He shrugs his wide shoulders, eyebrows raised. “This way is far more entertaining. Wouldn’t you agree?” Malik’s eyes light up with mischief, my eyes narrowing with irritation.
Is he fucking serious? “No. No I don’t agree at all. Why in the Hellvian would I agree to that?” My face reddens to scarlet, and Malik tries to hide his laughter. “What did you see exactly?”
His smirk turns deadly and wicked. “Not much.”
I gulp audibly. “How long have you been here?” Please say you just got here. Please. Please. If any Gods are listening, please.
Malik rubs his chin as he looks away, pretending to deliberate. “Hmm.” His eyes shift back to mine with an intensity I’ve never experienced before. “I just arrived.” Relief washes through me. Malik’s smirk twists dangerously. “That’s what you want to me to say isn’t it?” He doesn’t bother waiting for a reply. “Since you woke.”
My jaw hits the floor, this time I know my face resembles the color of a velto. “What?” I nearly screech. Malik chuckles darkly before turning away and leaving the room. The door slams behind him and I stare after him in shock.
From the hallway, he shouts, “Let’s go!”
I cross my arms over my chest and huff out a breath. Asshole thinks he can just come in without knocking and watch me get ready, then demand me to follow him? Fuck that! Just as I think it, I force my feet to follow him. Knowing Malik, if I don’t go willingly, he’ll drag me to wherever we’re going.
I slam the door shut for good measure, muttering curse words under my breath. It doesn’t take me long to catch up to Malik. His eyes dance with amusement as I continue to curse him to Hellvian, fuming over everything that just happened. The fact that he was in the room since I opened my eyes and yet I didn’t sense his presence irks me. The fact that he was in the room at all angers me. The fact that I still followed him like a damn pet pisses me off to no end too. My head keeps returning to the little detail of Malik being there the entire time watching me and seeing Gods knows what.
Unless, he was lying.
Was he? Was it all a joke? I can’t tell with Malik and it frustrates me. This new attitude from him is throwing me off because before now, he was hostile and threatening. Now… well, now he’s not. What does it all mean and why did he change his attitude so abruptly. Is this another ploy to get me to trust him and divulge my secrets, secrets he already knows? He did admit that he doesn’t believe me about my past so maybe he’s trying a different approach to see if I’ll give up the “truth.”
That thought brings a scowl to my face.
Before I realize it, we’re entering Abel’s office once more. Like this morning, Abel stands and comes around the desk to greet us as Malik finds the chair against the wall. Despite sleeping most of the day, I’m still tired. Having this conversation with these two is the last thing I want to be doing right now. I don’t even know why I was brought in and what they wish to discuss. I haven’t even processed what I heard this morning from Abel either.
“I trust that you slept well?” Abel asks kindly, a gentle smile on his face.
I try to reign in my irritation. “I slept fine. Why am I here?” I wince slightly at my clipped response. It’s not his fault his brother is an asshole.
If Abel heard the anger in my tone, he ignores it completely. “Wonderful,” He says with a tender smile. “You’re here so we can lay out our plans. My brother, as I am sure you are now aware, does not explain things thoroughly.” Abel gives Malik a brief chastising look as he moves to sit behind his desk. He looks back to me. “And I am sure you have questions, ones that were not answered this morning. I will be more than willing to answer those that I can.”
I take a seat, for once not waiting for the offer. I lean back and rest my hands on the arms of the chair. “I was told that I’ll be training under Malik and Zeke from now on. And that I will be under constant watch until otherwise proven innocent.” I narrow my eyes. “That sound about right?” I bark out.
Again, Abel appears completely unfazed. On the other hand, my response seems to amuse Malik greatly, his smirk wide. “That’s exactly right, girl.”
I curl my lip up and snap, “Then no, I guess I don’t have any questions. It’s pretty self-explanatory, wouldn’t you say?”
Abel gives Malik a disapproving look before facing me once more. “Very well. Did my brother tell you what the purpose of the training is?”
I scoff. “No.”
