“Get up. The Veil has sealed and you’re fucking bleeding everywhere.”

Cassius opened his eyes and winced when he was blinded by a harsh light. Felix, an Exterminator, stood over him holding a flashlight pointed in his face. He lifted his hand to push it away, but his movements were weak. Just trying to keep his eyes open was a feat on its own. His mind reeled back to moments before, when he was trapped inside the Third Eye with the beast. It had been a creature from beyond the Veil, something he thought could never exist. But it was real. It was also the reason why he’d lost the Mekiah’s trail. Fuck.

Felix kicked him in the side. “I said get up. Katson took the worst of it. You’re fucking lucky you didn’t end up like him.”

Cassius snapped out of his stupor at the mention of the other Mekiah. He pushed up off the ground. His body ached and he could barely hold himself up, but he made it to his feet. The ground swirled and he thought he might throw up. He held it in, glancing around the room he was in and wished he was anywhere but here. It was the hotel they’d been in when he was sent into the Veil. The last place the escaped Mekiah had been seen before he completely vanished. If it wasn’t for that fucking demon, he would have had him.

He coughed, glancing around the room to find something to grab onto. He crawled up onto the bed beside him and fell onto his back. His head was still swimming and his body felt like it was on fire. Felix walked across the room, looked out the window, and tsked. It was a sure sign Cassius wasn’t going to be let off when they made it back to the base. He’d fucked up. It wasn’t even his fault either. He was right where he should’ve been and was moment away from finding the trail of the Mekiah. That was until he was ambushed by that freak with red eyes. But that wouldn’t matter to the General. He would skin Cassius’s ass raw when he found out about this screw up. If he didn’t already know.

“How’s Katson?” He shouldn’t hope. Katson had just joined and was barely able to channel his own wave of energy.

Felix closed the curtain and made his way back to Cassius. He crossed his arms, staring down at him with a glare.

“Burnt to a fucking crisp. We were lucky enough to save your ass before your mind was fried.”

He’s staring at the ceiling fan. There’s a part of him that wants to yell and scream. But there’s nothing left in him now. Katson wasn’t a friend, just another Mekiah assigned and that was that. He hadn’t known him for more than a month, but there’s the sickening feeling creeping through him. Just another day in Xtavia serving the Exteru. It’s fine when it’s over, but right now, it hurts.

The hotel room smells like shit and Felix’s presence doesn’t make things any better. He can smell the blood on his clothes and can feel it dried on his skin.

Then he remembered—

Shit.

He grabbed his neck. His hand searched for the wound, the bite that should have killed him, but when he touched the spot where the demon’s teeth had sunk in, there was nothing. His hand was covered in blood, sticky and crusty like it had happened hours again when it had just been a few minutes. His heart raced, unsure if he should tell Felix. There was an uneasy feeling in his gut, one that told him that he should keep his mouth shut and to act like nothing was wrong. The panic and the crazed thoughts were there, taking over him before he could even think about calming down. What the hell had happened back there? And why was he still alive?

No. He had to keep this a secret. It didn’t matter if this was a pressing matter or some shit, if he told anyone this he’d end up on the chopping block, shipped out god-knows-where for being more than he should. The Exteru were always sniffing for rebellion and to find out a Mekiah was stronger than what was allowed, they’d kill him without a second thought.

He wouldn’t talk about it. For his life’s sake and his own sanity, he would do what he did best: shut up.

The hotel room was a one bed, one bathroom, piece of shit, that smelled like sex and vomit. The curtains were an ugly brown stained with yellowish spots and the bedding was no better off. The blankets were stiff as a bored and the smell coming off of them was worse than the uncleaned bathroom. This was where the Mekiah had been seen last. The manager hadn’t thought to call in when he saw a Mekiah, too fucked up in the head to even stand right. This was a hard place to find a trail. The Mekiah had known this as he made sure to pick a place he had no attachment to. From the scraps that had been left behind, Cassius had to dig his way through the filth to find just a slither. From there, he’d entered the eye searching for the Mekiah to bring him back for punishment.

It was his job and he’d failed it.

“Enough.” Felix grabbed Cassius’s arms. He pulled out two metal cuffs and locked them around his wrists. “General Iza is waiting outside.”

A chain was slipped between the cuffs, secured by three small locks that only opened to Exteru magic. Cassius heard the three synchronized clicks and the clank of metal. His let this happen with no reaction. The placement of the chains was comforting, a weight on his body that he’d gotten use to in the twelve years he’d been a Tracker.

Felix jerked the chain, yanking Cassius from the bed. He stumbled, but Felix didn’t stop. He was lead from the room, the freedom of the Third Eye a bitter memory stuck in his mouth.