“The blood from a phaanon can–”
“Kill a bonded galeon,” she whispered. “I remember the rumours…”
Why was she looking so panicked—like she’s swallowed something and then realized it was poison? My chest constricted, pain stabbing at my heart.
“Where is he getting the blood?” she asked. “Phaanons are extinct.”
Yeah, that was what I thought, too, but now more and more were popping up everywhere.
I wanted to say I didn’t know. I wanted to deny the truth, yet the truth was already out there and Sley deserved to hear it from me. She had the right to know what she was getting into if she stuck by my side.
“From himself,” I whispered.
Ace cursed under his breath and turned away. He may as well have thrown up his hands and had a tantrum like a five-year-old.
“Himself?” she frowned. “But that would mean…”
“He’s phaanon.”
She jerked upright, her gaze locked on mine. “But that means you’re…”
“Phaanon. Yes.”
“It was you?” she whispered. “This entire time, it was you?”
“I haven’t done anything.” I frowned. “Wait. What do you mean this entire time?”
Of course I didn’t turn into a phaanon overnight, but it wasn’t like I grew up knowing the truth. It’s not like I lied to her or purposefully hid the truth. I suspected I was a pure-blooded galeon.
“I just found out, myself,” I said. But if I was being honest, even if I had known, I wouldn’t have shared the truth. Phaanons were hunted to extinction—near extinction—because we were too dangerous to allow to live.
“I didn’t know,” I whispered.
Sley stood a few feet away from me, her gaze shifting back and forth as her hands curled into fists. She wasn’t a galeon descendent. To her, I’d be just another immortal, yet she was taking the news harder than I had anticipated.
“It was you,” she said again. Her eyes rounded and she shook her head. “You and Paul.”
“I’m still me.” I reached out to grasp her arm.
She jerked back, stepping out of the way. Her lips trembled and she shook her head again. “You need to leave.”
“Sley—”
“Now.” She stomped to the front door and held it open.
Too shocked to argue, I numbly walked out of the cabin with Ace. As soon as we crossed the threshold, Sley slammed the door behind us.
We didn’t speak until we reached the safety of the woods.
“Well, that went well,” Ace said. “Considering…”
“Considering?” That went terribly.
“The alternative?” he said. “Everyone is taught to fear phaanons since birth after all. We should be ecstatic she didn’t take out a knife and try to stab you.”
“She could still betray us.” I bit my lip. Had I made a mistake? Maybe I’d been too hasty trusting Sley with the truth.
“She’s your best friend, Mouse.”
