Chapter 8

Clang. My sword drops to the ground in surprise, and I scramble back. “Dylan?”

He’s standing a few feet away, his arms crossed. His eyes glimmer with amusement as I quickly sweep the sword off the ground. “Why are you here?” I demand.

Dylan shrugs. “You’re always trespassing on Cobra.” He leans close to my ear. “I want to know why.”

“That doesn’t make it right to be here,” I hiss. He raises an eyebrow. “Neither did you have a reason to be on Cobra.”

“Fair,” I grumble. He chuckles. “Maybe you should learn common sense, little Blackbird.” I scoff. “What are you here for? Teasing me?”

He shakes his head.

“Then what?”

Dylan doesn’t answer right away. His fingers brush the pendant, almost as if it was an instinct. My eyes flick towards it. There. What Axel wants is right there. My stomach twists. I swallow down the bad feeling in my throat. “What is that used for?”

Dylan’s eyebrows furrow, and he looks down. “This?”

“Yeah.”

“Why do you want to know?” He asks, a faint smile at his lips.

“Because I do.”

He rolls his eyes. “Why? You want it?”

I force a laugh, knowing he’s dangerously close to the truth. “No. Can I look at it?”

“Not happening, Blackbird,” he murmurs, his gaze challenging.

“Please?”

“Nope.”

“Dylan,” I scoff, exasperated.

“Raven,” he says, his tone amused. I sigh dramatically, turning my back to him.

“Fine.”

“You’re going to give up that easily, hmm?” Dylan says teasingly. There’s a lump in my throat. “Yeah,” I barely manage to force out.

“Wow. Okay,” he murmurs. My hand tightens around the hilt of my sword. Now. I have to do it now. “Actually…” I say, turning back around slowly. “Can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” Dylan laughs softly.

I roll my eyes. “A real question.”

“What?”

“Why do you wear it so much?”

Dylan pauses. His eyes harden. “Personal.”

“Sorry,” I stammer awkwardly. I let my gaze drop. He doesn’t notice my hand move until it’s too late. The next thing I know, my hand’s strained against the chain of the pendant. I yank. Hard. The clasp snaps, the impact driving me backwards. The pendant drops into my palm. Dylan freezes. For a moment, neither of us say anything. I’m still in shock.

“Raven…”

My stomach drops. “I—” I stop myself. There’s nothing I can say. And I can’t bear to look him in the eyes. “I’m sorry.”

When I finally drag my gaze to him, there’s no anger in his eyes. It’s just confusion. And somehow, that makes it even harder. “You knew how important it was,” he whispers.

“Yes,” I admit, taking a step back.

“Why did you ask?”

Because I needed you to trust me. I bite back the words. “Axel ordered me to take it.”

Dylan’s jaw tightens. “You listened to him.”

“He’s my leader,” I whisper hoarsely. “I had to.”

“No.” Dylan turns away. “You chose to.”

“I—” “You used me,” Dylan interrupts harshly.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I choke. He turns back. All the warmth drained from his face. “Then give it back.”

I stare into his eyes, my hands shaking. And close my fingers around it tightly. “I can’t.”

“That’s what I thought,” he whispers quietly. Dylan’s gaze drops to my hand, clutching the pendant tightly. The broken chains dangling. Then, he looks away.

And I wish, more than ever, that he would hate me.

Because the silence is more painful than anger.

“Dylan…”

He doesn’t even look at me.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, my voice shaking.

A bitter laugh escapes him. “Are you? Are you really, Raven? Are you ever?” he asks sharply.

“Yes,” I force out.

“Why are you still holding it, then? I was stupid to trust you.” His voice breaks.

I flinch. He exhales slowly. “Go.”

“What?” I ask, feeling small.

“Go, Raven.”

I swallow hard. “Dylan—”

“Go,” he snaps, whipping around.

“I’m sorry,” I sob. His expression doesn’t change. I force myself to turn in the direction of the camp. One step. Then another. The farther I go, the heavier the pendant seems. Or maybe it’s my heart. I clutch it tighter, the broken chain digging into my skin. I make it a few steps more before I stop. My chest aches. I turn back.

Dylan’s figure stands several feet away. He’s not looking at me. Why would he?

I turn back around, swallowing hard. I can’t go back.

If I do, I know I won’t ever be able to leave.

I never thought I’d care enough to want to return it. But I do. And I hate myself. He exposed himself to me. I feel a lump in my throat as I near the familiar entrance of the Eclipse camp. It’s the last thing he would expect me to do.

I immediately feel the satisfied gaze of Axel on me. His mouth curves into a hungry smile as he waits expectantly. But I can’t even fake one.

“Finally,” Axel says as I drop the pendant into his hand. I swallow hard, trying to fight back tears.

“Aren’t you happy?” Axel asks, his brows furrowing. I look away, biting my lip. I can’t get myself to pretend anyway. Axel’s expression hardens. “You got attached, didn’t you?”

“What—no,” I deny right away. He stares at me for a moment longer, before sighing. “Very well. Thank you, Raven. You’ve done a great favor.”

“Mhm,” I say, trying to steady my voice. This is wrong. My stomach twists, and I feel like I’m going to be sick.

I have to make this right.

I have to find him.

They don’t understand…not Saber, not Axel, not even Solar.

He trusted me. I felt so free, a feeling I can barely describe. Plus, if our Tribes keep going on like this, we will for the rest of eternity, fighting. We need peace. I need to fix this.

I look to where Axel is. He is talking to Draco. Taking the opportunity, I slip out of camp. I scout the area outside both Eclipse and Cobra, then circle to Cobra’s, then back to Eclipse. He wasn’t anywhere in sight.

