Iree Nobelis wouldn’t tolerate being made into a fool.

The very fact that she was alive betrayed Atlin’s influence in her own capture. There was no reason for the Ghurians, those murderous bastards, to spare her unless they’d been asked to while working under certain conditions. As if Iree would be grateful for that. Please. Mercy was weakness, nothing more or less.

After discovering Iree’s beaten body, Cerid had gathered her and had the sense to get everyone, including a ranting and raving Shark, to fall back to Springen while iree decided what to do about Atlin’s so-called abduction. With her injuries from this incident, there was nothing Iree could do but sit around and issue orders. Everyone was on watch for the bitch, and Iree would be alerted at the first sight of her. In the meantime, she was resolved to talk some damn sense into Rhys.

On top of it being due to Atlin’s manipulations, his current predicament was also Rhys’ own fault. He knew the cost for treason, and Iree wasn’t convinced that he wasn’t conspiring with Ghuria alongside Atlin. That meant she’d also have to deal with the bitch like a traitor, too. How merciful she’d be depended on Rhys. If she had to be rough on Atlin, that would be his fault too.

In the room of dolls that hid at the base of the Catacombs, she now sat at his bedside. He’d been cleaned up, his wounds dressed and his clothes fresh, and technically slept, as he’d passed out after being subjected to Hollyhock’s Horizon. Hollyhock shook him awake after helping Iree settle into a chair, and, despite assurances that he didn’t need to stay, leaned against the wall behind her anyhow.

Rhys’ eyes cracked open, and he let out a yelp as he jerked away, flailing towards the opposite side of the bed.

“It’s fine.” Iree addressed Hollyhock, who had braced for an attack. Rhys was helpless without his hands. “Rhys,” she began softly as if she were trying not to startle a small animal. “We’re not going to hurt you anymore. It wasn’t personal. We needed to make sure you weren’t collaborating with the enemy.”

He turned his back on her, hunching his shoulders over and curling in on himself for defense. Iree wanted to go to his side, but her injuries rendered her immobile. She swallowed back a tired, frustrated sigh and poured a tone of placation and affection over each word.

“Rhys, I came because I need your help. Dorothea is missing. The Ghurians took her.”

He started to roll over but fell still halfway through, changing his mind. Wriggling and jabbing with the stubs of his wrists, he drew the blankets to his neck.

Damn. She’d been certain he’d react strongly to that. Had they pushed him too far? “I know she’s cooperating with them somehow. Did you tell her about Sirpo?”

Hollyhock interjected. “He didn’t. That’s one thing he did admit to me in the end.”

Iree nodded, realizing how sloppy the whole ordeal was. Normally, Hollyhock would have submitted report after report of details on what methods he’d used to elicit which precise statements and how the pieces of knowledge fitted together. Most importantly, they’d have gotten council permission. They were moving so fast and in such unfamiliar territory by striking a loved one for his own good that protocol was abandoned.

“So,” Hollyhock continued, “she figured it out on her own and allowed herself to be taken by the Ghurians today. The most probable things that happened are, one, she went to Sirpo to confirm, or, two, she’s deeper in Ghurian territory now, out of our reach.”

At this point, Atlin was nothing but a liability. It would be far smarter to put her down before she did any damage they couldn’t bounce back from. As long as Iree hadn’t given up on Plan Creed, however, they still needed her, and she was going to hold out hope for a little longer that her bombastic extermination could still be realized. It had to be possible to keep everything together. They were so close.

“Rhys…” Looking at him now, it was as if he were a distant stranger. With Dale’s passing and Atlin’s arrival, the Rhys she had valued and loved was gone. When would she stop losing those closest to her due to circumstances out of her control? When would her grip become strong enough to keep them close? She’d already appealed to the promise they had made, to Dale’s and Atlin’s lives. Maybe the way to convince him didn’t exist. “Please come back. We… I need you. Tell me what you want me to do if you don’t like the way I’m doing things. I’ll cut down anything in my path if that’s what it takes to make you happy.” To protect the ones she loved, she would step on and over anyone. That there were so few of them only strengthened her resolve.

