by Rachel Jonas
Soft giggles and chatter fluttered into the air, and I knew I needed this—to get off campus and just hang with folks whose biggest decisions they faced were whether to wear Velcro or lace-up shoes. Those were my kind of people.
“Done,” Sydney announced, beaming from ear to ear.
The last time I’d seen her she was huddled in a bathroom, terrified of the raging Darkness. Tonight, she was all smiles.
I accepted the mirror I was handed, and observed the girls’ work.
“Oh!” was my initial reaction, but I curbed the shock. “It’s … beautiful!”
Their hands were back in my hair as each one wanted to show which braid she did, hoping to take credit.
“Well, I think you all did a great job,” I assured them. “Thanks to you, I’m more beautiful than ever. Maybe one day, I’ll even be as pretty as all of you.”
So many warm grins came my way, my heart just about melted.
Standing from where they had me sitting for the last hour, in the middle of their shared bedroom floor, I moved toward the door.
“Wait! What about makeup?” one called out, holding a small kit with brightly colored eyeshadow.
“I … why don’t we save that for next time,” I suggested, hoping I’d successfully maneuvered my way out of that idea.
The girl nodded and closed the case, before shoving it back inside her nightstand drawer.
“Go show the boys,” Sydney suggested with a grin. “I’ll bet they’ll love you even more like this.”
I chuckled, nodding in agreement. “I’ll bet you’re right. Wish me luck.”
They rushed me with hugs, and I could hardly make myself let them go. When I did, they went back to playing—some with the dollhouse near the window, others forming a huddle at the foot of a bed to color together.
There was so much love and light in this house. It made me grateful for the work the guys all did on the island to keep them safe.
My thoughts shifted back to a conversation I had with Ori, when he shared that they were the reason the Firekeepers fought so hard to restore order. Seeing the kids all happy and safe, I completely understood why my guys were so driven.
The steps creaked as I made my way down them, intent on finding at least one of the four, but I stopped at the front door, peering out onto the porch through the screen. There, perched on the steps, was Malu. In my head, he was more affectionately known as Malu The Brave. His heroics the night of the attack had earned him that title.
Kai had told me his story, about how he lost both parents to The Darkness several years ago. Even through that, having seen firsthand what the dark presence could do, he still enacted a plan to save his friends.
If that wasn’t bravery, I don’t know what was.
“Mind if I join you?” I asked, stepping out onto the porch.
Large, brown eyes peered up from his seat on the steps, and then came a smile.
“Sure. Just watching the stars.”
Dropping down beside him, I faced the sky, too. The night was clear, and here on the island, the twinkling lights seemed so much brighter than at home, where the lights of surrounding cities dimmed them.
“You doing okay?” I asked, glancing at him for a moment.
In my peripheral vision, I saw him give a small nod. “Yeah. It just gets crowded in there sometimes, so I sit out here where it’s quiet.”
A small laugh left my mouth. “I can relate. Living in a dorm is kind of the same way.”
“You share a room?” he asked.
“I do,” I nodded. “With my best friend, Toni.”
His eyes flitted toward me a sec, full of curiosity. “Toni? The Omegas don’t mind you sharing with a guy?”
This time when I laughed, it was a big one. “While I’m sure they wouldn’t like that a whole lot, they have nothing to worry about,” I shared. “Because Toni—spelled with an “I”—is a girl.”
Malu gave a look as his mouth formed an O, but no sound came out.
“How many of your friends are in your room?” I asked next.
He held up his hand, with all five fingers spread apart.
I nodded. “Cool. I’ll bet they all look up to you.”
A proud smile crossed his face. “Maybe a little.”
“I figured. Especially with how you look out for them.”
His head bobbed and a mop of shoulder-length curls swayed with the motion. “That’s what family does,” he said. “They look out for each other.”
I turned to face him—this kid who was wise beyond his years. “Couldn’t agree with you more.”
His gaze was set on my hand. “Cool tattoo. Does it mean anything?”
I glanced at it. “It does. My dad has one just like it. Reminds me that I can always find my way home, no matter what.”
Malu peered up. “You miss them? Your family?”
The sting of emotion that hit whenever someone asked that question still hadn’t faded. “So much.”
“Your sisters and brothers?”
“One sister, and one brother,” I corrected with a smile. “And yes, I miss them a lot, but how’d you know I wasn’t an only child?”
Malu shrugged. “I just know things,” was the only answer he gave. “Like … I know you’re really sad right now, and a little scared.”
My heart lurched with those words, and his eyes found mine. He wore a look that made me believe he wasn’t sure he should have said anything, but there was no taking it back.
“I’m—”
“It’s because you think there’s something wrong with you.”
Again, I stared, speechless.
My gaze followed Malu when he stood, his silhouette outlined in moonlight. Slowly, he lifted his hands, placing one on my forehead, the other on my shoulder. Then, to my surprise, words left his mouth, but they were spoken over a beautiful melody.
As much as I wished I understood the lyrics, it didn’t matter. It was perfect even without interpretation. After a couple verses, Malu went silent, and my skin cooled when he removed his hands.
