Bloodline

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

"What?"

"You heard me," I said confidently, watching Four's eyes widen in surprise, "I want to come home. I thought the world was... different, but the Mother was right. This shit is too much for me. I want to go back home. Thirteen's a lost cause, but the Mother will take care of him on her own. I don't want to be another fucking minute in this world. I want to go back as soon as possible." Four stared at me, still stunned as shit, then his eyes slowly narrowed and he looked around again.

"You're fucking shitting me," he said warily, "After the shit you put us through, the people we lost--"

"I made a mistake, sue me," I deadpanned, making him snort, "I just want to be home where I belong."

"Even if we're going to kill Thirteen?" Four challenged. I frowned.

"You don't need to kill him. He's a child. He doesn't remember jack shit about anything. Let him do his thing. I don't care what happens to him at this point. I just want to be home," I explained. I didn't want to lay it on too thick. Plus, I could already feel Four reaching out with his powers to detect a lie, so I held my ground.

I wanted to go home.

This world was too confusing.

I was lost here. I had no purpose in this world.

But with the Mother, I did. It wasn't the purpose I wanted, but it was a purpose nonetheless. Plus, it was a world I already knew, like Jo had said. It was a world I recognized and understood, no matter how shitty it was. The rest of the world was just... too confusing, too big. I needed out. And fast.

"Too bad I'm locked away," Four said casually, making me glance at him, "Otherwise, I could just take you to the Mother myself." I gave him a droll stare.

"I'm not letting you out. You'll kill me for cracking your skull on a toilet," I responded. Four snorted.

"I've had worse," he responded, then shrugged, "Then I guess you're shit out of luck, small fry. The only way to the Mother is through me and I'm locked up tight. Sucks to be you, don't it?" I glared at him, folding my arms over my chest. I glanced out the corner of my eye at the door where Todd had disappeared, then looked back at Four, who looked at me with a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

"If I let you out, you'll kill me," I said.

"I don't kill brothers," he answered. I frowned at that. He just stared back at me with that grin on his face, almost like he knew exactly what I was planning to do. I looked back at the door again and waited a moment or two, then turned back to Four.

"If you don't take me back to the Mother, I'm going to kill you," I said, making Four smirk, "I will. I'll do it slow too."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?"

"Just me is all it will take," I promised. Even though I had no fucking idea how to activate this weird Beast curse to begin with. So much for the King helping me with my Beast. I rolled my eyes at the thought, then shook my head. I approached the bars, but didn't touch them, just studied them. They were floor to ceiling tall, about an inch thick, smelled like burning hair. They were cursed, he said. I had no magic, so I couldn't break the magic on them. Frowning, I stepped back again.

"I need something to get the bars open," I said, making Four raise an eyebrow, "I can't do it on my own without getting cursed myself. I'll be back tomorrow night to get them open." Four inclined his head.

"You get me out and I'll get you to the Mother without hesitation," he said, then paused and reached his hand through the bars, just barely avoiding touching them, "Brother." I frowned, then hesitantly reached out to take his hand. He smirked and jerked me forward hard, slamming me right into the bars.