“They expect to find a team of Syntrophos, fully trained to a well-oiled machine.”
“You promised them an army?” Aidan shot to his feet, the urge to strangle her had his hands itching to get around her throat.
“We’ll, they’re not going to get that,” Pilar scoffed, grabbing a fistful of Aidan’s shirt and shoving him back into his chair. “They do know we’re training a bunch of kids, right? This takes time. We need at least a few more years before they’ll be ready to function as a collective team.”
“I’ve fought so hard to get us more time. Sarah gave me five years in the beginning but she’s changed her mind. She believes eighteen months is more than enough. I don’t know how to convince her we just aren’t there yet.”
“And where is there, Cleo? What does the Chief Justice of the International Senate expect to do with five Syntrophos pairs?” Aidan demanded.
“I don’t know anymore. When we started this, the whole operation was meant to study the bond and train those who have it to be the best they can be. We wanted to create a refuge.”
“You don’t threaten and manipulate children to join a refuge, Cleo,” Pilar said, her tone mocking. “That may have been what you originally wanted for the Initiative, but little by little you’ve compromised and cut corners, letting Sarah Madison push you until you couldn’t even see your own intentions anymore.” Pilar’s entire body pulsed with indignation. “You lost your vision for this place a long time ago and all this time you’ve just been trying to please her? That woman is a lunatic. A lunatic building an army of children!” Pilar slammed her fist on Cleo’s desk making her jump. “And it’s your fault.”
“What are Sarah’s intentions?” Aidan asked.
“It wasn’t supposed to be government related,” Cleo said, her voice defeated. “When she first approached me, we discussed creating a school for these kids. I didn’t realize it until it was too late, but she expects the Initiative to ultimately act as her personal Special Forces team.”
“And what they’re going to find is a group of spoiled rotten misfits, who get their kicks out of blowing things up,” Pilar said.
“That’s just Nivy,” Aidan said. “I’ll put the fear of God into them and stick them at the back. They’ll behave.”
“Our lives are on the line here. I will not lose Sarah’s faith now.” Cleo lifted her chin and propped her feet up on her desk. “We have to see it through. So what can we do to get through this visit? I will convince the Chief Justice we need more time. But we need to show them something.”
“You’re in trouble and you expect solidarity and support from the very people you’ve manipulated and controlled? We are prisoner’s here.” Pilar shook her head. “Why should we help you? Why shouldn’t we leave you and Genevieve holding the bag?”
“Because we are the lesser evil, I can promise you that.” Cleo’s miserable laughter was anything but funny. “You could all walk out of here today, but they will find you and they will drag every single one of you back here because we—all of us—belong to them. You think it’s bad now? Imagine the shit storm the Senate would send your way? You want to spend the rest of your lives running? I certainly don’t.”
“We’ll fake it,” Aidan said, trying to dispel the tension in the room. Cleo was right, they just needed to survive this visit the best they could. “We can sit here arguing all day but that won’t stop the leaders of the Immortal world from showing up on your doorstep tomorrow.”
“Fake it?” Pilar looked at him like he was a fool. “You think Sarah Madison won’t see right through it?”
“Listen, we can do this.” Aidan sat on the edge of his seat. “I’ll get everyone in line. They’ll be perfect little soldiers, at least on the surface. They’ll get a kick out of pulling one over on the big wigs. You guys figure out what we’re going to show the Chief Justice. They’ll expect to see a show of power, and we need to give it to them, but we cannot show all our cards yet.” He didn’t like it any more than Pilar, but they had to help Cleo through this visit. Once the Chief Justice left and their attention was elsewhere, then they could figure out a real plan. Hope swelled in his chest. Maybe after all of this, Cleo and Genevieve would work with him and Pilar to end the Initiative and give their students a chance to live their lives on their own terms.
“Our students are talented. I guess we could just show them the tip of the iceberg,” Pilar said.
“Will they buy it?” Cleo asked.
