The bell shattered the air between us.
“But that’s that.” She brushed her hair out of her face. “You still have a lot to learn about yourself, don’t you?”
My mother. I nodded, knowing I would ask my dad about her death tonight. After that, I could concentrate on breaking the illusion further.
“Let’s go back to class, then,” Linda said, picking up her giant purse.
She walked next to me and didn’t feel like an enemy, but she was. It took everything in me to remind myself of that when I asked her, “Are you going to tell him?”
“No.” Her brown eyes glanced at me. “Are you?”
“No.”
“Looks like we’re in something together,” she mentioned, but her soft expression fell. It wasn’t until I followed her eyes that I realized why.
Among the crowd, Jessica had appeared, and she hadn’t just appeared. She stood right in front of us, and her blue eyes were focused on me. The piercing glare was the same one she had when she blocked the doorway in the shelter. She wasn’t about to let me walk right past her.
“I need to talk to you.” Her voice was sharp.
“I’m busy,” I replied faster than I thought I could, but my orders allowed me to. I wasn’t supposed to talk to Jessica. If Robb saw it, he could hurt her or Jonathon, and I didn’t want either situation to happen.
When I ducked toward another door, Jessica leapt in front of me. Before I could tell her to move, Linda stepped to my side and asked, “What do you want?”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Jessica snapped, but I stared at the blonde. She was trying to get Jessica to leave, too.
“Is it true?” Jessica’s voice was the only reason I could concentrate again. I could hear everything in her tone. She had used it once before. That time, she had thrown her prom dress at me, and ten minutes later, she told me she hated me. Back then, she didn’t have a memory, but today, her voice held anger. She knew I was dating Linda.
“So, what if it is?” I asked, hoping she had recognized the painting on the model car I had left outside of her room, and she knew what it meant. It was the only way to tell her I was still with her. I knew she would find out about my relationship with Linda today.
“We’re dating now,” Linda said and confirmed everything I couldn’t say aloud. She grabbed my hand to prove it.
Jessica’s eyes fell to our hands, and her bottom lip quivered. If Linda hadn’t been holding my hand, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from reaching out to touch her.
“Why’d you run out so fast?” Crystal said as she opened the door behind Jessica, but she stopped speaking when she saw us. Her shoulders rose as her face flushed. “Oh, hey, guys.”
With everything that Linda had reminded me of, I thought of our childhood and how Crystal had black hair as a child. It was shortly after Abby died when she pierced her face and started changing her hair color. Back then, I wanted to ask Crystal if she was okay. Today, I wanted Crystal to ask Jessica if she was okay.
“Hey,” Linda was the one to speak for both of us. “I was just looking for you. Eric and I were thinking about going on a date, and I wanted to see if Zac and you wanted to double.”
My stomach was twisting, and my grip on Linda tightened. Right when I thought she was on my side, she betrayed me. She was trying to hurt Jessica, but Jessica acted like she hadn’t even heard. Her expression hadn’t budged at all. For once, I couldn’t read her, and I wondered how far I had actually pushed her away—if Darthon was right and she would go back to him.
“We can’t,” Crystal dismissed the idea as she leaned against Jessica. They were both so small. “We’re already doubling with Robb and Jess.”
Jessica’s eyes widened at her friend.
Crystal smirked at us instead of looking at Jessica. “Right, Jess?”
My lungs felt like they had collapsed. Despite everything that had happened with Robb, she was going back to him. Darthon was right all along.
“Yeah,” Jessica said. “We’re going out.”
I opened my mouth to yell at her, to tell her about the danger she was in, but my neck burned. I would’ve grabbed it, too, but the powers sizzled out as it traveled down my arm. Linda had taken the pain away. I snapped my mouth shut and forced myself to look away. If I had to see Jessica for one more moment, I would lose it.
“Too bad,” Linda said as she started dragging me away. “Maybe next time.”
“Maybe,” Crystal agreed.
As we walked past Jessica, I found the strength to talk to Linda, so that Jessica could hear, “Come on, honey.” My arm skimmed Jessica’s, and her touch radiated through me before the heat from inside blasted against my face. I didn’t look back to see if Jessica was watching us leave because it didn’t matter. I only hoped she heard what I called Linda and knew something was wrong—that everything was wrong—that the date was the last thing that needed to happen.
But Linda smiled like everything was perfect. “That was interesting.”
I searched the lunchroom for Robb, knowing he had to be close by, but I never saw him. “You helped me,” I said, referencing to how she took the pain of the illusion away, but she shushed me.
Robb was close. She didn’t want him to hear, and I didn’t know what to think about it. I didn’t know if Linda was on my side or not, but I knew one thing. Robb was getting closer to Jessica, and I had to find a way to stop it, even if that meant betraying the bit of trust I had gained from Darthon’s guard.
35
Jessica
“I agreed to it before I thought about it,” I said to Pierce while searching my wardrobe. I had already told him about what happened at school, but he grew quiet when I told him why I wanted to do it. “Zac has to be Darthon.”
“I don’t know about this, Jess.” Pierce laid his chin on his hands. “It’s not safe.”
