Page 66 of The City Of Fractured Memory

“I was a life long experiment to him,” he says bitterly as I continue to stare in awe at his true self. “He told me I was a dirty half breed, that no mortal nor Echofae would accept me, so I was to stay safe with him instead.” He snarls at the memory and my heart lurches at the thought of a child being told something so awful.

“Why didn’t you run when you learned the truth about your mother?” I ask, a little more gently this time.

“I wanted to,” he admits quietly. “But I knew from a young age that with power comes opportunity. My father taught me that much. If I wanted to tear them down, I was better equipped to do so from the inside. Over the years I’ve played my part, earned myself a fearsome reputation, so now no one will second guess me or consider me responsible when I can finally do some good. I’m untouchable now.”

“Doing good doesn’t resolve your sins, though, no matter how noble your intentions are,” I scold, thinking of all the awful things I’ve heard about him.

“And what sins would those be?” he replies with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, what about Cyril? And that prison massacre. You ordered a cull of all those mortals…”

He sniggers at my outrage. “I must have done a good job if you’re the smartest person I know and you still fell for that.”

I try my best to ignore the unexpected compliment, but as his eyes track slowly across my face, I assume my cheeks must have reddened some.

“Fell for what?” I say, trying to focus on his words and not his intense gaze.

“Send me to the depths,” he mutters with a roll of his eyes, huffing like I’m such a huge inconvenience. “It was a cover up, Octavia. I instigated a riot to distract from what I was really doing. There is a part of the prison used to house the Echofae who survive the experiments in the Memosyne. I’ve been planning to break them out for some time, and I finally got the opportunity.”

I can’t help the shock that warps my features and he rolls his eyes again like I’m being dramatic, as if what he said is no big deal. But as much as my heart stutters at the heroic act, I still can’t ignore the bloodshed that resulted from it.

“Those mortals didn’t need to die, they were already paying for their crimes. Whilst your motivations are more than noble, you still can’t just go around killing people,” I remind him, though my words lack the bite I’d intended. I’m trying hard to convince myself I wouldn’t have done the same, but I’m coming up short.

He leans close, so close I can almost taste the whiskey on his breath.

“Oh can’t I? What are you going to do about it, Detective?”

A chill runs down my spine.

It’s a fair question, and one I don’t have the answer to. Whilst I’ve been given permission to work this case, I’m still no true detective anymore, I have no jurisdiction. I could use my memories of this conversation as evidence against him, but I find myself strangely reluctant. Especially when I can’t even think straight with him so close to me. His now unrestrained aura surrounds us, the glow sweeping around me and making my skin tingle like there’s static in the air. I can feel the untamed depths of his power and it’s almost intoxicating, that pull I’ve always felt towards him tugging hard at my chest. I swallow hard and try to steer the conversation back, ignoring the frantic rhythm of my heart.

“None of this makes sense. Why would Xavier not tell me you’re his brother? Unless–” My stomach drops uncomfortably and my heart skips a beat so hard I almost lose my breath. “He really has been lying to me.”

Riven nods slowly, biting on his lip like he’s debating his next words carefully.

“He’s been lying to you about a lot of things. I think there’s a possibility he befriended you on purpose. It’s—it’s why I decided to get involved.”

My breath struggles to release from my lungs. “For what?” I manage to choke out.

“I don’t know, but I don’t trust his intentions for a second. He must need you for something. You have to be the key somehow.”

“The key to what?”

He shakes his head slowly, ignoring my question.

“Why have you been chasing me, Riven?” I press, my anger rising anew.

He leans close again, his face so close to mine I can see amber flecks in his vibrantly green eyes.

“Because I need you more.”

His hands grip the desk either side of my waist, pinning me into his space, his body like a cage around me and I bite my lip involuntarily. His eyes track the movement and my breath catches as his gaze darkens, his jaw clenching. He’s so close now, if I leaned forward just an inch–

He suddenly jerks back from me as his eyes glaze momentarily and he shakes his head furiously, his aura snapping back from me in an instant.

Did he just have a vision?

He backs up into the wall with a groan, his eyes pinned to the floor to avoid my gaze as he rakes his hands through his blue hair.