Court of Nightfall (The Nightfall Chronicles #1)(45)

Trix turned back to me, her green eyes scrutinizing. "So how about it, N? You with us?"

With Jax gone, dead… what was the point of any of this? "I need to go." I stood and headed toward the front door, back to the Night Raven.

"We can help each other, N," Trix called after me. "You've seen that."

Had I? What had we really accomplished after all? I'd spouted some lines about our success, but without Jax…

"Let her go," T.R. said from behind me. "She broke her promise."

I spun around to face him as he continued.

"The aircraft you took down. It crashed in the streets. That pilot and anyone around died." He glared at me with his blue eyes. "You promised no one would die."

"The aircraft had no pilot," I said, a weariness forming in my bones. "And I controlled the crash."

T.R. smirked. "How could you possibly do that?"

"She sent it there," Trix said, as realization dawned. "She stole it like she stole the Night Raven and programed it to show up. Didn't you, N?"

"Yes." Despite everything, I was impressed by Trix. She had a quick mind and rational approach I admired. "I needed to demonstrate my abilities without hurting anyone."

Not even Zorin knew that part of my plan and they all looked at me with something new on their faces. Awe. Respect.

Trix folded her hands together and locked eyes with me. "We need you, N. You're better than any of us."

"Thank you," I said, as I opened the door and stared at the Night Raven. "But T.R. was right. I did break my promise. Someone will die tonight because of me."

***

I hid the Night Raven in a mountain cave outside of New York then flew with my own wings to the edge of Manhattan and walked through the city looking for the subway station that would take me back to Vianney Island and Castle V.

I kept my e-Glass turned off and ignored all e-Boards. I didn't want to see Jax killed, didn't want to see the footage that would follow. I wanted this day to be over.

As I passed by an alley, my own thoughts were broken by a boy screaming for help. I turned into the darkness and saw three kids, barely teens, standing over another kid, kicking him in the stomach and taunting him. "Rotten Zenith," one said, landing a blow to his chest with a boot. "You hoping Nephilim win this time, Zenith? You hoping they kill us all?"

"I'm not… a Zenith… please…" the kid on the ground begged through a split and bleeding lip.

The second attacker spat at him and leered. "I saw you making things float in the bathroom."

"No…" the boy said, shaking, cowering. "You're making that up."

The bully stepped closer, crushing the kid's hand under his foot. "You calling me a liar?"

"No… please…"

I ran down the alley as they continued to beat the boy.

"Hey!" I shouted, ready to do whatever it took to protect this kid. I worried I'd have to fight three minors, but the moment they saw me they ran like the cowards they were.

I reached for the boy's hand but he jumped up and scuttled away from me. "I'm not a Zenith," he said. His face was red and covered in tears, his brown hair a mess of dirt and gravel. "I'm not!"

He tried to push past me and I dropped my hand to his shoulder. "Wait!"

My power opened up on its own this time, throwing me into his mind, his memories.

Him at home, making a small paper crane levitate over his hand, a big smile on his face.

In the bathroom, his backpack starting to float next to him. He didn't mean to. He wasn't even thinking. A group of kids come into the bathroom and saw…

In the school office while his parents talk to the principal.

On the bathroom floor of the school being kicked in the gut.

At home, his parents yelling at him, telling him to stop. "Can't you just be a normal kid?"

And then he stole his father's key, the key to a drawer where his dad kept a gun…

"Don't be afraid," I told him, pushing the thought into his mind. "Things will get better."

He believed me. I made him believe. "Things will get better," I said again. Because I would make them better. Nightfall would make them better.

I let him go and he walked away, smiling as tears filled my eyes.

***

By the time I arrived at Castle V, I'd mostly calmed down. My eyes were still swollen from tears and I needed a bath, but I was back to being Scarlett, all signs of my alter ego stored away, my hair back to its pale blond thanks to the magic of Angel technology, but my heart still crushed beyond repair.

I'd only come back for one purpose. I hadn't thought past what I would do after that. Would I stay and try to destroy the Orders from within? Would I leave and join the rebels? Would I just disappear? Would I try to hunt the Angel that killed my parents, even if I wasn't ready and would get myself killed, and, I reminded myself, I had no idea where said Angel was?

I had no answers to any of these. No plan. No ideas.

I only knew one thing as I clutched my mother's dagger in my hand, hidden under the cuff of my hoodie.

Ragathon would pay for what he'd done to Jax.

I'd been searching for him on the grounds and finally found him saying goodbye to a group of students he'd been talking to.