Everett swallows, stepping closer to me. "Then, if we can figure out how you broke Silas's curse…if we could end my curse before it gets the chance to hurt you more…maybe I could finally belong to you without ruining everything," he whispers, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against mine.
He's never gotten this close to me on his own, and the raw longing in his voice makes my stomach flip. The idea of hurting me clearly petrifies him. I understand that part of him. It's the same reason I pushed them away so hard at first. I was desperate to keep them out of the clusterfuck that my not-life is about to become.
Seriously, though, Everett's curse is the least of my concerns—not to mention, I have some doubts about this "prophecy" he received so long ago. It's something I should talk about with him later. Maybe he'll even let me read it myself.
But now isn't the time to dive into that.
"This conversation can wait," I say quietly, reaching up to brush a streak of dried harbinger blood off of Everett's jaw. That tiny bit of contact makes my heart pound, but it doesn't send my stomach careening anymore, a fact I'm still adjusting to. "Right now, we're too vulnerable. We need to get out of here and find somewhere to lay low."
Baelfire takes my hand from Everett's face, rubbing gentle circles on its back. He ignores the death glare that the ice elemental shoots him. "You mean we're going into hiding to wait for this shitstorm to blow over while your newbie necromancer recovers?"
That…and to set the stage for the next part of my plan.
My theory about Somnus's totem was correct. It wasn't glass at all—it was crafted out of etherium. Hearst's soul amulet was probably the same, which leads me to believe all members of the Immortal Quintet might have their souls tied to an etherium object. Perhaps the gods decided that the best way of sustaining the Divide through their life forces was by tying them to a physical anchor.
Meaning I need to hunt down three immortalsandtheir anchors.
I also need to find more etherium.
Etherium became an integral part of my plan after Felix and I ran countless tests on it and agreed it would fix a significant flaw in my gambit to free the humans. Which is why, during my first two weeks at Everbound, I carefully sought out rumors of another black market dealer known to possess etherium. I don't have a location or a way to contact him, but I need to get my hands on that substance.
It's how I plan to keep the Nether at bay after I kill most of the Immortal Quintet. Without it, I'll fail.
And that's not an option.
"Yes," I finally reply to Baelfire. "But first, I need to see if Kenzie made it out of the maze. Wait here."
When I try to step around them, Everett's hands move to my hips and steel. His previously tender voice turns ice-hard.
"Baelfire told me everything. We nearly lost you today, and it's not happening again. Just stay here and keep an eye on Silas. We'll find your friend for you."
They nearly lost me? Tough fucking luck because I nearly lostallof them today. The more I think about it, the more dark fury starts to boil beneath my composure. That, combined with the residual power boost from killing Somnus, makes me feel like a ticking time bomb.
But I can't afford to tap into that monster's life force now stored within me as fuel. I need to save it until I get my hands on etherium.
I shake my head. "You're staying. I'm going."
"Oakley, please just?—"
Before our argument can continue, a loud knock on the apartment's front door makes us all go still. Crypt vanishes, and a moment later, I hear a shriek at the front door, which he's obviously opened.
"Gah! Where the hell are your clothes? And why are your tattoos all—oh my gods, are thosepiercings?Oh, shit. I—I'm sosorry, I didnotmean to look down, and I promise I so didnotwant to know that. I’m just looking for?—"
Kenzie. Thank the fucking universe.
I rush out of my bedroom, followed closely by Bael and Everett. The lioness shifter is standing in the university hallway outside the front door, leaning against Luka. Her orange combat attire is ripped and charred in places. They're both covered in as much dirt, blood, and sweat as we were earlier. It looks like Kenzie got a nasty cut on her head at some point, gauging from the amount of blood staining her pale hair and crusting down the side of her face. The injury is gone now, thanks to her shifter healing.
She looks like hell and must be exhausted, but her bright blue eyes light up when she spots me.
"May! Thank gods you're okay! I'm so sorry to ask this, but—" she begins, stepping forward.
But the moment she tries to cross the threshold, she slams into an invisible barrier that knocks her back into Luka with a startledoof.
"Kenz!" The vampire levels us with a vicious glare like that was intentional. "What the fuck?"
For a moment, I'm confused about why she can't enter since she's not a siphon who would have to be invited in, but Crypt hums.
"I admit, that pointy-eared bastard's magic is reassuring."
