Oh, Fates. Oh, fuck.Fuck.
I fell off the sofa, stumbling roughly as I fled the room. Darkmore's cry of emotional anguish chased me into the hall. I slammed the door behind me, hoping my magic faded quickly for him. My leaking magic caused havoc among the students, my own fears haunting me with visions of death, blood, and…chains.
I fell onto my ass, trying to calm my ragged breathing.
Was it real? The image of Pandora, bloodied and broken, was seared into his mind. A woman had lain dead beside her. It was too specific, too detailed to be a mere fuckingfear.
I scrambled for my pipe and smoked it until I regained some semblance of control. Then, I grabbed my tablet and called Dad with numb fingers.
Nobody was in the hall. My fear had chased everyone away.
“Dad?” I choked on the word.
“Skel?” His voice soothed my panic. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“No—I, I lost control of my magic. I saw an illusion, and I think it was a real memory. It was so fucking specific. Can that happen?”
“It could be,” he told me. “If that person had experienced their biggest fear and are scared to experience it again.”
Maybe Darkmore experienced it with someone else, and he’s just scared it could happen to Pandora? But, fuck, Nebs was there. It seemedtooreal.
“Son, it’s okay. Whatever you saw was an illusion. Even if it happened in the past, it’s not happening in the present,” he murmured.
“Thanks.” I closed my eyes, but a new fear welled up inside of me—a fear that was the same as Darkmore’s. Thinking of her like that…it fucked with me. “Can I talk to Katherine?”
Dad murmured something on the other end, but I heard the faintestnofrom my sister. Instead of waiting, I hung up to deal with this shit on my own.
39
REED
Darkmore’s sweet chocolate scent filled the room, and I found a degree of comfort in it. His eyes met mine. I had a little bit of guilt swirling inside of me from kissing the woman I knew we both had feelings for, but I tried not to show it.
“What’s been on your mind?” He crossed his arms and set his elbows on the desk, his dark blond hair brushing his shoulders as he leaned forward.
I took a deep breath before frowning. “It's my mom,” I admitted, the words heavy on my tongue. “She called me, and I think...I think she's involved in something dangerous. Acult.”
Darkmore's expression didn't change, but there was a spark of recognition in his eyes that I didn’t like seeing. “Why do you think that?”
“My best friend, who is no longer my best friend, told me that she got my mom involved in some dark magic cult called Dark Veil.” I ran a hand down my face with a loud sigh. “I never would’ve been involved with her had I known what she was truly like.”
“I know about Dark Veil," Darkmore said, grabbing a coffee cup and taking a sip. “We found a letter addressed to your mother. She's become an informant for the council.”
Shock rippled through my body, and I felt my heart plummet into my gut. “An informant?” I echoed, recoiling back into the sofa.
So it was definitely true, then. My mom, the woman who had been lost in her own sorrow since my dad—her fated mate—had died, was now mixed up in a cult.
Which meant Darkmore knew and didn’t tell me. Betrayal snaked through me, even if it was irrational. I knew he was a councilman. Of course he would be privy to things I wasn’t. Even if it included my own mother.
Darkmore nodded. “Yes, but there's more. She was prepared to use you, Reed, to resurrect your father through dark magic.”
Hot tears filled my eyes, and I brushed them away angrily with the back of my hands. “She's not the mom I grew up with,” I choked out. “Charlotte told me that too, but ithurtsknowingthat she would do that to me. I…Ihateher for it.”
“It’s okay to hate her.” Darkmore stood and moved to sit down beside me, his presence an oddly comforting force. He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “You are not alone in this. The entire council is backing you. I will keep you updated concerning your mother. You have my word.”
I nodded, sniffling as he tried to regain his composure. “I appreciate it. I just wish I could do something more proactive to help.”
“Actually.” Darkmore moved his hand and scratched the back of his neck. “There is something, but I doubt you’ll like it.”
