by Lynn Vroman
Once out, air rushed into my lungs. Why anyone thought drinking in a crowded room with strangers was a good time, I’ll never know.
“Hey!”
I whipped around to find two of the guys storming my way. Thankfully, the revving sound of an obnoxious crotch rocket filled the background. Smiling, I flipped them off before turning for the street. Winston barreled down the middle, running every traffic light. I had no fear hopping on the back when he stopped long enough to let me swing my leg over the other side. I waved at the assholes, smile in place, but when one smiled back, the hairs on my neck stood at attention. He pointed at Winston and nodded before heading back in the bar for his friends.
I leaned in close to Winston’s ear. “What the hell?”
He sped away, not bothering to answer, dodging drunks, both driving and walking, until we zoomed into the parking garage across the street from the courthouse.
Seriously.
Right across the street.
As soon as the bike stopped, I jumped off, searching all the dark corners. “Are you crazy?”
“Maybe a little.” Winston cupped his mouth and spoke in the direction of the elevator. “It’s safe. Come on out.”
In seconds, Farren’s bright red hair glowed in the dim light as he stalked over. He scooped me up and twirled me around. “Thank God.”
I smiled. “There’s no such thing.”
He squeezed me tighter. “An expression, kid, shut up.”
“Don’t call me kid.”
Farren set me down, keeping an arm secured on my shoulders. He nodded at Winston, but the cool act didn’t hide the awe flooding his face. “Hey, ah, thanks, man.”
Winston returned the nod, having no trouble with the cool factor. “You all go on, tell your people I’m done.”
I stepped forward, not ready to give up yet. “I hate to admit it, but we need you. Christ, the things you can do…”
Anger brewed below his cool surface, shooting from his eyes. “That Protector? The one who pointed? He knows who I am, and now Exemplar’s going to have all their satellites pointed here until they find me.” He dragged a hand through his dreads. “Remember how I told you Shaina is everything?”
I nodded.
“Yeah, well, those bastards aren’t going to stop until they take my everything. If that happens… For y’all’s sake it better not happen.” He started the engine, the sound ricocheting off the cement walls, piercing my ears.
I held onto his arm and yelled over the engine, his threat loud and clear. “Bring her to Arcus. We can keep her safe.”
“‘Bye, Tainted.” He zoomed from the garage, never looking back.
“Well, shit, there goes our biggest help.” I turned to Farren. “We need to–what’s all this?” I pointed at his crazy smile and wide eyes.
“You know who that is?” He jumped–literally jumped up and down like a girl at a boy band concert. “I feel like a goddamned princess right now. He walked in, opened the cell…while all the guards stood there doing nothing. One even held the door open for us on the way out.”
“You’re a nut, and all I know about that guy is he’s rude and froze my mouth for hours.” Okay, fifteen minutes, but…
“That guy…that guy is Winston fucking Candell.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah? That’s it? He’s the most… He makes Wilma… He’s been the Protector for half the top Synod heads. I heard they executed him for treason, marked him Tainted. And he’s been living here? Right beside us? Our goddamn neighbor?”
Holy hell. But he was gone, off to save Shaina from…damn. I hated that Winston made me like him, even if he just promised he’d kill us if Shaina were hurt. “Well, we can’t depend on him.” I hesitated. “Tarek said there’s trouble.”
Farren dropped the fangirl act and returned to Protector mode. “Let’s go.”
I strapped my bag tighter to my back and wrapped an arm around his waist. Farren held me with one hand and reached the other to the ceiling. The wind carried us through the silent hole, the pressure something I’d gotten used to. We landed on the front step of the castle.
Before I let go, the door ripped open and Tarek snatched me from Farren’s arms, holding me tight as his mouth crashed down on mine.
This. And like Winston, I’d fight until my last breath.
ANCIENT
Everyone charged out after Tarek.
They went unnoticed.
I stayed lost in my giant, memorizing the way he felt…tasted. He didn’t seem to mind my rudeness because he carried me almost to the edge of the tree line, away from the million-question inquisition. Farren could fill everyone in.
