Read Online Never (The Ever Series Book 2) by C. J. Valles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: C. J. Valles
Ads: Link
away, I feel myself spinning millions of miles away from everything I took as fact, things my parents told me when I was young to make me feel safe in the world.
There are no ghosts. There are no monsters under the bed. The dark shape I saw from the corner of my eye that disappeared when I turned—it was nothing. There is nothing coming out of the darkness to get me.
The truth is that they just didn’t know.
“We befriended many of them and helped them adjust to their new reality. Then, over time, as superstition and religions began to evolve, many of them were persecuted, or believed themselves possessed by evil, and they went mad.”
I shudder, remembering Ever telling me pieces of this. Born in another time, I could have been burned as a witch or tried as a heretic. I’m sure it could probably still happen if the wrong people found out about me.
“We had witnessed humans being channeled by those from other dimensions, but only very briefly,” Alistair continues. “The beings possessing them had no hold in this world and would quickly slip back. Then, the first like you was taken, truly possessed by something of our dimension.”
“It sounds like you’re talking about demons … Hell —literally,” I mutter.
He nods.
“This is perhaps where some of Christian mythology is rooted. It wouldn’t be unusual for you to understand it as such. These possessed individuals posed a very real threat, not only to us but our adopted world as well.”
“And you fought back,” I whisper.
“And we were betrayed,” Ever says.
I look over at Alex. Iago . The traitor.
6: Tales of a Scorched Earth
“B etrayed,” I repeat, still staring at Alex.
“Wren, if you believe you’ll find a hero among us, you will not,” he counters defensively. “Your company here has spent human history annihilating those like you.”
“And I never said I was looking for a hero,” I snap back. “I’m looking for the truth. Now, will someone fill me in?”
“Wren, our world, when we left it, was nearly desiccated,” Alistair says. “There were those who believed their excess could go on infinitely with no regard for resources or consequences. They were wrong.”
“Did everyone left behind … die . Or are they like you—immortal?”
“Their existence changed, but it did not end,” Alistair says.
“Which means, what?”
“Those who did not cross over to your world remain trapped. They can see into this dimension, but they cannot inhabit it without a vessel.”
I swallow. A vessel. He means me .
“So they’re stuck in limbo, then?” I ask.
“Essentially, yes,” he nods.
“So, what I saw was something trapped on the other side—using that guy on the trail as a puppet?” I’m beginning to feel sick. I lean forward. “And that’s what these things want to do with me?”
“ Alex should be able to answer that better than any of us,” Ever says. “He’s been trading in human lives long enough to know.”
“And how is that any worse than your solution?” Alex snaps back.
I look over at him in horror.
“I can answer that! I would rather be dead than have my existence hijacked!”
Feeling Ever’s hand on my shoulder, I try to slow my breathing.
“What matters now is that we keep Wren out of danger,” Alistair says in a diplomatic tone.
“Um, no offense, but you guys can’t put me on ice for the next millennium until this whole thing blows over. Who knows if I’ll thaw properly …”
Alistair smiles, and Chasen chuckles again, causing Audra to shoot him another icy look.
“I think it’s best for now if we disrupt Wren’s life as little as possible,” Alistair continues. “This could have been an isolated occurrence. We won’t know—”
“Until they take her?” Ever asks incredulously.
“Not on my watch,” Chasen says with a little too much glee for my taste. “I’ve always wanted a pet.”
I smirk.
“Well, that works out. … I’ve always wanted a guard
There are no ghosts. There are no monsters under the bed. The dark shape I saw from the corner of my eye that disappeared when I turned—it was nothing. There is nothing coming out of the darkness to get me.
The truth is that they just didn’t know.
“We befriended many of them and helped them adjust to their new reality. Then, over time, as superstition and religions began to evolve, many of them were persecuted, or believed themselves possessed by evil, and they went mad.”
I shudder, remembering Ever telling me pieces of this. Born in another time, I could have been burned as a witch or tried as a heretic. I’m sure it could probably still happen if the wrong people found out about me.
“We had witnessed humans being channeled by those from other dimensions, but only very briefly,” Alistair continues. “The beings possessing them had no hold in this world and would quickly slip back. Then, the first like you was taken, truly possessed by something of our dimension.”
“It sounds like you’re talking about demons … Hell —literally,” I mutter.
He nods.
“This is perhaps where some of Christian mythology is rooted. It wouldn’t be unusual for you to understand it as such. These possessed individuals posed a very real threat, not only to us but our adopted world as well.”
“And you fought back,” I whisper.
“And we were betrayed,” Ever says.
I look over at Alex. Iago . The traitor.
6: Tales of a Scorched Earth
“B etrayed,” I repeat, still staring at Alex.
“Wren, if you believe you’ll find a hero among us, you will not,” he counters defensively. “Your company here has spent human history annihilating those like you.”
“And I never said I was looking for a hero,” I snap back. “I’m looking for the truth. Now, will someone fill me in?”
“Wren, our world, when we left it, was nearly desiccated,” Alistair says. “There were those who believed their excess could go on infinitely with no regard for resources or consequences. They were wrong.”
“Did everyone left behind … die . Or are they like you—immortal?”
“Their existence changed, but it did not end,” Alistair says.
“Which means, what?”
“Those who did not cross over to your world remain trapped. They can see into this dimension, but they cannot inhabit it without a vessel.”
I swallow. A vessel. He means me .
“So they’re stuck in limbo, then?” I ask.
“Essentially, yes,” he nods.
“So, what I saw was something trapped on the other side—using that guy on the trail as a puppet?” I’m beginning to feel sick. I lean forward. “And that’s what these things want to do with me?”
“ Alex should be able to answer that better than any of us,” Ever says. “He’s been trading in human lives long enough to know.”
“And how is that any worse than your solution?” Alex snaps back.
I look over at him in horror.
“I can answer that! I would rather be dead than have my existence hijacked!”
Feeling Ever’s hand on my shoulder, I try to slow my breathing.
“What matters now is that we keep Wren out of danger,” Alistair says in a diplomatic tone.
“Um, no offense, but you guys can’t put me on ice for the next millennium until this whole thing blows over. Who knows if I’ll thaw properly …”
Alistair smiles, and Chasen chuckles again, causing Audra to shoot him another icy look.
“I think it’s best for now if we disrupt Wren’s life as little as possible,” Alistair continues. “This could have been an isolated occurrence. We won’t know—”
“Until they take her?” Ever asks incredulously.
“Not on my watch,” Chasen says with a little too much glee for my taste. “I’ve always wanted a pet.”
I smirk.
“Well, that works out. … I’ve always wanted a guard
Similar Books
