Greys III - Revelations

Chapter 38 - Puppets & Promises

James was by my side when I woke, his scent the first thing I was conscious of, the first thing that anchored me back to the real world. Ailech was just leaning back from Malachi, apparently finished with his healing. Kael and Nevaeh were standing further back, watching the scene as well. And though Malachi's bed was soaked with blood, his body painted in it, and the smell of burnt flesh still hung in the air, his face was recognizable again, and not a mark was visible under his collar. Or, no new marks at least.

After taking in my surroundings while avoiding James' glare, I finally looked up at him. The shelf in his jaw stood out, his eyes narrowed and his brows pulled together in sharp disapproval. I smiled weakly at our connection's smolder before speaking.

"Well, now we've both done something stupid on Malachi's behalf, so we're even. Let's just keep it a one-to-one tie, okay?"

James exhaled through his nose in a slight scoff, his eyes still dark on mine as he spoke.

"I'm pretty sure your 'something stupid' was quite a bit worse than mine."

"Was it, really? I didn't kill anyone."

I grabbed his collar and pulled myself up into a seated position by it, watching him the whole way up. He huffed again, but I saw a slight smile fighting to surface.

"What happened?" James asked shortly.

"Has he woken up yet?" I replied, glancing at Malachi.

James and Ailech both shook their heads.

"The Collector was using dreams to gain information about us, the Vault, our strengths and plans. But Malachi didn't tell him anything. He lied and said he didn't know yet. The injuries were punishments for his mistakes - getting collared, losing the Collector's eyes. He was about to do something to him for helping us with Chi, but then I got there and stopped him. It was only a dream, and he doesn't have the foothold in my mind he does with Malachi or..."

"In mine. I know."

James spoke up as I trailed off, realizing I had been speaking more to the room than just him, letting them know what I could do, what the Collector could do to the ones he used to own and control. Or the ones he still did.

"I tried to pretend I was there because we wanted to be the ones to torture Malachi, or because we didn't want the Collector to be able to have him anymore. But he saw through it. He knows we aren't...like that. He knows we aren't going to kill Malachi or harm him. He said we're too weak."

"He isn't wrong there. But I am hoping our battle with him isn't determined by who is harder or colder, but a different kind of strength. That's the only chance we've got."

James was watching me with such tenderness, such intimacy, I felt something tighten and quiver in my stomach as he spoke. He had changed so much from the empty, arrogant, arm-length man I had first met when I joined the Clan. He was more honest, transparent even at times, he had emotions, and not just violence or anger or tight-fisted control like he used to have. I swallowed hard and stood, going to the foot of Malachi's bed.

James stood at the bedside and looked down at the man he had known for the first half of his life. A multitude of emotions played across his face as he watched him. I was sure he was wondering why Malachi would keep our secrets about Ailech and Red Shifts and even being True Pairs, though his father already knew that. But what advantage did it give Malachi to withhold information? And how could we keep the Collector out of his dreams indefinitely?

Malachi's curved eyes opened, and he looked momentarily confused as he focused on the ceiling above him. Then his eyes found James, the closest of us to him and he flinched, jerking away as a short yelp escaped him before he snapped his mouth shut.