by Rachel Jonas
I didn’t’ respond.
“And the Liberator? He’s been behaving?”
A rush of air left my lungs at the mention of Nick. Evangeline and I hadn’t discussed him much lately, but I did notice she had a lot of free time. Since arriving here, she seemed less distracted. I could only guess things between them had changed to some degree, but I hadn’t asked. Wouldn’t. There was no point. In my book, Nick was inconsequential; a blip on the screen that would, eventually, weed itself out.
Besides, in the past, Evangeline never had much tolerance for the insecurities of boys. She preferred her men to act like men.
I gave Elise the only answer I had. “He seems to be. He’s pretty quiet in class, but there haven’t been any disturbances.”
“Other than the first day in the dining hall.”
It didn’t surprise me she’d heard about that.
“Mei,” she revealed.
Figures.
“She’s one of many sets of eyes I have down here,” she shared. “Which is probably why she thought it was worth mentioning that she’d seen you and Evangeline out in the halls pretty early.”
I smiled and glanced up at Elise. “So, you came down here to chastise me for spending time with your daughter?”
“Of course not,” she said quickly, softening her expression.
There were so many reasons she and I both knew that was unnecessary. I was the last person anyone—herself included—had the right to keep away from Evangeline.
“I only wanted to caution you that your interaction with her hadn’t gone unnoticed.”
“Well, how about this; next time someone has an issue with anything they see going on between Evangeline and I, you tell them to come talk to me about it. Deal?”
Anger rose in me quickly and I struggled to suppress it. It was hard enough pretending to be okay with the distance between us; I wouldn’t put up with people posing a threat to what little progress I made.
Instead of taking offense to my harsh tone, Elise smiled. “It’s good to see time hasn’t dulled your love for her.”
And it never would.
“Which is why I thought I owed you this visit,” she went on.
My brow tensed. “Meaning?”
“I’m putting an end to topside privileges.”
Silence hung in the air around us. An unsettled feeling came over me and I knew already that this one, vague sentence was getting ready to lead to a whole pile of bad.
Call it a hunch.
I’d never been one to panic, but had experienced it more times than I could count since having Evangeline back. She was my one and only weakness. Because I couldn’t always keep her at my side, I felt like part of me was under the threat of constant danger, unprotected.
I’d already lost her once and knew I’d never survive it twice.
The tether linking us sent a beacon that shot from me, headed straight for Evangeline. Like a flare. At that very moment, there was no doubt she felt a mirroring tug in the center of her chest. It’s the same one I feel whenever she’s under duress. It wasn’t something either of us could control, so there was no stopping it. It was a matter of minutes, maybe seconds, before she’d come knocking, unable to explain the burning need within her to make sure I was okay.
I knew the feeling well because I experienced it often myself.
“For the past week or so, while monitoring topside security footage … one of our guards reported several sightings of ‘an eerie shadow moving amongst the trees’,” she quoted, her native dialect hanging on each syllable.
“And you’re just now telling me?” Another jolt shot from me. “I should’ve been watching her more closely. What if it’s mutts?” I rambled. “If they’re here, it means he knows we’re here.”
Elise stretched her hands my way, hoping to calm me. “I won’t say it’s impossible, but it goes without saying that I took the greatest measures one can think of to ensure this facility was safe. We both know I wouldn’t have dreamed of bringing Evangeline here if that weren’t true.”
I was on my feet now, pacing as I tried to think of something else the guard may have seen. However, if there was even a remote possibility the shadow was a mutt, this facility was no longer suitable for Evangeline, and I’d have no choice but to move her.
The risk of exposure was too great.
Elise stood, too. “Liam, I know I’m asking a lot, but be reasonable. Think with your head,” she said calmly. “Not your heart.”
Her words halted me and she had my attention.
“If you leave here, if you take her away, where would you go? Back to Seaton Falls where the Sovereign is sure to find her? Out into the world to be stalked and hunted down like we know those … those things are capable of doing?” She paused and a gentle hand rested on my shoulder. “Or would you rather have her here, surrounded by shifters, old and young, willing to lay down our lives for the cause.”
Our.
She didn’t say your or they… she said our. Meaning, she was willing to lay down her life for this cause, too.
“Even if there is something out there,” she reasoned, “this is still the safest place in the world for Evangeline right now.”
I hated that she was right, that our best option still wasn’t good enough.
“Who knows we’re here?” I asked, switching over to a more logical train of thought per Elise’s request. “The money to fund this place had to come from somewhere.”
She shook her head. “That’s a dead end. Damascus, and other facilities like it, were mostly funded with money the clans have been syphoning from the tariff.”
I looked up, suddenly understanding part of the bigger picture. The clans stole what the Sovereign thought was rightfully his and had taken the future into their own hands by building these places around the world, in secret, right under his nose.
This facility was a physical manifestation of an ongoing revolution, the first step toward independence. And if there was one thing I knew about independence it’s that, historically speaking, it always comes at a great price. For any nation—of land or people—to earn it, that price was always bloodshed.
