Chapter 285 - Life and death *Harsh content warning* (2/2)

Drake nodded and slowly worked his way back toward the door. He couldn't help the sick shutter that crept up his spine as the crack of brittle bones crunched under his feet. He was thankful when a strong arm tugged him forward, shaking his mind back into the present.

”Come on kid. We can't just stand here, some of these girls are going to need medical attention asap.” Ry ordered as he balanced one frail body in the crook of his arm as he continued tugging Drake toward the door. A deafening roar echoed the walls, bringing Ry's attention back to inside the room. ”Fuck!” He shoved the tiny body he'd been carrying to Drake as he pushed him the remaining few feet across the threshold. He whirled back into the room in time to see Russ shift into the hybrid beast. ”Dad, do something!” He yelled as he ran forward.

Poseidon spun from where he knelt over a girl bȧrėly breathing and flicked his wrist toward Russ, bringing him to his knees as he continued to struggle against the alpha form. Ry slid to his knees in the filth beside Russ cupping his face and shaking his shoulders. ”Pull it together, kid! Think of the girls.”

”That bastard has to pay for this! A quick death isn't good enough... He deserves torture...” Russ said angrily between panted growls.

”We have to help them first, then you can seek out your uncle.” Movement from the far corner caught his attention. Ry lifted his head to see the older girl who had remained in the room shift into a wolf form then back painfully slow. Her glowing Jade eyes glared into him and Russ.

A strange calm fell over Russ as he watched her stand and walk toward them, not phased at all by her now lack of clothes as if what she had on before had been much. She glared down at them both as she stepped past and knelt beside Poseidon. ”Hand her to me... She's my little sister...”

Poseidon frowned as he lifted the bȧrėly living girl upward. ”We need to get them to the hospital...” He replied.

Rin stepped over and nodded in agreement. ”I can take two at a time if you want me to start teleporting them out.”

Poseidon nodded. ”I can take as many as can touch at once.” His gaze shifted to the other girl. ”Your sister needs professional care. I can take you with her.” He stood and held his hand out to her. ”What is your name child?”

Her beautiful eyes glowed radiantly from the caked-on muck. ”Jaden... and this is my sister Gwendolen.” Her eyes shot to Russ before moving back to Poseidon. ”I... I know who you are... And you...” Her eyes moved back to Russ.

Russ pushed Ry's hand away as he stood, not bothering to brush the filth from his pants. When she took a step back, he froze in his steps. ”I...”

She shook her head. ”I said I know who you are... I didn't say I liked you...” She turned her attention to Poseidon. ”I will let you take us to the hospital... after I see to the others...”

He nodded. ”I can take them as well...” His attention moved around the room before meeting Rin's.

Rin nodded with a frown, answering the question in the sea god's eyes.

Poseidon turned to Ry. ”Can I leave the rest to you and Arei?”

”Yeah...” He followed them out into the main area, surprised how crowded the room had become over the past hour. His eyes sought out Jos and Gigi who were now tending to as many girls as they could, giving them water and cleaning wounds as best as they could. Arei was in a heated discussion with several members of the council. He caught Russ's arm and nodded toward them. ”Here's your first chance to show your authority here. Come on, they'll need our statements.” Peg nodded to them as he stepped past them with a tablet in his hand.

Peg bent beside Jos and Gigi. ”I have the names of the girls who have gone missing over the years. Do you think you can help us identify any of them?” He asked Gigi. To his surprise, one of the girls stepped forward while Gigi continued to hesitate.

”I can... I know... knew them all...” Jaden said in a raspy stoic voice.

Jos grabbed one of the blankets and shot to her feet. ”Here.” She said trying her best to wrap it around the taller girl's shoulders. She bent and retrieved one of the many bottles of water they'd brought down and handed it to the girl. ”How... how long have you been down here?” Jos couldn't help to ask as she searched the girl's dirty face.

With head held high and only a bȧrėly noticeable tremble to her body and voice, Jaden answered. ”That depends... what year is it now?”

Tears streamed down Jos's face as she reached out to the tiny girl in Jaden's arms. ”What... did they do to you all?”

Before Jaden could answer, Lamia stepped forward. ”Yes, we need an official statement, and considering you are the only one remotely capable of speaking in the wretched place...” Lamia held a recorder out toward the girl.

Jos pushed between them. ”Can't you see, she's in no state to answer your questions!”

”I have to agree.” Russ's harsh voice rang out from over Jos and Jaden's shoulder. ”We are dealing with a tragedy. We are trying to save lives. If you can't help with those two things, then get the fuċk out of my palace.”

Lamia arched her brow at the three. ”Your palace? That's rich coming from you, Prince Boosilis... considering you wanted nothing to do with it only weeks ago.”

Russ stepped forward. ”Yes well, as you can see, I've changed my mind considerably...” He risked a glance behind him. ”And as you can also see my people need me now, they need their representatives to show they give a shit as well. So, if you're not here for that-”

”Yes, get the fuċk out... I heard the first time...” She rolled her eyes.

Gigi swallowed hard as she stood up from the floor and stepped forward. ”I... I can answer most of the questions you have about this place.”

Lamia arched her brow. ”You? Ha... Well, this should be interesting.” The sound of duel growls reverberating in the hollow basement caused her to stop her next words. Her eyes moved up to the radiant glare of a pair of red and a pair of Jade eyes. Her lips fell into a flat line. ”Fine... shall we?” She motioned to a less crowded side of the room.

Russ followed them with his eyes, before turning his attention back to Jos. ”How are the others?”

Jos frowned, clenching the bottle of water in her hands. Her eyes moved to the slight girl in the other wolf's arms. ”I... I'm sorry... I wouldn't call many well... and the others...”

Russ nodded in disappointment. ”I see...” He cupped her shoulder. ”Thank you... you didn't have to help... but you did... I... I'll never be able to repay you for... everything...” Just as he was about to pull her into a hug Jaden swayed on her feet. He quickly grabbed her as Jos struggled to support the smaller girl in her arms. ”Rin! Can we get some help over here?”

Rin hurried over, the first signs of exhaustion showing on his face. ”Yeah, man? Oh... Um here...” He held his arms out and took the weight of the girl. ”This will probably be the last trip for me tonight... I... don't think I can do anymore...”

Russ nodded. ”It's cool, man. You've done more than enough. I'll stop by when this is all over.” He clapped Rin on the back and watched as the man disappeared with the two girls. He let out a sigh as he ran his dirty hands through his hair. He didn't turn his gaze to Jos as he asked. ”Did you know about this?”

Jos shook her head rapidly. ”I had no clue. I hadn't heard any of it until recently. Why? Why would you even ask that?!”