Chapter 919 Chapter 919
Marie felt like her feet were stuck to the floor. Cassius had returned earlier than he’d said and all the others that weren’t on patrol were now here.
“Go pack a few things and be ready to go.” Louann told Muna and Averyana.
“Rhogue?”
Marie turned and looked at Cassius.
“You’re going to be all right. You’ll be safe at the factory.”
She heard the words, and she did believe that he believed it, but he hadn’t seen what the men were like who had come when they’d stayed behind. He was here. The man that had bitten her was here in this area. “We should tell them.” She whispered it.
“They don’t need to know every detail,” Mikiah said and gave her an encouraging look. “The prince will keep you safe, regardless.”
Marie nodded. “Maybe I should go somewhere else.” She didn’t want to endanger the children here or anyone at the factory.
“There's no way they’ll get close enough. If the prince is bringing in more to watch, they won’t make it as far as the factory.” Bane went over to the cupboard the guns were in and unlocked it. “Orion and I will take turns on the roof, keeping watch here.” Leaving the doors open, he went over and picked up his daughter and held her close.
Cypher went over to the coffee pot. “Sable and I will stay on the perimeter around the house.” He looked over at Sable. “We know exactly how those guys smell, so they won’t get close to here.”
Cassius came over and stood in front of her. “You need to go with Muna, Averyana and Shandi.”
Marie nodded. “Okay.” She really thought they should explain to the prince and others there why those men were there and who they were looking for. It wasn’t fair to put all those lives in danger because of her.
“If we need to, I’ll talk to the prince. He didn’t seem to care for an explanation; he just gave me instructions of what to do.”
Louann went over and took Tanji from her mate. “We’re staying at the house. If we abandon it, they could burn it to the ground, and this is the first house we’ve had since Rhogue was a child. I'm not leaving it.”
Bane put his arm around her. “Go pack your stuff, Rhogue. You girls going to the factory gives us four fewer people to worry about right now.”
Marie looked at Tanji and then Lisette as Orion hugged her close. If she wasn’t here, those little girls wouldn’t be in danger. “I'll get my things.” She turned and ran up the stairs to the room she shared with Shandi.
Shandi was sitting on the bed. She looked at her when she came in. “We’ll be okay at the factory. I've seen the fence and the people there.”
Marie nodded and opened the closet. “It's my fault they’re here.”
Shandi jumped up and came over. “It is not your fault. Those men are lunatics. If it weren’t for you causing the distraction—” her pale blue eyes teared up. “It would be my neck with that bite mark.”
“If I’d been faster, I wouldn’t have it either.”
Shandi squeezed her shoulder. “I was paralyzed with fear. If Cypher hadn’t grabbed me and told me to run, I don’t know what would have happened.”
Marie swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn’t pause now and let it fill her head. The images were never going to leave, especially at night when it was dark. Bly had been injured, Cypher and Sable got Shandi and the others out of there, and she had done what needed doing, so they would survive. She didn’t know if she’d do it again, but it was done, and now she had to keep the kids here safe.
“Girls.” Louann stood in the doorway. “Cassius wants to get going.”
Shandi nodded and gave her one more teary-eyed look before picking up her bag and going out the door.
“It's going to be all right, Rhogue. You’re not alone in this.”
Marie grabbed a few outfits off the hangers and picked up her backpack. “I know. Just keep that baby girl safe.”
“No one is getting near her.”
Marie nodded. She had to believe it, or she wouldn’t be able to walk out of here.