“I’ve spent my life dodging the Senate and flying under the radar,” Aidan said. They’ll buy it if we distract them with something flashy. They’re going to want to see our merged gifts, but we need to be careful not to show them our biggest guns.”
“Right, we could show them things like how Naomi’s ability to draw strength from the lunar cycle strengthens you as well,” Pilar offered.
“And how you share your fire ability with Naomi. That’s definitely flashy,” Cleo added.
“But we won’t show them how you can heal through Naomi even when you’re miles apart,” Pilar said.
“Exactly.” Aidan stood to go. “You two handle that stuff, and I’ll get the brats in line.”
“Please,” Cleo begged. “They have to understand this visit needs to be perfect. We have to impress them.”
“We will, even if it does save your neck. But you probably should have checked your actions long before now. I hope you will in the future.” Aidan left Cleo and Pilar to work out their part. He and Naomi had a group of Syntrophos to whip into shape. He would scare them if he had to. And bribe them if that didn’t work, but one way or another, they would look like an army by the time the Chief Justice showed up. Just not enough to convince them they were ready for any kind of action. It chilled Aidan’s blood to think of how the Chief Justice intended to use them. If he had his way, they’d never find out.
Chapter Twenty
Allie
Cleveland, February
“All right, Allie. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” Greyson towered over her with his hands on his hips.
“Are you quoting Semisonic lyrics at me?” Allie quirked a smile at him.
“Yes. Go home, Allie. Or am I going to have to pry you out of my house with a spoon?”
“I like it here.” Allie sifted her hands through the rich, dark soil of Greyson’s flowerbeds, placing tulip bulbs in neat little rows.
“It’s my garden, kid.” He crouched beside her. “I know it’s peaceful here. I spent a good ten years hiding back here once because I wanted to escape my life. Don’t make Darius come get you again.“
“I just wanted to get these in the ground for you after I finished grading some papers. I’ll go soon.”
“How is it that my home has become your place of refuge?” Greyson started rearranging the bulbs farther apart. “It’s not that I don’t want you here, but it’s not exactly fair to my daughter, you know. You two don’t get along and I don’t want to get mixed up in all of that, but she’s my kid so I’m on her side. Always.”
“And you should be. I’m just here a lot because I’m your intern.”
“I’ve never had an intern try to move in with me.”
“I’m not moving in, Greyson. It’s just so beautiful here. A nice distraction.”
“Away from all things McBrien?”
“That’s not it. It’s not about him anymore.“ After a year without Aidan, Allie had moved on with her life. She still missed him, but she had a lot of anger too. In the weeks after he pulled away, Aidan completely ghosted her. He changed his phone number and deleted all his social media accounts, but he was still in contact with his family, who refused to give Allie answers.
“I know you’ve moved on from Aidan, but you’ve pulled away from the family in the last year. And I’m the closest thing you have to a non-McBrien Immortal parent. I get it. Believe me. They are an intense lot, and being on the outskirts of that family is not always a fun place to be. They make you feel like you be
long, but deep inside you know you don’t.” Greyson knocked the loose dirt from the tools Allie was using.
“Yep. And it’s a blatant reminder when they stick to their own, keeping you in the dark.”
“They’re respecting his privacy, Allie.”
“I know.” She stood, taking the spade and shovel from Greyson to return it to the garden shed. “It’s been a year. It’s fine. I’ve moved on.”
“Uh, no, you haven’t. You’ve been hiding.” He followed her to the shed.
“I’ve been dating Brigs for the last few months, how is that not moving on? I have a busy life with school, training, Darius, Brigs and dreamworld stuff. It’s not easy being around Aidan’s family. There are just too many memories there.”
“Aidan broke your heart, kid. He’s not worth pining over.”
