Souls & Spectres: The Spectral Chronicles: Book 1

by Heather Wendlowsky

  Wren looks back at me with fear and determination in his eyes. I know he’s remembering how Soleil looked when we found her last night, and seeing her now, healed but not quite recovered, has him reeling. Wren gives me a single nod, and I nod back. So, this is how revolutions begin…

  Chapter 25

  Soleil

  “Sol?” I hear a sweet soprano voice through the door, “It’s Juniper. It’s okay, you’re safe to come out.” Juniper! I tentatively crack the door, and there she is: red curls around her shoulders, warm brown eyes… Just as I remember. A wave of relief hits me hard. I’m just so happy she’s here and she’s safe and she’s real. My mind is such a mess, it’s good to see someone familiar.

  “Oh, Juniper!” I exclaim when I see her, “I don’t know what’s going on. Where are we? What happened?” The words spill out of me. I’m desperate for the answers that live in my head.

  She gives me a sad smile. “We have a lot to talk about, Sol,” she responds, “But first, will you come out here? There’s some people I want you to meet.” I recall the other people standing in the bedroom and tense, but I trust Juniper to open the door the rest of the way. She moves out of the way to let me into the bedroom, and I stop there. Besides Juniper, there are three other people in the room. One I recognize as Aurora, and I give her a small smile. She gives me a huge grin back. The man next to her is another Mont Tienent, tall and very muscular. His white hair is shaggy, and he gives me a quick half smile.

  Finally, at the back of the room by the closet door is Reese, the man who I woke up next to this morning. He doesn’t smile at me like the others do. He looks angry and sad. Is he angry at me? My eyes search his face, but I don’t sense a threat. I look over at Juniper, and she smiles next to me.

  “Soleil, I believe you already know Aurora,” she tells me. I nod and smile at the Mont Tienent doctor. “The man next to her is her younger brother, Wren.” My attention goes to the large man. His physique should make him a threat, but his face is all smiles and goof. “He is a very good friend of mine and hand to the prince of Mont Tien!” I look over at him in surprise. This guy is a hand to the prince? He’s so young! Wren just shrugs and smiles at me, as if reading my mind.

  “It’s nice to meet you again, Soleil!” he says with a wink. I can’t help but smile back at him. He has a similar energy to Juniper: he exudes happiness and friendship. Well, that just leaves the sulking man in the back. I turn my attention to him and his eyes lock on mine.

  “And last, but certainly not least,” Juniper takes a breath, “Crown Prince Icarus of Mont Tien. But we all call him Reese.” Reese seems to be searching my face for some sort of reaction, but I am in absolute shock.

  “Juniper?” I ask, eyes still on the freaking prince, “Why did I wake up this morning next to Reese?” I say his nickname pointedly.

  “Ummm,” Juniper looks nervously between Aurora and Wren, “Don’t freak out, but you and Reese are actually really… close.”

  I can tell she’s holding something back. “How close, Juniper?” I reply, looking down at her.

  “Look, I’m throwing a lot at you. You must be starving. Would you like something to eat?” she declaims in one exhale.

  “No, I want to know what the hell is going on!” I insist. Juniper hesitates, then sighs.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she mutters, then squares her shoulders and looks me in the eyes, “Reese is your Soulmate. He shot you. You weren’t hurt. There was a Resonation. Everybody saw it. There’s no question. You are Gifted and Reese is your Soulmate.”

  I gape at her. I look at Wren, and he nods in confirmation, and Aurora just gives me a sympathetic half smile. My eyes fly to where Reese stands in the back of the room. “Is this true?” I whisper to the man. He simply purses his lips and nods. I feel dizzy. My vision switches between all the faces in the room. I can’t breathe. I start hyperventilating and I hear Wren scolding Juniper, and her arguing back that I deserved to know the truth. I feel like I’m going to pass out.

  Aurora sees my distress, and walks over, hands extended. Simultaneously, Reese and Juniper yell at her to stop, but it’s too late. Her hands land on my shoulders, and the contact triggers images of knives and chains and gleeful malicious smiles. I have to make it stop. I have to stop the pain.

