"And what's the threat to the Leylines?" Kade leaned back. "You told me some of it at the Kinship. What else?"
"Well, if the Daemoneum black enough gates, reroute them into the Infernal and Nocturnal Planes, the Mortal Plane, along with the Celestial Plane, will turn into hadean planes, and destroy everything."
"Hadean?"
"Hellish. The grid that covers the Earth is its protection. That grid also spans out into the universe, encompassing other planes. Without the electromagnetic field's protection, the solar winds will create fire planes. A virtual hell."
"So, the Daemoneum want to create some kind of hell?"
"Yes."
"I'm confused. Can't the Primordial just leave? You aren't from this planet?”
He grinned. "Neither are you."
She still found that hard to grasp.
"This is what we do," he said. "What we've always done. Even before humans inhabited the planet, we were protecting it. The Celestial Plane is connected to the Mortal Plane, among others. Everything in the universe is connected in some way. Everything runs on electromagnetism. No magnetic field...no Earth, no Celestial Plane, and no Primordial."
"Oh." Her chin dropped. "And the Daemoneum would survive? Don't they use magnetism, too?"
"They do, but they gather strength from negative energy that exists in the universe. They want everything to be blacked. It makes them stronger."
"You really are a good guy, aren't you?"
"Sometimes." He smiled. "Anything else?"
"What happened to your face?"
He averted his eyes. "That's not a fledgling related question."
"No," Kade said. "But I still want to know."
His hand stilled on her leg. "It's not a story you'll like."
"Tell me anyway."
"Danny and I were investigating an abandoned mine, a coal mine, for Daemoneum activity. They use mines and caves and such to stay undetected. In this one there were about ten Leygates at the end of the shaft. I was able to shut the first two down," he said. "And I thought that the third one was a Leygate into the Hive, that's what we call a large collection of Nefarius or Devil's Children. Alveare in Latin."
Kade nodded.
"And the gate turned out to be Sheol access that led to the Infernal Plane."
Kade's mouth dropped open. She'd heard enough stories about the Infernal Plane from Dracon. Lost souls trapped forever with demons.
"It sucked me into it." Cole traced a little circle on the top of Kade's hand. "Just like when I was eight years old. I should've known better. I do know better. I was distracted."
"Cole." She touched his mouth where the cut stretched over his skin.
"And Kyle was there."
"Kyle? Kyle was where?"
"At the other end of the gate, waiting for me. We got into it, he fled like the coward that he is, and now he's disappeared off the radar." He let go of her hand and leaned back.
A shiver ran through Kade's body, and she was sure Cole felt it because he immediately sat back up.
"Hey, don't worry. I won't let Kyle anywhere near you."
"I'm not worried about that. I can take care of myself, but you, if this, you being friends with me, or you standing up for me that day in the parking lot is causing this, then—I can't."
"You aren't causing this." He squeezed her hand.
"Then what is?"
"Kyle said he was working with, or for, Dracon. I don't know if I believe him, but he, he shifted into a Shadow."
"What?" Kade's voice echoed off the cave walls.
"I didn't want to tell you." Cole stared at her. "But there is a threat. Danny's been watching your house while I've been in the infirmary, and Giselle's been keeping guard at school."
"For how long?" Her voice shrilled. "How long have they been doing that?"
"Just since Thursday night. After I got hurt." He rubbed his forehead. "It's still sinking in for everyone, and the Warden has us all on high alert. It's sort of a waiting game at this point since we have no idea what Kyle will do."
Kade stared, immobile. She wasn't mad at anyone, they were only looking out for her, but the fact that she didn't know that they were, and they were treating her like a child by not saying anything...
"Kade." Cole rubbed his forehead again. "Don't get mad. I asked them to do it. Get mad at me if you want to be mad at someone."
"I'm not...mad, but I'm not helpless, either. I know you all think I am, but I'm not. I've been fighting the Shadows all my life. I can take care of myself."