My heart sinks.

No.

He couldn’t have—He wouldn’t—

He can’t be dead.

Panicking, I run, my breath rasping. Rain starts to pour. I hear some uneven footsteps. I look forward, then run towards the noise. I gasp.

There he is.

“Dylan-”

He’s walking away from me. Weapons strapped across his back. Backpack slung over one shoulder. He looks like he has somewhere else to be.

“No, wait!” My voice cracks, as I hurry after him. “I…”

The words stick to my throat. What could I say? What is there to explain? He trusted me, I betrayed him.

“I’m so sorry, Dylan…I…”

“No.”

He stops, but doesn’t turn around. “I’m the one who should say sorry,” he spits coldly. “I shouldn’t have trusted you at all.” I blink back tears. It was like he pierced me with a thousand arrows.

“I need to make this right. Our Tribes can’t keep fighting like this,” I take a breath, and force myself to continue. “But I can’t do it without you. Please. You can hate me with all your life after, but this is for the good of the Tribes…please.”

“You want to know why I really kidnapped you?”

I look up and blink, caught off guard. “What…?”

“Thorn assigned me to kill you.”

My breath catches.

“She thought you were in the way. She said Eclipse shouldn’t be trusted. I guess she was right. All along.” He laughs bitterly. My body trembles. My eyes on the verge of tears.

He pauses, then continues.

“When she found out the pendant was missing, she was furious. I told her I lost it. Beat the heck out of me. I’m not part of Cobra any longer.”

“You’re…” I trail off.

“Exiled. Happy now?”

I break into tears. He lied. He lied that he lost it…when it was all me.

“I’m so-”

“Forget it.” The words cut deep into my heart. It aches so hard.

“I need to make this right,” I beg. “Just this once—please.”

The silence was almost unbearable. I shift uncomfortably as he stares at me.

Finally, he scoffs.

“Fine. Only for the good of them both. Then I hope to never see your face again.”

My chest tightens, and it feels like something broke inside me. But I nod, despite the pain brewing inside of me. I feel like something collapsed. Something that I didn’t get enough time to enjoy.

He turns.

I gasp before I can stop myself. There is a long scar over his right eye, and another marks his nose bridge. Bruises darken his cheeks, and painful gashes were slashed on his neck. “Let’s get this over with, Raven,” he mumbles.

“Wait…let me treat those-”

“I’m fine,” Dylan snaps when I try to step towards him.

“You are not. Don’t be stupid.”

I try pulling him, but he resists with such strength that pushes me back.

“I said I’m FINE.”

The force of his heavy voice makes me stop. I let go of him, full of frustration and annoyance. “I’m just trying to help you,” I mutter.

“I don’t need your so-called help,” Dylan growls. “You’re doing the opposite of helping.”

“Good riddance,” I snap. “stay stubborn,” I mutter under my breath. But deep down, I know the truth.

This is all my fault.

“You can stay in this cave for the night. It’s right off Eclipse territory,” I say to Dylan after we’ve walked a little. He nods once, and turns away. I hesitate. “Are…you sure you don’t need help?”

“It’ll heal. Don’t make me say it again,” Dylan mutters.

I sit by his side for a little anyway, even though his back was facing me. The silence is making me uneasy, tension breaking. I can only hear the drumming of the rain, and the drip from the ferns. My dark hair gets even more drenched, and I shuffle, inhaling the scent of fresh plants and moss. We sit in silence for a bit.

“Why didn’t you just kill me, before?” I finally ask. “You had the chance.”

“I thought you were different,” he responds. “I guess I was wrong.”

“I messed up. I need to-”

“Heck yea you did,” Dylan snarls, his voice cracking. And for a moment, I can see—the version of him he trusted me with. “You were the only one I was close to. Besides Thorn. I should’ve known you were just using me for the pendant.”

I go quiet.

Because he’s not all wrong.

“We need to destroy it.” I look over at Dylan. Hes staring into the distance. “We need to destroy the pendant. It’s the only way,” he continues. His fingers curl against the soft moss.

I listen to his words, and we sit in silence again. A heavy fog settled. I thought you were different. I trusted you. You used me. I thought you were different. I—

“We can’t. We don’t even know what it can do,” I say, cutting through my thoughts.

“We don’t need to,” Dylan mutters firmly.

“We do.”

Dylan’s jaw tightens. “You should head back. We’ll discuss tomorrow.” His voice sounds strained and tight.

“Okay…” I say hesitantly. “First let me treat your wounds.”

“I don’t-”

“It’s not a question,” I snap.

He goes quiet, staring down.

Finally, he exhales sharply.

“You’re so annoying.” Relief flickers through me. Dylan lets me. In his own way.

“Stay here,” I say, walking out to look for herbs and healing remedies.

When I get back, Dylan was leaning against the side of the cave, against some moss. His eyes are closed. When he opens them, he stiffens up. I try to go ahead with the soft cotton I had found, and he immediately flinches back, his arm reaching up to block my hand. I suck in a breath. How badly did Thorn really hurt him? He glares at me.

“You’re okay,” I murmur. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

He stares at me with his icy eyes. “Like your attacks can do any damage.”

I ignore the comment and continue with the treatments I found, gently wiping away the dirt and mud from his wet face, and pressing the leaves to extract juice. “It stings,” he complains.

Something wet drips over my fingers. It’s warm. Sticky.

I grimace and look down.

And freeze. My jaw clenches.

Blood.

It’s everywhere.