A knock sounds out against my bedroom door and I clench my jaw, ignoring it to focus all my attention on the task in front of me: making a rope out of bedsheets that's long enough to provide an escape route should I need one.

My room is luckily only on the first floor of the manor. Any more than that and I wouldn't have a hope in hell of tying enough sheets together.

And sure... there will be a bunch of Enforcers ready to greet me at the bottom of the treacherous rope, but I'm willing to take my chances if there's no other choice.

There's no telling when Gia could flip a switch and turn her backs on us, decide that we aren't worth it, that we're a threat... Anything could trigger her to bring out her true self.

Because I know that it exists.

Gia isn't the angel she's making herself out to be.

Just remember Claudia...

The way Jordan's wife's death ripped an enormous hole through the entire group, breaking our souls, tainting every inch of humanity that was left inside us... All because of my sister.

Whatever happens, I have to get back to Emilia. I need to make sure she doesn't meet the same fate. That she's okay. Happy. At peace. 

That's all I want for her.

Every minute I spend apart from my wife, I conjure up a new aspect of her that I miss. It seeps into my fucking mind, especially when I lie in bed at night. Her blonde hair, the curvy hips, her incredible tits, the way she challenges me at every damn turn. She's fucking irritating, but also everything I need her to be.

She's my perfect match, the one thing that my sister got right with her marriage system. Not that Gia can ever know that...

Another knock hammers, harder against the door. I grit my teeth, roughly shoving the bedsheets underneath my luxurious bed and walking to the end of the room. Curling my hand around the handle, I harshly pull it open, raising an eyebrow when I come face to face with Poppy. She smiles tentatively so I step back, letting her enter.

My hand falls from the wood and I retreat towards the bed, falling onto the edge of it as Poppy shuts the door.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

She walks over, perching beside me and smiling once more. "I wanted to check if you're okay," she answers softly.

"What do you think?" I scoff, reaching up and running a hand through my hair. I'm on edge. I'm angry. I'm mad. I'm frustrated...

Poppy nods, looking down at her lap. "I feel the same way," she tells me, her face downcast. "This is so different from what we're used to. And I have to keep reminding myself what Gia's done and why I shouldn't be forgiving her."

"Are you?" I retort. My heart races at the prospect.

Pop's brows rise. "Am I what?"

"Forgiving her."

"No!" she exclaims. "Have a little faith in me, Zac."

"I do," I mutter, my head dropping to look at my lap, at the mattress beneath me... the length of fragile rope that lies beneath. Why haven't I told Poppy about my make-do escape plan?

"I know this is hard for you—"

"I miss her." The words slip out of my mouth.

Poppy blinks at me, surprised. "Miss her?"

"Emilia." My lips curl up at the sides as I say her name. "I fucking miss her."

Poppy grins, leaning back against the mattress before playfully punching my shoulder. "You're whipped, big brother!"

"Shut up," I mutter, frowning at her words. I miss her, I'm not whipped. Not a fucking slave to Emilia. Plus, those words are dangerous here. And, not true. I'm not fucking whipped. Never have been, never will be...

She laughs, sitting up and clapping her hands together. "You are!"

"You're an idiot," I retort.

Poppy smirks. "Whatever, Mr Emilia."

"Immature," I bite back.

Poppy shrugs. "Whatever."

I open my mouth, ready to change the subject when there's a quiet knock on the door. Both of us whip our heads towards the doorway just as it creaks open. A flash of brunette hair emerges before Gia pokes her head inside, an apologetic look on her face.

"Hey!" Poppy exclaims, jumping up from the bed at the sight of her sister. I don't move. My lips settle into a thin line.

"Do you mind if I see both of you for a minute?" Gia asks, pushing the door open and gesturing behind her. I open my mouth to shoot her down but Poppy shoots me a glare and steps forward, shutting me up.

"Sure," Poppy answers. Reaching out, she curls her fingers around my arm, tugging it to force me to follow. I grit my teeth, pulling my arm free and slowly standing.

The two girls leave the room and I reluctantly join, ignoring the Enforcers that line the halls as I wander down the wooden panelled corridor behind them. My feet are loud against the mahogany floors and I make no effort to tread lighter, instead relishing in the noise I'm making as my sisters titter quietly to one another.

I clench my jaw once more as we head down a flight of stairs. I'm not exactly sure how us staying at Gia's manor is going to play out, but right now, I regret coming here. The intense anger that's washing over me isn't worth it without Emilia to calm me down. I don't know how to control myself. How to keep it contained. The last strand of rope inside me is fraying.

"In here!" Gia suddenly gestures, opening a door that we've never explored before. Hesitantly, I step inside.

It's a tiny space, walls painted black, and no windows. A tiny light bulb swings from the cracked white ceiling. I'm surprised, not expecting a single room in this gigantic fucking building to be this small. Even the bathrooms are monstrosities. 

Three long, thin desks sit at the end of the room and Gia heads straight for them. Numerous computer monitors fill their surfaces, three further screens pinned to the wall above. Is this how Gia watches all of her sectors? 

I inhale sharply.

"What is this place?" Poppy breathes out, eyes wide as she lifts a hand to the map of England that's pinned to the wall. It's a weathered piece of paper, nothing more detailed on it than the cities in the North, London, and a deep black line to show where the wall runs. Her empire.

Poppy traces the wall with her finger before turning back to look at our sister. "Gia?"

"I want to show you something," Gia replies. I don't miss the way she's dodged Poppy's question. Sinking onto one of the desk chairs, Gia pulls a spreadsheet up on the computer screen in front of her before tapping a few buttons. The screen flashes with various codes and colours and my mind boggles. What the hell is this place?