Expression serious, Abel says, “They will be pushing you to your limit, Alanna.” My eyes widen marginally. “They intend to see how far you can go and how strong your affinity truly is. You are different. Your genetic makeup is different than talnarins and yet different than humans.” I shift uncomfortably, not fully understanding his words. “As you have stated before, you are a hybrid of sorts between the two species.”
I blurt, “Genetic makeup?”
Abel folds his hands on the desk. “Your DNA, the genetic makeup of an organism, determines an individual’s specific characteristic or characteristics.”
I rub my hand against my face. “So, it’s what makes me, me?”
Abel nods. “It’s what makes humans, humans and talnarins, talnarins. The DNA contains the instructions that make each species, like talnarins and humans, unique. This instruction is passed from adults to children during reproduction.”
I blush scarlet at that. “Okay, but how do you know my… DNA is different than humans and talnarins?”
Guilt creeps across Abel’s face while Malik looks pleased and proud. “We received the results back from when Freya drew your blood.” Abel says softly, as if he is afraid of my reaction.
I simply stare at him blankly. “How does my blood tell you anything?”
Abel leans forward, eyes on me the entire time. “We have equipment that far surpasses the human’s technology.” He says this so matter of factly, like I hadn’t noticed the difference in equipment myself. I frown slightly as it sinks in.
Why do they have different technology then humans though?
“We have a system that allows us to read the makings of your genetic code. We compared your blood to the blood of a talnarin and again with the blood of a human.” I nod slowly, understanding most of what he’s saying. “Your DNA is not identical to either one of their DNA sequences. However, there are similarities between your genetic code and both human and talnarin genetic codes. This tells us that you are a related species to both talnarins and humans. You are essentially another species, one we have never studied or seen before.”
I take a few moments to absorb everything. Slowly I say, “So, what else does my blood tell you exactly? Other than I’m different from the two.”
He smiles patiently. “Your blood told us what your hair color is, what your eye color is, what your gender is, what your genetic code is, and various other information.”
Hmm. I start tapping my foot impatiently. “Do you have books on this stuff?”
“Yes, I can have Benjamin show you if you like.” I nod. Abel smiles kindly and says, “Very well, anything else?”
“Not really. I do have another question though. Earlier you mentioned something about testing my powers. What does that entail exactly?” I shift nervously, my foot bouncing faster.
This time it’s Malik that speaks. His deep voice echoes around the room. “I will be putting you under immense pressure to see if you’ll crack.” His smirk makes its way across his face and he crosses his arms, muscles bulging. “I want to see what you are capable of under stress.”
My eyes widen and I swallow hard. “That sounds brutal.”
Malik is all teeth. “It will be, rest assured.” His eyebrows rise. “And you won’t just be working with the Firvo affinity either. Zeke will be having a go at you with his Elestal affinity. We’re going to test your resistance to electricity and judge your overall capability with it.”
My brows furrow and my lips turn down at the corners. “But talnarins can only manipulate one affin
ity so why are you going to test me with another one?” I look from Malik to Abel, confused. “That’s what the books say and what Benjamin told me.”
I watch suspiciously as Malik and Abel exchange an unreadable look. Abel softy says, “It has been known to happen that a talnarin is capable of manipulating more than one affinity.” He pauses briefly. “It is extremely rare but it does happen. My brother and I have a hunch that we would like to test.” Abel gives me what I assume is a reassuring smile. “If it seems to be failing or you are put in any danger, we will stop, immediately. Do you understand?”
I huff. “Well, it’s not like I have a choice.”
Abel’s eyes seem to plead with me to understand and trust him. “We will not hurt you here, Alanna.” With this, Abel gives Malik a stern look, one which he studiously ignores of course.
Well isn’t this just all so comforting? It’s amazing how I feel so safe and protected.
I roll my eyes, irritation rising. Abel looks back to me as he addresses me. “Now Alanna, I would like to discuss what happened to you in the past. Would this be permitted?”
