Skye
“What the hell is this?”I asked, staring hard at the pamphlet on the counter.
“Oh, that? Just a little something some dickhead tried putting on our window.” Zephyr bustled around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for us even though it wasn’t a work day. The two of us couldn’t seem to sleep in.
I raised an eyebrow at Zephyr’s split knuckles, but he only raised an eyebrow right back, looking ridiculous with a purple bonnet on his head. I dropped my gaze back to the counter.
Unassuming as the pamphlet was, I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it on my counter, or in my house.
I went to rip it when Aiden snatched it out of my hands.
I’d left him asleep in my bed while I came down to bother my brother, but apparently he was up now.
“What’s this?” Aiden said. I watched as his warm brown eyes darted across the page, his expression growing more concerned by the second. “Is this real?”
“Super real,” Zephyr said. “I punched the guy out when he was trying to put it on the window. He actually threatened me legally. Can you believe that?”
“Yes,” I said dryly. Zephyr narrowed his eyes at me before tossing out an old bouquet of irises that’d been in the center of the island.
“This place makes no sense the longer I stay here,” Aiden said. “Are we in a weird reality warp here?”
Zephyr and I both chuckled.
“Why the hell would the Pilgrims be having a gathering here?” Aiden scoffed before ripping the paper in two.
“They’re not called the Pilgrims anymore, remember? The Pilgrims were the bad guys.” Zephyr said with an eye-roll.
My affinity itched across my palms.
The cult of psychos responsible for the Gulf Capitol Massacre that killed our parents and dozens of other people was still a sore spot for the Gulf. The citizens here had rejected most religions shortly after the attack. There wasn’t a single church on any of the islands anymore.
“They’re still the Pilgrims,” I muttered.
“So, who did you want me to meet, baby?” Aiden asked.
Zephyr turned to stone before slowly turning to look at us. His eyebrows were high on his forehead, nearly disappearing under his bonnet.
“Aiden’s going to meet someone?” he asked carefully.
“Yes,” I said, mostly feeling confident in the decision.
Zephyr only frowned.
I gulpedas Aiden and Zephyr stared at me.
We were in the utility room, standing before the door to the basement.
Aiden’s head had whipped back and forth like he was watching a tennis match as Zephyr and I had a cryptic argument over whether or not Aiden should meet Levi. Zephyr appreciated my attempt at honesty, but something told me he still didn’t fully trust Aiden.
“Skye, can’t you be honest with him some other way?” Zephyr groaned. He looked at Aiden apologetically. “Not that I don’t thinkyou’re trustworthy or anything, but this is the biggest secret of our lives, here.”
“I thought the biggest secret of your lives was Skye’s affinities,” Aiden said dryly.
I stifled a laugh as Zephyr dropped his jaw in shock.
“You little shit!” My brother turned to me. “You didn’t tell me he was a smartass.”
“He’s not a smartass to me,” I replied. Aiden flashed me a dimpled grin, then took my hand before kissing my knuckles.
