Irina and I hadn't made it out.

Even though, I had beem working for Maximoff for god knows how long, I still wasn't quite sure of the palace's layout.

Olislavia had doubled back from the exit doors to join us.

"How do we get out?" I ask.

Irina tells me, "Through the Royal Gardens--that should work."

Irina pushes open the doors to the gardens and gasps.

"What?" I say, leaning forward to look in.

On the paving in the gardens, there's a boy, laying, bleeding from his head.

Olislavia is about to scream when Irina places her hand over Olislavia's mouth. "Shhh. We don't want Maximoff to find us."

I head in, the girls follow.

I kneel by the boy and my heart sinks and fear prickles in my stomach as I recognize the boy--Gabriel--my half brother.

Gabe's got a bullet hole right on the bottom of his right eye. Blood is gushing from it.

I take my scarf off.

Irina, who's holding Olislavia's hand, looks back at me. "What are you doing?" She hisses.

"Helping him."

"Why?"

"He's my brother," I say as I grunt, wrapping the scarf over his eye, around his head, and tie it. I pick him up as I stand. "Let's go."

Then, we leave the gardens and head through the big double doors outside.