I peered up with a smile. “What was the song?”
“A traditional Sanluuk blessing,” he explained. “It’s to keep you safe.”
He sat beside me again and a feeling of gratitude washed over me, that this child thought enough of me to bless me.
“Thank you. I need it.” A humorless laugh slipped out.
“No matter what happens, never forget who you are,” were the last words he spoke before one of the staff came to the screen.
“Time to turn in, buddy,” the woman announced.
Malu stood, and then headed inside. I sat there a bit longer, thinking about what he said, about not forgetting who I am. That hadn’t been so easy lately, and the statement was surprisingly fitting, especially coming from a kid.
I eventually went in, too, set on a path for the sunroom off the back of the house. There, the Omegas had been hanging out with a few kids who roped them into a night of board games and bad knock-knock jokes.
They meant more to me than I ever realized they could—a fact that was driven home even more as laughter fluttered into the corridor where I now stood listening. These children loved and depended on them for so much, and knowing the guys’ hearts were big enough to love them all made me even more grateful for my place within the hive.
Only, in the few weeks that passed since Ty’s visit, I was beginning to feel distant. Not because they froze me out, not because my feelings had fizzled, but rather because I wasn’t sure Chief Makana hadn’t been right. There was no guarantee I wasn’t the Omega Hive’s curse.
A warm tear slipped down my cheek at the thought of it, the dread in my heart contrasted by the happy sounds coming from the sunroom. I wanted to be a part of the guys’ world more than I realized, and the idea of this time with them only being temporary broke my heart.
There was only one thing I could think of that would be worse than having to separate from them, and that was the idea of being responsible f
or their demise.
As effective warriors.
As a hive.
Soft conversation came from the opposite direction, stealing my attention. One voice was male, the other female. Seeing as how they were both adults, I knew they were members of the staff. Their hushed tones made me curious, so I leaned in.
“I’ve heard two will be chosen this time,” the guy said. “I guess that’s the Council’s way of seeing if doubling the lottery selection will somehow restore balance.”
My brow quirked hearing that word—lottery. I had no idea what it meant, but the two discussing it seemed distraught, which made this … lottery … seem like a bad thing.
“I don’t think it’ll make a difference,” the woman said. “I can only pray they find a better solution, one that’s not so hard on the people.”
They piqued my interest, and I tucked this information away in the back of my mind. Whatever this lottery was, it sounded like the inhabitants of the island were unhappy with it, and felt it was time for change.
Maybe the guys knew something about it and wouldn’t mind me prying in island business. Once things between us weren’t so tense, I’d ask.
Chapter Fifteen
Noelle
“Don’t stop! Right there!”
I popped one eye open and stared at Blythe. Was she really going to pretend she didn’t hear that?
Somewhere in the basement—our makeshift dojo—a couple had been screwing for the past twenty minutes.
“Faster. Faster!” A strange sound followed those words, when the girl who uttered it lost control.
Naturally, I snorted a bit.
“Ignore them,” Blythe said drably, still sitting with her eyes closed.
The laugh I held in slipped a little. “Ignore them? It sounds like she’s getting teeth pulled over there!”
Blythe stayed stone-faced for about three seconds, before I saw the corner of her mouth twitch. The girl screeched again, and Blythe sighed with frustration.
“Seriously, dude! Just bust a freakin’ nut and keep it moving!” she yelled. “Some of us are trying to get in touch with our spiritual side over here!”
“Blythe!” I whispered, mouth gaping open.
“What? They’re rude,” she reasoned. “And someone’s really bad at his job if it’s taking this long to get the poor girl across the finish line.” That last part was also yelled loudly for the lovebirds to hear.
I didn’t muffle my laugh this time, seeing as how it was no longer a secret we were unintentionally eavesdropping. Needless to say, the serene vibe we hoped to achieve was nowhere to be found today, but it was okay. We’d been at this a couple weeks and I could honestly say the meditation was helping. I hadn’t lost control or experienced anything weird since we began, but this was just our starting point. She had a plan, and we would eventually involve magic. For now, it kind of just felt like hanging out.
Which, needless to say, had taken a little getting used to.
Blythe and I hadn’t been friendly in years. However, I was starting to look forward to meeting with her. Mostly, our interactions had been surface-level, nothing too deep, but dare I say we had fun. Maybe it was her dry sense of humor, or her outspoken nature, but it was kind of cool being around someone who knew what it was like to be an outcast.
The couple had gone quiet, so either they’d taken Blythe’s advice and finished quickly, or they took off when they realized they weren’t alone. Either way, they successfully ruined our session, like I guessed we had just ruined theirs.
I stood and checked the time.
“Shoot, I should run,” I announced, not realizing it had gotten so late.
“Got a hot date?” she asked, teasing with a smile.
“Eh … something like that.” If you called hooking up with the Omegas to meet Kai’s aunt a date. Apparently, they thought she might have some answers for us.
Blythe moved around the space gathering her candles to place them in a bag.
“Oh, I was kidding,” she chuckled. “Didn’t realize you’d met someone since coming here.”