  My eyes search the room, and in a split second, I’ve pulled away from Aurora’s burning touch and grabbed a scalpel from her medic’s bag. I have to make it stop. Without a second thought, I plunge the scalpel into the side of my neck. Hot liquid runs down my body and I hear screams and shouts from my audience. I did it. I made it stop. I smile at the peace closing around my vision and collapse to the floor.

  Chapter 26

  Icarus

  As Juniper goes through and re-introduces us to Soleil, I stand quietly against the back wall. I’m afraid to scare her anymore than I already have today. Juniper seems to have no qualms with laying it on her though.

  “And last, but certainly not least,” Juniper takes a breath, “Crown Prince Icarus of Mont Tien. But we all call him Reese.” Oh Juniper and I will be having words later. I stare at Soleil almost timidly, afraid of what I’ll find: fear? Revulsion? All I see though is pure shock.

  “Juniper?” she says, not taking her eyes off of me, “Why did I wake up this morning next to Reese?” I cringe a little at her harsh use of my nickname, as if this is all some sort of trick.

  “Ummm,” Juniper looks at Aurora and Wren, trying to decide what to tell her now and what to withhold, “Don’t freak out, but you and Reese are actually really… close.”

  Okay, that’s acceptable. “How close, Juniper?” Soleil follows up, looking to the small girl beside her. Juniper glances at me, and I give her the tiniest shake of my head.

  “Look, I’m throwing a lot at you. You must be starving. Would you like something to eat?” Juniper frantically tries to change the subject.

  “No, I want to know what the hell is going on!” Soleil bursts. Juniper seems to think it over, then sighs and throws me a helpless look.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she mutters, then straightens to look Soleil in the eyes, “Reese is your Soulmate. He shot you. You weren’t hurt. There was a Resonation. Everybody saw it. There’s no question. You are Gifted and Reese is your Soulmate.” WHAT THE HELL! I shoot daggers at Juniper, but she won’t meet my eyes.

  Soleil is frozen in place. She manages to look over to Wren and Aurora, both who just give her a silent confirmation of what she just heard. Then, her eyes are on me. “Is this true?” she whispers from across the room. I don’t want to overwhelm her anymore, but I can’t lie to her. I just purse my lips and nod. Her face turns deathly pale, and she looks around the room in a panic.

  “Seriously, Juniper? That’s the best way you could think to ease her in?” Wren shoots at the redhead. She glares and crosses her arms.

  “I think I know Soleil a little better than you, Wren,” she retorts, “If we kept important stuff like that from her now, she would just think she couldn’t trust any of us. She will be fine if we just let her process.”

  Soleil is full on hyperventilating, but I think Juniper is right. If we had kept it from her, she would have hated us. I can see Soleil’s mind working through the information. I truly think if we let her be for a second, she will be okay.

  That’s all ruined though when Aurora’s kind nature has her going to comfort Soleil, arms stretched out to hold her. Her aversion to touch seemed to be getting better before this, but now, with only old memories and new scars, there’s no way she will respond positively. Juniper screams out for her to stop. “AURORA, NO!” I shout with her. It’s too late. The second Aurora puts her hands on Soleil’s shoulders, a switch is flicked. Her eyes are lost in memories of torture, and her face conveys absolute terror. Aurora snatches her hands back, but the damage is done. In the same second, Soleil moves at lightning speed to Aurora’s medic bag and pulls out a scalpel. Before anyone can say anything, she plunges the blade into her ca
rotid. Juniper screams in horror. I yell Soleil’s name. Wren and Aurora rush to her and grab her as she collapses. I run over and join them on the floor next to Soleil’s body.

  Only a few seconds have passed since Soleil slashed her neck, but the blood is everywhere. Wren has his hands pressed over the wound and Aurora is digging through her bag. I can’t speak or do anything other than stare in horror. Juniper is sitting at Soleil’s feet sobbing.

  Once again, I’m thankful Aurora is here, if for no other reason than to correct her huge blunder. Anywhere else than next to a Mont Tienent doctor with their supplies, Soleil would have been dead. Instead, Aurora uses a freeze spray to plug the hole in Soleil’s artery, staunching the bleeding. Then she pulls out a vial and a syringe. Carefully measuring the contents into the syringe, Aurora injects Soleil’s arm. I watch as Soleil’s pale face slowly becomes filled with color.

  “Artery is on the mend,” Aurora confirms breathlessly, “The shot I gave her replenished the platelets she lost.” She falls back from her knees and leans against the wall. “Has she always had problems with touch?”

