by K. G. Reuss
“Not hardly,” I croaked breathlessly. He shot me a grin and tugged me down the hall.
“What are we doing here?”
“I need you to see something,” he repeated, stopping in front of one of the glass display cases in the hall. I followed his eyes and frowned.
“Do you recognize her?” Marcus asked as I leaned forward and looked at the photo in front of me. It was a group of students, the photo in black and white. They were smiling out at the camera. And my grandmother stood in the center.
“T-that’s my grandmother,” I whispered, tears springing to my eyes. “She went here?”
“From 1965 until she graduated in 1973. Top of her psychic class. Claudia Grace Hastings.”
I placed my hand on the glass, my eyes burning. In all the time I’d spent with my grandma, my father’s mother, she’d never once told me anything about Dementon. Why didn’t she tell me?
“She was a top pick for Conexus,” Marcus continued softly.
“Why didn’t she make it?” I breathed out, unable to tear my eyes away from my grandmother. She passed away only a few years prior. Or rather, they all said she had. Presumed dead was what the cops said. Her car was found by the river. They figured she’d gone out and had fallen in, her body swept away. It had been my grandpa’s favorite fishing spot. Even though they tried to locate her body, she was never found. It wasn’t something I often talked about or even thought about. I had been close to her. She’d been the one to give me my necklace. She made me promise to be brave. She told me life would throw me curveballs and it was OK to take a few hits. I missed her terribly. My grandfather had passed away the year before from a heart attack. I looked more closely at the photo and saw his face smiling out at me.
“What the hell,” I choked out.
“There’s something you need to know, Ever,” Marcus murmured. “She didn’t make Conexus because she and your grandfather married on their holiday break before the announcement of her place in Conexus. Conexus can’t have relationships outside the group. She wanted you to know that she was sorry she never told you.”
“How do you know all of this?” I asked, finally looking over at him. He pulled his gaze away from the photograph and smiled.
“She told me.”
Sixteen
Everly
“That’s not possible,” I murmured, turning to glare at him. “My grandmother died. She’s dead, Marcus. A real death. Not some made up shit you’ve decided to tell me about. This isn’t a joke! You’re not funny.”
I turned and marched away from him, angry I’d let him bring me there and even more angry I was curious about why my grandmother’s photo was in a glass case in the halls of Dementon.
“Ever, wait.” He reached out and pulled me to a stop, forcing me to face him. “Give me a chance to explain. It’s not a joke. I’m not trying to be mean. I-I have a message for you.”
I glowered at him, waiting for him to continue.
“Right.” He released my arm and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “Maybe things aren’t always what we think they are. You of all people know the dead are never really gone. And sometimes the dead aren’t really dead at all. They just seem that way.”
The blood plummeted from my face, making my stomach churn. Alive? Not dead?
“I know what you can do. Furthermore, I know what you’re capable of in the hands of the Cipher.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I demanded.
“Ever, you’re a whisperer. They’re rare. Super rare. But you’re so much more than that—”
“Marcus, get to your point or kiss my ass,” I snapped at him. “What’s this so-called message you have for me?”
“Damn,” he muttered, shaking his head at me. “The message is from your grandmother. I already told you she’s sorry about not telling you about Dementon sooner. About any of it. But she did give you the necklace. The symbol of who you are.” His eyes zeroed in on the infinity charm hanging around my neck. My fingers flew to it, gripping it tightly. “The rest of her message is to follow your heart. Always follow your heart. It’ll never be wrong.”
“You’re such an asshole.” Tears sprung to my eyes. “That’s a glossed over, generic thing to say to me. To take my grandmother’s death and turn it into a joke—”
My voice faltered as Marcus let out a low growl. His hand shot forward to connect with my forehead. I thought he was going to hit me. Instead, he pressed his palm to my forehead, causing me to sway on my feet until I was sagging against his body. There was a flash of light, and then a scene unfolded in front of me.
