Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

right past us and into the waiting lift. I could barely stand it, watching them shove Evelyn roughly against its wall. My hands fisted but I did nothing, fear for Dad stopping me.
    My blood began to boil.
    Phoenix was last out.
    He paused at my shoulder. ‘That’s good, lover. You’re going to need that,’ he said quietly, reading my emotions. ‘That and more.’
    I looked at him, nothing but determination on my face. ‘I will be getting my mother back,’ I said, through gritted teeth.
    He smiled, stepping into my personal space. ‘I’m counting on it. Two days, and I’ll find you, but just remember …’ He moved closer, his voice dropping to barely a whisper, ‘If you so much as leave a window open, I can find you before then.’ He pulled back, something passing over his eyes as they locked briefly with mine before he turned the look to one of triumph, entered the lift, and left with his mother. And mine.
    As soon as the doors closedI was running down the hall towards the cell. There was not one but two exiles ready and waiting. It didn’t matter. I made quick work of the first, barely slowing down as my blade went straight into his stomach and then across his neck. I wasn’t stopping to give exiles choices today.
    You take my Dad; that is your choice.
    Lincoln dealt with the other exile in much the same fashion and soon I was dropping to the ground beside Dad, my fingers grappling to find a pulse. When I felt the steady beat I cried out in relief.
    Another series of explosions started to rock the building. Griffin ran in behind us. ‘Troops are coming!’ he yelled, grabbing hold of Lincoln and telling him something. I remained focused on Dad, trying to wake him, but there was no use – he was out cold.
    I started to get up, planning to lift Dad and take him to safety, but Lincoln grabbed me by the arm and started to pull me back towards the corridor.
    ‘What are you–’ I started. He cut me off, yanking me after him.
    ‘We have to go. Now!’ He kept moving but I shrugged a hand free, looking back at Dad. There was no way in hell I was leaving him.
    Griffin dropped beside Dad and looked at me. ‘I’ve got him, Violet. You have my word. Do what Lincoln says! Run! Now! ’
    I don’t know if itwas the terror in his eyes or the force of his voice – whatever it was made me give in, letting Lincoln take my arm once more as we ran towards the exit and left Griffin and Dad behind. I tried to head for the door to the stairs, but Lincoln pulled me towards the lift, yanking the doors open.
    But the lift wasn’t there – Lilith and Phoenix had just taken it to the ground floor. It would take too long to come back up. It was then that I heard the sounds of people coming down the stairs, yelling out orders.
    Looking at Lincoln I saw the same fear in his eyes that I’d seen in Griffin’s. Whatever was going on wasn’t good.
    Lincoln pulled off his belt. ‘Get on my back!’ he ordered.
    I looked down the lift shaft at the multi-storey drop and baulked. A fire smouldered at the bottom.
    ‘They blew it up!’ I said. ‘We can’t go that way!’ But Lincoln wasn’t moving. I looked at him, wide-eyed. ‘Are you insane? We can’t jump!’
    ‘We don’t have a choice, Vi. Just stay on my back and protect yourself. You hear me? Protect yourself so you can heal me at the bottom. If we’re both hurt we’re no good.’
    This can’t be happening.
    I shook my head back and forth. ‘No, no, no! This is crazy!’
    He grabbed me by the shoulders, the sounds of Grigori approaching getting closer. ‘We don’t have time. You have to trust me!’
    His eyes held mine and in that split second so much passed between us, so much love and yes, trust.
    Stupid, stupid trust.
    I gripped his shoulders and leaped onto his back. ‘We’re going to have words about this later,’ I said.
    ‘Looking forwardto them,’ he said, and jumped.
    Lincoln was so strong, he carried my weight as if I wasn’t there, manoeuvring himself to hook his belt around one of the steel cables to guide us down the centre of the shaft. But we both knew there was only so long his belt would hold. Moving at breakneck speed, the belt gave way and split in two when we were little more than halfway down. Lincoln quickly replaced it with his bare hands.
    The smell of flesh burning was instant. But, stubborn as ever, he held on for as long as he could, even as I screamed, watching the trail of blood left behind on the cable.
    Finally, he let