“Nothing is,” I retorted and spun around. I held up two sweaters. “Green or blue?”
His eyes flickered over them. “Blue.” He gestured to my face. “It brings the color out in your eyes.”
My face flushed, and I was glad he couldn’t see it as I pulled the sweater over my tank top. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” he muttered, “but don’t get too comfortable with my advice. I’m only doing this because I’m your guard.”
I flashed a grin at him. “And my friend.” I gestured to my easel. “You can use it while I’m gone if you want.”
“Like I’m staying here.” He stood up. “I’m not letting this happen unless you let me follow you.”
I bit my lip.
“Don’t tell me you thought I’d let you do this alone.” His shoulders slumped. “We’re a team.”
“It’s dangerous.” I wasn’t denying it. Whether Zac was Darthon or not, I knew it was a risk, but it was my risk.
“Exactly why we need to go together,” he said, “especially since you’re not telling the elders.”
I raised my brow. “I could’ve already told them.” I had gotten permission to leave from Bracke, after all. It was the first thing I did after returning from school. Talking to Pierce was the second.
“I know you didn’t,” he pointed out, “or Bracke wouldn’t have agreed.”
“Which is why I didn’t tell him.” I folded my arms. “We can’t sit back and wait for Darthon to attack. That’s what got us into trouble in the first place. We have to attack him first, catch him off-guard, and—”
“You are not attacking him tonight,” Pierce interrupted.
“And why not?”
“Jess.” He grabbed his hair like he was going to tear his brain out. “Just be patient. We don’t even know for sure if Zac is involved.”
He sounded like Eric.
I had to sit down on my bed to calm down. “I—” I stopped myself and stared at my hands. All I could see was how Eric had held Linda’s hand. “He wouldn’t be with her unless she was involved, and Zac is her brother.”
“Half-brother,” Pier
ce added.
“It has to be a cover,” I argued. “They’re the same age, and they don’t look anything alike.”
“Linda’s dad had an affair, and his mistress died from cancer,” Pierce spoke as he sat next to me. “They took Zac in.”
“How do you know that?”
He shrugged. “Jada.” The new breed of shade was proving to be more useful than anyone. “She’s on the case, too, you know.”
I couldn’t even picture her looking into everyone’s lives. She knew who Eric and I were. Everyone did. But she couldn’t know anything beyond that. No one did, and because of that, I knew she had looked into my friends like the elders had.
“Why did she suspect Zac?” I asked, wanting to hear the truth.
“She didn’t. You did,” Pierce said. “I told her.”
That was the last thing I thought he would say. Back when I realized my friends’ memories were erased, I explained to Pierce how Zac was the only one who remembered. Eric and I had argued about it, and Pierce had listened to both sides. He hadn’t argued with either one of us, but he had been on my side all along. He had looked into Zac, too, but he also sided with Eric on some parts. Pierce still didn’t want me to hurt Zac.
“He’s a jerk, for sure,” Pierce spoke up, “but we don’t need to hurt any more innocent people.”
I stared at him. “You’re sure they’re related?”
Pierce nodded. “I trust Jada as much as the elders do,” he said. “She wouldn’t have told me that if it weren’t true.” He pushed his arm against mine. “But that doesn’t mean we’ve ruled him out. He could still be Darthon, and you could still be in danger.”
My hands curled into fists when I thought about the black-haired boy. “He’s hated Eric from the beginning.”
“So does half the school, Jess.”
I straightened my fingers. Pierce was right. My desperation had taken over, and my lack of training had me making a quick decision. I needed direction—a lot of direction—and I would listen if it meant helping the Dark.
“You can cancel the date, Jess.”
“Do you want me to?” I asked.
“No.”
My neck snapped when I looked up. My guard was smiling. “I think you’re onto something. You did good,” he said, taking a moment to run a hand through his hair. “I’m actually surprised you didn’t focus on the fact that Eric’s dating someone new.”
The reminder twisted my gut. “I haven’t forgotten,” I admitted, “but it doesn’t matter.” Not when his life was being controlled. “He called her honey.”
Pierce chuckled before apologizing for his laughter. “That’s ridiculous,” he managed. “I almost would’ve liked to be there just so I could’ve heard it.”
I laughed, too, and for once, the laughter didn’t feel strange. Pierce and I knew Eric well enough to understand how much he wouldn’t have done it on his own. It was all we needed to confirm that our plan was worth it.
“Then, I’ll try to find out if Zac is involved somehow,” I promised as I stood up.
Pierce stood up with me. “Try to find out without tipping him off.”
I wiggled my fingers. “I already have a plan.”
“Better be a good one.” He walked across the room toward my door.
I followed him. “It’s better now that you have my back.”
“Always.”
He opened the door, but we were stopped from walking into the hallway. Eric stood in front of us, his hand half-raised to knock.
“Eric?” I said. “What are you doing here?” As far as I knew, he should’ve been on a date with Linda.
“I’m—” He stopped speaking when his eyes moved over my clothes. “Where are you going?”
My heart skipped. “Out.”
His green eyes were as bright as Pierce’s shade ones. “I’m staying in for the night.” He wasn’t going out with Linda. “You two should, too.”
