by K. G. Reuss
“You’ve been sent to watch over me. You know more than you’re telling me. If you don’t know who Shadow is, then that means you’re looking for him too.”
“Please, Ever—”
“No, Eric. I want the truth. This is my life. Nothing you’ve said to me has been true!”
“I’ve never lied to you, Ever,” he growled, his eyes darkening. “I’d never lie to you!”
“You’re lying right now,” I shouted back at him. “Tell me, Eric. This isn’t a game. It’s my life. Can’t you see how crazy I am? You know my past. You know what I’m willing to do to escape it! I won’t do this again. I want answers!”
“You’re being irrational and need to calm down—”
“Calm dow-Calm down?” My voice was hoarse from my yelling. I shoved him away from me, a burning blossoming in my chest, spreading to my fingertips. The front door banged open, gusts of wind swirling around us. Off in the distance, glass shattered.
“What the hell?” Damien shouted, coming into the room. Raiden and those in Conexus not on patrol were behind him.
Eric was staring at me with fearful eyes. I wasn’t sure what was happening, only that I was angry.
“Everly,” Raiden’s deep voice boomed out. The tingles grew as he approached, his eyes sliding over me, gauging me.
“Don’t come any closer. I swear to all that is pure and good, I will take this building down brick by brick if I don’t get some answers from someone.” My voice shook as my eyes locked on his.
“I understand,” Raiden murmured, standing in front of me, blocking me from Eric. Eric rejoined the group. All eyes were on me and Raiden. “I can answer your questions.”
“Promise?” I breathed out.
“The best that I can.” He moved his hands out to grasp my face. A swell of euphoria hit me at his touch. “I just need you to relax for me, Miss Torres.”
I nodded stupidly, his words silky and hypnotic. He trailed his fingers to my forehead where he brushed my hair aside, a sad look on his face.
“I’m sorry.”
He pressed his palm to my forehead, sending a rush of cold through my body. Soft words I couldn’t make out fell from his lips. My vision dotted with black before I collapsed, the world dissolving around me.
Thirty-Five
Raiden
I caught Ever before she hit the floor and hauled her back to the couch where I laid her onto it.
“You OK?” Adam called out.
“Is she OK?” Sloane corrected.
“She’s fine. She’ll be out for a while,” I muttered, staring down at her.
“What the hell just happened?” Damien moved to my side and stared down at her. Her cheeks were pale, her breathing deep.
“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Eric was about to get his ass kicked,” Adam joked weakly. Eric scowled at him before joining me and Damien.
“What happened?” All I knew was that all was well while I spoke to my crew in my office before we heard shouts and glass breaking.
“She wanted answers. She asked me if I was Shadow. She said she deserved to know what was going on. She knew I was watching over her.” He frowned at her, letting out a sigh. “You need to fix this. She was going to tear the damn house down. I believe her too. I thought I was going to have to stitch.”
I clapped him on the shoulder. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“So what’s the plan?” Damien asked, nodding down to Ever. “I don’t think it’s wise to leave her alone just yet.”
“I’ll take her back to her dorm and stay with her tonight,” I said, the words heavy on my tongue.
“Good thing Amara is out on patrols,” Sloane called out. “Ever broke her crystal vase.”
Adam and Damien groaned.
“Can you guess cast and put it back together?” I sighed, rubbing my eyes. “She’ll be back soon. I should probably take Ever and go before she gets here.”
“Yeah, you do that. We’ll fix the vase. Amara’s still complaining about Eric having a sleepover with her,” Adam agreed. Eric’s face reddened at his words, but he didn’t say anything.
I lifted Ever’s limp body into my arms and let my shadow-self take over.
“Would you look at that,” Damien mused, grinning at me. “Would the real Shadow please stand up?”
“Shut it, Wick,” I grumbled, adjusting Ever’s small body in my arms. “I’ll see you guys later. There will be a meeting in the morning. Let everyone know.”
“Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do!” Adam called out as I whisked Ever away.
I lay on Ever’s couch after putting her to bed, my head a jumble of thoughts. She needed to know who I was. Fear at admitting it to her had me in its ugly clutches and wouldn’t let me go. Danger lurked in the truth. I didn’t want her to be a part of it, of any of this. I knew Ambrose and Blackburn were creeping too close to Ever. The fact I had to ask for their help was killing me inside.
I needed more time. I needed to get her trained. At least then if I gave her the truth, and she told me to take a hike, she’d at least be able to defend herself. Maybe she wouldn’t even need me at all. Or Ambrose and Blackburn. She’d learn to control everything and be safe for the rest of her life, no reever needed.
Training was what mattered the most. To hell with a truth that could ruin her. For now, getting her ready to take care of herself was my main concern.
“Raiden.”
I rubbed my eyes, unsure if the voice in my head was real or a dream. It was still dark out. My gaze roamed to Ever’s bedroom. She was still in bed, out from my sleeper charm.
“Raiden.”
Definitely not a dream.
“Mara?” I called out. “What do need?”
