“Who knows?” I strain my eyes to see better, but as a wraith, I don’t have enhanced senses like the others.
All I can make out are two blurry silhouettes.
“It’s them,” Everett tells us, and relief floods me instantly, the force of it taking me by surprise.
I didn’t realize how attached I’ve become to the five-foot-nothing spitfire until she was gone and I was left fearing the worst.
It’s terrifying to care about someone who isn’t a member of my team—someone whose past is too nebulous to define and shrouded in mystery. Her entire story raises a thousand different questions.
What, exactly, is she? She claims she’s a reaper, and that may be true, but why is her upbringing different from the others?
Why is she trapped?
How is she here now?
How long will this last?
To the east, the sun rises above the horizon, reaching out with spindly arms to paint the surroundings in red and orange.
As soon as the car pulls to a stop, Thea pops out, dressed in that hideously oversized shirt that belongs to Krystian and pants that may have been mine at one point. She smiles brightly when she sees us, unaware of the panic her disappearance caused.
She waves and skips forward. “You guys are up early!”
Rafe is in front of her instantly, his hands on her shoulders as he takes in the bruises darkening her cheek.
Rage like I’ve never felt before barrages me, pulling me into a tidal wave I can’t hope to escape from.
“Who. Did. This. To. You?” Rafe growls out, each word crisp and concise.
At the same moment, Krystian stumbles out of the car, appearing confused and disoriented.
“W-what?” He blinks at us. “Where am I? How did I…?” He finally seems to notice Thea and Rafe, and all of the color drains from his face. He swallows convulsively. “Please tell me I didn’t do that to you.”
His voice is practically a whisper.
“You?” Thea draws her brows together. “No. Of course not. You took care of the one who did.”
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Everett bellows, storming up to Krystian and grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.
“It wasn’t me!” Krystian insists, frantic. “I would never put her in harm’s way. Never.”
“Obviously you fucking would!” Spit flies from Everett’s mouth as he hauls the other man into the air.
Krystian pales even more.
None of us like to bring up the truth—that Krystian and Krys are the same person, driven by the same desires and motivations. Krys acts on everything Krystian will never consciously do, whether that’s accept odd jobs as a mercenary or murder someone who harmed him or fuck a pretty girl who gave him googly eyes. Krys represents every one of Krystian’s darkest desires.
The light elf doesn’t fight back against the shifter as he turns desperate, beseeching eyes Thea’s way.
“I’m so fucking sorry.”
“Why would you be sorry?” She blinks, seemingly at a loss for words. “It was my own idiotic fault for jumping into the fray when you told me to stay back. But in my defense, I did save you from getting stabbed.”
“Fray?” Rafe growls out, still studying Thea’s bruised cheek intently.
“Stabbed?” I parrot.
“What the fuck did you two do?” Everett exclaims, finally releasing Krystian.
