Page 99 of Beautiful Chaos
He doesn’t say anything, speeding up as he nears us. Cupcake gives three sharp barks.
That’s her warning bark.
She’s going to attack.
“Cup,no,” I say, then turn to Sy, confused.
Huh.
He seems to be vibrating. I follow his line of sight, and he’s staring at Dad.
“You,” he growls.
“What the fuck, Sy?” I ask, trying to make sense of what I’m seeing. It’s Silas, but he looks weirdly young.
Only then do I see the flash of gunmetal. A pistol. With a suppressor.
Cupcake flies at Silas, aiming right for his throat. Sy turns and aims.
He pulls the trigger, catching Cupcake in the shoulder with a quiet sound that fractures something in my psyche. The shot spins her midair. Cupcake yelps, then crumples to the ground.
Still on the move, Silas takes aim at Dad. He pulls the trigger with a grin, no hesitation.
I’ve been working with Wimberley’s advanced weaponry for a while now, and I don’t recognize this gun.
Or this man.
“Ronan!” Papa screams, racing to his side.
“No tattoos,” Dad chokes out, blood pouring from the side of his head.
Papa fumbles for his phone and hits a button. Silas scratches his temple with the suppressor, a slight upward tilt on cruel lips.
“This is Thane Ashford on the Wildlings’ rooftop,” Papa says, his voice shaking. “Shots fired. Silas has gone rogue. Send help.”
“Help is on the way.”
That’s Uncle Jake’s voice. I don’t…
“Silas?” I ask, blinking.
He winks. Thentsksas he shakes his head.
His eyes. His eyes don’t make sense. They’ve gone white.
Dad’s words finally filter through. I look at the man’s hands.
No tattoos.
This isn’t my Silas.
There’s only one word pinballing through my mind right now.
Clone.
“I see you’ve got it now,” he says, shooting off to the side.
A heavy thump shakes the ground. I know it’s Papa without looking.