“Where are you? You’re not in your room or office—”
“Mara, it’s like four in the morning. You should be patrolling, not looking for me in my office or bedroom.”
She grew quiet for a moment.
“Adam said you’re with Everly Torres.”
I let out a soft groan and sat up, my head in my hands.
“Is that why you’re waking me up? To interrogate me about what I’m doing?”
“It just looks bad for you to be sleeping in her dorm—”
“Did Adam also tell you what happened tonight? How she wanted to tear our house down and smite Eric?” I demanded. “Her powers are growing. She went into the Veil tonight. I have to be here with her to keep watch. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“It is my business!” she snapped at me. “What you do with her is a direct reflection on our relationship—”
“We have no relationship, Amara,” I snapped back. “I broke up with you.”
“We’re getting married, Raiden. You know that. You don’t get to choose it. It’s been arranged and ordered.”
“I’m not going to have this conversation with you. It’s four in the damn morning! I’m trying to sleep. I’m exhausted. I have a lot going on right now. So please just stop.”
“Are you in the same bed with her?” Amara’s voice was tiny.
I sighed. “No, Mara, I’m not. I’m on the couch. I put her under with a sleeper charm. She hasn’t been awake since she was at the house.”
“Are you going to keep training her?”
I tugged at my hair in frustration. “Yes.”
“I don’t like it. I’m going to appeal it with the Order. I’m going to ask that you be removed from the position.”
“You know, Mara, do what you have to do,” I snarled at her. “But know this …it won’t change a damn thing between me and her. I’ll still be a reever, and she’ll still be my mancer.”
I broke the connection and let out a sigh of frustration before flopping back on the couch and pulling a pink throw blanket up over me.
After the meeting with my crew, I was going to have to contact my uncle. Amara was going to make this difficult.
Thirty-Six
Everly
Raiden had my pink b
lanket wrapped tightly around his slumbering form. His long, dark lashes rested on his cheeks. His chest rose and fell with each deep breath. He looked so peaceful. So sweet. Not like a jerk who could knock someone out by just pressing a palm to her forehead.
I went to my kitchen and brewed some coffee. Once finished, I sat down in a chair across from my couch, cup in hand, waiting for him to wake up so I could tell him how much I didn’t appreciate what he’d done to me. Plus, he owed me answers. And some healing because I had a rager of a headache.
My wait was short. His eyes fluttered open, locked on the ceiling. He stared at it for a moment before his gaze slid to me.
“Good morning, General,” I greeted him with raised eyebrows. “How’s my couch? Comfortable?”
“Bed would’ve been better,” he grumbled, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked pretty damn good sitting there in his rumpled uniform, his silver hair a mess.
“Well, you have one. No one told you to sleep on my couch.”
“You threatened to tear my house down like the big bad wolf, Miss Torres. You sure you’re not a Were?” He cocked his head at me.
“You’d know,” I retorted, remembering how he could touch me and know my faction. He chuckled and shook his head at me.
“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. You had us worried last night after your meltdown.”
“Are you going to tell me the truth?” I plowed on, tiring of the banter.
“What do you want to know?” The slight smile slid off his face.
“Is Eric Shadow?” I was breaking out the big guns.
“No.” His face was impassive, serious, as he spoke, the hint of a twinkle in his eyes gone.
“Do you know who Shadow is?”
He hesitated for a moment before answering. “No.”
“Is it true that Eric only became my friend because he was planted by the Order to look out for me?”
“No.”
I ground my teeth at his one-word answers.
“Why was he assigned as my trainer?”
“I felt he was best suited for the job due to his own psychic abilities. The fact you were already comfortable with him was a bonus. You’re new to our world. It just made sense.”
Damn. His answers weren’t what I thought they’d be. I figured he’d be dropping truth bombs all over. Instead, everything was just as it had been before.
“Is Conexus protecting me?”
“Yes.”
I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “From what?”
“Yourself.” He nodded at me. “You have a history of destruction, Miss Torres. Last night proved you’re a bit… irrational.”
“Screw you,” I snarled at him, getting to my feet.
“Tell me how what you did last night was rational, and I’ll change my mind.”
He was right. I was irrational. But it wasn’t my fault. I said so.
“It wasn’t my fault. I can’t control that stuff. I didn’t even know I could do that. I can’t be held responsible for it.”
Raiden let out a laugh that surprised me. I’d never heard him laugh before. It was a sound that made my pulse race—in a good way. I pushed down those feelings and stared at him, wondering exactly what he found so funny.
“I’m sorry, Miss Torres. You have an answer for everything. You’re right. But so am I. So where does that leave us?” He’d risen to his feet and was staring down at me, standing so close I could feel the heat coming from his body.
“You’re the guy in charge,” I answered weakly, gazing into his aquamarine eyes.
“I am.” He nodded. “So listen to me. Are you done with your crusade to find this Shadow character? Are you ready to buckle down?”
“I know what I am, General. I know I’m the Mancer. So you tell me, should I stop looking for him?”
