I had the mental strength to suppress what I’d done, along with the guilt.
Opening my eyes, I slipped my feet into a pair of loosely tied boots at the bottom of my closet. Running a lazy hand through my hair, I kicked my backpack, which had been tossed beside my boots, into the middle of the room before lazily picking it up.
Standing and hooking one strap over my left shoulder, I turned and came face to face with Wes. I nearly doubled back, suddenly sobering as his smiling face observed me.
“Tired?” he asked.
I swallowed, avoiding his gaze, hoping he couldn’t see the glossy look in my eyes that I knew was there. My heart was heavy with shame, heavier than it had been a moment ago. Why hadn’t I heard his thoughts as he entered the room? Then I remembered the blissful side effect of what I had done, the side effect that numbed my ability to hear other’s thoughts. I smiled to myself. I had forgotten how great it felt, how silent and simple it was when left alone in my own head. Hearing every thought from every passing individual was admittedly daunting, but something I’d always dealt with.
I shook my head. “No. I’m not too tired,” I finally answered him.
His smile faded, but I couldn’t tell exactly what that meant. Did he suspect that I had done something, or was he simply thinking that this was to be expected given it was my first day back at school? Never did I anticipate finding myself wishing I could hear his thoughts. Maybe I didn’t like feeling this way, not anymore. I was better than this.
“Well, better get it over with,” he went on, talking as though I could hear what he was thinking.
I pretended I had, trying to roll my eyes and look as much like myself as I could. Wes turned and I followed him out of the room and down the stairs. At his car I quickly got inside and buckled in. “Get it together, Emily,” I whispered to myself as Wes rounded the hood of the car and got in on his side. I smiled at him, feigning exhaustion.
“Just relax,” he squeezed my knee before putting his hand on the shifter and starting the car. “I promise to take you to Winter Wood after all this. Just keep your mind on that.”
I wished I could keep my mind on that, but the whispers that felt like they had been miles away were now right beside me. I wished I could ignore the voice, pretend I didn’t recognize the voice, but as it came clear, I began to panic.
“What are your plans, then?” Greg echoed in my head.
I wondered if he were talking to me, but then another voice joined in.
“We’ve accomplished step one, and step two is underway. We’ve toppled most of the eastern priories, and now we must focus on a plan for Winter Wood,” A female voice answered.
I looked sideways at Wes as we drove slowly out of our cul-de-sac. I knew he couldn’t hear any of this, but I began to hope he could.
“Taking care of Jane was the easy part, my dear Greg. Now we need to get rid of your brother.”
Suddenly I recognized the female voice. It was Avery.
“Get rid of him? Like kill him? If you kill him you’ll kill me!” Greg whined frantically. I was surprised to hear him act so weak.
Avery laughed. “No, Greg dear. I’m not going to kill him. I’m going to bring him to our side. He loves me, and what choice does he have now but to love me?”
“He keeps Jane’s body. Until all hope to bring her back is lost, he will never think to love another.” Greg paused. “Let alone you,” he added bravely.
I brought my hand to my forehead, leaning against the car window as the voices made my head ache. What was I hearing? Where these things to come, or things that were happening? I felt Wes’s hand on my back, giving me a loving rub. The last thing I wanted right now was to be touched. The Angel Blood had begun to make my skin crawl, or perhaps it was simply the sound of Greg’s voice.
Avery hissed. “Then I’ll destroy her body when I destroy that wretched Winter Wood.”
A cold sweat broke
Opening my eyes, I slipped my feet into a pair of loosely tied boots at the bottom of my closet. Running a lazy hand through my hair, I kicked my backpack, which had been tossed beside my boots, into the middle of the room before lazily picking it up.
Standing and hooking one strap over my left shoulder, I turned and came face to face with Wes. I nearly doubled back, suddenly sobering as his smiling face observed me.
“Tired?” he asked.
I swallowed, avoiding his gaze, hoping he couldn’t see the glossy look in my eyes that I knew was there. My heart was heavy with shame, heavier than it had been a moment ago. Why hadn’t I heard his thoughts as he entered the room? Then I remembered the blissful side effect of what I had done, the side effect that numbed my ability to hear other’s thoughts. I smiled to myself. I had forgotten how great it felt, how silent and simple it was when left alone in my own head. Hearing every thought from every passing individual was admittedly daunting, but something I’d always dealt with.
I shook my head. “No. I’m not too tired,” I finally answered him.
His smile faded, but I couldn’t tell exactly what that meant. Did he suspect that I had done something, or was he simply thinking that this was to be expected given it was my first day back at school? Never did I anticipate finding myself wishing I could hear his thoughts. Maybe I didn’t like feeling this way, not anymore. I was better than this.
“Well, better get it over with,” he went on, talking as though I could hear what he was thinking.
I pretended I had, trying to roll my eyes and look as much like myself as I could. Wes turned and I followed him out of the room and down the stairs. At his car I quickly got inside and buckled in. “Get it together, Emily,” I whispered to myself as Wes rounded the hood of the car and got in on his side. I smiled at him, feigning exhaustion.
“Just relax,” he squeezed my knee before putting his hand on the shifter and starting the car. “I promise to take you to Winter Wood after all this. Just keep your mind on that.”
I wished I could keep my mind on that, but the whispers that felt like they had been miles away were now right beside me. I wished I could ignore the voice, pretend I didn’t recognize the voice, but as it came clear, I began to panic.
“What are your plans, then?” Greg echoed in my head.
I wondered if he were talking to me, but then another voice joined in.
“We’ve accomplished step one, and step two is underway. We’ve toppled most of the eastern priories, and now we must focus on a plan for Winter Wood,” A female voice answered.
I looked sideways at Wes as we drove slowly out of our cul-de-sac. I knew he couldn’t hear any of this, but I began to hope he could.
“Taking care of Jane was the easy part, my dear Greg. Now we need to get rid of your brother.”
Suddenly I recognized the female voice. It was Avery.
“Get rid of him? Like kill him? If you kill him you’ll kill me!” Greg whined frantically. I was surprised to hear him act so weak.
Avery laughed. “No, Greg dear. I’m not going to kill him. I’m going to bring him to our side. He loves me, and what choice does he have now but to love me?”
“He keeps Jane’s body. Until all hope to bring her back is lost, he will never think to love another.” Greg paused. “Let alone you,” he added bravely.
I brought my hand to my forehead, leaning against the car window as the voices made my head ache. What was I hearing? Where these things to come, or things that were happening? I felt Wes’s hand on my back, giving me a loving rub. The last thing I wanted right now was to be touched. The Angel Blood had begun to make my skin crawl, or perhaps it was simply the sound of Greg’s voice.
Avery hissed. “Then I’ll destroy her body when I destroy that wretched Winter Wood.”
A cold sweat broke
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