While, yeah, the wall between us was starting to weaken a bit, I wasn’t willing to spill all my secrets.
“Uh … yeah,” I admitted. “It’s fairly new, so—”
She nodded, stooping to grab the blanket we’d been sitting on to fold it. “Well, you should hurry before he comes looking for you.”
I smiled at that, substituting the word ‘he’ for ‘they’ in my thoughts—they would come looking for me.
I took a step toward the door once everything had been gathered, but I didn’t turn the knob. Glancing back, Blythe raised a brow.
“Isn’t your dude waiting for you?” she asked.
She was right, I needed to take off, but there was a huge elephant in the room, and I couldn’t go another day without addressing it.
“Hang on a sec,” I sighed. “We can’t keep doing this.”
She quirked a smile. “Can’t keep doing … what?”
“Acting like nothing happened, like there’s no bad blood between us.”
Blythe lowered her head, but she said nothing.
“Listen,” I said breathily, “I’m not trying to start anything, but I need to know why? What did I do that was so bad that you made my life a living hell?”
I stared at her long, dark hair when she set her things down and pushed a hand through the strands. My heart hammered inside my chest and I prayed there were no tears as I allowed myself to relive all the hurt and torment.
“There really is no explanation,” she admitted. “Not one that serves as a valid excuse anyway.”
“Well, I’d still love to hear the reason.”
The side of her lip clamped between her teeth as she took a breath, seeming to search for the right words.
“Jealousy?” The word left her mouth as more of a question than a fact. As if she wasn’t quite sure that had been the right term to use. “You had it all—the loving family, so much potential with your magic,” she listed. “There were things going on with me that you didn’t know about at the time. And I can admit I let it get the best of me, let it change me.”
My brow pulled together. “Things? What things?”
Blythe settled back on her heels, shoving both hands in her pockets.
“Mostly emotional abuse,” she sighed, “and some physical.”
When she finally peered up at me, I didn’t know what to say.
“You never told me anything.”
“Because I didn’t want to talk about it. Time at school, time with you … that was when I was able to forget, pretend none of it was happening.”
My arms settled across my chest when I folded them, feeling some of the tension leave my body.
“I’m sure you remember my mom and I didn’t have the best relationship.”
The statement made me recall a number of nights she begged to sleep over with my family, and how my parents had taken her under their wing.
I nodded. “I remember things were tense between you two.”
“Yeah, well, it was a little deeper than that. There were things I could never quite find the words to say.”
I wasn’t sure what that meant, which made my stomach tighten in knots.
“Mom was violent, and she was powerful. So, imagine trying to contend with a witch who’s mean, and nasty, and not afraid to use her magic against her own daughter.” A humorless laugh slipped from Blythe’s lips. “I knew I’d need to defend myself against her one day, knew I had to learn to be stronger than her. So, that’s what I did,” she admitted. “That’s why I turned to dark magic.”
Her eyes slipped from mine again and I didn’t miss the shame that filled them.
“It changed things. Changed me,” she sighed. “Dabbling on that side made me more powerful, yes, but it also made me angry, and mean, and capable of doing things I never thought I’d do,” she added. “Things like hurting my best friend.”
Water pooled in the corners of her eye
s, but she still wouldn’t look at me.
“It got out of hand,” she admitted. “And once I was in it deep, I couldn’t find my way out. It wasn’t until maybe this past year that I’ve pulled back a little, slowly working my way back toward the light, but it’s been hard,” she said with a nod. “Dark energy is like a drug. You get addicted to not feeling, not caring. Because that’s what I needed back when I was with my mom—not to feel or care.”
So much animosity had been trapped inside me for so many years, it was almost hard to find sympathy within my heart for her. A small part of me wondered if this story was even true, because it wouldn’t be the first time she manipulated me. It would have been so easy to take this opportunity to be mean and vindictive, tossing her explanation aside.
But …
I didn’t think this was fake. Mostly because I knew the relationship with her mom had been rocky, and it wasn’t a stretch to think she’d been abusive as well. So, for a young girl whose father was never around, and who was ashamed to tell the world what she endured at home in private, I could understand her decision. She turned to dark magic to gain strength, but it cost her something, changed who she was.
“I’m so, so sorry for how I treated you,” she choked out, struggling to hold in tears. “I was awful to you, and I’ve wanted to apologize for years, but couldn’t quite figure out how. I mean, what do you say to the girl you dropped like a bad habit, and then tormented?”
My own eyes were watering now, feeling her pain—past and present.
“You already said it,” I assured her. “And I forgive you.”
She didn’t wait for me to embrace her, instead she locked both arms around my neck first, holding on tight.
“Thanks for trusting me,” I said into her ear. “And I’m sorry you felt so alone back then.”
“I should have been a better friend,” she sniffled.
“It’s okay.” I said, squeezing her tighter. “There’s still time.”
Chapter Sixteen
Noelle
Surprisingly, there was no pressure to explain why I exited the dorm with red-rimmed eyes. The guys seemed to accept my answer, that I’d simply had an emotional conversation with a friend.