  I can’t move, so Juniper answers for me. “Yeah, ever since she was rescued from the traffickers. Touch reminds her of what she went through with the buyers,” she whispers. A knowing look crosses Aurora’s face, and she simply nods.

  “Reese, will you grab that comforter you took off the bed earlier?” Aurora requests, “We are going to have to let her sleep this off, and I’d hate to ruin another comforter.” I get up and pull the comforter from the closet and throw it over the bed. Wordlessly, I walk over to where Soleil lays on the ground and scoop her into my arms, squeezing her tight as I carry her to the bed. I lay her down there, and turn to Aurora.

  “We’ll call you when she wakes up,” I say, unable to look at Aurora. Without another word, Aurora packs up her supplies and leaves. I look up to see a conflicted look on Wren’s face.

  “You know it was an accident,” he whispers.

  In my mind, I know that Aurora didn’t mean for this to happen. She was just trying to help Soleil, but she almost died. By her own hand, which makes this even worse. Aurora caused so much pain that Soleil plunged a scalpel into her neck. I feel anger creeping up my neck. Easy, Reese. She didn’t know.

  “I know, Wren,” I finally utter, “I just need some time to process everything.” Wren nods in understanding. I walk around to the other side of where Soleil is sleeping and get in next to her, careful not to touch her in case she wakes up. Juniper sits at her feet, and Wren pulls a chair up next to us. We sit there quietly for a few minutes, allowing our minds to settle from the events of the morning. Eventually I drag my eyes from Soleil’s sleeping face and look at Wren.

  “So,” I start, “It seems we have an assassnation to plan.”

  Chapter 27

  Soleil

  I’m back at the pool I drowned in. Or I thought I drowned in. this time I’m not dying though; instead, I’m swimming. I look over and see Juniper, Wren, and Reese on the colorful rocks. Juniper is cheering me on! I’ll definitely have to teach her. Wren is giving Juniper googoo eyes. Reese and I look at each other and roll our eyes. They really just need to get together already.

  “Looking good, angel!” Reese calls over.

  “Well, I had a good teacher,” I wink back, “Come swim with me!”

  Reese grins and peels off his shirt and pants, leaving him in just his black boxer briefs. He wades into the water and dives under the water. He resurfaces right in front of me, surprising me with a kiss. His sudden reappearance startles me, and I choke on some water. Everyone laughs at my sputtering, and Reese carries me back to shore.

  “One of these days we will come to this pool without me needing to save your life,” he chuckles. I grin and start to say a smart remark-

  My eyes fly open. I hear people laughing around me, and it ceases when I look up.

  “Sol! You’re awake!” Juniper’s voice chimes from somewhere near my feet. I look down and see her sitting at the base of the bed, holding a fancy teal pillow against her chest.

  “Wow, one week without your fan base and you’ve already had to resort to a pillow,” I tsk at her. She laughs at my teasing, and I give her a tentative grin back.

  “Whoa, whoa,” Wren chimes in from a chair on the other side of the bed, “What the hell is she talking about? What ‘fan base?’” I sputter out a laugh at the obvious jealousy written across his face. I hear a low chuckle next to me, and look over to see Reese sitting next to me, leaning back against the headboard. The chuckle reminds me of the dream I awoke from, and I can’t help but smile at the happy sound. I love his laugh. I’m a little startled at this thought, but it feels right.

  Reese looks over at me, and immediately the smile falls from his face. He leans away from me, looking nervous and hesitant. I recall what Juniper had told me earlier, and I realize now that he is scared. Not of me, but for me. Instead of moving away from him, I give him a shy smile.

  “Hi, Reese,” I say softly. A brilliant smile spreads across his face.

  “Hi, angel,” he whispers back. Angel. Once again, I’m thrust back into the dream I had before, but this time, I also see a brief flash of a willow tree. “Angel, you sunk like a rock.” I smile from my hiding spot in the willow tree.

  Then, I’m back in the bedroom. I blink a few times to clear my mind, then look over to Juniper. “What were you guys laughing about before?” I ask her with a small smile.

  “Oh, Wren was just telling me about the time Reese tried to make a move on him,” she replies and throws Wren a conspiratorial wink.

