Read Online Revived (The Lucidites Book 3) by Sarah Noffke - Free Book Online
Authors: Sarah Noffke
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downright torturing me. I’d rather die a thousand times from one of Allouette’s knives than give into this stupid interrogation.
“Is this true, Roya?” Trey asks.
“Guess what, Trey.” I say his name like it’s something repulsive. “Who I make out with isn’t your business. It’s not the business of anyone in this room.”
Aiden stiffens. Ren snorts with suppressed laughter. Trey leans forward, the knuckles of his clenched fist white. “If it involves you, it’s my business,” he says.
“Since when?” I seethe.
“Since always.”
“Fine.” I point at Ren and Aiden. “I don’t see why they need to be here.”
“They’re here to help,” Trey says flatly.
“I don’t need help,” I say. What I need is a freaking lobotomy of the heart. What am I supposed to do? Ren and Aiden can help me, but in this circumstance I can’t bring myself to ask for it or accept it.
“Roya, you’re in danger. The closer you let Chase in to you, the harder it will be for us to help you,” Trey says, his voice no longer harsh or riddled with anger. Fear coats his words now. “You can’t see it because you’ve been infected,” he says, like I’m diseased. “Chase is using you. You have to let us stop it.”
“Chase wants me,” I say, resting my hands on the table, leaning back, feigning nonchalance. I’m not sure who’s within me speaking right now, the embedded part or the resentful child Trey abandoned. “He’s not afraid to show it either.”
“Don’t make this about us,” Trey says, sweeping his hands through his silver hair.
Lucky for me, I have multiple angles I get to play here. “Who says I am?” I say, careful to keep my eyes off Aiden. “And if Chase wanted to hurt me, he would have. So far all he’s done is the exact opposite.”
“He’s deceiving you. He can’t be trusted,” Trey says, his voice climbing.
“By that rule,” I say, my tone even, “neither can you. Or anyone else in this room.”
For the first time Aiden’s eyes meet mine, a quiet protest in them. In that one look I know he’s begging me to back down, not drop these subtle hints about us. To make everything easier right now by being compliant.
“Aiden informs us that you’ve had dreams recently which were invaded by Chase. Is that right?” Trey says.
Whatever Aiden was begging for with his penetrating gaze has just been lost. My eyes, still locked on his, narrow. “That’s correct,” I answer like a robot.
“Roya, you really should have confided this in me,” Trey says, sounding exasperated.
“Really? Because there are about a dozen things I can say the same of you, Dad .” I spew the last word with an angry inflection.
“This is not about us. It’s about your safety.” Trey turns to Ren. “What do you make of Chase invading her dreams? Is there something we can do to stop him?”
Ren shrugs indifferently. “Honestly, I think she might be screwed, especially with that kind of attitude,” he says, scrunching up his nose. “If you’re not careful, Little Miss Hothead, you’re going to find yourself literally screwed.”
“Ren,” Trey says in a reprimanding tone.
“Oh, all right.” He waves his hand dismissively at Trey. Why the hell does my father even employ this redheaded jerk? What the hell kind of leverage does he have over him? “Obviously Chase is using the emotional modifier, coupled with dream invasion. A two-pronged approach that will be treacherously difficult to combat.”
“Thanks for the optimism,” I say.
“Isn’t there something we can do to stop him?” Trey says, his eyes fixed on Ren. “Something else besides Aiden creating a patch for Roya’s protective charm to guard against the modifier?”
“Tell you what, I’ll give it a go and see if I can find a strategy that might work,” Ren says.
“Thank you.” Trey turns his attention back on me. “Right now I need you to tell us exactly what Chase said and did tonight so we know how much progress
“Is this true, Roya?” Trey asks.
“Guess what, Trey.” I say his name like it’s something repulsive. “Who I make out with isn’t your business. It’s not the business of anyone in this room.”
Aiden stiffens. Ren snorts with suppressed laughter. Trey leans forward, the knuckles of his clenched fist white. “If it involves you, it’s my business,” he says.
“Since when?” I seethe.
“Since always.”
“Fine.” I point at Ren and Aiden. “I don’t see why they need to be here.”
“They’re here to help,” Trey says flatly.
“I don’t need help,” I say. What I need is a freaking lobotomy of the heart. What am I supposed to do? Ren and Aiden can help me, but in this circumstance I can’t bring myself to ask for it or accept it.
“Roya, you’re in danger. The closer you let Chase in to you, the harder it will be for us to help you,” Trey says, his voice no longer harsh or riddled with anger. Fear coats his words now. “You can’t see it because you’ve been infected,” he says, like I’m diseased. “Chase is using you. You have to let us stop it.”
“Chase wants me,” I say, resting my hands on the table, leaning back, feigning nonchalance. I’m not sure who’s within me speaking right now, the embedded part or the resentful child Trey abandoned. “He’s not afraid to show it either.”
“Don’t make this about us,” Trey says, sweeping his hands through his silver hair.
Lucky for me, I have multiple angles I get to play here. “Who says I am?” I say, careful to keep my eyes off Aiden. “And if Chase wanted to hurt me, he would have. So far all he’s done is the exact opposite.”
“He’s deceiving you. He can’t be trusted,” Trey says, his voice climbing.
“By that rule,” I say, my tone even, “neither can you. Or anyone else in this room.”
For the first time Aiden’s eyes meet mine, a quiet protest in them. In that one look I know he’s begging me to back down, not drop these subtle hints about us. To make everything easier right now by being compliant.
“Aiden informs us that you’ve had dreams recently which were invaded by Chase. Is that right?” Trey says.
Whatever Aiden was begging for with his penetrating gaze has just been lost. My eyes, still locked on his, narrow. “That’s correct,” I answer like a robot.
“Roya, you really should have confided this in me,” Trey says, sounding exasperated.
“Really? Because there are about a dozen things I can say the same of you, Dad .” I spew the last word with an angry inflection.
“This is not about us. It’s about your safety.” Trey turns to Ren. “What do you make of Chase invading her dreams? Is there something we can do to stop him?”
Ren shrugs indifferently. “Honestly, I think she might be screwed, especially with that kind of attitude,” he says, scrunching up his nose. “If you’re not careful, Little Miss Hothead, you’re going to find yourself literally screwed.”
“Ren,” Trey says in a reprimanding tone.
“Oh, all right.” He waves his hand dismissively at Trey. Why the hell does my father even employ this redheaded jerk? What the hell kind of leverage does he have over him? “Obviously Chase is using the emotional modifier, coupled with dream invasion. A two-pronged approach that will be treacherously difficult to combat.”
“Thanks for the optimism,” I say.
“Isn’t there something we can do to stop him?” Trey says, his eyes fixed on Ren. “Something else besides Aiden creating a patch for Roya’s protective charm to guard against the modifier?”
“Tell you what, I’ll give it a go and see if I can find a strategy that might work,” Ren says.
“Thank you.” Trey turns his attention back on me. “Right now I need you to tell us exactly what Chase said and did tonight so we know how much progress
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