Heroes In Shackles

Heroes In Shackles
Trix’s POV…

I stood in the shadows and watched everything. I couldn't move. Not yet. I remained invisible, tucked behind a section of the ruined hull where none of Feran's soldiers could see me. My heart was pounding so hard that I was afraid they might somehow hear it.

But I waited. I had to. There were too many of them. Too many weapons. Too many ways this could go wrong. So I watched.

I watched them drag Jarox away first. His body was completely limp from the tranquilizers. Then they carried Gary. Even unconscious, the Killer looked battered from the sudden attack. And then there was Abigail. The sight of her being carried away made something twist inside me. She was still just a girl. My creation. My responsibility. And now she was in my father's hands.

I clenched my fists. But I couldn't follow them. Not yet. Three soldiers remained behind. They dragged Gatrina and Amara toward the laboratory. I watched helplessly as they threw the two women inside. Then the soldiers began pouring power fluid around the entrance. They were about to burn the whole thing to the ground.

One of them struck a flame. The fire caught immediately. It spread across the fluid and raced along the ground before climbing the walls of the wreck. The laboratory went up quickly. They stood there for nearly a minute, watching the flames consume everything. Then, apparently satisfied, they turned around and left.

The moment they disappeared from sight, I became visible. I ran. I sprinted straight into the flames. The heat struck me immediately. Smoke filled my lungs. I covered my face and pushed forward.

"Gatrina!"

I found her first. She was still unconscious. I grabbed her beneath the arms and dragged her outside. Then I went back. I found Amara near the opposite side of the laboratory. I pulled her free and carried her several meters away from the burning wreck. Then I returned one more time. Morgan.

I found her where Feran had left her. I dropped beside her. "Morgan..."

I placed my fingers against her neck, but I felt nothing. I checked again. Still nothing. Her throat was covered in blood. Feran had killed her. She wasn’t unconscious like the others. There was no chance that she would wake up. She was gone.

I stared at her for several seconds. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. Instead, I simply closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

I stood and looked back at the laboratory. The flames were everywhere now. My laboratory. The place where I had once intended to build an army of hybrids. The place where I had conducted experiments I was now ashamed of. The place that had become a sanctuary for the people I cared about. It was disappearing before my eyes. The roof collapsed. Sparks flew into the night. Everything became smoke, fire and ash.

I looked down at Gatrina and Amara. They were still breathing. Still sedated. That was something. I had to wait for them to wake up. But I couldn't stay here for long. I had to return to the palace. I had to get there before Feran extracted whatever he needed from Abigail. Before he sent it to the Keepers. Before they perfected the hybrids.

I had made Abigail. Now I had to make sure nobody could use her to destroy the world. I looked toward the road.

"Wake up," I whispered to the unconscious women. "We don't have much time."

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Jarox's POV…

Fire. That was all I could see. Fire everywhere. People were screaming. Buildings were collapsing. The sky was black with smoke.

I ran through the destruction, but I couldn't reach anyone. Then I saw her. Morgan. Her face was covered in blood. I stopped. She looked at me. But she didn't speak. Blood poured down her face. Then she disappeared. I turned. Abigail was standing there. Chains wrapped around her body.

"No."

I rushed toward her. The scene changed. She was strapped to a table. Figures surrounded her. Machines moved around her body. Then the first blade descended.

"NO!" I screamed.

The world changed again. A mountain. A battlefield. An army. Hybrids marched down the slope in perfect formation. Behind them was nothing but fire. Death. Destruction. And then I saw Abigail at the front. Leading them. I opened my mouth to scream—And woke up.

I shot upright. My chest heaved. I looked around. My bedroom. My bed. My palace. I was back. I rubbed my face. "What..."

Then everything came back. The wreck. Feran. The ambush. Gary. Abigail. Gatrina… Morgan.

I jumped out of bed. I had to find my father. I needed to know what he had done with them. I ran to the door and grabbed the handle. It didn't move. I pulled harder. Locked.

"No."

I slammed my fist against the door. "Karn!"

I hit it again. "Karn!"

Finally, I heard footsteps. Then a familiar voice. "Your Highness?"

"Open this door." My jaw tightened. "Open it."

"I’m sorry, my prince but I can't."

"That's an order."

There was silence. Then Karn spoke again. "The Emperor has ordered us to keep you here."

I stared at the door. "How long?"

"Until he says otherwise."

I hit the door again. "What if I try to leave?"

Karn hesitated. "He ordered us to restrain you."

I stepped back. My fists slowly unclenched. If I couldn't get out, then I needed information. "Karn."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"The Killer. What happened to him?"

"The Emperor brought him back."

"Is he alive?"

"Yes."

I breathed again. "Where is he?"

"I don't know."

My heart sank. "And Abigail?"

"I don't know what has become of the child."

I closed my eyes. "Then tell me what you do know."

Karn's voice became quieter. "The Emperor is preparing to interrogate the Killer."

"Interrogate?"

"He intends to torture him."

My stomach turned. "For how long?"

"I don't know."

"And after?"

Karn didn't answer immediately. Then he finally said it. "Execution."

I slowly lowered myself to the floor. My back pressed against the door. Gary was going to die. Abigail was in my father's hands. Morgan was probably dead. Trix was somewhere out there. And I was trapped inside my own bedroom. I stared at the floor. Everything had fallen apart.

I had no army. No allies. No way out. For the first time in my life, I had absolutely no idea what to do. I lowered my head into my hands. Everything had gone to shit. And I was powerless to stop it.