Leaving The Way: Book Two (The Way Trilogy), стр. 28

Mother.

The name catches in my throat as I freeze, and the General lunges toward who I can only assume is my father. He grabs him by the throat, lifting him straight up, his feet unable to touch the ground.

“No,” my voice cracks, and it comes out as a whisper. It’s clear no one even heard me given my father is still a good two-feet off the ground.

I don’t think, I just charge, ramming into the General’s back, beating my fists against it and demanding he put him down. “Stop, put him down. Now! Stop, please!”

The General doesn’t let go, but he does turn to look down at me, cocking his head to the side. He seems to see the fear in my eyes along with the tears as he slowly sets my father down. My father collapses to the ground, choking and unable to speak.

“Anna.” It’s a whisper from my mother who still sits on the ground, staring up at the man before her, tears pouring down her cheeks.

“Mother…” I’m not sure what to say, but it seems to be enough to calm the General down as he steps back a few feet to give us space.

My legs won’t hold me up anymore, and I drop to my knees, looking back and forth between the two of them, not understanding how this is possible. Why are they here? How are they here?

It seems my voice is refusing to work, but at least my parents both seem to be suffering with the same issue. Instead, they both crawl on hands and knees to where I sit, wrapping me in a tear soaked embrace.

We stay like that for what seems like forever before my mother finally speaks. “We didn’t think we would ever see you again, Anna.” And then I’m crying again.

I feel like that’s all I’ve been doing lately, but at least these are happy tears. The General stands off to my right, hidden in the shadows, and the three of us finally sit back, drying our tears.

“Why are you here, I mean, how are you here?” I ask, reaching to hold my mother’s hand.

Squeezing my hand and looking to my father first she answers, “We were arrested.”

I suck in a shocked breath at her words, but refrain from interrupting.

“They wanted to know if we helped you plan the attack on the compound, and where you were.”

With eyes wide and stomach churning, I can’t help but interrupt this time. “What? I didn’t have anything to do with the attack. That was a horrible coincidence.” I look to both of them, and see in their eyes they believe me.

“We know, sweetie,” my mother assures me. “We told them that, but it was clear none of that mattered, so your father lied. He told them we had a bad feeling you were planning on escaping, and that he planned to tell the Vater, but then the compound was attacked.”

She looks to my father once more, and passes off the story. “That’s right. And while David didn’t believe me, the Vater did. They released us, and the next night we snuck out the north wall.” He clears his throat, patting my mother’s hand before continuing. “We went to Bonham first, and a nice lady at the hotel said she figured you were in Greenville with someone named Luke.”

I feel my cheeks heating with the knowledge I’ll have to explain Luke to my parents, and the fact that while we aren’t sleeping together, we are sleeping together. You know what I mean. Sex. I mean sex.

As that thought leaves my mind, the next one is about Ash. “What about Ash?”

My father’s face falls, any color remaining draining away as he finally answers my question. “It’s really bad, sweetie. David kept her in his apartment for days before he was finally forced to move her to a cell. She had only been in the cell next to ours for a day when we were released, Anna, but it looked pretty bad. She wouldn’t really talk to me, but she did talk to your mother some.”

I look to my mother, but she just shakes her head. No. This is my fault. We should have gone back for her, even if it meant us not being able to get back out. I’m a horrible person. I’ve been here, in a castle, living the life, while my best friend…I can’t even think about it. This has to stop. I don’t give two shits what Mateo or Luke say, if they won’t go with me, I’m heading back to get my best friend without them. I have no doubt Cody and Chase will be right there with me. And I’m not gonna wait another minute.

Brushing off my mother’s hand and standing, I turn to the General. “I have to go. You said don’t be stupid and rush off by myself. Well, this is me not being stupid. I need your help.”

He doesn’t even think, he just nods.

My parents both stand, trying to stop me as I storm back toward The Castle.

“Anna! Stop! There’s something else you need to know.”

Holding my breath, I stop dead in my tracks, waiting. I don’t think I can take anything else.

“It hadn’t happened yet, but I overheard the Vater saying David would be promoted to elder. He’ll have free reign now,” my father finishes, placing his hand on my shoulder, but it doesn’t comfort me.

I don’t comment, I just nod, and continue my trek to The Castle.

My parents walk behind me, the General on my left as we make our way back, a thousand things running through my brain. In between thoughts, I check my surroundings and notice the General’s head keeps swiveling in every direction. It’s discreet, but I notice it. I gradually work my way closer to him, hoping I’m being paranoid, but knowing if somethings up he’ll tell me. I catch his eye, raising my brow, questioning if something’s wrong.

He eliminates the last bit of distance between us