Defy the Sun (Beware the Night #2) - Jessika Fleck Page 0,102
crowd.
I jump down off the chair.
The Sindaco—my father—reaches into his breast pocket, pulls out a long blade, raises it, ready to strike me—his daughter, leader of his own creation and ultimately his own downfall, when several things happen all at once:
I jump out of the way at the same time Imi moves forward to shield me, pushing me to the ground.
The crowd shrieks in horror at his actions.
The Sindaco skids to a stop when he sees everyone’s turned on him. He runs in the opposite direction.
Dorian chases after him, grabs him by the arm to stop him.
That knife held above the Sindaco’s head bears down into Dorian’s shoulder.
He cries out in pain.
Falls to the ground.
I race to Dorian, throw myself over him, take off my jacket and wrap it around his shoulder.
“Oh my Sun … Oh my Sun…”
“You always did love … the Sun…,” he barely manages, staring up at me. Taking a dig even when in horrible pain. Pushing my hair out of my eyes, his hand shaking, he says, “You have to … stop him.”
And I notice the Sindaco’s disappeared.
“Take care of him,” I demand, staring at Imi and Bron, who are right there but also speaking to the room. When I look back at Dorian his breathing has definitely slowed, his blood is soaking through the black fabric of my jacket and staining my hand as I hold pressure to his wound. “I’ll be back soon—I promise.” He doesn’t open his eyes but gives a small airy laugh the way he always does. I take his hands in mine, squeeze, try to express how much I truly care for him, love him—an impossible thing to do.
But it’s just a shoulder injury, right? He’ll be fine. Of course he’ll be fine.
Still, my heart aches.
There’s too much blood for “fine.”
Like he knows what I’m thinking, Dorian’s eyes pry open. “My Moon, V, go!” And he pushes me away.
Right.
I stand and run out of the cave not looking back.
* * *
LIKE A NIGHTMARE, I’m reliving my steps. Back and forth, back and forth. To no end, I might be doomed to trace this route for the rest of my life.
When, yet again, I spot the red door below the Crag, I attempt to bust it open. But when I push the metal door with my palms, it doesn’t move.
He’s either locked it or barricaded it.
“Sindaco!” I shout.
“It’s too late, Veda,” he speaks, his words muffled, from the other side of the door.
“It’s not!” I try my best to rein in my anger, my complete hatred for the man right now and see that somehow in that confused, misguided head of his, he thinks he’s doing the right thing. Bringing an end to the war by forcing the two sides together. With his Destroyer. “There’s still time. We can work together. Father!” The word coming off my lips is strange, but I’ve got to get through to him. “Please! This isn’t the way. You’re going to kill us all. Don’t you see?”
No answer. I pound on the door. Pull one of my spears from the quiver, begin working on the lock.
“I know you think what you’re doing will end the war, but the damage will be irrevocable.”
“You’re wrong,” he says, and I can tell he’s moved across the room.
“Can’t you see? This is no better than Raevald killing innocent Basso to help wage the war.”
“But I’ll be stopping it. Stopping him.”
“Yes, but at what price?”
No answer.
“Sindaco!”
Still nothing.
I drive the spear into the lock repeatedly until, thank the Moon and the Sun both, the damn door unhinges and pushes open.
Searching the room, I spot the Sindaco.
He’s crouched over a mound of mines at the base of the weapon, a single match hovering over what I assume is the fuse.
“Please stop,” I say. “You can stop.”
“I’m sorry, Veda.” He shakes his head. “I tried my best.”
“Please, no!”
“This is me making it right again.”
There’s no convincing him.
No time to stop him.
I turn and run.
I keep running.
Once I’m nearly back to the main cavern I wonder if he changed his mind.
If the fuse didn’t catch.
If he finally came to his senses.
If the mines failed.
If—
CHAPTER 25
NICO
Salazar is being uncharacteristically quiet as we walk from my family’s home to the speech location at the center of the market.
I haven’t asked him what he did while I was with my mother, but we did discuss the mural I discovered, that it was all the talk between the guards. “Lots of speculation,” Salazar said. “Some are convinced it’s the