Tragic Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #5)(68)

“You might not bring home survivors. That's your story, not mine.”

He glances at North as though he's expecting my councilman Bonded to step in and disagree with me, and then his eyes flick over to Gryphon as an afterthought.

My bond doesn't like that either.

“Well, how many do you bring home then, if you're so amazing, because the average is—”

I cut him off before he can get his stupidity out. “I’m aware of what the average is amongst the groups that don't have me and my Bonded in it. I'm also aware of what our average is, and it sounds to me like you walked in there, guns blazing, not giving a fuck about the Gifted who were trapped there. How many children were in that camp?”

His eyes narrow at me dangerously, but I’m not afraid of this man. “Not that many.”

“You don't even know exactly how many children were in the camp that you took out?”

His lip curls, and as I stand, the palms of my hands make a smacking sound as they hit the table. I lean forward aggressively, and the moment the General moves to stand as well, as though he's trying to stay in a position of power, Gryphon's eyes flash to white as he keeps his father in his seat. It’s the ultimate act of rebellion, and I fucking love my Bonded for it.

“I know how many children are in every camp we walk into. I know how many Resistance are in every camp we walk into, and you know what? Your son does too. North knows the casualties of every camp that every one of his TacTeams walks into. Nox knows. Gabe knows. Atlas knows. A Bassinger, that you are so intent on loathing, knows the cost of this war more than you do.”

His teeth grind in his mouth, but Gryphon won’t let him stand.

I’m too pent up to stop, too angry at the council and these useless Gifted at the weight they put on my Bonded’s shoulders. How dare they all question and judge every little thing that we’re doing while there are men like this being given all the leeway in the world?

Disgusting.

My arms tremble with rage, but I zero in on him. “And what did you win from this camp that you took out? Sure, you wiped the Resistance there from the map, and sure, that's what we need, but what else? What intel? What trophy? Which of the higher members of the Resistance did you bring in as a prisoner or take out? What was the win that you got from all of that death and destruction?”

Gryphon doesn't need to stop him from speaking—the General has no words to give me.





Chapter Twenty-One





Gryphon



My parents’ Bonded Group leaves the Sanctuary shortly after the meeting with the council.

Despite my complicated relationship with my parents, I feel nothing but pride at my Bonded and our entire Bonded Group with how they had handled themselves in the face of the General’s ire.

To have Oli stand up for us all without hesitation, the vehemence and pride in her voice as she had talked about the responsibilities that we all carry when dealing with the Resistance, had lifted some of that pressure off of myself. A little of the guilt has eased away now, knowing that we are doing our best and we have limited resources. We’re pushing ahead for our community and those around us.

I leave the meeting and head straight to Sawyer at his request. He's still in the Security Office, which we have now dubbed ‘Sawyer’s Den’ from how much time he spends in there at the computers, working through security footage and monitoring all of our systems to keep the Sanctuary running smoothly.

He's been a godsend for North and I. We'd never had a Technokinetic before, not one that we had trusted and certainly not one as powerful as Sawyer, and the fact that we can argue with him and tell him exactly how it is just makes the situation even easier on us all.

His message to me had been simple. I found something. See me ASAP.

I should probably feel apprehensive or hesitant at his text, a signal for our next move against the Resistance, but I don’t. I always feel in control and calmest when we are in action, and this time of preparing here at the Sanctuary has just made me even more ready to get on the road.

I catch Nox as I start towards the elevator, jerking my head for him to follow, and without a word, he does. The greatest gift in disguise was the soul-bonding and Nox figuring out a way around his trauma. Even if it had aged North and I a good twenty years, years we will never get back, I'm sure.

When the doors slam shut behind us, I get my phone out and show him the text from Sawyer. He gives me a curt nod and reaches up to rub at his eyes. He's still not sleeping.

He shrugs without me saying a word. “I can't. As soon as I shut my eyes, I start thinking about the bonds in history. I keep having nightmares that don't feel like my own. It feels like… forget it.”

My eyes narrow. “If the last six months of learning about your bond, not to mention North’s, has taught me anything, it's that any little gut feeling you have, we need to listen to, Nox.”

“It feels like they’re my bond’s memories, but I was there too. They're not my own… but I was there. I don't know how to explain this without sounding like I'm going insane.”

I blow out a breath and run my hands through my hair, pulling it up to tie into a low ponytail to get it away from my face. I should just cut it off, but some part of me likes the normality of my hair, the one active protest I ever had against my father and his militant ways. The only one I kept into adulthood after I had a house of my own, a job of my own, and a Bonded Group of my own.