Read Online Nephilim (Academy of the Fallen #2) by Daniele Lanzarotta - Free Book Online

wasn’t ready to talk to him and I made that clear, but I knew that he was there at night, watching over me… making sure I somehow woke up from those nightmares.  Yes, I did feel bad, but I needed time to get over him keeping something so important away from Ethan who was doing everything he could to help us.
    Today, everyone in the Academy was supposed to be at the auditorium for a briefing on something.  No one was sure what.  We had an hour break before this briefing, so Ethan, Kim and I were sitting outside, mostly because there was nothing else to do.  That was when I saw Ember and Hunter.  She was leaning in close to him.  Whenever she said something, he laughed as if it was actually interesting and amusing, and I just stared like a dumb ass.
    “Don’t,” Ethan said.
    “Don’t what?” I asked without taking my eyes away from Hunter.
    “Don’t assume things,” he whispered.  “Ember made some strange comments to him the other day about someone who tried to get out of the Academy once.  He is just being friendly to make sure she is not up to something and that she knows nothing that she doesn’t need to know.”
    “Whatever, he can do whatever he wants.”
    “Are you still mad about him not telling me about Jennifer?”
    I nodded.  “I don’t know how you are not.”
    “I told you, he is trying to protect you.  I would have done the same for her.”
    Kim was sitting there, just staring at the both of us.  “Ethan is right.  Hunter is risking a lot for you.  There is just no way he doesn’t care about you.”
    “Can I ask you a question about the Otherworld?” I asked.
    Kim seemed surprised.
    “Sure…”
    “You learn a lot about the Otherworld in your classes, right?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Is it possible that the communication between someone in the Otherworld for a limited time and someone here is… an illusion?”
    “You mean, if you were there and someone, let’s say… Hunter was here, and he told you something…  You want to know if that could have been something you imagined?  Like… let’s say… if he told you he thought he was in love with you?”
    I sat there with my mouth open.  “How do you—“
    Ethan smiled.  “She is the strongest haunted for a reason.”
    Kim blushed.  “When I kicked that spirit out… the one that was not yours… well, when you came back I had access to your memories.  That was one of the strongest ones.”
    “So, was I imagining things?”
    “Oh, no.  Like I said, that was a memory.  A very real one!”
    “I don’t understand why he won’t say it again.”
    Kim, only twelve, was proving to be the smartest person I knew.  “Sometimes, actions speak louder than words.  Give him a chance.”
    Ethan nodded.  “I don’t want to sound mean, but did you ever think that maybe he is afraid to say something because you push him away every time you don’t approve of something?”
    I looked back at Hunter and Ember, and this time I noticed how uncomfortable he was… like he was trying desperately to find a way out of talking to her.  Funny how perception works…
    “Fine, I will give him a chance.  Now Ethan, would you please go and rescue him away from Ember?”
    “My pleasure,” he said.
    Kim smiled as he walked away.
    “What?” I asked her.
    She shrugged.  “Just glad you made the right choice.  You are stronger when you are together.  We will need that.”
    “Ookay… so, let’s talk about my memories.  Does that mean you now know everything about me?  Not sure I like that.”
    “Don’t worry, my mind could only process so much.  As I said, that was your strongest memory.”
    I was fine leaving it at that.  The less I thought she knew about me, the better… even if I was wrong.
    “Please don’t tell Hunter I know…”
    Kim actually rolled her eyes at me.  “As you wish.”
    Looking back at Ethan and Hunter, they were both now trapped with Ember and Charlotte.   Luckily, soon came the time to go into the