"No one thinks you're helpless, least of all me. I've seen what you can do," he admitted. "At least some of what you can do, but that doesn't mean I want you going head to head with Kyle, or anyone for that matter. You've had no training and you're running on pure instinct."
"What do you mean you've seen what I can do?" Fear spiked in her chest and she wanted to scoot over, away from him.
Cole groaned. "The reason I asked Danny to watch over you was because I couldn't," he said. "I was in the hospital, so I couldn't, but I have been. Watching you." He met her accusing stare. "I have been since the night we met at Crystalline."
"You've been watching me?" She did scoot over that time, all the way over. "Why?"
"Because...shit, Sparrow, I was worried." His voice rose. "You freaking tackled me in a club full of people. I didn't think you had any idea what you were, and to be honest, even though you keep saying you know some of this Primordial stuff I've told you, there are still too many weird connections that aren't making sense." Cole stared at the ceiling, resting back on his hands. "The Shadow at Crystalline that I killed said, 'he would come for her.' It said something about the Patriarchae. I'm still not sure who that is, but I was afraid that it meant you when it said, 'her.' It was hunting you in the club, Kade, and I wanted to make sure you were safe, so I tracked Lindsey's car to your house afterward and made sure Giselle had taken you home like I'd told her to and nothing had followed you home."
She stared at him. He'd done that? For her? A complete stranger? He'd been worried about her? Someone he didn't even know?
"Nothing had followed you," Cole went on. "But I still didn't feel good about it. It kept haunting me, so I went back to your house on Sunday, and on Monday, and that's when I saw Dracon stalking the woods under your bedroom window."
She let out a shaky breath.
"And after you fell and hit your head in the woods, I stayed with you. All night. Even though I knew I was breaking the Doctrine by doing it, protecting someone who wasn't one of my own, but I couldn't just leave you. I didn't want to leave you, and I told the Warden that when he summoned me because of what I'd done."
Kade couldn't speak.
"And I've watched your house every day since," Cole went on. "Waited until your dad got home every night before I left, and Danny watched it when I couldn't, and you can be mad all you want, but I'm not apologizing for doing any of it, because I would do it all over again. I would do it all over and more just to keep you safe, and I know that sounds insane. I get it. Danny tells me every chance he gets that the way I feel about you is something that I need to get over, that it will never work, that I'm breaking the biggest rule of all by wanting to be with you, but I can't get over it, and I have no idea why that is, or why you're so deep under my skin, because I've never felt this way about anyone before, so I don't know how I'm supposed to just turn it off, walk away from you, pretend I don't—"
Kade launched herself at him. "Shut up," she whispered, kissing him. "Just shut up. You are all I want."
Cole's arms wrapped around her, his mouth pressed hard against hers, and they tumbled off the edge of the pool, into the bottle green swirling water, sinking toward the bottom, and Kade didn't care if it was the last breath she ever took, as long as her last breath was mingled with Cole's.
22
THE SUN WAS SETTING as they walked back toward the Jeep, Cole's hand holding Kade's. "Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked in his sweet, shy voice.
"What about the '
rules'? You aren't allowed to..." Kade stopped. "Not that that's what you meant...I mean…"
Cole faced her, holding her hips. "Let me rephrase that in the proper way. I want to date you, Kade. Not just make out with you in some hidden cave in the middle of nowhere, but date you. Just you and just me."
Her breath rushed out, heart hammering.
"And, yes, before you say it, I know that means I'm breaking more rules than I can probably count, and that we would have to stay under the radar, but I don't care." He gazed at her. "I want to be with you. I've wanted to be with you since you tackled me." He grinned. "You were trying to protect me that night, weren't you?"
"Yes, but—"
"You didn't even think about your own safety when you did that, did you?" His fingers ran over her jaw.
"No, I didn't, but even if my dad did allow me to date, which he doesn't," she stammered, "Primeva are forbidden to date Primori, and I..." She gazed at him, still not convinced that she was a Primeva anyway. "And I...why would you risk that for me? We could get caught. You could. I can't ask you to do that."
"I don't think I've ever gotten that kind of reaction before." He glanced at the sky like he was pondering it over.
