Branded (Sinners, #1)

“Where did you get this?” I ask holding the letter against my chest.

He sits beside me and puts his arm over my shoulder. Even his eyes tear up at the edges. “He knew he was running out of time, that one day they’d come for him. He wrote two letters. One to you and one to me. Before he died, he made sure they were safe with Sutton.”

“I never thought I’d hear from Dad again, and here he is encouraging me when I need it the most.” I wipe the tears from my cheeks and hug my older brother. For the first time since the incident with Cole, I see him as just my brother. “Thank you. This means the world to me.” I kiss Keegan’s cheek, feeling regretful for being so angry with him.

“I’m not always a jerk, you know. All I’m trying to do is what’s best for you, and even though you don’t see it now, one day you will,” he says. “Besides, this could be the last week we’re alive, and I thought you should read it before we go into battle.” The way he finishes his sentence makes me feel guilty.

“You’re right. And here I am complaining about something that has absolutely no importance whatsoever.” I steel myself. I stand up straight and put my shoulders back, trying to be the soldier I know I need to become. “Do you really think we can get into the commander’s quarters?”

“I do. We won’t all make it, of course, but it’ll be worth the cost when I put his head on a spear for all to see. Then we’ll have the power to do things the way we want. We’ll be able to take back everything we lost and make them pay.” He lifts my head with his hand and says, “Imagine that. Imagine the sweet revenge you’ll have for your branding. For taking our father—for taking everything away from us.” The change in his tone gives me goose bumps. His words are hard like steel and just as cold.

“It’s not the revenge I’m interested in. I just want things to be right again. That’s all I want.” I shrug his arm off my shoulders. The hunger for violence in his eyes makes me uncomfortable. The brother I just recognized is again lost to the warrior he has become. “Thank you. Thank you for giving me this.” I hold up the letter and the tightness in my chest prevents me from saying anything more.

He takes the hint and stops in my doorway on the way out. “Oh, just so you know, in two days we’re throwing a shindig to celebrate the revolt. Make sure you keep Cole and his idiotic dog under control.”

My head feels scrambled. I tuck the letter inside Alyssa’s book and slide it into my small duffel bag. I may not have much, but what I own is priceless. I motion to Zeus, and he follows me out into the dim hallway one last time.

A complex maze of tunnels link together, forming a vast underground network that I didn’t know existed when I first arrived. Wing C is small, though, and darker. Light bulbs dangle intermittently along the narrow tunnels. Water drips down and mud forms, immediately coating my boots with a thick crust.

When we finish dinner, our group chooses bunks in a damp room. The doorway opens into a narrow hall between crude wooden bunks that line each side of the room. Metal dressers sit in between each bunk, but they’re barely big enough for three days’ worth of clothing. All of us—male and female—share the crowded space. Keegan takes the bed closest to the doorway. Sheldon bunks directly across from him and winks as I pass. I take an empty bunk at the back of the room because I don’t want to be too close to everyone. I place my meager belongings in a metal dresser that sits next to the bed. Zeus lies down uneasily and whines.

After settling in, we meet with Keegan in the control room. He pulls up a hologram of the commander’s residence. It’s large, concrete, and attached to the main outer wall of the Hole. It looks familiar, and my memory of it is validated when I realize it’s located next to the entrance of the Hole. I saw it when Cole escorted me in.

“The doors are made of thick metal. The only way to open and close them is the keypad. The entry into the main compound is at the top of the wall, so we’ll get there by using a back staircase. The stairs are loaded with guards, so everyone needs to stay sharp. Sheldon will go first and scout it out. We’ll wait for his signal and then proceed. When we get to the doors, Isaac will detonate them. Unfortunately, we don’t have information on what we’ll encounter once inside. Sutton was able to get a rough map of the residence, but the copy is a few years old, so things could’ve changed. I want every single one of you to memorize it anyway. There’re enough copies for everyone. Look, I know it’s a lot to absorb, but we’re running out of time.” Keegan hands out maps to each person, and everyone studies them.

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