A quick glance at Malik shows me the warning in his eyes. Gone is his smirk and amusement, in its place is a less hostile version of the Malik I know. I swiftly look away and say, “What exactly do you want to know?”
Despite asking the question, Abel appears to hesitate. “What changes occurred after the… tests?”
I was expecting a worse question, this one is the least painful memory to think about. “Just the fire and physical differences.” I say, deceptively nonchalant.
“What physical differences?”
“My hair used to be brown and my eyes blue. Not to mention the rounded ears. You know, being human and all.” I shrug my shoulders.
Abel nods his head a couple times, hand rubbing his chin. “I see, and were these changes immediate or slow to show?”
This is a tricky question to answer.
I hesitate briefly, twisting my hands in my lap. “I don’t know.” I glance down as my fingers entwine with each other over and over again. “The first time I saw myself like this was when I finally escaped.”
I allow myself a moment in my past, my mind racing back to that time. “I blindly ran from the village and eventually ended up at stream. When I looked in, I saw what I’d become. It scared me so much that I bolted again. Unfortunately, it took me from the stream and I had no way of doubling back and there went my water source.”
I clamp my lips together, there I go again saying more than I had planned to. I look up to find Abel looking at me with a sad smile on his handsome face. On the other hand, Malik’s expression is completely unreadable. At least the smirk is gone.
After an awkward silence, Abel says, “I see. The serum we recovered from the manor is being analyzed as we speak. We hope that our tests will uncover the science behind your physical alterations. It would be extremely beneficial to know just how this serum is able to alter a human so much.”
Abel’s face turns deadly in seconds. The sight makes my eyes goes wide, the similarities between the brothers has never been so clear as it is now. Even his voice dropped and is dripping with venom. “Then we can know why these rogues are mutating humans and talnarins alike.”
I hesitate to ask, slightly terrified of Abel right now. “How long will that take? To know, I mean?”
“It depends on how complicated a mixture it is.” His face is still like stone. “It should not take longer than two or three weeks. There is something else I wish to address however.”
I gulp audibly.
Chapter 5
I startle awake, feeling blankets being yanked from my body and the cool morning air rushing over me. Jolting upright, I see Malik at the foot of the bed, the bedding gripped in his hands. I scowl instantly, a puff of indignation sending a few stray hairs flying out of my face.
“What the Hellvian are you doing?”
“Time for training girl.” Malik’s expression is carefully blank. “Meet me in the arena in five minutes. Wear the training leathers.” With that, he throws a bundle of leather at me and stalks out. I stare after him, eyes wide.
Well then, training it is.
I glance down at the bundle and unravel it with a flick of my wrist. Barely sparing it more than a glance, I move to dress. As I follow the mindless routine of getting ready, I think back to the conversation I had with Abel and Malik yesterday.
“There is something else I wish to discuss.” I gulp audibly and hold my breath, twisting my hands together. “The talnarin who did this to you, the one with the golden eyes, said He would be back for you, correct?” I nod, knowing this conversation won’t amount to anything good. “If He contacts you,” Abel looks me dead in the eye, expression still fierce, “you will tell us immediately. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” I don’t dare say more.
“Good. If He did what you said He did, then you know He is dangerous.” My heart sinks at his words. Even Abel doubts my story, and it hurts me more than I care to admit. “I know you wish for revenge, and trust me when I say you will get it, but facing Him alone would be a death sentence, and a foolish one at that.” I grit my teeth and glance down at my lap. “Alanna.” He waits until I meet his eyes. “From what Malik has told me, this talnarin is far stronger than you know. Do not make a poor decision trying to prove yourself or settle your debt.” The harshness of his face eases slightly and a tight smile appears.
“You will have your revenge. If this talnarin did all that you claim, then revenge is yours to take. No one else’s, we will not take this from you.”
Unwillingly, tears spring to my eyes and I look down once more. Even though neither brother appears to believe me, Abel’s words still bring comfort to me in some inexplicable way.
