Divine Illusions

by Alix Sharpe

  “I’m not playing,” Keira said, attempting to wriggle out of Soren’s grasp.

  “Hey. Don’t be a poor sport,” Soren said, trying to dip his face closer, “I won’t even use tongue.”

  “I don’t care, I don’t want to,” Keira said.

  “You heard her,” Hale said firmly, “let her go.”

  “Oh, you don’t want to play either, Draven?” Soren sneered. “Is it because you’re scared someone will make you admit the truth in front of her?”

  “What truth?” Jessa jumped in.

  “It’s none of your business, Soren,” Hale said, inching forward in the water. “Let her go.”

  That strange look flickered in Hale’s eyes again, the one betraying something dark. A blue incandescence appeared in the water, just under the surface, his amulet beginning to glow.

  Soren kept one hand tight around Keira, and lifted the other out of the water, flame flickering bright as his own scarlet amulet began to illuminate.

  “Guys, stop,” Jessa said, wading over in between them. “Seriously, let’s just cool it for a second.”

  “You know, Clearwater, I heard a rumor about you,” Soren said, peering down at her, a bizarre sheen gleaming in his frosty blue eyes.

  “What rumor?” Keira said, gaze darting between the two men. If the Salamanders already knew about her and Hale, no point in pretending, no point in giving Soren any leverage. They could just leave.

  “I heard you read an Elf’s mind,” Soren said, devious smile unfurling as he tightened his grip on her.

  “Yeah, she did, so what?” Hale spat, attempting to shove past Jessa.

  “Well, I don’t know a lot about Diviners,” Soren said, laughter churning in his broad chest under Keira’s palms, “but I do know about that whole ‘edge of consciousness’ mind reading trick. My asshole dad was a Diviner, I didn’t get away with anything. Hell, I got beat for shit I didn’t even do yet.”

  “So that’s why you’re such an asshole,” Jessa said, blocking Hale again.

  “Hah. It made me stronger in the long run, I learned how to outsmart the bastard,” Soren said. Then, lowering his lips to Keira’s ear, “Did you know it also works on drunk people? Maybe you should go ahead and See what he did the night before Myra left with me.” Soren chuckled and released her abruptly, letting her drop back into the water.

  Keira stumbled forward, throwing her hands out for balance. Jessa caught one, Hale caught the other. Then she saw a flash of gold and purple. And red. The auras receded, replaced by shimmering shapes, then images. Then she Saw Hale. Kissing Jessa.

  No. He couldn’t. Her lips fell open as the vision continued to unfurl, Jessa’s blonde hair everywhere, Hale’s yellow-green eyes closed in surrender…

  “Let me go,” Keira screamed, ripping her hands away from both of them.

  “Whoa, sorrrryyy,” Jessa said releasing her.

  “Are you okay?” Hale said, diving to grab her other arm as she stumbled again.

  “Let go,” Keira demanded, heart slamming into her ribs as the image danced jeeringly behind her eyes.

  “Keira—“

  She jerked away from him and scrambled out of the water, Soren laughing behind them. She heard the water splashing behind her as someone got out to follow. She didn’t even have to look to know it was Hale.

  “Keira,” he said, reaching out for her, “is this about what Soren said? You know he’s just being an asshole.”

  “Leave me alone, Hale,” she said, whipping around with tears in her eyes.

  “What did he say?” Hale said, tone bristling.

  “It wasn’t him, but apparently you have a secret anyway. Wanna talk?” she spat, folding her arms.

  “If it wasn’t him, what was it?” Hale said, reaching for her cheek, worry flashing in his eyes.

  That look. Was the worry for her? No. It was probably for himself. But what if…

  “Did you have a vision, Keira? Did something happen?”

  She exhaled sharply, balling her hands into fists to hide the shaking. “Yes,” she said, refusing to look at him.

  “What did you see?” Hale asked, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said, beginning to shiver. “There’s nothing you can do.”

  “Yes, I can,” Hale said, “you promised you’d tell me.”

