He looks me over, his gaze narrowed, suspicious, practical y spitting the words when he says, “Oh yeah, and I’m supposed to believe that— for reals?” He scoffs and shakes his head. “Okay then, so tel me, Ever, if you’re not interested in the fruit, then why even bother with this bloody miserable trek? Huh, can you tel me that? Why put yourself through al of this?”
“I’m curious.” I shrug. “I heard about the tree and thought I’d go see for myself—didn’t even realize it was time for the reaping ’til you just said so.” I tilt my head, try to look as though I mean it. “Despite your poor opinion of him, Damen’s always been extremely generous.
He would’ve gladly shared his elixir with you if you hadn’t already pledged your al egiance to Roman. And anyway, why would I even bother with the fruit when he gives me al the elixir I need?”
“Because the fruit is forever.” Rafe’s eyes begin to blaze until they resemble two dark flaming pits surrounded by white.
“Damen and I are forever.” I glare, knowing in my heart that it’s true even though he’s not here beside me to prove it. “And, as it so happens, I like the elixir. I like it so much I drink it several times a day. So, why would I want to replace that?”
Rafe continues to study me, his mind weighing, considering, then shaking his head he opens his mouth to speak, when someone else slinks out of the mist and decides to speak for him.
thirty
“She’s lying.”
Rafe spins on his heel so he can see what I already see, know what I already know.
Marco is here.
Though, as always, Misa creeps up right alongside him with her exotic dark eyes, black spiky hair, and multipierced lobes.
My light spil s over them as I study them closely, trying to get a read, determine if their showing up is bad for me, bad for Rafe, or just bad in general. Knowing only two things for sure: No matter who it is that they’re after (though it’s probably safe to assume that it’s me) their intentions aren’t good. And, just like Rafe, they show signs of aging.
“She’s after the fruit.” Misa’s eyes dart between Rafe and me. “Lotus sent her. Convinced her to go find it just like she tried to convince us al those years ago. But now the ancient one seems to think Ever’s the only who can succeed. So Marco and I have been trailing her, which, I’m guessing, is what you’re doing too.”
Rafe squints but otherwise doesn’t move, doesn’t give anything away. Too busy assessing the situation, too on guard to supply an answer.
“Lotus has been looking for someone to make this journey for centuries.” Misa directs her words right at me as Marco snickers alongside her. “At first we thought she was crazy—wel , mostly because she is crazy. But now, with Roman dead, and with Haven having drank every last bit of his stash, and with Damen being—wel , no need to mince words here is there?—with Damen being as selfish as he is, we had no choice but to befriend her, to learn more about this tree, and to figure out how to find it. She got us to Summerland, but that’s it. Claimed she didn’t know how to find the tree, said you’re the only one who can, that it’s your destiny, like you’re some kind of chosen one or something.” She looks at me, a long, scathing glare that ends in an exaggerated eye rol , wanting me to know just how ridiculous she finds that. “Whatever.” She shrugs. “We’re just here so you can lead us to it, then we’l take it from there.”
“Except I got here first.” The threat in Rafe’s voice rings loud and clear. “A smal detail you’ve seemed to overlook.”
I watch as they tense, square their shoulders, and secure their stances as though they’re gonna duke it out right here on this reed-thin trail. Defend their right to use me to get what they want.
“Do you hear yourselves?” My eyes dart between them. “Seriously. You guys are unbelievable! And you cal Damen selfish.” I shake my head, not even trying to hide my outrage. Though the truth is, while my lips keep moving, spewing forth a slew of similar words, while my features arrange and rearrange to keep up with whatever it is that’s being said, my mind is someplace else entirely. Working furiously to find a way out of this mess, knowing I could’ve taken Rafe while he was stil on his own, but now that it’s up to three immortals versus my one—I’m no longer sure.
Despite the fact that they can’t kil me, they can stil do some major damage, or, even worse, they can stop me from getting there first.
“We don’t even know for sure if this fruit exists,” I say, my eyes darting among them. “But let’s just say that it does, let’s just say we find it right there, waiting to be plucked. Why can’t we just share it? Why can’t you each take a bite, then give me whatever’s left to take back to Lotus? That way everyone wins. And no one gets hurt.”
But instead of the refusal I expected, I’m met with dead silence.
A horrible, lingering silence that’s far worse than any argument they could ever wage.
They’re no longer interested in me.
Their attention is claimed by something else entirely.
And I know without looking what it is. I can feel it in the way the breeze whispers against the nape of my neck. I can see it in the sudden glow that shines in their eyes.
They see it.
The tree.
Which means they no longer need me.
And though I try to move, try my best to flee, it’s too late.
There are too many of them, too little of me. And it seems, or at least in this case anyway, they’ve chosen to work together. Chosen to col aborate.