“I am not pining. I’m building a life for myself that I happen to enjoy. I will never pin my happiness on a guy. Any guy. Right now, I like hanging out with Brigs. He’s fun and he doesn’t expect much. There’s nothing wrong with that.” It destroyed her when Aidan walked out of her life. It took Allie months to find the will to put herself back together, but she did it. Her clairvoyance had tried to warn her he would leave, and she chose not to listen. Allie was just so sick of everyone walking on eggshells around her. It was why she couldn’t visit Naeemah and Gregg as much anymore. They looked at her like she was some kind of wounded, fragile thing their son discarded after he was done playing with it.
“Go home. Sleep in your own bed, and let me have my couch back,” Greyson said. “Go do something fun with Darius and Brigs. Forget about homework for once, and maybe try skipping a class once in a while.”
“Skip class? Are you nuts, I’m a double major. I can’t skip anything.”
“Allie, you need to get out more. Have fun, and don’t take it so seriously.”
“I think you just told me I need to rebel.” Allie laughed. “I promise, I’d much rather work on art projects and college papers than hit the party scene. That’s just not me.”
“It’s ironic.” Greyson laughed, shaking his head. “Naomi keeps me on my toes, giving me heart attacks on a regular basis with the boys she brings home. You’re the exact opposite. It’s no wonder you two hate each other—you’re like aliens from different planets.”
“We don’t speak the same language, that’s for sure.”
“Sometimes I think you two could be best friends if you’d take the time to really get to know each other. It sure would make my life easier, since I happen to like both of you.”
“I doubt that’s ever going to happen, Greyson.” Allie shuddered at the thought.
“Honestly, I think Naomi’s a little jealous of your connection with the family. She’s always wanted that. Always wanted Naeemah’s approval because she’s the closest thing to a mother Naomi’s ever had.
“How does that work?” Allie asked. “If your Complement, Isebeau, is still a captive of the Coalition and she’s never met Naomi, does Naomi even have a mother?”
“That’s the million dollar question.” Greyson returned the gardening tools to their proper place before he headed back toward the house. “When I adopted Naomi, I knew the moment I laid eyes on her that she was our daughter and if Ise was free, Naomi would have bonded with her like all adopted Immortal children do. Theoretically, Isebeau is likely her true mother, but they’ve never had a chance to bond. That’s left Naomi desperate for a real mom, but unable to have one. At least until Ise is finally free.”
“No wonder she hates me.” Allie felt a real pang of sympathy for Naomi. She knew what it was like to believe she had a mother somewhere out there in the world trying to get back to her. At least she did until she learned Livia murdered their biological mother. Allie reached for the coffee pot, refusing to give Livia another thought. “I have lots of mother figures. Lily’s my mom, but Naeemah has always been like a second mom. But grandma Alísun can be very mom-like in the worst ways.”
“You know, you and Naomi are more alike than you think.”
“Take it back.” Allie shoved the coffee filter in the machine.
“She’s never known her true mother, just as you’ve never known yours.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that. We both might have mommy issues. But I still don’t have to like her. I mean, when’s the last time she’s come home for a visit? Here she has a great dad, and she treats you like an afterthought. When’s the last time she called?”
“Hey, that’s my kid you’re talking about.” Greyson shot her a warning dad-glare.
“Sorry, that was rude. It’s none of my business.”
“No it’s not. Naomi and I have a troubled relationship but we talk often. I’ve raised her to be a free spirit and I don’t expect her to cling to her life here in Cleveland. Or to me. I want her to be brave and fearless.”
“We’ll she is definitely that.” Allie said, letting a hint of admiration into her voice.
“She’ll come home when she’s ready. And when she does, you’re going to have to find a different refuge.“
“I promise, I’ll do better respecting Naomi’s turf.”
“I guess we can call that progress.”
“Tell me about Isebeau,” Allie said. “If you don’t mind talking about her.”
“There’s not much to tell.” Greyson poured filtered water into the coffee pot and grabbed a carton of eggs to make breakfast.