"There." Gia points to the screen. I furrow my eyebrows at the two figures on either side of the screen before shrugging.

"What the hell am I looking at?" I ask.

Gia smiles. "How large the population of the North was just after the war. And what it is now," she explains.

My eyes widen in surprise at the revelation. Her plan was actually working.

"Wow," Poppy murmurs. "You increased it by 364?" 

Gia nods. "Slowly but surely... the system was working." She smiles. Smiles.

"It's a shame that the actual system was shit." The words slip out of me.

Gia raises an eyebrow, her spine straightening. "The arranged marriages weren't forever."

"No." I smirk, crossing my arms across my chest. "We just had to make sure we had a child before being allowed to be free."

"We need to grow the population," Gia retorts.

I run my tongue over my teeth and clench my jaw. "Whatever you say."

"This is impressive." Poppy drops onto the seat beside Gia.

"Thank you," Gia answers, giving her a small smile. "I'm hoping that it'll soon be time to move on to the South."

I freeze. So does Poppy. Gia's smile widens at the both of us.

"The South?" Poppy echoes.

"Yeah." Our older sister grins. "The population in the North is growing. As soon as the Enforcers manage to reinforce the State system and get everything back on track, we can look into getting started on the South."

"You want to help the South?" Poppy is shocked. The same emotion is fuelling through my body.

Gia nods. "I know that I've made mistakes." She shoots a glance at me and I look away, not enjoying the memory that pops into my head every time. The brutal torture, the murders... even the abandonment. None of it is fucking okay.

My eyes narrow and I bite down on my lips. Stay calm, Zac. Don't say anything, Zac. It's not worth it. Not now at least.

"Trust me, I do," Gia insists. I shake my head, staring intently at the map pinned to the wall. "But it's time to make things better."

"Really?" Poppy questions, disbelievingly.

"Absolutely." Gia smiles. "Having my family back has shown me that we need to reunite as much of the country as we can. Who knows how many families have been split up and segregated? How many people are living in fear and worry?"

Probably all of them.

"It's time to take back the reigns as a family. The Hastings family. Together, we can take on the world. Make England a better place." She smiles at the two of us and I glance at Poppy as she bites her lip. "Nothing can stop us."

"Yeah." I scoff, shifting on my feet. "Because you already have the power."

"Zac." Gia stands up. "I know you're still bitter about the fact I left you behind. I know that nothing will change overnight, but I'm hoping that in time you can forgive me." She reaches up, resting a hand on my cheek. I fight against the urge to flinch away, instead darting my eyes to Poppy.

She's still sitting in front of the computer screen, staring at the population figures, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Poppy?" I ask. Gia's hand instantly drops from my face as she turns to look at our sister.

Poppy's eyes drag up to meet ours, looking slightly haunted as she bites her lip. "What if the South is past saving?"

"Past saving?" Gia repeats, clearly confused by the idea.

Poppy nods. "It's a disaster," she replies. "It started only two months after the war. We all stayed around the tower blocks. Where they used to stand, anyway. We were camping out in the old corner shop, just waiting for someone — something — to come and save us. Rebuild the city," she pauses, looking down at her hands. "Timmy was killed in front of me. By one of the first Slayers. Do you remember him?" she asks Gia. My older sister nods and I suck in a breath. How could either of us forget Poppy's young boyfriend? We both spent ninety percent of our time trying to drive him away from the flat. She deserved better than the cigarette fuelled sixteen year old who hadn't been to school all year.

Poppy swipes at her cheek before continuing, "He was stabbed with a spear. I'd never even seen one before. Not outside the movies." She swallows. "From there, it spiralled. Bill from the downstairs flat, Imran from down the street, Isaac from the cinema, Claire from the playground," she pauses. "They were all killed that one, cloudy day by a Slayer. Ever since then, I've been on the run." Her gaze moves to me. "Callum's community was the first place I ever felt safe."

Her words sink into my chest like one of those damn moisturisers Emilia is always raving about. Relaxing me. Why the fuck did we ever think it was a good idea to drag Poppy away from London? She was happy, she was safe... This isn't the right move. Us going North isn't right...

"Who's Callum? Where's this community?" Fucking Gia.

"Poppy—"

"Can you imagine how much worse it is today?" Poppy continues, ignoring both of us. "Fifty percent of any friends I make die within a year. But you think you can turn it around?" She scoffs.

Gia nods, walking over and sitting back down beside her. "There's one thing you have to remember in this new society," she starts. I raise an eyebrow, wondering where the hell she's going with this. "Everyone, and I mean everyone, is redeemable."

I tense my jaw, crossing my arms over my chest at the words. I'm not stupid. They have a double meaning. Not only does Gia think she can use her inexperienced Enforcers to take on the brutal South, but she also thinks her own mistakes are forgivable.

She wants me to give up the past and move on; to let every single thing she's done to me, to my friends, to the country, everything... go. She's begging me to realise that she's not defined by her actions, but I know I'm never going to be able to get the image of a dead, bloody, innocent Claudia out of my head.

Or forget what the Enforcers did to me in Killmoor.

I don't believe for one minute that Gia didn't know what was going on in there.

She's manipulative, and I can't forget that.

"I know that it will take time," Gia exclaims. "I'm not stupid, it's also going to be a ridiculous amount of work."

"It's impossible," Poppy retorts and Gia reaches out, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not," Gia says. "You just have to be patient. Tearing down the wall before each sector is ready would be an absolute disaster with the South as violent as it is now."