Her blood boiled and she stepped back. "I really don't want to hear about what kind of reactions you've gotten with any other girls you've asked out, and I know everyone at school wants—"
He grabbed her waist, pulling her back to him, and kissed her. Kade's hands wrapped around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair. "Please, go out with me," he whispered, against her mouth. "I was totally kidding."
Kade made a growling sound, kissing him again.
"Is that a yes?" He smiled against her mouth. "That feels like a yes."
"Yes." She nodded with what she knew was a stupid smile. "Definitely. Yes."
Cole picked her up off the ground and kissed her again.
***
Monday morning's drive to school had Kade's stomach in knots. After spending the entire day alone with Cole at the spring on Saturday, and texting him on Sunday, she couldn't imagine how they were going to pretend to just be friends. There was also the uncomfortable situation with Kade leaving the dance with Cole instead of Jake. An issue she had absolutely no clue how she was going to handle when it came up.
She noticed Cole's Jeep immediately as she pulled into the dirt parking lot on campus, and the knots in her stomach grew into flutters. She still couldn't believe Cole had asked her to be his girlfriend. That he was her boyfriend. That he wanted her. She didn't think she would ever get to use the word boyfriend until college, maybe, but with everything that had happened in the past week, she was beginning to wonder if college was an option anymore. From the way Cole described it, once a Primordial graduated from high school, they were placed in various positions throughout the Ward. She was anxious about that, as well, but maybe she could be a Primeva. Just blend in with everyone else. Learn all the ins and outs of this new life she'd been catapulted into. A real life. One she'd never imagined she could have.
Kade tracked across the slush and tried to suppress the grin that tugged at her lip when Cole stared at her from across the parking lot with a sweet tilt of his head. The unmistakable yellow color of Tiffany's hair came into view as she walked closer. Kade's steps slowed, pulse racing, as she realized the girl's hand was on Cole's jaw, near the cut on his mouth. Kade's grin vanished. The girl's hand lingered on Cole's face for no more than a second before he shrugged her off. Kade averted her eyes and walked straight past them, the flutters and knots in her stomach boiling into acid.
***
Giselle waited by the stairwell, a bright pink backpack slung over her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I like your new backpack."
"Thanks. Lindsey got it for me."
"That was sweet." Kade pictured Tiffany's hand on Cole's face and reached into her pocket, fingers searching for her crystal. The usual calming effect was absent. She might as well have been holding a chunk of asphalt. Rolling the crystal between her fingers, she pulled it out and looked down. Its multifaceted faces sparkled. The same crystal she always used.
"Is there a reason you're being so quiet? Are you mad about the other night? I'm really sorry I told you that way." Giselle exited the stairwell onto the second floor.
"It's not that. I already knew most of it." Sort of. "About me, anyway, and even though it's completely crazy that you and Lindsey are, well, you know, it's good." Kade nodded. "I'm glad you're like me." Or whatever.
"Yeah?" Giselle smiled. "I figured Cole filled you in on everything, but I wasn't sure if, well, you would freak out. A lot of newcomers do. So, you're really okay with it?"
"I really am. Thanks for worrying. It's nice having a friend."
Giselle did a little hop skip move. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong then?"
Cole stood by the door to American History, ankles crossed, hands in his pockets. Kade's gaze tracked his body up and down, and the way he grinned at her when her gaze reached his face, like he was beckoning her, should've been illegal. He smirked, and she forced herself to not smile. How he had made it to class before she did, she'd rather not know. Probably ran at light speed, which was so risky, and he knew it. He was still supposed to be taking it easy per the Warden, not to mention his doctor, but he clearly wasn't heeding anyone's advice.
"Nothing's wrong." Kade lied, still staring at Cole, wanting to run to him, throw her arms around him, kiss him, claim him, while simultaneously yelling at him for parking his Jeep next to Tiffany's car...for talking to her at all. Letting her touch his face.
"Right." Giselle glanced between Kade and Cole, gazes locked on each other. "There's about as much of nothing wrong with you, as there's nothing wrong with me."