Raiden stood frozen, his eyes locked on mine.
“Where did you hear that you’re the Mancer?” his voice was hoarse.
“I’m not a fool. I listen to people around me. No one else can do what I can. Take into account that I can’t seem to stay dead, then I’d say I have a good chance of being right.” I tilted my head up to look at him. “If you were being truthful when I asked, you’d have told me that’s why you’re really watching me. I’ll ask you again. Should I give up on finding Shadow?”
“There is no Shadow,” he scoffed. “No reever.”
“No?”
“No,” he ground out through clenched teeth.
I stormed away from him and went to the kitchen where I picked up a knife and placed it on the counter. He moved so he was standing next to me.
“Do you see this knife?”
“Yes,” he answered wearily.
“If I were to run this through my skin, through my heart, he’d come for me. He’d save me. If I were to go to my mom’s medicine cabinet and swallow down all her pills, he’d save me. If I were to do anything, be in any sort of danger, he’d come. So don’t stand there and tell me there’s no Shadow, General. That there’s no reever when we both know he’s out there. The only thing you should be telling me is who he is.”
Raiden reached forward and plucked the knife from me, stashing it within his cloak as he shook his head. “If the Reever—real or not— doesn’t show himself to you, if he doesn’t tell you on his own, then maybe you need to get it through your head that he doesn’t want you to know. Maybe he’s trying to be at peace. Maybe not telling you who he is, protects you. Maybe, Miss Torres, he’s just doing what a reever does. So how about you stop these shitty tantrums you keep throwing and focus on what you can control—learning to protect yourself. Because what happens when the day comes and the Reever can’t be there to save you? You’re responsible for your own well-being first. Not someone else. Think about it.”
I frowned at him. Marcus had said the same thing. They were right. I had a responsibility to myself. He made valid points. But he was still a liar.
“You aren’t looking for him? That’s not why you’re really watching over me? We both know he exists, so cut the crap.”
He ground his teeth. “Fine. We don’t want the Reever to connect with you. We do want your safety. You connecting with the Reever could spell disaster for our world. A pair that could possibly live forever and raise an undead army?” he scoffed. “If you don’t understand the implications of that, of you falling into the wrong hands, then you have a lot to learn. You need to let him go.” His eyes flashed with anger as he stood glaring at me.
“You’re right.” I let out a sad laugh. “I need to let go of him. I need to stop searching for him, wishing he’d reveal himself. He has his reasons, reasons that are probably the same as yours. Or maybe he just doesn’t give a damn. So maybe I shouldn’t either. I need you to teach me what to do. I want to be strong enough on my own. I don’t want to be controlled and used as a puppet. I’ll let it go. Just… help me,” my voice faltered and cracked on my last sentence.
He gave me a sad smile. “No more thoughts on Shadow? No more worries?”
“I’ll try—”
“You don’t try with me, Everly.” The way he murmured my name had my heart skipping. “You’re all in or you’re out. Which will you be?” In an uncharacteristic move, he brushed my hair away from my face, his eyes searching mine.
“I’m in,” I whispered. “Do you promise to not keep secrets from me?”
He gave me a tight smile before his hand fell away. Emptiness followed his distance. “I promise to keep you safe, even from the ugly secrets.”
I nodded. It wasn’t like I had a lot of options.
Thirty-Seven
Raiden
I left Ever after our conversation in her dorm. I didn’t feel good about lying to her, but I reasoned that it was for her safety before pushing the thoughts out of my head. I made my way back to the Conexus house, feeling hopeful that maybe she’d be more focused now.
“Why are you just getting home?” Amara demanded, meeting me at the door the moment I s
tepped inside the house. Damien, Jared, Brandon, and Eric looked at each other, as they lounged around before classes started for the day.
“I was with Ever.” I pushed past her and tossed my cloak on a chair. Jared shot me a sympathetic look before attempting to look busy like everyone else.
“Is that going to be your thing now?” she continued, following me into our kitchen. “It’s going to interfere with everything. You’re ruining our relationship—”
“We’ve been over this,” I said tightly, pouring a glass of orange juice. “The only relationship we have now is that I’m your general.”
“You’re my fiancé,” she snarled at me. “Stop acting like that doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter, Amara,” I hissed, glaring at her. “It has to matter because you won’t let me forget it!”
“We’re together.”
“We are not,” I sighed, tired of having the same conversation with her.
“You can’t be with her.”
“I’m not with her,” I answered dully, staring into the living room where the guys were still pretending like they couldn’t hear us.
“Then why are you trying to be with her all the time? Why are you trying to make something happen with her? You’re her trainer, not her bodyguard—”
“Shut up!” I bellowed at her.
She jumped back from me, her eyes wide. Everyone had gone silent.
“I am her guard, Mara. And yes, I’m with you even though I hate it to my very core. I care for you, Mara. But it fades more and more each day that you remind me of how I belong to you. I don’t want to hate you, but you’re really pushing me there—”