Allie made herself useful, dicing veggies for their omelets. She was at home with Greyson in a way she wasn’t with very many people these days. Somehow, her art teacher had become her safe harbor, almost like another mentor. It was nice, being with him. He didn’t expect much from her beyond her intern duties and no matter what he said he liked having her around. Greyson desperately missed his daughter, but he refused to admit it.
“I met Isebeau in the fourteenth century, and we knew right away we were Complements. She was a princess of a small island kingdom in what became part of Portugal. Her father hated me. I had nothing to offer an Immortal princess.”
“But you were Complements,” Allie said, adding her mixture of veggies and cheese to the skillet.
“Didn’t matter to the king. He was a controlling bastard.” Greyson shook the pan like an expert chef, flipping the omelet like a pancake.
“Show off.” Allie buttered several slices of toast and popped it in the toaster oven.
“Isebeau was young at the time. Not quite fifty and still Unproven. She’d never been allowed outside the castle grounds—officially—but she made frequent clandestine visits to the village beyond the walls of her palace.”
“She must have been desperate to get out of there.”
“Yes, she wanted us to run away, but I didn’t want to take her away from her mother. We wanted to be together. We would be together eventually, whether her parents approved or not. I thought we should wait. At least let me try to gain her father’s approval.”
“Didn’t work out for you?”
“Nope. He brought in all kinds of mortal suitors for her like she was Penelope straight out of the Odyssey. He wanted her to marry a mortal prince or king of another land to increase their fortune—many Immortal fathers used their daughters in such ways back then. He just saw her as something of value to trade for a lucrative marriage contract. Meeting her Complement at an early age didn’t mesh with his plan. He tried to pay me to leave.”
“Did you?”
“No, but I should have taken the money and run.” Greyson looked pensive as he poured orange juice for them, and Allie set their plates on the breakfast bar. “It would have saved her life and a lot of heartache if I’d just disappeared for a while and been patient.”
“So, you stayed and kept trying?”
“I stayed but we pretended I’d left, so we could sneak around seeing each other in secret. Apparently, our story became a local fairytale.”
“Seriously? I want to hear it.”
“The Lagoa das Sete Cidades, Lagoon of the se
ven cities. In Isebeau’s kingdom, there were two lakes, separated by a narrow strip of land. One lake was green, the other blue. The legend says there was a lonely old king who lived with his beautiful daughter, an only child. He adored her, but kept her sequestered in the palace, only allowed to visit the gardens from time to time. The king feared to lose his precious daughter. The young princess was an adventurous girl and learned how to sneak out of the palace when her father wasn’t looking. One day, she heard beautiful music coming from the hillside and followed. She found a young shepherd boy playing the violin, and they fell in love. Emboldened by his love for the beautiful princess, the boy asked the king for her hand. Enraged, the king refused and cast the boy from his kingdom. The two lovers met secretly for a time, but the young princess would not defy her father, and so she said goodbye to her one true love and the two cried all afternoon. Their sorrow was so great, their tears formed the twin lakes. Lagoa Azul, for the blue-eyed princess and Lagoa Verde, for the green-eyed shepherd boy. Far above the lakes, an angry volcano lay dormant, representing the king who kept the two lovers apart.”
“What a beautiful, sad story,” Allie said, picking at her omelet. “You play violin?”
“I did. Once. A very long time ago. I even made a good life for myself for a time, crafting the most beautiful stringed instruments, marrying my love for art with my love for music.”
“Don’t tell me you’re Antonio Stradivari?” Allie teased.
“In the flesh.” He shot her a boyish grin.
“Shut your face, I was joking!” Allie’s jaw fell open at the thought of Aidan’s beautiful Stradivarius violin with the intricate carved phoenix motif. She’d always thought those birds would make a great addition to her vine tattoo that followed the path of her scars from her jaw down to her throat and shoulder, all the way to her hip.
“I wasn’t.”
“Wow, okay, so what happened to Isebeau in the real life version of your fairytale?” Allie perched on the edge of her seat, digging into her omelet.
Emerge- The Betrayal Page 20