“And what didn’t come from that was donated by benefactors, families of some of the children here, most of which are housed right in this sector of the residential quarters,” she added, explaining why certain young shifters were on the receiving end of special treatment. Their families were, in a sense, cofounders of this place.
The investors wouldn’t have been the threat. Not with their own children here.
It was hard to make any of my theories stick, because with so many pieces of the puzzle missing, it would be easy to overlook possible vulnerabilities.
“Is it possible that, whoever helped you bring Evangeline back may have given you up? Could they have told him what you’re doing? Could—”
Elise shook her head as she interrupted, speaking with certainty. “No. I brought her back with Hilda’s help, and you and I both know she’s trustworthy. The last person on this planet she’d think to help is the Sovereign.”
My brow twitched. I hadn’t seen Hilda in ages. “She’s still around?”
Elise nodded and there was the undeniable hint of a smile. “She is, and she’s as strong as ever. And if you want to question her yourself, perhaps I can convince her to visit in the coming months. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.” Her smile widened. “She hasn’t forgotten how vigilant you’ve always been on Evangeline’s behalf.”
Actually, I was pretty sure no one who’d been around during that time had forgotten. More than once, I’d severed the limbs of those who dared to disrespect her. And for the ones brave enough to put her life in danger … I preferred to rip out their throats, robbing them of their last breath as I watched their eyes go dim. I wanted to be certain mine was the last face they saw before death.
I liked to think I was less of a hothead now, more rational, but deep down I knew that was a lie.
“Arrange it, please,” I re
plied, not ashamed in the least that I’d just made plans to interrogate an aging witch. One who was, technically, Evangeline’s aunt by way of her father, and her mother’s oldest confidante. That didn’t matter. No one would slip through the cracks on my watch.
The knock at the door only caught Elise by surprise. I was fully expecting it.
“Perhaps I should go,” she offered, probably knowing there was only one person who’d be coming to my room.
“It’s too late for that. Just … stay.” I braced myself for whatever Evangeline’s reaction would be when she realized who I had inside.
Large brown eyes locked with mine across the threshold. She breathed hard and fast, like she ran here. From the gym or dining hall, I guessed. That’s where most were hanging out tonight.
“I felt … something. Is everything okay?”
Pursing my lips together when I didn’t have an explanation, I simply stepped back and let her see inside my room, let her see her mother.
I promised not to keep things from her.
The look of concern on Evangeline’s face faded quickly, being replaced by anger, frustration.
“I misunderstood, I guess. I thought you were in danger,” she mumbled. “I’ll just come back later.”
“No,” Elise spoke up, causing Evangeline to pause mid-step. “I showed up unannounced, uninvited; if anyone should leave, it’s me.” She stood and Evangeline’s gaze slipped to the ground to avoid eye contact. I also noted that she didn’t disagree with Elise’s rationale.
I understood her on levels I don’t think she even fully understood herself yet. No, her memory wasn’t intact, but, to the core, she was the same person today she was hundreds of years ago. This small reminder is what prompted me to act quickly, gently taking her wrist as I coaxed her inside before either could get in their own way again. If that happened, they’d miss this opportunity to move forward, to fix things between them.
Elise was notoriously self-sacrificing and would bypass this chance to restore what was broken with her daughter just to avoid conflict.
Evangeline was a walking bundle of emotions all the time, and she avoided torrents where feelings flowed freely, for no other reason than to protect herself from drowning in them.
So, today, I had to be the voice of reason. Had to intervene or there might not be another opportunity to get these two in the same room.
“I was just leaving. I should—”
“What are you doing? I’m—”
“Just … sit,” I interjected, cutting them both off, adding a softly spoken, “Please.”
To my surprise, both complied without me having to beg.
I faced Evangeline, worried she’d look at this as an ambush when, really, my main concern was her safety. I’d been perfectly content waiting out the separation between them, but knowing there might be mutts in the area, she needed to be aware as well. While I respected her feelings, this was the worst time to have a breakdown in communication.
Despite how she felt about Elise.
With the shadow of war infringing upon us all, we’d need each other.
All of us.
—Chapter Nineteen—
Evie
My initial thought when I saw Elise inside Liam’s room was that coming here was a mistake.
I wondered if the jolt I felt in my chest had been a false alarm. It was the reason I sprinted full-speed from the other side of the facility. I’m sure Beth still sat in the dining hall, staring at a half-played Scrabble board, thinking I’d lost my mind when I jumped up and took off without explanation. But with what Liam said next as I stood before him, I knew the reason he panicked; knew the reason his dragon had sent out a distress signal to mine.
“There’s a possible security issue. A guard spotted something in the woods, and the word ‘mutts’ has been tossed around,” he shared.
I peered up—worried, confused.
“There hasn’t been a definitive sighting, but this is a matter we’re all taking very seriously.” At the sound of Elise’s voice, my gaze stayed locked on Liam. I couldn’t look at her. Wouldn’t.
“What does this mean?” I asked, directing my question to Liam, of course.
