Fractured by N.O Darling

Chapter 288

Mason’s POV**

Luke has just suggested a terrifying, very possible theory. How the fuck do we find someone underground? How do we even get in there without risking collapsing the cave below us?

I’d quite happily start removing the ground from below each of the places that have been searched, but I could bury my daughter alive by doing that.

“Wouldn’t the women and children we captured have told us if they’d been living underground?” Theo asks.

“Not if they didn’t know about it, or had been compelled. This group doesn’t seem to prioritise the safety of women and children; Otherwise, they wouldn’t have left them unguarded as they did. They could very well be hiding the strongest and most important of them underground,” Raff explains.

“Fuck!” I curse, my fingers twitch with the need to destroy something, but I can’t risk collapsing this place until we have found what we are looking for.

Luke comforts Josie as she reacts to the news, something I should be doing, but I’m too worked up, I’d only make her feel worse.

Robert finishes emptying the trunk, finding nothing that he seems interested in, before pushing it out of the way. Then he gets on his knees and begins digging in the dirt with his hands.

“What are you doing?” Axe asks

“He would keep his most precious items hidden, they will likely be close, but out of sight,” Robert says as he digs,

with determination.

“Move back,” I sigh. I can move the dirt much faster than him.

“Oh, that’s right, you have a molecular manipulation gift,” Robert says, and I shoot a worried glance at Deacon. How could he have forgotten that so quickly? Is the tumour affecting his memory?

I focus on the ground where he had been digging and slowly moving the earth, opening up a deep cavern in the ground.

“Try here,” Robert says, pointing to another spot on the ground.

the hole I’d made and open up another

it’s here?”

remember where exactly,” Robert says, screwing his eyes

in

behind me,” I say, ready to search every

I move the dirt effortlessly, revealing nothing. I return the earth to its place before turning and

here, then he either moved it before he died, or someone else knew its location and came back for it,” I

+25 BONUS

Chapter 288

the walls,” Robert says, and i shrug before slowly moving the dirt

in even

doesn’t take long before I dissolve a barrier that was separating

same size.

he takes in the cavern, cluttered with all

forward to explore

is it,” Robert says, holding up a thick ancient–looking book. The cover is made of what looks like delicate

as he flicks through the pages it is clear to see that many different people have written in this book, using different writing

it?” Luke asks, drawing everyone’s attention

to reveal an iron branding rod and four small glass vials containing what I assume are the powdered gemstones he spoke of. There’s also a small granite pestle and mortar

you think is important, and I’ll have the rest collected and brought back to

books before we port back to headquarters with our haul.

anything that might be able

a while, let’s get this branding done so Luke and Robert are ready to leave the moment we find something.” Raff suggests when it’s clear the task of finding

Η

you think it will hurt more than a tattoo?” Luke asks me whilst we watch the

I nod. I won’t sugarcoat it for him. It’s going to hurt like a bitch, but he can

“Awesome,” he sighs.

you want me to hold your hand?”

my hand, but can you hold my arm still? I’m not sure that I won’t snatch

that,” I nod, deciding not to mention he could easily just port away.