Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

his briefcase beside him and pulled an open vial from his inside jacket pocket.
    He smiled soothingly,pinning me to the wall. ‘It’s a problematic world we find ourselves in,’ he said with a heavy sigh. He looked forlorn and yet his eyes were alight when he looked back at me. ‘I’m simply fascinated by you.’
    ‘Who are you?’ I ground out.
    ‘That’s a complicated question. But on this occasion, a mere financier. And I must say, though not living up to my original expectations, it seems it may still be money well spent.’ He looked over his shoulder at the battle still raging. ‘I would’ve loved to spend some more time together.’ He placed the vial under my wrist and watched carefully as my blood flowed into it.
    He was patient as I struggled, but there was little I could do – my power was almost entirely spent, my strength gone.
    ‘What are you doing?’ I demanded as I squirmed.
    ‘Unfortunately, this is not the best time for a chat, but let’s call it research.’ He glanced behind himself again. He was going to run. It was a most un-exile-like trait, and yet, it wasn’t due to fear. It was worse … He was smart.
    I pulled on the dregs of my power, sending the very last from me, just enough to try and hold him for a few seconds. My mist floated right past him as if he were immune to it.
    His smile widened and he pulled back the large vial, now filled with my blood. I realised I had never had him under my hold at all. Like Phoenix, briefcase man had been pretending.
    He released me and I slid down the wall.
    He bowed in a gentlemanly fashion. ‘I do hope you survive.’
    I blinked and he was gone. He could’ve run, dawdled or disappeared into thin air. In my state, it was impossible to know.
    I picked upmy sword and used the doorframe to force myself back onto my uncooperative legs. Another explosion rocked the room, the large chandelier falling with a crash, taking out whoever was beneath it. The far side of the room began to fill with smoke.
    Half walking, half falling down the basement stairs I moved on until the sound of fighting grew faint. Finally, I reached the bottom. I looked myself over, the bleeding at my side and my wrist beginning to slow, eventually you just run out of the stuff.
    It took everything I had just to breathe and stay upright.
    Phoenix was dead. Lincoln was lost. Everything was gone.
    The screams were repressed but they were there nonetheless, clawing at my throat, waiting to pull me down with them.
    I turned to the cages just as another massive explosion erupted. Concrete chunks started to fall from the ceiling. The thirty children who had not been spared by my arrows huddled in groups. When they saw me, they started to scream.
    Simon was standing up against the bars. Of course he was still there. I’d be willing to bet he’d insisted on staying with the others, even if he had been one of the children offered freedom.
    ‘Violet!’ he yelled, but it sounded more like a question.
    I tried to smile. It was unlikely it looked convincing.
    I scouted around for keys and finally found a set in a wall box. Staggering over to Simon’s cage, I opened his first. He reached me just as I started to fall to my knees. He stumbled under my weight but managed to sit me against the bars.
    I took his hand and pressed the keys into it. ‘Get them out.’
    His eyes connected with mine.
    Such a small boy. So brave.
    He nodded andstarted to unlock the other cages. A few minutes later all of the remaining children were huddled around me. They were free, but they still had to get out of the building.
    Another explosion shook the basement and more concrete fell.
    I gripped onto the cage and pulled myself to my feet, praying it would be the last time. I needed to be strong for them. I looked at the children.
    My vision was starting to blur but I could see the smoke that had started streaming down the stairwell.
    ‘Listen to me, this place is going to go,’ I gulped. The whole building was on fire. ‘Simon, take everyone upstairs. Stay low. Try not to breathe in the smoke. Everyone hold hands and stay in a line.’
    The children began to join hands. ‘Stay together,’ I ordered. ‘When you get up there, follow the hall. The front doors are at the end. Find a man called Griffin. Tell him … Tell him I sent you to him.’
    The children nodded.
    Good kids.
    ‘Go!’ I said. They started to move up the stairs in a line.
    ‘What about you?’ Simon asked, unsure.
    I forced a