“It’s imperative she get this message,” my grandmother said in a rush.
It was her. I knew it was. And it was Marcus. But my grandmother didn’t look like the woman I remembered. Instead, she looked young. Not a day over forty. The wrinkles were gone from her face. In their place was soft, smooth skin. Her green eyes were worried.
“I’ll tell her,” Marcus promised. “I swear I will.”
“Remind her that her heart knows the answers. Remind her to fall even if it hurts. The Dyre is the only way.”
Marcus nodded before he turned in the vision and marched toward the door to leave.
The vision faded until I was back in the hallway with Marcus’s arms around me. I shoved him away from me quickly, gasping for air.
“What the hell is going on?” I rasped, bracing myself against the brick wall. “What’s a Dyre? H-how—”
“Meet with me and Nev. We’ll tell you everything, Ever. There’s so much you need to know, and time’s running out.”
My bottom lip quivered as I stared at him, my chest aching as I tried to calm my breathing.
“If you’re trying to trick me, Marcus Ambrose, I will end you. I swear it,” my words came out steadier than I thought they would.
Marcus nodded grimly at me. “I know what you’re capable of. I don’t doubt you.”
Our eyes locked, and the look in his eyes made fear bubble up within me. Marcus Ambrose and Nevron Blackburn had secrets. I wanted answers. And I was willing to do whatever I had to just to get them.
Seventeen
Raiden
Blood stained my hands, and my chest was heavy. My eyes burned. Damien looked as bad as I felt with blood splattered in small spots all over his face and clothes. We’d spent the night conducting interrogations. They hadn’t all ended well.
The ugly memories repeated in my head—screaming, pleading, tears, the crack of bone on skin—as we interrogated. Numbness had taken over my tired body.
Hours later, we stepped into the living room back in the Conexus house. We’d portaled to the edge of town and walked through the darkness, both of us needing the quiet time before the questions started.
“What the hell happened to you guys?” Sloane burst out as we stepped into the living room. Adam, Brandon and Jared looked at us, concern on their faces. Amara, Chloe and Amanda looked horrified
“Another night in Xanan.” Damien rubbed his tired eyes.
“Did-did you kill someone?” Amanda’s mouth turned down as she took us in. After taking a step away, she sat on the couch, waiting for our answer.
“No,” I answered softly. “But they suggested it.”
The horror on their faces made my stomach twist.
“They suggested it too many times,” Damien grunted.
“Where’s Eric?” My gaze roved over our members. Everyone was accounted for except for him.
“Not here. He’s still out with Ever, I’m guessing.” Brandon glanced at me warily.
I nodded, my throat tight. Of course, he was. Hell, I would be too if she were with me.
“What happened?” Amara’s voice pulled me away from my worries.
Eric walked in through the door at that moment with his head down, before I launched into telling them about our night in Xanan. We grew quiet as he stepped into the room, shrugging his dark jacket off.
“Bad night?” Damien ventured.
; Eric’s head snapped up, and his eyes widened when he saw me and Damien in our blood splattered clothes.
“Not as bad as you two.” Eric’s eyes shifted between me and Damien. “What the hell happened?”
“The Order,” Damien muttered.
I launched into the story, ending with me and Damien having to do interrogations.
“Were you able to get any information?” Amara asked.
“Yeah, on anything?” Sloane added.
“Not a damn thing,” Damien said with a sigh. “No one was talking. Not the Order, not the Cipher. We have enough bad memories to last a lifetime. But hey, how was your night, Eric?”
“Not good,” Eric grumbled, shaking his head.
“Did you kiss her?” Adam cut to the chase.
Eric’s face reddened as he glanced at me.
“No.” He shook his head. “Definitely didn’t kiss her. We danced. Had fun. Spent the evening with Blackburn and Ambrose.”
“What?” Jared sat forward and stared at Eric. “Why?”
I frowned at his words, everyone else mirroring my expression.
