book 2 of 4
on the outside, looking in, bianca prescott was back to who everyone knew her as- kook princess, island royalty, who couldn't give less of a fuck about the pogues like they were poo on her jimmy choo's.
but bianca had a hit list. just...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The Pogues could hardly believe it. The Cross of Santo Domino hanging over their heads. It wasn't some made-up hocus-pocus Bianca's overly superstitious grandmother made up and it wasn't a figment of Pope's Mee-Maw's dementia-concocted mind. It was real. But like all their hopes and dreams, it was bound to come crashing down.
Pope's eyes widened as the cross hurtled towards him. By sheer luck, his instincts kicked into overdrive and the boy rolled out of the way just in time.
The Pogues threw themselves backward just as the cross pierced the wooden floorboards with a splintering crack, sending debris flying in all directions. The cross lodged into the ground, where Pope's head had been milliseconds earlier.
Said boy was furled into a fetal position, shielding his head. Upon realizing he was, in fact, not dead, Pope lowered his arms from his head. Sarah and Bianca pressed their backs against the walls of the church, as did Kiara and John B on the opposite side.
JJ was the first to lurch towards Pope, "Hey, you good?"
"Pope- oh my god," Bianca breathed out, rushing towards his hunched-over frame.
Kiara followed quickly behind her, "Pope, are you okay?" While John B hovered above the boy to assess for injuries.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just give me, like, one second to, like, catch my breath," He choked out, arms still wrapped tightly around himself.
"You did it, Pope," John B rubbed his calf, blinking owlishly at the cross.
Bianca lifted her head at his words and rose to her feet. The others did the same as they took in the golden glint of the metal in the light. JJ and John B ran their hands over the cross, brushing over the intricate embellishments across the surface.
"Pope, she's- she's beautiful," JJ couldn't tear his gaze from it.
"I've never seen anything like it," Sarah agreed quietly.
"Man, the details are insane," JJ continued marveling.
"Well, here's why Limbrey wanted that key so bad," The brunet muttered, running his thumb over the keyhole at the center of the cross.
"Do you really think that garment is inside of it?" Bianca narrowed her eyes at the outline of the hidden compartment. "Like, no bullshit?"
"Who cares," JJ scoffed. He turned to John B, patting his chest, "How much do you think she's worth? Like, if we melted her old bones down, dude, I'm talking like high billions-"
"No-" The Routledge boy shook his head. He glanced over at Bianca and then Pope, who was slowly hoisting himself onto one of the pews, "This belongs in a museum."
