“You can find them, if you know where to look,” Kaice said. “Last I heard, they reside somewhere they’re not hunted and have free rein to use their power. More often thannot, they’re used as weapons. But it’s impossible to get into their tight-knit circles unless you have power and influence—and most importantly money and a willingness to keep things confidential.”
Curiosity piqued, Ehlian asked, trying to sound innocent, “Do you know where that place is?”
“That, as you may understand, I’m reluctant to share with you,” Kaice’s voice tightened. “I would not advise you to seek them out under any circumstances.”
“Am I in trouble? Did you tell me too much?”
“Nothing I shared with you is a secret, and in a few days you’ll doubt everything I said anyway.” Kaice predicted, his voice softening. “The common belief is that Apex telepaths are extinct, and since there are no publicly documented cases of anyone encountering them for centuries, most people choose to believe that. Rightly so—proving their existence is difficult, unless you already know where and who to look for.”
A quiet knock on the door cut the conversation short, Kaice’s secretary poking her head in. “I’m sorry, sir. Your next client is here—it’s an urgent case.”
“Thank you, Daphne,” Kaice said before turning back to Ehlian. “I’m sorry, Ehlian. I have a packed schedule today. If the memory resurgence gets worse, come and see me again.”
It was already pretty fucking bad. “What do you mean, worse?”
“When the memories become indistinguishable from the present and you can’t snap out of them. Some people get trapped, or worse, addicted to the memories and want to stay in them.”
“There’s no danger of that, believe me,” Ehlian said, his tone flat.
He thanked Kaice for his time and left, his head now swirling with even greater chaos.
*
Ehlian let the memories run their course.
It was like living two separate lives: one with Hayce during the nights, and one with Willian during the day.
By the end of the first week, his sexual energy nearly burned through his skin. Reliving some of the memories always left him breathless. He tried to resist, hereallytried, but the next time a memory of Hayce rimming him surfaced, his hand involuntarily wandered down his belly, brushing lower until he touched himself.
Whatever. He wouldn’t do it again.
At least, that was what he told himself every time it happened.
Living this… double life was draining. The memories weren’t long, but they still kept him awake after they passed. He analysed them, searching for signs of Hayce’s deceiving nature, trying to figure out where he had failed to see through the mask. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
When he had told Willian about the Apex telepath theory, he had immediately laughed it off, not even willing to entertain the topic. Ehlian had gone as far as calling up Daribon, who he had dismissed both the possibility and the existence of Apex telepaths outright.
So Ehlian remained alone with the sliver of his doubt… but even that slowly vanished, acknowledging the absurdity of the theory.
By the eighth month after his release, he noticed something strange. The memories began to shift. The cell, the bed, the lounge, their conversations—none of it felt quite right anymore. The details no longer lined up. He couldn’t explain exactly what was off. He just knew they didn’t fully reflect reality anymore.
The length of the memories started to shorten too. Some parts were still sharp, but others became hazy, disjointed, slipping away.
Slowly, they began to fade.
Chapter 19
“Are you new here?”
Ehlian glanced up at the alpha behind the counter for a second before resuming his search for the prepared holowatch in the drawer. “Not quite. Been working here for nearly a year.”
“I haven’t seen you before.” The alpha—Dael, Ehlian recalled—spoke just as Ehlian found the right box, his name written on it.
“Maybe I should break my holowatch more often.” Dael added.
Ehlian’s hand stilled for a moment before he slid the box across the counter. He kept his tone light. “I wouldn’t advise it. My friend tends to overcharge.”
Dael met his eyes. “I think it’s worth the price.”