Eric rubbed his eyes. “It would appear that Ever’s friends are also friends with those two, and by default, I’m guessing she will be too. In fact—” Eric cast me a weary look. “—they’re so close she ditched me to hang out with Ambrose.”
Amara let out a loud laugh as my blood boiled. Damien glanced at me, worry etched on his face.
“Tell me what happened,” I commanded in a steely voice.
Eric launched into the tale of his evening, ending with how Ever had disappeared.
“Did you check her room?” I asked, running my fingers nervously through my hair. “Was she in it?”
“No, I didn’t check her room,” Eric grumbled. “I’m not a damn stalker. If she wants to go off with someone else, I can’t stop her. I won’t stop her. She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Something tells me that even if she was your girlfriend, she’d have kicked you in the junk for telling her what to do,” Damien said with chuckle.
“She doesn’t have to be your girlfriend for you to look out for her,” I growled at him. “You know Ambrose and Blackburn are snakes. What if they hurt her?”
“Then you’d have known and would’ve saved her,” Eric shot back at me. “She’s just fine wherever she is.”
He was right, so I didn’t argue the fact.
“What did Blackburn tell you about the Cipher?” Brandon broke in. He cast me a quick look. “Not that I don’t care about Ever, but we can’t fix that hornet’s nest right now so we may as well see what we can do with whatever information Blackburn had for Eric.”
Again, someone was right.
“Right,” I said, my voice tight, pushing all my anxiety about Ever with Ambrose out of my head. I’d deal with it later. “What did Blackburn have to tell you?”
“Honestly?” Eric ran his hand through his hair. “I think it was a diversion so Ambrose could get Ever alone.”
“Here we go again. Right back to the subject we were trying to get away from.” Amara rolled her eyes.. “Get over it. She’s just fine. Probably enjoying a laugh at you imbeciles.”
“Amara,” I snapped. “Shut up.”
She glared at me, her arms crossed over her chest.
“What did he say anyway?” Damien pressed.
Eric grew thoughtful. “He said the Cipher and the real Cipher are two different things. He said the real Cipher are the good guys. They don’t call themselves the Cipher since the Order ruined it. But he refused to give me their supposed real name. I don’t know. I think he may have been drinking. He was talking in circles. Most of it was bull, but he said the origin of the original Cipher began here at Dementon. Then he told me we all suck for not knowing the things he knows. Oh, and he suggested we’d get further along in the war if we let him and Ambrose into Conexus.”
“Ambrose and Blackburn want to join us?” I snorted. “Not happening. Period.”
Eric shrugged. “I know. I told him that. And he told me we’re crazy for being so close-minded. Then he called me a lapdog, and I threatened to gut him. That’s how it ended.”
“Just a load of crap from him. It does seem like he was diverting your attention from Ever,” Adam mused. “Hell of a wingman.”
“What are you going to do?” Chloe asked after throwing a scowl at Adam who grinned back at her.
“About what?” I answered, my gaze sliding over to meet hers.
“Ever and Ambrose. We need to know why he wanted to be alone with her and what happened.”
“You’re right,” I murmured, my mind painting ugly pictures of the possibilities. “We need to know.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Eric said.
I nodded at him. He was our in, so it all rested on him. I felt the gentle prod of Eric getting my attention in my mind. Everyone else had started discussing the mystery of Blackburn.
“Raiden,” Eric called out in my head.
“Yeah?”
“I’ve been meaning to tell you, when I talked to Ever a few nights ago, she mentioned that she thought Shadow hated her and didn’t want to see her anymore. Not to be an instigator, but maybe that’s your in. You know, a visit to her as Shadow. She might open up.”
“Maybe,” I answered. “But that means I open up some old wounds—”
“Some wounds are worth the suffering. You know that.”
I swallowed and nodded.
“Just maybe say goodbye to her after getting the information. I know you want to let go. This could be a good way. Plus, she’ll know you don’t hate her and that you only want her to be happy.”
