CHAPTER 19
Ephraim:
I drive around for hours before I head back to the enclave, all that makes me go back when I do, is the knowledge that I would run out of fuel and be forced to walk back if I didn’t. I have never felt so confused. A part of me feels so connected to Ilyana, like she is the first person that has actually seen the man I really am in my life. But, her actions indicate that means nothing to her. She is not cruel or hard or an egotistical purebred. She is kind and good, she just doesn’t want me. Even if she won’t say it, I already know it.
I walk towards the apartment building after fueling up the ATV and parking it in the garage next to my bike. On my way upstairs I run into Alya “Brother! What on earth are you doing here? It’s so late!” she leans in and gives me a hug, as irritating as she can be at times, the sight of her is comforting right now, I hug her back and dismiss her question “I should ask the same, shouldn’t you be in bed? Or did I catch you sneaking out to a little rendezvous?” as much as I hate to admit it, my sister does have a bit of a reputation for being a little too ummm, affectionate, with men.
She slaps my shoulder “You know I would never. Something triggered the alarm on your garage, I wanted to make sure everything was ok since you weren’t planning on coming back tonight.” I am relieved at her explanation and we both begin to walk back upstairs. As much as I don’t want to sleep, I can’t just sneak off to the library right now without her questioning me. By the time we reach the apartment I begin to take my shirt off and act as though I am going to take a shower. She sits down on the couch as if she is waiting for me and I realize she is not going to let me just come home at 2am without any sort of explanation.
I sit across from her in the chair and for a moment we silently stare at one another, I refuse to indulge her curiosity so easily. It would appear she went to bed early tonight though and is well rested and ready for a challenge, I know I have already lost to her. So I relent. “What can I help you with, Alya?” she relaxes on the couch “Good, for a moment I thought you might be too stubborn for me to deal with tonight. Why are you slinking in at 2am? Did something happen with her?” it figures that is where my very liberated sisters mind would immediately wander “No, Alya. Nothing happened with her. Will you go to bed now?” she feigns offense “You are sending me to bed? Ephraim, I am your big sister. I know when something is wrong. We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way – it is your choice. But just rest assured, that we are not parting ways until you tell me exactly what happened and why you are here now.”
I groan and begin muttering under my breath “I can’t make that out Ephraim, I’m going to need you to speak up.” I can feel my eyebrows drawing into a scowl. But then I realize there is no use being mad, this has been our routine as long as I was old enough to speak. “Fine. I will talk, but I need you to be discreet about it. I am not really sure how to handle everything but the last thing I need right now is more people telling me what I should do. So I am going to need you to promise not to speak of anything I am about to tell you.” She looks concerned at my words and prods me to go on. At first I mention only the original elders, I speak of how there were 9 and not just 3, I tell her of the betrayal and the imprisonment. Before I know it, I have told her everything I know. The look of concern is still etched on her face, but I can’t help but notice the absence of one emotion I would’ve expected – surprise. “Alya, what do you know about this?” she is not looking me in the eyes when she answers me “I have heard stories of a different Counsel. I have even heard rumors of betrayal amongst the elders, but I just don’t see how they could possibly be behind anything that you are saying. It just doesn’t match their character. We may not be as old as some, but I am still old, brother. I have lived hundreds of lives and not once do I recall the elders ever sacrificing any Nephilim – with the exception of Levi. But I have honestly always thought they were quite gracious and went easy on him compared to what they could’ve done.” I just nod in agreement expecting her to say more “I need to go to sleep, this is just too much to take in right now. I promise I will help you look into this more in the morning if you promise that you will take some time to rest tonight, you look exhausted and mother was right when she said nothing good ever happens after midnight.” I reluctantly agree and tell her goodnight, she leaves the living room for bed and I make my way to the shower before I crash for a few hours in hopes of recovering from my day.
Alya:
I head off to my bedroom and wait until I hear the shower start. I don’t know what to make of everything my brother just told me. I know he is not crazy, but if he thinks that they can all handle this alone he is. He has no way of knowing whether or not the stories this Kailand person told him are true. I hear the water running and I press “send” on my phone it rings for a moment before I hear a sleepy answer “Alya is everything ok?” I fidget for a minute, not sure of what to say it is not every day that I find myself calling on the elders “Marcus, we need to speak, but I have to be quick, Ephraim is in the next room and he would kill me if he knew I was calling you. Ilyana found a prison on the island. Holding a bunch of old Nephilim that claim to be members of an original group of elders. They are trying to find a way to break them out.” He just breathes into the phone for a moment “Have you been there?” I tell him no, but let him know that Ephraim has confirmed it. He mutters something under his breath I can’t understand “I will take care of this Alya, thank you for notifying me.” Then I hear the phone disconnect. I breathe a sigh of relief and pray that I didn’t just make a huge mistake and betray my brother for nothing.
The Fallen Ones Page 20