Squid in the nearby trees whined like our presence disturbed them. Screw them. If we had to endure their fishy smell, they could deal with us making out.
Tarek kissed me one more time, slow and soft, until my legs tingled. When he pulled away, his palms cupped my cheeks, his gray eyes never leaving mine. “I missed you.”
I’d been gone for about a day or so, but…yeah, too long. “Missed you, too.”
He smiled, his dimples making my swollen heart hurt. “Good.”
Before we could forget the world, the world barged into our space.
“Lena!” Mom wrapped her arms around my back, which forced Tarek to release my face. I had to clamp my mouth shut to avoid letting a disappointed moan escape.
I turned into her arms to find Jake behind her, his face pale with worry. “Hey, Jake.”
He squeezed the arm I had draped around Mom’s shoulder. “A lot’s happened in the last couple hours,” he said.
I looked around him and noticed Avery and Nicolette. This can’t be good. “Ladies.”
Avery didn’t have the same calm demeanor as when she ambushed us at Dad’s house. Lines on her face were deeper and if she had rung her hands any tighter, her fingers might’ve fallen off. Nicolette had the same bitchy face as before, but this time an undercurrent of fear softened her features.
After a hesitation, giving her Protector a quick glance, Avery came forward, the tears hovering in her eyes now noticeable. “We are in exile, Lena. Cassondra…she knows I came to you. We barely escaped…”
Nicolette pulled her Guide into her arms. “They reviewed the satellite feed. Seems the cameras are always shining on you.”
Oh, no.
“Which means what? They see everything I do.” I swallowed. “And who I do it with.”
She nodded. “If you’re doing it in locations they know you frequent.”
Shit. Winston.
Tarek broke the silence building around us. “Let’s get inside, go over some options.” He nodded toward Belva, who stayed glued to Farren. Ginger didn’t seem to mind, his arm tight on her waist. “Show Lena some good news first.”
Belva left Farren and walked to the forest’s edge. As soon as she raised her hands, a chorus of squeals greeted us. When she closed her fists, the squealing stopped abruptly. And after she pushed her fists forward, rustling trees created gusting winds as the giant animals rushed deeper into the woods.
Only after my friend turned to me beaming did I realize my mouth hung open.
She rested her hands on her hips. “Neat, huh?”
“Neat?” I snuck a glance at Farren, who was as slacked-jawed as me. “How the hell’d you do that?”
She shrugged and pointed to Avery, who let out a shaky breath before saying, “She is an ancient.”
∞ ∞ ∞
“Is that all I’m gonna get?” I forgot about Avery’s unfortunate predicament and drilled her for answers when we all filed into what was now our main room. The fire roared, but it felt nice. Being outside for even a few minutes in shorts and a T-shirt didn’t exactly scream pleasant.
“It’s complicated, Lena. Not something I’ve ever witnessed. Honestly, I thought it a myth.”
Still not answering the question. I went to stand by the fire, Tarek right beside me. “What’s complicated? That those things listen to her or that th
ey understand her little hand motions?”
“Well…both, I guess.” Avery sat on the couch, motioning for Belva to sit next to her. It took a few tugs on Belva’s part for Farren to release her arm. When she sat, Avery took her hands and turned them to show her wrists. “Come, look.”
I had to squeeze in by Farren, who crowded Belva by squatting in front of her. “What are we looking at?”
Avery leaned forward and pointed to the tiny identical birthmarks on each of Belva’s wrists. “She’s marked. You see?” At our nods, she continued, “This is where Arcus’s people had gills. They could breathe underwater, as well. When I noticed how the animals reacted to her, I asked to see her wrists. I never thought it true, but there you have it.”
I rolled my eyes, so ready for her to get to the point. “Have what?”
Avery patted Belva’s hands and stood. “It has been whispered for centuries that Arcus used to be highly evolved, the people who belonged here able to communicate with the wildlife. But there was a mutiny, which resulted in Exemplar depleting the dimension of its human energy.”