  He reached for her and threaded his fingers in her hair, pulling her to his chest. His heartbeat pounded under her ear, just as wild and frantic as her own.

  “I saw you…” she said, trailing off. She couldn’t get out the rest. What if she was wrong somehow? What if it was the moonshine, or Soren, getting inside her head? She’d never had a vision like that while awake before.

  “Tell me,” Hale begged, pressing his lips to her forehead, “and I swear I’ll protect you from it.”

  “I saw you kissing Jessa,” she said. As soon as the words fell from her lips she realized how ridiculous it sounded. If Hale had wanted Jessa, he would have just gone for her. It would be so much easier than sneaking around with her, hiding from the rumors. Unless… what if he was sneaking around with Jessa too?

  “Keira,” he said, taking her face in his palms.

  She dropped her gaze.

  He lowered his face to hers until the tips of their noses touched. “That’s not going to happen. I swear I have no interest in her. I only want you.”

  Something shifted in her chest. Her pounding heart began to slow. It was that same feeling in the woods when Hale miraculously calmed her down after she’d had her flashback about Hunter. The breath began to ease back into her lungs and she lifted her eyes to his soothing green-gold.

  He dropped his lips to hers and took her in a slow, deliberate kiss. For a moment, she relaxed in his arms. She thought it would be okay. Then she felt his palm slide up her spine and come to rest between her shoulder blades.

  CHAPTER 16 – HALE

  Hale pulled her gently into his lap, the cot creaking under their shared weight.

  “You can talk to me,” Hale said, stroking her cheek.

  She’d been dead silent the entire walk back to camp. That shithead Soren had really done a number on her, getting in her head like that. Whatever he’d whispered in her ear had worked. The question was: was it about Jessa, or…

  God maybe he should just tell her now. At first, he thought it would be better to wait, to make sure Keira felt safe with him, that she could trust him. Then he could put everything into context. But now that Soren brought it up first, it looked like he was hiding something.

  Hale glanced down into her big, grey eyes, sheened with alcohol and swimming with uncertainty. No. He couldn’t tell her now. He was still drunk himself, it wouldn’t come out right. Right now, he just had to comfort her, to snap her out of whatever was happening inside her head. To undo whatever damage Soren had done.

  “Keira,” he whispered, dipping his face towards hers. “I want to help.” He placed a delicate kiss on her soft lips.

  To his surprise, she kissed him back. Hard.

  Before he could process what happened, he’d spun her around, laid her on the cot, and climbed on top of her. Their tongues tangled frantically, a desperate energy radiating in the small space as they tore at each other’s shirts. She wrapped her thighs around his hips and ground against him, moaning softly as she fiddled with the buckle on his belt.

  He ran his hand up her side, caressing her waist, then her ribs, feeling each ridge. Her shield, protecting her heart.

  “You going to fuck this pussy?” she said, unzipping his pants. She reached down and wrapped her fingers around his engorged shaft, pumping him slowly. “You gonna fuck this little slut?”

  He felt a sudden, inexplicable hook in his chest, pulling him away. The muscles in his hands froze as he loosened his grip on her hips. He broke from their kiss and leaned back, trying to trace the feeling.

  “Don’t stop,” she moaned, nipping his lower lip.

  He looked down at her, her
bare chest pressed against his, skin glistening with sweat.

  She began massaging him again, sliding his pants down with her thighs.

  He tried to shake away the phantom block in his chest, blinking his eyes, attempting to focus on the sensation of her touch. He felt himself beginning to melt back into the moment, lowering his lips back to hers. He slid his hand over her shoulder, her skin smooth and warm.

  “Choke me,” she said.

  He stopped moving. Something in the way she said it felt off. Like she didn’t actually want it. Like this wasn’t even her.

  “Keira, are you okay?” he asked, pulling back.

  “Yeah, I’m fine, just fuck me,” she said, voice shaking.

  “You’re not fine,” he said, lifting his weight off of her. He reached down and gently pulled her hand out of his pants.

  “What?” she said, strange laughter bubbling in her chest, “I’m not fine? Am I not good enough for you?”