“What? Was that even a complete sentence, because it made no sense?"
Giselle walked into the classroom. "Actually, it made complete sense." She sank down in her chair.
"Okay, then tell me what's wrong."
Cole brushed his hand against Kade's shoulder as he walked in. She ignored him, or she tried to. He was hard to ignore. The heat he emitted was like a drug, luring her to look at him, smile at him, talk to him...Kade forced her focus to stay on Giselle.
"It's nothing." Giselle shrugged. "Really, I'm fine." She leaned over and unzipped her backpack.
"Hey, G?"
"Yeah?" She set her notebook on her desk.
"You can tell me anything. Anything at all. I'm good at keeping secrets and I never judge."
Giselle glanced at her notebook. "Thanks."
"All right everyone," Mr. Robbins spoke. "Since all of you enjoyed our DVD on the American Revolution last week, and you all passed the quiz, I've decided to show another one."
Hoots rang through the room.
"Again?" Giselle groaned. "I'm going to fall asleep."
Cole shifted his desk into the center of the aisle, the same way he'd done the first time they watched a DVD, and nudged it forward little by little until it was wedged next to Kade's.
"Hey." He smiled.
"Hey." Kade faced forward, tapping her fingers on her desk.
"Hey, Giselle," Cole said.
Giselle rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously going to do this every time we watch a movie?" She jumped her desk over, away from him. As much as Giselle complained about Cole, and told Kade that he was an ass and trouble, to stay away from him, there was a constant affection in her tone whenever she talked to him that Kade found curious.
"Maybe." Cole stretched his legs out, leaning back in his seat.
Giselle stared at him. "You really have it bad, don't you?"
Kade coughed, choked really, but Cole only smirked.
"You have no idea." He tilted his head toward Kade, light eyes sparkling, and he reached over, squeezing her thigh with his hand.
Kade's body flooded with heat. So, maybe she'd overreacted a little bit about the Tiffany thing. It happens.
***
Since
Kade was officially under everyone's watch, Giselle was sticking to her like glue, or really thick paste. Her only break was in American History and Algebra because those were the classes she had with Cole. She kept wondering if she was going to spot Jake in the hallway since they didn't have Calculus together anymore, and what she would say when she did, but she never saw him, and she wasn't sure if she should be thankful or worried.
Lindsey was also missing from school.
"Is Lindsey sick?" Kade asked when she and Giselle sat down for lunch.
"Not really."
"Oh."
Giselle poked at her food, even her ketchup sat in a red puddle on her plate.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"
"I'm not sure how to tell you." She dragged her fork through the ketchup so it created long red lines on her pink plastic lunch tray.
"How about you start by telling me what it's about?"
She continued to drag her fork around. "Telling you what it's about is the same as telling you, period."
"We could trade secrets if you want." Kade opened her water.
Giselle popped her head up. "What kind of secrets?"
"Whatever kind you want. A secret for a secret."
"What if it's a secret you can never tell anyone?" Giselle looked back at her tray.
"I think that's the definition of the word, G."
She nodded. "Do you have a secret that you can never tell anyone? Something that's bad? That people would hate you for if they knew?"
Kade tried not laugh. "No one is going to hate you."
"People will. It's not something...that's looked on in a good light." She took a sip of water.
"I'm dating Cole," Kade blurted out. "Like officially dating him. As of Saturday.”
Giselle spit her water across the table. "What? That's completely...I mean, I know you like each other, it's so damn obvious, but Kade, that's—"
"Forbidden. I know."
"It's more than that." Giselle's green eyes were wide. "Cole...the Ward, it's his life, his entire life. It's all he knows, and he..." She shook her head like she couldn't get the right words out.
"He what?"
"He never opens up to anyone. Until he met Danny, he was basically a loner. No friends, his parents were still in Rome, and I guess Plumb had a really hard time getting him to talk to her, associate with the other kids in the Brotherhood. He was pretty messed up from what I heard."
CRYSTALLUM (The Primordial Principles Book 1) Page 25