What a nice way to put it. “You mean, they came in and annihilated an entire population.”
“Y-yes. But that was before my time. I had nothing to do with it.”
Tarek piped in. “She’s telling the truth. There are villages not far from here in ruin, long past the point of decay.”
Well, shit.
What she said sank in, creating enough fear to make my lips numb. “That’s what they’re planning on doing to Empyrean, aren’t they?”
She swallowed, her eyes filling with tears. “I believe so. Cassondra has declared war. Empyrean is the first target. Earth is rumored to be the next.”
All I could think about was Wilma and Teenesee.
No, that wasn’t true.
I thought about all the people in danger because of the power-hungry greed of a few. “Why Earth?”
Avery went to Nicolette and curled herself in the Protector’s arms. Nicolette held her close and encouraged her to continue. “Cassondra has infiltrated my personal files. She…she has discovered that I’ve been sending Exemplians accused of treason there to hide.”
Oh. My. God. “So the people on the list…?”
“Many can be found there. The Warden, Cheveyo, has promised to keep them safe, hidden, until…until…”
I moved to get right in her face, causing Nicolette to go on the offense–which caused Tarek, Farren, and Jake to circle me.
“Careful, Protector.” Tarek’s voice remained as soft as usual, his calm in place. He didn’t need to yell.
I ignored everyone and pinned the Guide with a glare. “Until when?”
Avery’s hands shook as she placed them on Nicolette’s arm. When her Protector stepped aside, she faced me head-on. “Until we were ready for the rebellion.”
Panic. “Is Winston in your files? Does she know he’s there? If they’re watching me, they probably saw him, and if he’s in your files…”
She nodded. “I-I would imagine they now know about him, yes.”
My palm itched, and when my hand curled into a fist, I had to fight to keep it off her face. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”
“I–”
“You put Winston’s girlfriend in danger! He threatened us. Why would you have me reach out to him?” Farren’s warning hit my frontal lobe again: Protectors are hard to kill, still had to pay, though. “If they kill her, he’ll come for us. I know it. And…and all those people… I thought you cared!”
She flinched as though I managed to hit her. “I do care.” Her voice grew weaker as she went on. “Winston knew what I was doing when I sent him there–saved him! I-I assumed he’d seek out others, build an army. Help the cause.”
I shot all my hate through my eyes and stepped closer until our noses almost touched. “Well, you assumed wrong.”
Tarek reached for me, gently pulling me away, and spoke to everyone in the room. “We need to calm down, think things through. If Lena’s right, Winston will be here if Protectors come knocking on his door. Soon.” He nodded to Farren. “You make sure everyone stays in this room. I’ll go to the woods. I’ll feel him as soon as he opens a portal. Maybe I can hold him off long enough for you to get everyone somewhere safe.”
Wait, what? Tarek worried about Winston? Like he really worried about him? So, so bad. “I’m going with you. Maybe I can talk to him, try to reason.”
Tarek shook his head. “You have no idea what he’s capable of.”
“Where would Farren take them that was completely safe?”
His silence answered the question loud and clear.
“Exactly.”
He sighed and closed his eyes, bowing his head. “Fine. Come with me, but if he–”
“I know, I know.” I tilted his chin until he met my eyes. “We’ll be fine.” No, we probably wouldn’t be.
He clasped my hand in his before talking to everyone one more time. “We’re leaving. Farren, if you hear the doors flying off the hinges, go. Take them to Earth, somewhere remote. Find Cheveyo, ask for his help.”
Farren stood, pulling Belva up with him. “If he won’t help?”
Tarek sighed. “Damn, I don’t know.”
∞ ∞ ∞
Tarek refused to let go of my hand as we barged through the woods to the cabin. He refused to speak, too. I tried to reassure him a couple times, but a few grunts and under-the-breath cursing were all he gave in return. The river, which had been calm this entire trip, now raged, white foamy water sloshing over the banks. The sky darkened to a deep purple, and the animals stayed hidden. Not even the squid tried to make their appearance known, Tarek’s emotions creating too much chaos.