  “No, that’s not what I meant,” he said, clutching at her fists. “I just don’t think we should do this right now.”

  “So you don’t want to fuck me?”

  “Keira. I would love to have sex with you,” he said, forcing his eyes away from her hardened nipples. “But something is obviously going on.”

  “You mean like you fucking Jessa behind my back?” She jerked away from his touch and sat upright.

  “What? No, nothing is happening between me and Jessa.”

  “I Saw it, you can’t hide it,” she said, tugging her shirt back on. “If it hasn’t happened yet, it’s just a matter of time.”

  “Whatever you Saw isn’t true,” he said.

  “Oh, so now my powers are shit? Is that why you don’t want me? I’m not strong enough?”

  “No, Keira, calm down, that’s not what I said. Whatever Soren said to you is a lie. Can we please just talk about this?”

  “Then tell me what Soren was talking about. What did you do the night before Myra left?”

  “Nothing… let’s talk about this later, when we’re sober.”

  “And give you more time to think up a better lie? No. We’re talking about this right now. I already know you fucked someone else, you told me. Is that what Soren’s talking about?”

  “Soren would say anything if he thought it would hurt me, he’s hated me since the day he met me.”

  “Why does he hate you?”

  “He wanted Myra for himself.”

  “Maybe she should have gone for him. At least with him you know what he wants.”

  “Keira. I know I was confused with Myra. I was young, an idiot. But I know what I want now, and it’s you. Just you.”

  She pursed her lips shut and stared at him, tears welling in her big, grey eyes.

  “If you want me, then tell me,” she said, slowly rising to her feet.

  “I will, just—“

  “Now.”

  “Keira…”

  “I need some time,” she said. “I’m going on tomorrow’s patrol alone.”

  His stomach dropped.

  “You can’t go alone, that’s insane. I’m going with you.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said, “it’s close to camp, it’s within earshot.”

  “You aren’t ready.”

  “I’m not ready?” she said, tone suddenly laced with acid. “I saved your ass, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah, but that was one Elf. What if you run into more? Just let me teach you some offensive moves first, just like we talked about.”

  “Maybe that’s what we should have done today instead,” she said, gritting her teeth. “But you would rather have a pool party. Jessa’s tits are more important than my training.”

  “Whoa, how the hell did you come to that conclusion? I just thought it’d be a nice treat—“

  “Oh yeah, I’d love to spend time with my bully roommate and some guy you hate. That sounds like a perfect day!”

  “Why didn’t you say something then?” he asked, standing up beside her.

  “I didn’t know it would turn into this, I can’t See everything.”

  “Then let me make it up to you,” he said, reaching for her, “let’s go on patrol together, and when we get back—“

  “No,” she said, jerking away, “I’m going alone.”

  She turned and disappeared through the tent flap before he could think of another argument.

  Frustration percolated in the back of his throat, rooting him to the spot as he stared at the blank canvas of his tent where she had stood. How had this all gone to shit so quickly?

  She was right about the sauna situation. It was stupid of him to think that was a good idea. He was just so excited by the idea of pissing off Soren, and he thought it would be a fun, romantic gesture… but he was a fool and invited Jessa too. If he had stopped for 2 seconds he would have realized just how unromantic that idea was, but no.

  He needed to go find her. Apologize, for at least that part. Then they could talk about her vision and find out what triggered it. It couldn’t be real. They had to figure out where it was coming from. Then once they had sobered up, once they were okay, he’d tell her about what happened the night before Myra left. The truth.

  CHAPTER 17 – KEIRA

  Keira wrapped her arms tighter around her knees and tried to catch her breath. This anger, this doubt. It wasn’t because of Hale, it was Hunter. This whole situation with Hale was tainted through the lens of her Ex’s betrayal. She’d exploded at Hale, but as soon as she’d left his tent she realized just how irrational it all was. She huddled in closer to the wheel of the artillery wagon, wishing she could just disappear into the spokes… then she could just keep rolling forward, not be stuck in the fucking past.

