “Hey!” Jax repeated.

  The wall parted and the metal vanished, leaving a hole big enough to see the younger man on the other side. His overgrown hair was as white as snow. The man stood tall but his hunched shoulders indicated his body was still in the process of healing.