Free Invincible (The Aerling Series Book 3) by DelSheree Gladden Page B

doing anything. You’ll do that all on your own.”
    Fears and doubts swim around in my mind.
The fact that we know only a tiny portion of the true Aerling history hasn’t
escaped me. Everything I thought I knew has been turned on its head so many
times since that first run-in with Robin, it’s almost impossible to trust
anything. This guy, though, everything that comes out of his mouth is poison.
He killed my Caretaker family. If he thinks I’m ever going to trust him, he’s
delusional.
    “I guess we’ll just have to see about
that,” I tell him as I back away toward the exit.
    “Leaving so soon?” the scarred Sentinel
mocks.
    I brace myself for another attack, but it
doesn’t come. He just stands there staring at me, like he’s waiting for me to
figure something out. “Why aren’t you trying to kill me? Your goons certainly
gave it their best shot a few minutes ago.”
    The scarred Sentinel shrugs. “Just testing
your powers.” He takes a step forward, but makes no move to attack. “I’m
impressed you’ve come so far in such a short time, but you’re still miles away
from where you need to be if you plan on rebuilding the barrier.”
    My eyebrows twitch together in confusion.
The Mother is going to fix the barrier, not me. What does my power have to do
with anything? “This is your chance to stop me from making sure you’re locked
out of the Aerling world forever. Why not take it?” I don’t say it, but I know
my power isn’t strong enough to stop him. It wasn’t the night he came for me at
the Parker’s, and although I’ve improved since then, I know it still won’t be
enough.
    “Because I want you to learn the truth
before I kill you, little confused Aerling.”
    “The truth about what?”
    His expression narrows into one so
menacing it’s nearly impossible not to cringe away. “About everything.”
    “You killed my family. Sentinels have
killed countless innocent Aerling children. Even if the truth is different than
what I believe, what makes you think I’d ever see you as something other than a
pack of ruthless killers who deserve to be wiped off the face of this world?”
    He chuckles, like he thinks I’m being
intentionally funny. “Do you honestly think I care what you think about me?” He
shakes his head. “Your opinion means nothing. All that matters is the truth.
Once you have it, then you’ll understand what truly needs fixing.”
    “You’re just going to let me leave then?”
    “I have no reason to keep you,” the
scarred Sentinel says. His lips twist into a vicious smile, putting me on edge.
“That doesn’t mean I’ll make it easy on you.” One flick of his wrist sends his
goons back on the attack. He doesn’t stick around to watch it all play out. I
take shot after shot at his back as I fend off everyone else and make a run for
the exit, but nothing touches him. He knew it wouldn’t.
    Sentinels lay unconscious all over the
hallway as I bolt from the doors a few minutes later, heaving in breath after
breath, stumbling away from the fear and confusion I am suddenly drowning in. I
run like mad, but as my feet pound against pavement and my power works to
defend me, I know things have once again been turned on their head. Cedrick all
but threw us out of the Aerling world on a mission to find the Mother and
repair the barrier, but now I begin to wonder if pushing us out so quickly
didn’t have more to do with us finding out the real reason behind the barrier
than it did with saving lives.
     

 
    Chapter 9
    Reliable Sources
    (Olivia)
     
     
     
    I stumble out of the car and start running
before my brain catches up with me. As I trip over rocks and clumps of desert
grass I tell myself I shouldn’t have revealed myself before getting a good look
at who’s coming, but I know it’s Hayden. I felt his power. I know it’s
him and I know he’s in agony. I only come to a stop and focus when I realize
there’s only two people.
    Staring at Sloane and Hayden,