My adrenaline surges. It took less of my celestial reserves than I thought needed to evict the damn tree back into the front yard. It turns out, I’m plenty pissed without tapping into anything supernatural. Although, technically in my rebuilt body, I am one hundred percent just that.
“Skyla.” Her name rips from me as if I were about to dole out a punishment. “I have not defiled your body. Not now, not ever. Nor do I have plans to do just that. You are sacred. I would never dream of touching you without your permission.”
She gags at the thought. “Are you listening to yourself? You pressed your lips to mine until I had no more breath in my body. You held me down while I tried to wiggle out of your grasp. You tormented me, caused me unimaginable pain, and you watched as I left my corporal frame. It was an intentional move on your part, so you have lost the right to say that you would never dream of touching me without my permission, that I am sacred to you. My body was mishandled in the most damaging way in your hands. I didn’t have to fear a madman. My end didn’t come at the hands of some terrorists or accident. You were the madman, the terrorist, the greatest accident of my life. You cost me everything. And now I am floating around in Chloe Bishop’s body. So don’t feed me bullshit lines about respecting me or try to talk me out of heading to the Justice Alliance. I am back, and I am not going anywhere. And guess what, Gage?” Her head inches forward until we’re nose-to-nose. “I ampissed. Yes, I shoved the tree through the door, but, I wanted to shove it up your ass.”
Chloe laughs, and because I’ve pinned her down by the wrists I get the displeasure of listening. But my mind is off-limits. I’m not giving either of them the privilege. God forbid they learn the truth. Although I’ve treaded into such dark territory, I’m not sure either of them would care if I spent an eternity embroiled in flames and darkness. There’s an oxymoron in there somewhere I don’t care to explore.
I tilt my head to the side as I look into those dark eyes.
Skyla. I’ve damaged her. Killed her. And now she’s caged in the body of a beast and the unthinkable has happened.
It keeps happening.
Why don’t you apologize, Gage?Chloe quips.I’m in the mood to have a really good belly laugh. Come on, you know you’re going to do it. I bet there’s a tiny part of you that hopes the two of you will kiss and make up. How very tragic of you to even entertain it. Comical. I hate to break it to you, but since I’ve been rooming with Skyla here, it’s become crystal clear this is the big one you won’t be coming back from. You have committed the unforgivable sin, over and over and over. You took down Celestra, you killed innocent people, you killed your wife. You killed your family. You are incomprehensible to both Skyla and me. If you’ve accomplished anything positive, it’s that you’ve created a unified front between us. I hope you realize that replacing the front door is the least of your problems.
My chest bucks with a silent laugh. “I realize it. And I also realize that my people have left me, my throne is surrounded by no one, my crown no more effective than a party favor. But I wouldn’t get too comfortable or too smug. The path back to victory will be quick and easy for me. Enjoy your victory while you have it, Skyla. It will be short-lived.”
Chloe’s eyes soften, and her body relaxes beneath mine as her hands grow limp.
“There is no end to this war, is there, Gage?” She shakes her head.
“You already know the answer, Skyla. I must fight. You must fight. Death hasn’t stopped either one of us. Nothing will knock me off the throne, Skyla. Not even you. Especially not you. I am holding fast. The Fems have reclaimed their rightful spot in the heavenlies, and that is the end of that. No matter how hard you fight, how many serums you develop, it won’t change that fact.”
“That’s not true,” she pants as her breathing grows erratically. “Gage, you are a moment away from being flicked right back into Heaven. As soon as Celesta is back in its rightful position, I’m banishing you from the planet. And if you think that’s laughable, think again. That is the war I will continue to fight so long as I’m standing on planet Earth. I will unseat you. And then I will evict you.” An anxious smile glides across her face. “In the grand scheme of things, you have already lost. But in the event you need a road map, let me give it to you. You have no more loyal followers. The Videns, Noster, Deorsum, Levatio, Celestra, and yes, the Counts, they are all loyal to me. So you see, your downfall is inevitable. As soon as I get into my proper body—and I will—my petitions to have you unseated will begin. And if something should happen to me while in Chloe’s body—”
Shit, Skyla, that would mean something would happen to me.
She closes her eyes a moment and gives a brief nod.
“Logan”—she clears her throat—“Logan will take over. He will unseat you. So you see, all is not lost even if Chloe and I are eliminated. Logan is the apple of Candace Messenger’s eye. Hell, I’d go as far as saying that she loves him more than me. He’ll take over, and I’m pretty sure he won’t be aiming for the door with his battering ram when he shows up to tear your kingdom down. You are going to pay for all of your sins, one way or another. You will get away with nothing. You chose power over love. You flushed the gold, that was your family, down the celestial toilet but not before you took a shit on us. I won’t forget it, Gage. Neither will Logan—neither will Nathan and Barron. If you think I’m giving you a hard time, just wait until they’re of age.”
Barron, my sweet son. I had sacrificed so much for him. In truth, I was afraid that if I didn’t take this nefarious step in the wrong direction that Demetri would have made him do it.
“Do you love the boys?” Her voice comes out soft, marked with caution. “You’ve made it abundantly clear how you feel about me. That’s a moot point, and you don’t need to feed me any weird bullshit on why you’re doing this. But the boys—they bear your likeness. They are pure as the air in Ahava, bright as rays of sunshine. They are everything in the universe that is good, and holy, and right. And yet, I don’t think you love them.”
I inch back, affronted and equally baffled she went there.
“How can you say that? Of course, I love them.” I stop shy of professing my love for her as well. She’s right. After what I’ve done, it appears to be a moot point. But it’s far from it. I squeeze my eyes shut a moment as if resisting this damn wall I need to keep holding up around my spirit, around my black heart. “Don’t say I don’t love them. I don’t want you to believe that.” Hell, I don’t even know if I want her to fight anymore. “It’s not true. I care about the boys, and regardless of what you believe, I still care for you.”
Chloe laughs.I’d slow clap if I could. Come on, Gage. Dish out all the lies in your arsenal.
Skyla shakes her head. “No, you’re confused, Gage. And do you want to know why you’re confused? Because Demetri isn’t here to tell you how to feel.”
Burn! Chloe hoots.
“Not true,” I contest it, but deep down, I’m beginning to wonder myself. “I know why I do the things I do, and nobody has forced my hand. In the least, Demetri.”
“Of course not.” Skyla plucks her wrists free from me. “He’s cheering you on.”
The sound of leaves crunching under heavy footsteps erupts from our left.
“Skyla?” Logan appears with a sliver of moonlight illuminating him as if he were the hero drenched in gold, ready to ride off with the girl, and he is very much that. “Hey?” He pulls her from my midst. “What the hell is going on?” He wraps his arms around her tightly before landing a kiss to her cheek. “Are you okay?”
I’ll admit, it’s hard to watch him be that affectionate with Skyla in general, but with Skyla in Chloe’s body, it feels as if I’m witnessing heresy at its finest.
“I’m fine.” Skyla hugs her arms. “Rory stopped by for a booty call, and I interrupted their alone time.”
Logan’s eyes light up with flames, and before I know it, I’m against the wall and my face catching every punch he’s throwing my way.
