Between Gates (The Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 22: Handing Her Over

Chenn knocked on the door of Amory’s office. “Sir?”

“What do you want?” Amory snapped, yanking open the door. “Oh…” His tone became softer, and he gave Chenn a false, sweet smile. “You caught the spy, I see.”

Nari shrank back against Chenn, and he let her do so, hating the way Amory was looking at her. He seemed to be examining her as though she were some choice cut of meat. She turned her head away, avoiding Amory’s gaze, and trying to move away.

Chenn held her upper arms, applying firm pressure to keep her in place, but also hoping it gave her some small level of comfort. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but it was necessary. “Yes, sir.”

Amory glared at her. “I should’ve known. You seemed wrong when I first met you…” He snapped his fingers, calling the guards by the door to him and pointing at Nari. “You two, take her and restrain her in one of the cells until I can deal with her.”

The men moved forward, grabbing Nari with rough hands, pulling her away from Chenn.

She clung to him, desperation in her eyes as she met his gaze. “Chenn…” She whimpered. “Please don’t do this…” She pled.

He looked away from her, ignoring her and removing her arms from around his neck.

The guards pulled her away, their fingers digging into her skin in a vise-like grip that made Chenn want to yell at them for hurting her. Tears began rolling down her cheeks. “Chenn…” She sobbed, struggling as the guards pulled her away.

“Chenn!” She screamed. “You’re better than this. Don’t do it… Don’t let them do this!”

He didn’t respond, continuing to avoid her gaze.

As soon as she saw that, she went limp in the guards’ grasp, and he knew all the fight had left her. One last, strangled cry came from her as she was dragged out of sight. “Chenn…” Her wail hit his ears, eliciting an unheard whimper from him as his heart wailed along with her, begging him not to do it just as she had.

He almost turned to go to her, but he didn’t allow himself to move, but instead stood frozen in the hall.

Amory smiled at him, still pretending to have any emotion whatsoever. “She seems quite attached to you, Chenn… Now, why would she think that the person who turned her in would care enough to save her?” He mused.

Chenn didn’t respond. Amory couldn’t know, wouldn’t know, that he was in inner turmoil right now over what he’d done. Perhaps he hadn’t made the right decision. The cold look in Amory’s eyes, the things he’d seen since coming here, and the whispers in his own heart made him wonder if he’d made a mistake.

He hung his head, gazing at the concrete floor beneath him, the grey reflecting his mood – stormy and aching. He’d just betrayed the woman he loved. Tears welled in his eyes, a single tear trickling down his cheek. He turned from Amory. “You have what you wanted… You can stop doubting me now.” He whispered as he wiped away the blood from his nose.

Amory laughed. “I’ll never stop doubting you, Chenn Covalenti. You’re a loose piece in this game I’m playing. A piece I know I can never control. But I will not be caught off guard by you. I will destroy you before I let you destroy me.” He murmured, moving up behind Chenn. “So keep that in mind as you go through your day… I’ve hurt you twice – destroyed you in fact – and I’ll do it again.”

Chenn blinked away the tears he felt coming into his eyes. He couldn’t cry in front of Amory. “I’ll do that, sir.” He murmured, walking away again.

Amory called after him. “You’d better! I’ll be watching you…”

Chenn didn’t offer a response. He wondered for a brief moment why Amory had said twice instead of once. Amory hadn't hurt him before this that Chenn could remember. But that thought was fleeting in the spotlight of his betrayal of the woman he loved.

His shoulders slumped, and a tear splashed onto the concrete floor. What have I done? I turned her over to a man I don’t trust. A man who – to my own admission – had questionable intentions and motivations. I have doomed her. He felt the tears prickling at the back of his eyes, threatening to spill over any second.

He ran down the halls in a blind rush, found an empty supply closet, and hid in it. As soon as he pulled the door shut behind him, he slumped down onto the hard, concrete floor, dark enveloping him physically as it enveloped his soul.

The tears cascaded down his face, and he buried his face in his arms, a tormented sob tearing from deep within his soul. “I’m sorry… So sorry…” Chenn whispered, knowing Nari couldn’t hear him. Knowing that his apology was too late. Knowing he couldn’t save her now. “I’m so sorry, Nari… I still love you.” Chenn’s anguished cry went unheard in the deserted section of East Base as he sat in the utter darkness of the closet and his own tortured guilt.

I’ve done so many things wrong in my life. I’ve ruined her life in so many ways… I’m such a terrible person. Is there any redemption or forgiveness for me? Can I ever be free of the burden lain upon me by my own hands? He let a muffled scream escape him, but through the thick, grey concrete and steel walls and the hard wood door, no one heard anything, even if they had passed by.

He was alone. That was how it always went. He couldn't have friends. Instead, he was doomed to a friendless existence. Worst of all, he'd brought this on himself. He moaned. 

If only he'd listened to Nari. Then she would be happy, and he wouldn’t be alone again. They could've made a life together and been happy with each other. But that wasn’t what had happened.

This was how everything in his life went.

He always ended up alone.