Finally, he faced her, and she barely contained a gasp. Not once had she seen a person look so haunted, so empty in the eyes while exuding such a deep energy fueled by despair that she felt dragged into it. Rhys had a will left, somehow, but it was a dark, horrendous thing.

“Peace,” he croaked, and she shivered. Against logic, she was swayed by the impression that she was talking to an animated corpse. The way his hair was thrown over his face, the way it still felt as if he could reach out to choke her, and the certainty that he would if he could… “That is the only thing that can save any of us.”

But she was already doing that! What the fuck did he want?! She took a deep, calming breath as Hollyhock patted her shoulder, sensing her mounting agitation. “All this time, all I’ve done was follow the vow made by you, me and Dale. A just world. Equality for all in Sacer. What do I need to do to satisfy you?” They were spinning in useless circles.

“All in Sacer. Think about what’s missing.” Rhys’ insistent gaze demanded things of her she couldn’t give. She refused to even consider it.

It all came down to his sympathy for the enemy. She should have known. “I can’t just—”

“From the very beginning, the vow me made was flawed,” he hissed. “Selfish children thinking they could carve something out of the doctrine of this world when, really, their own selfishness had been passed down and taught to them. It’s endless. This belief you have that fulfilling the promise we all made to live together in a land of our own creation will make everything okay is bullshit. You’re so twisted that you see no issue with genocide. People like you… Like us… We all deserve to die. You…” His haunting stare cut to Hollyhock, who shuddered. “Made me realize that with your games. So, Iree, since you won’t ever think for yourself, and since it’s useless even if you do because we’ve been twisted too far and you’re just one person who could never hope to change anything, you can do one last thing. If your claims that you want to help me are actually true.” He shifted, jerky movements, getting to his knees, and he crawled towards her to perch on the very edge of the bed.

The sheer hatred of his indictment had her trembling and unable to speak.

“Kill me,” he ordered as that hollowness they’d created in him bore into her.

Hollyhock’s arms were around her, pulling and urging. “Come on. We need to go.”

“No.” She shrugged him off, hissing through her teeth as she tried and failed to stand. “No! You don’t get to tell me that, Rhys! That everything is useless… Just because you gave up! If I give in now…!” All of it would have been for nothing. Dale’s death would have no meaning. None of the graves behind them would, and the ghosts would never forgive them. The fracture between herself and her parents, the strength she had fought tooth and nail to gain… Meaningless. “You can’t have it your way. I’m going to give you a reason to live. I’ll make you.” She’d find it. The solution would present itself if she kept moving.

“Iree…” Hollyhock looked furtively to the door.

Of course he wanted to leave. Rhys was disturbing as fuck right now. As Iree was about to wave him off on his own, she heard footsteps trailing down towards them.

“Excuse me, Commander.” A soldier, with great effort, forced himself not to look at Rhys, staring at Iree with bulging eyes to compensate. “You told me to report to you when there was a change.” He cleared his throat, putting a hand up to block his own periphery. “Dorothea Atlin has been spotted heading towards the Creed residence. Ariana Kingfisher is in pursuit. As are Cerid Creed and Shark Olyen.”

Iree tried to look as dignified as she could. “Is there anything else?”

“No. I’ll return with an update as needed.”

“No need. The situation’s already covered.” She waved a hand to usher him off when he hesitated, and he dipped his head before fleeing the scene. Iree beckoned Hollyhock with a finger and whispered in his ear. “Bring that bitch here. Now.” Hollyhock hesitated but turned to obey when Iree glared.

Atlin. She had pushed Rhys over the edge, and there was no way to help him back up. Now she’d get what she deserved.

“Here’s how it’s going to be. If you do as I ask, I won’t utterly destroy her. Okay?”

Rhys shivered, dissolving into instant fear and panic, and Iree had to relish a bit at how satisfying it was for the right person to be in control again.

“All you have to do,” she explained with a smile, “is say yes when the time comes.”