  “That is not what happened!” Reese insisted, a blush creeping up his neck, “I saved your life!”

  “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that buddy,” Wren teases. I giggle.

  “Anyone who Reese has made a move on under the guise of CPR, raise your hands!” I join in the teasing. Wren and I’s hands shoot up.

  “Oh, well now I feel left out!” Juniper huffs. The three of us dissolve into giggles. When I look back at Reese, he has a strange hopeful look on his face.

  “Figures the first thing you’d remember would be that,” he teases with a suggestive undertone. Huh? Oh. They never told me that he rescued me from the pool earlier.

  “Soleil!” Juniper exclaims, “Your memory is coming back! That was quick. Seems like the drama earlier was a little uncalled for now.” She mutters the last part, and Reese gives her a stern look. I go over this morning in my mind. I remember thrusting Aurora’s scalpel in my neck. I lift my hand and gently touch the side of my neck where I thrust the blade. Save for a little bump, the skin is smooth and painless.

  “Aurora was able to fix you up before you bled out,” Wren explained, throwing Reese a look with his statement.

  “Wow, the rumors about Mont Tien’s medical tech weren’t exaggerating,” I mumble.

  Wren is still looking pointedly at Reese. “Okay, I know,” Reese gives in, “I’ll apologize when she gets back.”

  Wren gives him a winning smile. “Thank you, Your Highness,” he says. Reese grabs a pillow from behind him and throws it at Wren. Wren easily dodges it with a laugh. I look at Reese questioningly and he sighs.

  “After you… hurt yourself…” Reese takes a shaky breath, “I harbored a bit of resentment towards Aurora for causing you to feel that way.” I frown and open my mouth in protest, but he cuts me off, “I know, she didn’t know, she was just trying to help. I was just so scared, Soleil. Aurora was just the easiest one to blame without blaming myself.” My heart hurts to see him in such agony. I push myself up into a seated position next to him.

  “Listen, Reese,” I sy slowly, “I don’t really know you- anymore-” I add, “but I do know that none of this has been your fault.” It’s his turn to try to protest, but I quickly interrupt, “And you’re not allowed to argue with me because I’m the patient and it’s bad for recovery!” I smile at him, and he gives in and smiles back.

  “Okay, you win this one, Miss Patient,
” he says with mock disappointment.

  “Get used to it, Soulmate,” I tease. The smile on his face is absolutely blinding. I feel a weight I didn’t know was there lifted from my soul.

  “Oh my god, we have to watch them fall in love all over again,” Juniper mutters. Wren fake gags and Juniper giggles.

  “Okay, refocusing,” Reese rolls his eyes, “Soleil, you can remember me saving you from the pool. Do you remember anything else?” I think for a moment.

  “I keep seeing glimpses of a willow tree,” I answer, “Honestly, I’m afraid to look deeper. I can’t help but feel that there is a reason that my mind locked out what happened. What if I don’t want to know? What if remembering is worse than not knowing?” I wring my hands.

  “Soleil, do you remember when you and I met?” Juniper asks. I nod. “You and I were both scared and scarred. Our experiences brought us together. I know I wouldn’t want to forget what gave me my best friend.” She gives me a soft smile, and continues, “From what I’ve heard from these two goons,” she gestures to the men, “They’re scared and scarred by the same people who did this to you.” I look in alarm at the two guys, but they drop their heads, “Soleil, can you imagine having to go through what we went through alone? Your memories are probably going to come back eventually. You might as well embrace it in a safe space surrounded by your friends.”

  I consider her words. “Is that true?” I ask Reese, “Did these people hurt you too?” His face darkens, and I nearly don’t recognize him. He automatically reaches his hand up to his shoulder and lets the fingers slip under his shirt. His shirt is off and he’s facing the wall, so I have a full view of his muscular back, covered in long, puckered scars. The memory hits me hard, and suddenly, I’m furious at whoever hurt him.

  I shift into a kneeling position by the bed, forcing him to look at me. “I won’t let this happen again, to me or you,” I promise, “If that means remembering what I went through, then so be it. I will keep you safe.” I surprise myself with the fervor in my voice, but I know I mean it. His gray eyes are locked on mine. I realize the gray is misleading. I can see specks and swirls of blue, violet, and green. A summer storm, I realize. I’m gazing into my own summer storm.