**


    Josie''s POV **


    As soon as all the kids are in school, Deacon, Axel, me and Mason head to meet with Raff. He updates us on what they discovered from thetest batch of rogues we had brought in. Only two of the adults survived our ambush; Unfortunately, Mandy is one of them, but at least she will spend the rest of her life in prison.


    I''m not usually sofortable with killing people, but sometimes it''s kill or be killed, and I''m okay with that. Mandy deserved to die after what she had done to Luke though, after she had nearly taken him from us, she is one I''d kill without


    remorse.


    Raff and his men think they have apprehended the majority of the rogues after Mandy and another guy gave them intel on the locations where the others were staying. Over thirty children and teens have been rescued and are being ced with families across the realm.


    I feel a little guilty that we weren''t around to help capture the rogues and bring the kids in, but my own family is my priority, and that includes my dad. We head to the infirmary to visit him and his face lights up when he sees


    1. me.


    "Josie, I''m so d to see you. I heard what happened with Luke, and I wanted to help, but they''ve got me locked down in here,” he says, motioning to the chain that is wrapped around one of his wrists and bolted to the wall.


    "Why are you chained?" I ask, anger bubbling in my gut.


    "Don''t fret over it. I am technically still a prisoner, they''re just doing their jobs," Robert says as I look around to find someone to unchain him.


    "I''ll see what I can do," Deacon says, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly before leaving to talk to someone in charge.


    "How are you feeling?" I ask, pushing my anger down for the time being.


    "I''m good. They''re treating me well and have been doing two healing sessions a day. They say it will increase when they''ve finished treating all the kids they''ve been bringing in from the human realm. I''m so d so many have been rescued. How is Harper doing?"


    "Harper is great. She went back to school today. Thank you for helping to bring her back," I smile, reaching out to squeeze his hand.


    "You don''t need to thank me for that," he smiles.


    "We are hoping to meet with the Elders this week. I''m hoping we can have you pardoned. Then we will get you out of here and to our preferred healers."


    "Robert, who are you talking to?" A small voice calls out from behind a curtain, and I raise my brows at my dad in question.


    "My daughter, I''m sorry if we woke you up," my dad responds softly.


    "The superhero?" The voice gasps.


    "Yes, my daughter, the superhero. Do you want to meet her?" he asks with a grin. "You bet I do!" the voice says excitedly.


    I hear shuffling before the curtain moves, and a small blond girl pokes her head around it to look at us with wide


    blue eyes.


    "Josie, this is my temporary neighbour, Be," Robert says


    I move to greet Be, crouching down to her level. "Hello, Be, you have a beautiful name. I''m Josie, and this is Mason and Axel," I smile, motioning to my bonds.


    "I know your name. Robert told me all about you. I am going to be big and brave, and I want to be a dancer like you," Be grins.


    "I bet you are already brave. How old are you?"


    "I''m 9."


    "Be was very brave yesterday. She had a blood test and barely even cried," Robert says,


    "Wow, that is super brave," I tell her.


    "Thank you, Miss Josie. Robert says I have the courage of a hero, like you," she says, looking over at my dad fondly.


    "Be, what have I told you about getting out of bed?" a nurse says as she enters the room.


    "But it''s so boring to only lie down and be quiet," Be pouts.


    "I know, but until we find somewhere for you to go, you are stuck with us. If you


    are a good girl and stay in your bed, I will try and find some books for you to read," the nurse says, looking stressed as shees to take Be''s hand and usher her back to bed.


    "But I can''t read," Be whines.


    "Is there a medical reason she needs to stay in bed?" Mason asks.


    "No, but we have so many patients and not enough staff to watch all these kids,


    we can''t have them wandering around," the nurse exins.


    "Then while we are here, we can watch her," Mason offers.


    The nurse studies Mason for a moment before nodding and releasing Be''s hand. She rushes to Mason''s side, reaching up to hold his hand and looking up at him with an expression like he''s just saved her from a terrible fate.


    "Is there a reason she is not in a room with the other children?" Axel asks.


    "She was in with them, but she kept wandering in here to listen to Robert''s stories. We agreed to move her in here as long as she remains in her bed. Robert is restrained and taking suppressants, she is quite safe as long as she remains in her bed," the nurse sighs.


    "I wasn''t questioning if she was safe with Robert. I already know she is. I just wondered why she was separated from the other children," Axel says with a frown.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to offend, we are just so overrun. Most of the kids have been medically cleared to leave, but there is nowhere for them to go, so now we are running a daycare as well as trying to heal actual patients," she exins as an rm begins to sound in another room.


    The nurse excuses herself and rushes back out of the room just as Deacon walks in and looks at the little girl holding Mason''s hand with raised brows.


    "Raff is waiting for permission from the Elders to release Robert. He has already put in the request to have him pardoned and has added a personal rmendation and testimony. He thought he might have more of an impact on them than us as he is impartial in Robert''s case," Deacon exins.


    "That''s very thoughtful of him. Can''t we get the chain removed though?" I ask.


    "Yes, he is sending the order through, he was not aware he had been chained," he nods.


    "Thank you, but it''s not necessary if it will cause any bother. I can handle it. I just hate having to ask someone to unshackle me every time I need to use the bathroom, especially when they''re so busy," he sighs.


    "Who is that?" Be whispers loudly as she tugs on Mason''s hand.


    "That''s Deacon, he''s with us," Mason whispers back, just as loudly. "Another superhero," Be says excitedly.


    "This is Be,” I tell Deacon, and he crouches down to talk to her.