anyone with half a brain would have questioned things," Jules retorted.
"I didn't have time to question things. I was fighting for my life!" Jules simply smiled in response. Maybe it was my pent up anger at how everything happened. Or maybe I was angry because she was right. I should have known that Cyler would have planned something like this.
I wound back my arm and smacked Jules across the cheek. All earlier joy at having her and Mia back, safe and sound, was gone. Now, all I wanted was to hurt her. I needed to hurt someone.
I expected her eyes to water. I wanted the gratification of seeing her reaction, but what I got instead was like a knife twisting deep in my chest. Jules smiled. A wide, genuine smile full of promise and happiness.
"Look at you," she began while turning to inspect the red mark I left on her cheek in the mirror above the washbasin. "You got some bark now. I think you're ready."
"Ready for what?" I asked, my earlier anger fizzling out into nothing. What was happening? Had Jules completely lost her mind during her time away?
"Tallis and I made some friends in the Walker Zone. Friends that want to help us get my brothers back."
"Okay, well, let's do this, then," I said. Adrenaline flooded my veins. I'd been waiting five months to act, five months for the opportunity to claim my revenge.
Jules shuffled closer to me until we were nose to nose. "Are you willing to do anything?" she asked, her voice soft now. "’Cause I'm about to do something that many wouldn't approve of."
I cocked my eyebrow, unsure of what she meant. Jules was speaking in riddles. I watched as she dug inside the pocket of her pants, lifting a pill up so that it was eye level with me. "What are you going to do?" I asked. Jules seemed unstable yet determined. Her movements were planned like it was something she'd dreamed about for a while.
"You're only good to me dead, Walker. I'm going to kill you."
Before I could react, before I could stop her, Jules shoved me to the ground. Pinning my arms to my sides with her knees, she smiled with a grunt before shoving the pill in my mouth and clamping it shut. The pill was bitter and dissolved on my tongue the moment it hit.
She kept her hand over my mouth, and I fought my fading energy, bucking beneath Jules. I was dying to break free from her hold on the dirt floor of the medic tent. Behind her, the door to the tent opened and a shadowy figure entered. My vision began to fade as yells erupted, and Jules was pulled off of me.
"Enjoy death, little Walker," she screamed. The last thing I saw was a tall man picking her up off the floor and hauling Jules outside. A hand touched my cheek.
"Stay with me, Ash! Don't go! Please, don't go."
Chapter Four
"Ash, come on! Tag—you're it!"
I blinked, forcing away the hazy blur that filled my eyes. I tried to focus on the blond-haired little boy in front of me, but it was like I had tunnel vision, the edges of my gaze were white and milky with smoke.
"Payne?" I asked with a frown. From my limited view, I gathered that we were in Stonewell Manor, hiding beneath the dining room table, to be exact. I held my hands out in front of me, taking in the soot and grime that covered them.
"I'm not Payne, silly. I'm Josiah," he said. My eyes shot back to the little boy in front of me. His slick blond hair was swept to the side, peach lips framing a wide grin covered in chocolate.
"Josiah?" I asked in confusion. It was like I was wading through my thoughts. My limbs felt slow and heavy. My thoughts delayed as I processed each distorted moment. The lights flickered.
"Shh," he said, holding a small finger up to my lips while shifting further under the dining room table. "Mother is coming!"
I crouched lower, feeling dazed and disoriented. It was like I couldn't hold on to my body, my memories. While I tried to grasp hold of my surroundings, heels stepping on the tile made their way towards us. "Lackley, why must you go back to the capital so soon? You only just got here, and my husband isn't expected back for a week!"
Mistress Stonewell's voice echoed around us, and my eyes flashed to Josiah. His gaze was wide as