“You’re right.” I let out a sigh and shook my head. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good luck, brother. I need to sleep. Too much Ambrose and Blackburn for one evening. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Later, man.”
And with that, he pulled out of my mind and went to the stairs after bidding everyone else goodnight.
I was helpless. As much as I didn’t want to open up those old wounds, Eric was right. I could get two birds with one stone by visiting Ever as Shadow.
Once I showered and everyone was in bed, I melded to the shadows near Ever’s dorm. I had to make sure she was safe. And she’d tell me what happened tonight if I asked. I hoped. Hauling in a deep breath in my shadow form, I melded to her bedroom and stood at the foot of the bed, watching as she slept.
My breath stilled in my lungs. She was just as beautiful as the last time I watched her tucked into bed. Her hair was a mass of black silk around her. Her long legs were on display in her tiny sleep shorts. Her small dark tank top rode up high on her abdomen, revealing a tantalizing strip of flesh.
The lines of stress and worry weren’t nearly as deep on her face as they’d been before. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was slumbering without a care in the world.
I didn’t really have a plan for when I got here. I guess I thought she’d be awake, which was stupid since it was after three in the morning. Resigned, I decided I needed to think of a new plan—maybe come back earlier in the night tomorrow. But then she stirred, her eyelids fluttering as she sat up.
I froze. She seemed confused as she sat there rubbing her eyes. Her hands dropped to her lap, and those gorgeous, emerald-colored orbs focused on me. Her lips parted.
“Shadow?” she called out in quiet disbelief. I could only stare back at her with my heart racing wildly in my chest.
Slowly, she crawled on all fours across her bed, her brows knit. When she reached the end of the bed, she rose up on her knees. Her hand drifted toward me, her fingers brushing gently against my cheek through the soft tendrils of shadow enveloping me. My heart stuttered in my chest at her touch which sent a jolt of static through my body. That was how her touch felt—like electricity, fire igniting the darkest parts of my soul. Parts I didn’t even know existed.
“You’re here,” she whispered, her eyes shimmering with tears
in the moonlight filtering in through her curtains. My hand reached out instinctively as a tear slipped from her eye and then another. I thumbed them away.
“Don’t cry, my beautiful girl,” I murmured in my distorted voice, my own eyes burning. “Please, don’t cry.”
“I’ve missed you,” she choked out. “Where were you?” Her eyes searched me, pleading for an answer.
“I’m always here,” I replied gently, cupping her face, the ache in my chest soaring to new levels. I should’ve stayed gone. This was opening many old, painful wounds.
“I thought you’d left me,” she sniffled, her eyes big and bright. I didn’t answer. I had left her—and for good reason.
“I shouldn’t have come.” Now wasn’t the best time to be having second thoughts, but there they were. If staying away had been hard, leaving would be worse. So much worse.
“Don’t go.” She reached out for me, her green eyes wavering with a sheen of tears, as I made to move away. “Please, Shadow. Don’t go.”
I stared down at her, my throat tight. Her hands fisted my shirt through the shadow.
“Stay with me. Please.”
I nodded, knowing damn well I should leave her. But this was it. Probably the last time I’d be able to be with her. I was a selfish man, wanting what I wanted.
“I’ll stay,” I murmured as her arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace. I returned it, holding onto her like my life depended on it. She smelled so good. Sweet. Flowery. Everly. I held her for a long time, lost in the way her body felt pressed against mine, before she lifted her head and peered up at me.
“My Everly,” my voice was hoarse, breathless, as I stared fondly down at her, wishing more than anything that things were different for us. “Are you well? Are you hurt? I-I came earlier, but you weren’t here.” I lied hoping to get her to tell me what had happened.
“I’m fine. Just missing you,” she sniffled. “I was at a meet and greet dance for new students and left wi-with someone. I was afraid, but I’m fine now that you’re here.”