He hesitated a moment when I ignored Elise’s empty words. Her promises and reassurance meant nothing to me. I only wanted to hear from him right now. The one person in this room I trusted.
“It means we have to be careful,” Liam replied. “To start, no one’s allowed to go topside. We need to maintain a low profile. It also means we have to be careful on the inside as well. I’m not convinced someone didn’t give up our location.”
When Elise shifted on the couch, I glanced that way for a moment. Her lips were pursed tightly and I got the impression she had a rebuttal to Liam’s theory, but decided to hold her tongue. Maybe because tension in the room was already so high.
“Elise disagrees,” Liam added, confirming what I already guessed. “She’s made it clear she went to great lengths to ensure this place was safe, but I think that actually strengthens my argument. If this facility is so hard for the outside world to locate, if it is mutts that have been spotted, someone had to have led them here. And who’s to say that ‘someone’ isn’t on the inside?”
My heart raced, but I was careful to keep it together in front of Elise. I hadn’t forgotten the terrifying incident we recently had outside Liam’s house in Seaton Falls. Needless to say, I was in no rush to face that again. And on top of it all, I now felt the need to watch everyone I passed, wondering if they were spies, wondering if they knew who I was, knew who I used to be.
It became clear I hadn’t hidden the fear spreading within me all that well when Elise addressed me again.
“Please don’t be afraid, Evangeline. The last thing in the world I want is for you to feel unsafe here. If I have to, I’ll place my most trusted guard right outside your door,” she offered.
I couldn’t look at her when I spoke. “I don’t want to draw even more attention to myself than I already have,” I mumbled. To me, placing me in this sleeping sector was obvious enough.
There was a long, awkward pause and I felt both sets of eyes on me. There was an entire herd of elephants in the room and I knew the silence wouldn’t hold. The only question was: who would break it first? Elise or Liam?
“Evangeline, I know how difficult being here has been for you, but I’d be grateful if you’d give me the chance to explain.”
When those words left Elise’s mouth, water immediately began to pool in my eyes. I’d been fighting it since the moment I walked in, because being around her was like staring at a flashing, red billboard, reminding me of every hurtful thing I’d ever gone through. In her presence, it was like no time had passed at all.
The pain hadn’t dulled. It was overwhelming and torturous. She had no idea what she cost me.
Through a blurred, watery gaze, my eyes finally settled on her. I mean really settled on her, taking in her features, ones that were undeniably similar to mine. Our most notable difference being complexion—mine a shade or two deeper than Liam’s, hers like untouched porcelain. The expression she wore was soft and kind, but I knew the heart that lie within her was cold and calculated. It had to be.
“Do you really think that’s what’s difficult for me? The fact that I’m stuck in this place?” I blurted, feeling the first hint of warm tears slipping down my cheeks.
Liam, who’d been standing between us, slowly stepped aside, lowering his head as the incoming storm, one that had been brewing within me for years, finally reached shore. Because I’d gotten to know him so well, because I knew his nature drove him to protect me, I was sure not intervening killed him inside. Especially when he glanced over and noticed I began to cry.
“I didn’t mean to make light of what you’ve been through,” Elise backpedaled. “I was stating the opposite, actually; that I know you’ve had it rough.”
Blood rushed through my veins.
“Don’t do that,” I hissed, tightening my fist
s at my sides. “Having people watch me all my life doesn’t mean you know me.”
Her shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath, but she said nothing.
“You cost me everything,” I forced out. “A normal life, my family.”
“I didn’t make this world what it is, Evangeline,” she countered. “I didn’t create the evil that’s pushed us all to make sacrifices.”
Sacrifices. Who was she to tell me about sacrifices?
I shook my head, lifting my eyes toward the ceiling when this got to be too much.
“I’m dying to hear what you’ve lost in all this.” The words left my mouth drenched in cynicism and I didn’t care enough to consider Elise’s feelings.
“You, Evangeline. This undertaking, this … huge mission,” she blurted. “It cost me you.”
My eyes slammed shut and so many words came to mind. Words I wanted to throw at her like daggers.
Liar.
Manipulator.
Coward.
I was supposed to think she hadn’t taken the easy way out by watching me spiral all these years? Struggling to find my place? Struggling to figure out why I always felt different from everyone else? It made it worse to know she’d had people watching and reporting my every move to her all these years. Every difficulty, every traumatic incident, she knew about it and yet, she never did anything to fix it.
She sat idly by like I was some science experiment, watching as life drowned me.
“Evangeline, there’s so much you don’t know. So much you probably wouldn’t understand, but I’m sitting here, willing to tell you what I can,” she said, not bothering to hide the blatant plea embedded within the words. “Just tell me what you need from me and—”
“Why am I here?” I blurted. The question was distorted by my sobs and breathy words, but she understood. I saw in her eyes that she did. I wasn’t asking why I was brought to this facility; those reasons were mostly clear.
But what wasn’t clear was her reason for restarting my life.
“Why bring me back and then leave me?” I choked out. “You knew I was different. You knew I wouldn’t understand when things started changing. Why would you send me out into the world alone, instead of protecting me?”