  Then again maybe this wasn’t all because of Hunter. Maybe she was lying to herself. As much as she wanted it to be true, what if Hale Draven was just as bad? What if those soothing yellow-green eyes hid nothing but lies? Why wouldn’t he just tell her what had happened that night? Between that, and the hiding, and the way he flirted with Jessa, and that vision… it was all adding up to more than she could ignore.

  “Did he finally tell you then?”

  Keira lifted her head and saw Soren standing above her, arms crossed, face smug.

  “Go away,” she said, dropping her head again. She wanted the truth, but she knew enough to know Soren wouldn’t give it to her.

  “I know,” he said, his voice closer as he dropped down beside her, “I didn’t believe it either. Such a violation of trust.”

  Trust? Hale’s version of the story had been pretty straight forward. He’d told Myra to leave him alone, she didn’t. That was that. Had he lied to her?

  “He’d told Myra he couldn’t see her that night, because he needed to work on battle strategy,” Soren continued, he snaked a hand over her knee. “I’m only telling you this because I don’t want him getting away with it again.”

  “Get your hands off her.” Keira knew it was Hale before she even lifted her head.

  “I don’t think you want me to do that,” Soren chuckled, voice dark. “You’re gonna need me to hold her down.”

  “Why?” Keira said, lifting her bloodshot eyes.

  “Because I was just about to tell you how Ravin’ Draven fucked the Captain that night.”

  “What?” Keira rasped.

  “That’s right, our dear old Angeline,” Soren sneered.

  Hale balled his fists, sparks of blue spraying out from his clutches. “You piece—“

  “No. You’re the piece of shit, Hale,” Keira cut in. “You’re a fucking liar.” She squirmed against Soren’s grasp.

  Soren laughed and anchored her to the ground. He wanted to watch her get mad. He wanted to watch her destroy Hale Draven.

  Destroy him she would.

  “Keira, I never lied to you—“

  “Bullshit. I directly asked you if you and the Captain were a thing. You lied to my face.”

  “We’re not a thing, we never were a thing—“

&nb
sp; “Just a ‘one-nighter’, right?” Keira spat, finally wiggling loose. She clamored to her feet and stomped over to Hale, finger in his face. “Just a ‘one-nighter’ who brings you pizza? Who shares your inside jokes? Who tells you not to see me anymore? Who we have to hide from?”

  “Just let me explain, without him here,” Hale said, eyes wide. “Please.” He reached for her shoulders, she jerked away.

  “He’s the only way I’m going to get a confession out of you,” Keira said, jabbing her finger into Hale’s chest. “Talk.”

  “Keira…”

  “I have an idea,” Soren said, whipping out the bottle of moonshine. “If he won’t tell you, just read his mind. Watch it for yourself. He fucked the Captain, I don’t know why he’s bothering to deny it.”

  “I’m not denying it,” Hale spat, lunging for Soren.

  Soren scrambled to his feet and leapt out of the way, snatching a blade from the artillery wagon. He held it and the bottle out in front of him. “Well there you go, he confessed. I can make him drink if you want to See it for yourself.”

  “No,” Keira said, “we’re done here.”

  “Keira, don’t listen to him. Please, give me a chance,” Hale said, yellow-green eyes brimmed with hazy regret.

  “You had a chance to tell me,” Keira said.

  “I didn’t know what I was doing that night, I was wasted,” Hale said, grappling for her arms. He fell to his knees as she pulled away.

  “Oh, that makes it perfectly okay then,” Keira said, jaw tight. “Maybe you should just kill this bottle and then you’ll have a free pass to fuck Jessa too.” She snatched the bottle from Soren and tossed it to Hale. It landed in the dirt and rolled to a stop at his knees, a tiny red cloud of dust swirling with it.

  “Nothing is happening with Jessa,” he said, voice shaking. “Nothing is happening with Angeline. That was a one-time mistake. For both of us. I should have told you sooner. I was going to, it had to be the right time.”

  “The right time?” she said, eyes narrowed, “I had to wait for the truth? And in the meantime it was okay to lie? What the fuck, Hale?”