I will the tears away and firm up my resolve. Malik’s expression is hard and unreadable as he stares at me, unblinkingly. I give him a minute nod before moving my gaze to Abel. Abel has shed more harshness from his face as he too wears an unreadable expression. When I give him a minute nod, the last of the hardness leaves Abel’s face and his gentle smile returns.
After that, I was dismissed for dinner. Instead of heading to the kitchen, I went to my little alcove and thought over everything until the sun went down. Despite the peace I had felt in my alcove previously, the feeling this time was somewhat abated with the two talnarin shadows stalking me as promised. I had debated heading to the bedroom rather than the alcove because I didn’t want my secret place discovered but in the end, I craved the peace and comfort more. Once the sun set, I made my way to my room where I found a plate of food waiting on the desk inside. I devoured it all and fell asleep once more.
I move to the mirror to survey the clothing, and my mouth drops in shock. The dark brown leather clings to my thin frame like a second skin. The pants, tucked into the boots Malik left by my bed, are sturdy and perfect for training. The leather top laces up the front, and covers me from neck to wrist.
I feel badass.
I shake my head at the thought, feeling ridiculous for even considering it. The outfight somehow makes me feel powerful, almost invincible, yet I feel like this empowering emotion won’t last. Not with Malik training me. I have no doubt he’ll kick my ass over and over today.
With that thought, I tie my hair back and turn from the mirror. With one last longing look at the bed, I exit the room and make my way to the arena.
I pass under the archway of the arena walls, noting that Malik and Zeke are the only talnarins present. It’s relieving to know that they are the only ones who will witness my failure today. I stand before Malik, making sure I’m at least a good ten paces away. He looks down at me, arms crossed and face severe. Zeke, on the other hand, leans against the wall, a slight smile gracing his lips. His eyes roam down my body once, before he glances back up.
Before I even draw to a full stop, Malik barks out, “You’re late.”
I look at him like he’s insane. Which he is. “Five minutes wasn�
�t enough time.” I cross my arms.
“You’re too slow. My men can be ready in under two minutes.”
I stare at him, mouth gaping. Is he fucking serious? “I’m not one of your men.” Voice hard.
At that Malik’s eyes travel down my frame, a smirk crossing his face. “That I know very well.”
I blush, shifting uncomfortably. That look, his roaming eyes… I can’t help but feel self-conscious. My gaze falls to the floor. I knew I wouldn’t feel badass for very long.
“As punishment for being late,” Malik continues, and my eyes snap up to meet his. “We will start thirty minutes sooner tomorrow morning.”
I grit my teeth and force out a clipped, “Fine.”
Appearing appeased, Malik uncrosses his arms and takes a few steps back. “To start, we will see how long you can maintain your fire until it burns out. Today is all about testing your innate strength.” My eyes widen, and his smirk drops, his eyes deadly serious. “Under no circumstances will you aim your fire at Zeke or myself. If you do, there will be a painful recourse for your actions. Got it, girl?”
I suck in a breath of air. “Got it.” As an afterthought I say, “My name’s not girl.” The sound of a chuckle draws my eyes to Zeke, his smile stretched wide.
Malik gives him a sharp look that silences the chuckle but leaves the smirk in place. He looks back to me and says, “Your name is whatever I want it to be, girl.”
My eyes narrow and my lips turn down at the corners. “Fine. Then I’ll call you boy,” I mock, daring him to refute.
An abrupt laugh echoes around the arena, bouncing off the stone walls. Zeke is doubled over, not even bothering to silence his amusement. Malik’s eyes narrow in response and a scowl etches itself into his face. The look is deadly, and if it was leveled at me, I’m sure I would start crying. Luckily, his wrath is directed at Zeke, who is oblivious to it.
Eventually the laughter tappers off and Zeke straightens. He rubs his hand down his face as if he’s trying to remove all evidence of his amusement. Malik still glowers at him. Zeke’s aware of the stare this time, as he studiously looks everywhere but at Malik. Malik barks out a, “Are you done?”
Spilt Secrets (A Talnarin Novel Book 2) Page 3