Chapter Thirty

Maddox

Tim nearly knocked him over as he came racing to where Maddox stood. “What the hell?”

Theo was right behind him, eyes on Juno. Maddox stepped in his way and held up his hands.

“Don’t,” he said, breath coming out in a rush.

Theo snarled, “Get out of my way.”

“It’s not her fault. She didn’t do anything,” Maddox said, glancing at Tim, trying to appeal to him since Theo didn’t seem to want to listen.

“Where did she go?” Theo asked, eyes searching the darkness. A few other members of the community walked up behind him with lanterns when they heard the shouts.

Maddox blocked his brother when he tried to dart forward again.

“Stop it!” Theo snapped. “Tell me where she’s going right now.”

Maddox’s hands clenched into fists, a battle raging inside of him. He’d fight his brother if he had to—whatever it took to buy Juno time to get away.

He hoped she found a high rise that no one expected, somewhere safe away from the mess this had become.

“It’s not my fault if you lost your captive,” Maddox said, keeping his voice controlled.

“We didn’t lose her. You let her out,” Tim said. He turned to the rest of the group. To Maddox’s dismay, more people walked up, some holding lanterns or torches, almost like they planned on hunting Juno down.

They talked amongst themselves, but a few voices rose, asking questions about the prisoner.

Maddox swallowed, realizing he was facing half a dozen people who wanted to know the truth. “It’s too late to deal with this now,” he said, hating it when his voice shook. “Let’s talk at the meeting tomorrow.”

Theo lunged forward and grabbed a handful of Maddox’s shirt. Maddox’s arms shot up automatically, shoving Theo back.

“Get off,” he hissed, breathing heavy.

“You let her out, didn’t you?” Theo asked.

Maddox couldn’t take it anymore. “She wasn’t supposed to be in there!”

Theo froze, his eyes locking on Maddox’s. Then he rubbed a hand over his face with a sigh. “Why? Why don’t you want to do what’s best for your people?”

Maddox had expected anger—another confrontation even—but instead Theo sounded resigned. He sounded like an adult who didn’t understand the actions of a little kid. For once, he sounded like Maddox’s father—a position he’d been trying to fill since they were young.

“She didn’t deserve to be in there,” Maddox said, his voice almost a whisper. “You know that.”

Tim turned to the rest of the group. “She deserved it just like the rest of them, right?”

There were nods and murmurs of agreement. Nerves raced around in his stomach, but Maddox was more worried about what Theo would do over the rest of the crowd.

His brother shoved a hand through his hair. “She’s one of them, Maddox. They killed Dad and never had to pay for what happened.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“And we still have to stay to our side of the border,” Theo said, shaking his head. “Because we can’t trust each other. How can you think she’s any good for you? How are you blind to that?”

“Blind?” He laughed, bitterness creeping up his throat. At that moment, he didn’t care who was at fault. All he wanted was for this to be over, even it meant everyone knowing what he’d done wrong. It was something he should have done a long time ago. Told everyone the truth and taken responsibility for his actions.

He took a step back and pulled in a long breath before he spoke again. “I was the one sneaking over the border. I was the one who started all this, and even then she didn’t turn me in. That makes me blind?”

He heard an actual gasp from somewhere in the crowd. Tim’s face twisted, and he just stared at Maddox with disbelief in his eyes.

“That makes you an idiot,” Theo growled. “The world doesn’t work that way.”

Maddox appealed to the rest of the group. “She didn’t do anything to you or me—or this community. Someone stole her fish, and all she wanted was to figure out who.” He was saying too much, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t go back now. “And even then, I treated her badly. I let her trust me, and then I turned my back on her because you told me you’d let this go. Why did you have to do this?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Theo snapped, his face tightening. “She’s one of them, and she’s been a problem since the beginning.”

Maddox froze. “What do you mean, since the beginning?”

Something flashed across Theo’s face, something Maddox didn’t recognize, something he’d never seen on his brother’s face before. Guilt?

Theo turned, the light from the lanterns flickering ominously on his face. “Nothing.”

“Theo.” He glanced at Tim. “What else aren’t you telling me?”

What else wasn’t his brother telling everyone?

“Theo,” Maddox snapped, stepping closer to his brother. The crowd shifted backward, making a dimly lit circle around both of them.

Theo turned. “I know you spent more time with her before any of us knew what was going on.”

“Any of us?” another voice said. “You were spending time with her? The enemy?”

Maddox’s hands clenched into fists, but he didn’t acknowledge the person who’d asked the question. They’d all know the truth soon enough. But if he was going to be honest, he wanted the same from his brother.

Maddox grabbed Theo’s shoulder. Theo growled and shook him off. “Careful, brother.”

“Tell me the truth.”

Theo crossed his arms. “We all know the truth already. You were talking with her. The enemy. And she’s a thief, so she got what she deserved.”

