Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

very thing that first broke a piece of him?
    ‘I’m sorry, Phoenix,’ I said, and I meant it. My apology was many-fold and I couldn’t even begin to voice it, so I just let it flow from me to him.
    He gripped the table, bracing as he experienced the influx of my remorse. He covered it quickly, straightening, and I turned off the emo-tap.
    ‘Back to the part where we die,’ Lincoln said, unimpressed by what had just passed. ‘How is it decided?’
    I thought about what he’d said. The modern-day image of a cherub was a creature of love, tiny fat, winged babies that flew around shooting their arrows of passion.
    ‘Arrows,’ I whispered.
    Phoenix nodded, his eyes closing briefly. ‘Violet will be strung up and shot with finger-length arrows. A child will be freed for each arrow she can survive, until she can take no more.’
    ‘You mean until I’m dead?’
    ‘Until you’re dead.’
    I ignored my subconscious, the ultimate realisation that death was now beating at my door. Relentless, unwavering, certain death. I looked at Phoenix, unable to face Lincoln beside me.
    ‘And what about Lincoln?’ I heard myself ask.
    ‘He is required to accompany you. He’ll be made to watch.’
    ‘Buthe doesn’t have to go?’ I asked.
    Phoenix shook his head. ‘He has to go. She wants him to see. Without him, the deal is off.’
    ‘Will he live?’
    Phoenix looked down. I closed my eyes.
    They’d execute Lincoln after he’d watched me die.
    Lincoln’s laugh was bitter. ‘So Lilith expects me to stand by and watch while Violet is tortured?’ He shook his head and leaned forward. ‘That’s never going to happen. Tell your psycho-bitch of a mother to sit on the pointy end of her deal and twist.’
    Phoenix didn’t say anything in Lilith’s defence, he simply continued grimly, like a doctor delivering news no patient wants to hear, but must. ‘I can help, but There’s only so much I can do. There’s no way to stop her, but I can give you my word that I’ll get your mother out afterwards, Violet. She’ll keep her alive after …’
    ‘I’m dead.’
    ‘There’s something else.’ He glanced at Lincoln now, as if trying to tell him something. But Lincoln was seething so much I didn’t think he could see anything but red. ‘She knows we’re connected, she sensed the bond on me and Olivier was only too happy to confirm it. She’ll order me to reinstate your wounds if you are too strong. She’ll stand by her word to release the children but she won’t want to lose too many.’
    He looked between Lincoln and me and sighed, coming to some sort of decision. ‘You’d …’ He swallowed as if it was hard for him to say. ‘You’d be best off if you considered every way to make yourself as powerful as possible before then.’
    Lincoln threw his mug at the wall, the pieces shattering, coffee staining the white paint as it dribbled down.
    ‘Thisis sick. Vi, you can’t listen to this,’ Lincoln said, but he knew as well as me, it might be sick but it was also the truth.
    ‘And if you refuse to hurt me?’ I asked Phoenix.
    ‘I’m of her blood. She can force me.’ He looked down. ‘She knows that I Lincoln isn’t the only one who will be expected to watch.’
    I remembered how Irin seemed to have so much control over his Nephlim children. I wondered if Lilith had a similar kind of control over him.
    Lincoln stood, scraping his chair roughly as he did. ‘This is priceless! So, you’re telling us to surrender to Lilith based on your assurance that you will free her mother after we are both dead and trust that you will keep Violet alive for as long as possible so her death can be slower and more painful! You’re insane. We may as well take our chances and kill you!’
    I heard Lincoln’s words, the desperate plea that this was not happening. But we both knew he’d left out the one thing that made the difference. That in return for all of that, we would have a chance at saving those innocent children.
    Phoenix simply shrugged. ‘We all know complications arise from that solution, too.’
    I looked at Lincoln, pain rippling through his features.
    ‘He’s right,’ I said, quietly. ‘And you know it.’
    Death is racing towards me.
    Lincoln didn’t respond. Instead he stared at Phoenix while Phoenix stared back. Their hate for one another seemed to morph into a mutual resentment, a shared desperation and even heartache. Finally, Lincoln dropped back into his seat.
    ‘Is there any other way?’