Tarek didn’t need to say anything. His world spoke for him.
Once we reached the cabin, he threw the door open, not bothering to shut it behind us. He finally released my hand and paced the small room, running his fingers through his hair, causing it to tangle.
I had no idea what to say. Seeing him like this, losing it. Definitely new.
Words lodged in my throat and swallowing a few times didn’t loosen them up. Saying everything would be okay wasn’t a lie I wished to keep repeating. We both knew nothing would ever be okay again.
I stood helpless for a minute longer and went to block his path. He almost rammed into me, putting his hands on my shoulders to stop his momentum. His arms folded me close. No words passed between us.
No words were needed.
The river grew quieter.
He scooped me up and carried me to the bed. With gentle hands, he caressed my hair, his mouth finding mine.
I could allow us to drown out the world and all the danger we faced because we needed to remember what it was we were fighting for.
This.
Always this.
As we lay there, our fused mouths performed all the communicating necessary.
Purple light from the brightening sky flooded the room and the river quieted.
∞ ∞ ∞
Tarek curled against my back, stroking my arm, his fingers trembling. After hours of silent calm, his shaking fingers were all that remained from his earlier rage. I turned into him, nuzzling his chest, hating we had to stop hiding soon. Always too soon.
I planted a kiss on his heart before breaking the magic. “Have you heard from Wilma since the last time?”
His big body tensed. “No.” He groaned before rolling over me to get up. “It’s not like her…the radio silence for this long, even when she’s upset. I’ve tried contacting her, but…”
“…no answer. She hasn’t contacted me, either.” My mouth turned dry. “Do you think she’s…?”
He knelt in front of the bed and gathered my hands in his. “No, of course not.” He kissed my fingertips. “Anyway, you’d feel it. The bond you two have, it breaks when one person dies unless…”
“…Exemplian science is around to make sure the Pairing holds during the next life.” Funny how we were ab
le to complete each other’s sentences, but again, we’ve had these discussions for a while. Well, they were one-sided discussions with him telling me stories in my head at night, but same thing as far as I was concerned.
I leaned in for a kiss and he obliged, taking his time. After pulling away, he grazed a thumb across my bottom lip. “You need to eat.”
His big palm cupped my cheek and I turned into it. “What do you got?”
Tarek’s smile, like catching miracles in a bottle, and if it were the last thing I’d ever see, I’d die content. “This and that. I think there’s a stale granola bar in the trunk. Not great, but tastes better than the eatables.
“The eatables?”
“That’s what I’ve been calling the animals here that seem safe enough to eat. I don’t know what they are, to be honest.”
I laughed, pulling him back on the narrow bed. “Stale granola sounds delicious.”
His nose touched mine, that perfect smile creating peace deep in my heart. At that moment, love felt strong enough to fix everything. “If it makes you feel better, it has chocolate in it.”
I ran my fingers through his tangled hair, giving it a small tug. “Oh, I feel fine at the moment. Though, a little chocolate wouldn’t hurt.”
Tarek gave me a loud, smacking kiss and hopped from the bed to find my outdated feast. I stood and stretched my muscles before combing through my own knotty hair with my fingers. As soon as we made it back to the castle, I’d change out of the dirty-ass clothes and into the jeans and sweatshirt I snagged before leaving my apartment. Then we’d all get busy figuring out how to find some of those list people. Most living on Earth would be easy enough, thanks to the internet. Yeah, probably not. I had doubts they’d use their real names. Shit, I had no ideas after that.
“Tarek?”
He launched the bar. “Yeah?”
I caught it, barely. He had a throw like a Yankee pitcher. “What’re we gonna do?”
His smile disappeared, replaced with a look I’d seen once–the one he gave right before he killed Casimir. “I don’t know.”
The only sound filling the room was the crackling of the granola wrapper clutched in my hand. We stared at each other, both desperate to be the first to come up with a solution.