“She isn’t a thief, and you know it.” It started to become clear to Maddox, and he made a noise of frustration low in his throat. “How long were you following me?”

Theo grunted.

“How long?” Maddox shouted.

“Since the beginning! Since that first day you crossed the border. It took you—what? Two days to fall in love with the enemy. To forget where you come from and what they did to us.”

His stomach dropped. Shockwaves rolled through him, and blood roared in his ears, muffling the murmuring from the rest of the group.

Even Tim was looking at Theo like he had no clue what was going on.

“The beginning? How did you even know…” A feeling of complete dread washed over him. “You must have been watching the border. Did you… Are you the one who stole her fish?”

Not only did Theo not deny it, he gave a half smile filled with malice. “They needed to be taught a lesson. To be reminded who they are and where we stand.”

“A lesson? You started all this, and then…then you go and do exactly what you accused Juno of. You stole? And…” His eyes rounded, and he searched the rest of the circle, irrationally hoping for backup—for someone else to come forward and acknowledge how wrong this was. Words caught in Maddox’s throat, but he forced them out. “You know she didn’t take the supplies. And you were following me the whole time. It was you.”

Theo laughed. “It was me? What are you talking about?”

“Our supplies,” Maddox yelled. “You took them so you could blame it on the other side. You put them in their boathouse to make Juno look guilty. All of this—everything that’s been going wrong with the other side—you did it. You made it worse. And you blamed Juno.”

He didn’t wait for an admission, just lunged at his brother. Theo barely dodged, stumbling over a pile of dirt before he swung around with one fist that grazed Maddox’s chin. It was enough of a confirmation for him.

He dove, knocking his brother down. Somewhere in the distance, he heard shouting. Raised voices. And a louder one. Female. One that sounded like his mom.

But he couldn’t stop.

“You did this,” Maddox yelled, trying to pin Theo. “It’s your fault.”

Theo shoved Maddox off of him and tried to get up, but Maddox reached out and yanked his leg so he collapsed to the ground. “Admit it!”

“Stop!” Alice yelled, coming into view. “Tim! Help me.”

Maddox’s ears rang when Theo’s fist connected with his jaw. The world tilted for a minute, but he still heard Theo’s words.

“She deserved it,” he said with a huff. “They all deserve it.”

Maddox sank to the ground, the weight of the world suddenly on him. Alice crouched down with her hand out even as Tim grabbed Theo’s arms to hold him back.

“Stop this right now,” Alice said.

“I’m already finished,” Maddox mumbled, all the fight in him suddenly gone.

All this, all of it, had been because of Theo. Because of someone on his side. And Juno had to pay the price for it. Not only that, he’d walked away from her more than once because he thought he was protecting her. Instead, he’d been playing right into his brother’s hands.

“Maddox let her out,” Theo said, shoving a hand through his hair.

Alice’s lips tightened. “I’ve heard more than enough,” she said, voice firm. “I know you’ve both been lying. Everyone get back home.”

She turned to the rest of the group, half a dozen faces full of question and confusion.

“What about the prisoner?” one of them asked.

“What about Theo?” another one asked.

I tried to find where the voice had come from, feeling an irrational flicker of hope. They’d all heard what Theo had done. Maybe they’d finally see the truth—or at least how out of control things had become.

“Get home right now,” Alice said. She turned to Tim and Theo and said in the next breath, “Get him to the storage closet to cool down.”

Theo’s eyes flashed with surprise. He opened his mouth to say something, but their mom cut him off with a sharp shake of her head. “No one is going anywhere or doing anything else right now until we discuss this. Go.”

Maddox rose slowly and watched as Tim hauled Theo toward the buildings in the courtyard. Another flicker of hope traveled through him until he saw the look on his mom’s face—the same one she’d given Theo.

It was a whole mix of emotions, but the strongest one he could see and feel was disappointment.

Questioning his mom right now was a bad idea. He’d gotten Juno out, which was the best he could do for now. His mom was right; they shouldn’t be doing anything else until the whole matter was discussed.

Alice’s eyes dropped to his chin, probably where a bruise was already forming. “Go on home. I need to talk to your brother.”

Maddox gave a small nod before turning in the other direction. Small dots of lights bobbed ahead from the other members of the community as they walked home. He didn’t have a lantern, but he knew the way. Down the dirt on a well-worn path on the side of the road all the way home.

He didn’t even have the light of the moon to lead him. But neither did Juno.

He paused on the steps, turning back as if he could see where she’d gone. See if she was safe.

But he couldn’t see much more than the few buildings across from the stairs.

He turned back to the house and walked inside, his body aching all over. It should have made him feel better that Juno was safe for tonight, that she wouldn’t have Theo or anyone else from his community coming after her.

But all he felt was a giant hole in his heart.