“Would you like to come?”
His question takes me by surprise. Complete surprise. Especially after how furious he had just been because I’d left this room.
“But I thought—”
“It’s a masquerade ball. Most will have trouble recognizing their closest friends, especially with the amount of drink that is typically poured. With a proper mask, you should be able to attend without raising any alarms.”
“Yes,” I blurt out but not because Iwantto.
I don’t want to actually take part in the celebration. Far from it. I’d simply like to witness the Elite up close, something I haven’t been able to do since my arrival.
I want to see how they celebrate with food, drinks, and dancing, while so many suffer. I want to watch as they smile and laugh, if only to fuel my hatred for them even more.
But maybe it would also be nice to take part in a dance or two. I’ve never been to a celebration before. And me wanting to go certainly has nothing to do withhim.
“Keep telling yourself that.”There’s that voice again. The feminine tone that seems to curl around my mind.
“Good.” Ryjax smiles,the real one, and I smile back. “Is there…anything else you want to ask?” He tilts his head down, his eyes cutting straight into mine.
“I think…I think that’s enough for now,” I say because he’s already told me more than I thought he would, and my heart swells with that knowledge.
“I should be going. I have some things I’ve been putting off, but I won’t disappear again.”
I nod, knowing he means it, and I wait until he’s gone.
I wait a little longer.
And then I wait even more. I need him to be out of earshot before I say what I’m about to say. Because if he were to hear me, I’m sure he’d think I’ve gone crazy, at least, crazier than I already must seem to him.
“Who are you?” I shout into the abyss, beckoning the owner of that gentle voice to respond. But she doesn’t. “Nothing to say, now?” I throw out, and I’m fairly certain that I truly have lost my mind.
“Hello, Fire Wielder.”
And there it is. Theresheis. Followed by a soft, melodic chuckle.
She’s in my head.
“Who are you?” This time my words are a whisper. Not that it matters. I think she might be able to hear me no matter how loud I am because maybe, just maybe, I’m inherhead, too.
“It’s about time you responded.”She chuckles again.“I’ve been trying to communicate with you for a while now.”
A while. A while. When did I first hear her?
“The night I was attacked.” Which means that night, without realizing it, I must have opened the mental pathway, like Jax had done with Ajja. “You told me to fight.”
“I did.”
“Who…who are you?”
“Same as you. I am one who can command the flames.”
I assumed as much.
“I meant, what’s your name? What do I call you?”
“Nyxa. My name is Nyxa, and you are Serafina.”
She knows my name. What else does she know about me? Ryjax had said he keeps up a shield to prevent communication between other Luminaries and Umbrax. He said if he didn’t, they’d be able to take more than what he was willing to give.