“Why?” Pierce asked. “You going to hang out with us?”
Eric’s jaw locked. Of course he wasn’t going to. According to him, neither one of us were his friends anymore. Not while he was under an illusion. It was the exact reason Pierce and I had to leave. We had to fight for him.
“Have a good night,” I said and ducked under his arm.
I didn’t take two steps before Eric grabbed my hand. “Don’t.” His voice shook.
Pierce was silent as I turned around to face Eric. Worry lines appeared on his face, and I imagined they would be wrinkles one day when he was old, but until then, they were temporary.
“I’ll stay if you give me one reason why I shouldn’t go,” I said, squeezing his hand back. I didn’t want to let him go.
Eric was the one to drop my hand, but he also dropped his head.
My palm was cold. “I know they’re involved, Eric.”
He didn’t look up. “Don’t do this because of me.” He didn’t deny it. Linda was one of them. Zac must have been, too.
“It’s not just for you,” I whispered, but my whisper was loud in the echoing hallway. “We’re doing it for the Dark.”
“So, let them handle it.”
“They can’t,” I snapped, “and you can’t either.” My voice strained against my throat.
Pierce laid a hand on my shoulder. “Let us help you, Eric.”
He didn’t respond.
“Tell us you need help or tell us you don’t,” I pressed. “Just say something.”
But he didn’t respond.
Pierce pulled me away. “Come on, Jess.”
I ducked out of Pierce’s grasp, and I walked up to Eric. Instead of touching him, I knelt down and looked up, meeting his eyes under the shadow of his hair. They were covered in a tearing mist.
“We love you.” A choke escaped me. “We love you even if you can’t say it back, but I wish you would.” And for a moment, I wished he would stop me, but I tore the wish into pieces by ducking away.
When I walked toward Pierce, I focused on the end of the hallway. “We’ll be back tonight,” I called over my shoulder. “Don’t wait up for us.”
36
Eric
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t stop her, and it wasn’t for her, or Pierce, or the Dark at all. It was for the opposite. It was for Linda. It was for my fight. If I had to beat Darthon, then I had to get him alone, and tearing up his relationship with Linda was more important than making sure my own relationships were fine. Jessica had to go on a date, and I had to let her. She was fighting, too. I knew that. But she was fighting the wrong person, and she had no way of knowing. I could already tell she was focused on Linda, which meant she was focused on Zac instead of Robb. But I had to focus on my own troubles first.
“Why did Mom kill herself?” The question left my lungs as I burst into my father’s office at the shelter. I knew he was there, but I didn’t realize he wasn’t alone.
Jada and Luthicer stood by his desk, and they stepped back as if they hadn’t sensed my approach. I had to remind myself I was still in my human form—unlike them—and humans weren’t traceable. Humans were only traceable if they came in contact with my sword, and I hadn’t used it in months. With Darthon controlling me, it seemed pointless. While under Darthon’s orders, my question seemed pointless, too.
My father stood up, but his palm stayed on top of his paperwork. “What?”
The adrenaline coursing through my veins had taken control of my every move. I hadn’t even hesitated to come and ask him my last question before I fought Darthon. I needed to know about my mom.
“Why did she kill herself?” I repeated, but my voice rumbled.
My father’s shade skin, somehow, paled further. Even then, he didn’t respond.
Luthicer cleared his throat. “We should be leaving,” he said and grabbed his daughter, the only new breed of shade I had met so far. The others were forbidden to join us until we understood everything. We couldn’t risk new members working as double spies.
Jada’s multicolored eyes me
t mine as she walked out of the room, but Luthicer never glanced my way. As the door shut behind me, I leaned back against it, hoping the steady frame would calm my beating heart. If I could talk to my dad, it would prevent me from chasing Pierce and Jessica.
My father gave no indication he knew they were gone as he transitioned into his human form. His black hair shifted to brown and gray, revealing his receding hairline. He didn’t speak until he picked up his glasses from the table. “Sit down, Eric.”
I did. My entire life was following orders, but for once, I was obeying instead of rebelling.
He mirrored my movements from behind his desk, and we were face-to-face. “I knew we’d have to talk about this eventually—”
“Is it true?” I wasted no time.
“Is what true?” He, apparently, had all the time in the world to avoid the truth.
I swallowed Darthon’s confession. “Was she the bloodline?”
His shoulders rose. “Who told you that?”
“Darthon.”
He didn’t move. His face didn’t budge, his shoulders didn’t slump, and his wrinkles didn’t deepen. Nothing about him seemed to be alive. He was frozen, but it told me everything I needed to know. When my expression didn’t move, it was because I didn’t want someone to be able to read my thoughts.
I gripped the table. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“That.” He paused. “That isn’t what I thought you wanted to talk about.”
“It’s what I want to know,” I said, expecting a response, but the ticking clock was the single sound I heard.
His expression hardened, and he placed his elbows on the desk before removing his glasses. The dim lighting cast shadows over his cheekbones, and they shifted when he nodded. “She was,” he admitted, “but I don’t know how Darthon could know that.” His fingers curled against the glasses in his palm, and I expected them to break. “Only the elders knew that.”
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