Page 32 of Mindeater

Did they know it, too? Did they realize they held his entire world and were ripping it away? He was sure they did. And so be it if he was caught. Ryx deserved to know that it all went wrong. That he had every intention of helping him escape. That he wasn’t a liar.

Blood trickled down his back and into the waistband of his pants. Sweat clung to every inch of him, and as he slowed to take in the scene, he spotted only two guards. The engine idled loudly, and in the bed of the truck sat Ryx. His head was down. Chains and shackles decorated his wrists and ankles. There was even one around his neck, cinched tightly into his skin.

His heart screamed seeing it. A mirror image of how he came to that place. Saren saved him only to destroy everything they had.

Because he was weak.

Because he was stupid.

Because he was obedient.

“Ryx!” he blurted against his better judgment.

The two guards straightened at his frantic voice and drew their weapons.

Ryx didn’t budge or lift his head.

Can you keep a secret?

The question leeched in his mind on a never-ending loop. He’d tried to keep it. Every last one. Steeling himself, he approached the guards and ignored the pain of his injuries.

“You shouldn’t be here,” the shorter of the two said.

“Yet I am,” he growled. “Let me see him.”

The taller one shook his head and aimed his weapon. “We have orders.”

“Let me see him!” He pushed his mastery onto the pair, and they moved aside.

Jogging to the tail end, he climbed onto the bumper and paused. From afar, he hadn’t been able to see what they’d done to Ryx. Now that he could, all those hard-to-believe truths Ryx told him were like gut punches.

Ryx would have never been safe with him.

Every inch of visible skin was black and blue. Cuts and scrapes covered his knees, elbows, knuckles, and face. His mouth was so swollen it couldn’t possibly be the same one he’d kissed. That perfectly straight nose now had a giant lump along the bridge, and old blood crusted around his nostrils. There was a chunk of hair missing from the right side of his skull, weeping pink fluid.

“Ryx,” he whimpered. That time, the boy flinched. “I didn’t mean to.” The words clung to his tongue.

He had more to say, so much more.

In the distance, he spotted more soldiers leaving the barracks just down the road. His window of opportunity was slowly vanishing. He knew he couldn’t fight this—if he tried, they’d shoot Ryx on the spot.

Fingers gripping the tailgate, he turned back to Ryx and found the boy glaring at him. Those same steel colored eyes pinned him with a rage so palpable he could taste it. Saren didn’t need to see inside Ryx’s mind to know what resided there.

His heart sank and fractured.

“He was too strong. I was afraid and—”

“Go fuck yourself,” Ryx spat.

His words stung instantly. Saren recoiled like he’d been slapped. “You’re my best friend. You know I wouldn’t ever do this to you on purpose. Never. I,” he hiccuped as more tears budded in the corners of his eyes, “love you.”

“You don’t know the meaning of the word. No Telex does.”

“Please,” he begged, ready to climb into the truck and drop to his knees. “Please listen to me.”

“Why?!” Ryx roared, chin lifting defiantly. “Why should I listen? You…I fucking trusted you, Saren! I trusted you!”

“You still can! It wasn’t my fault!”