Page 45 of Above (Darkness Reigns #1)

We appeared in a dark alley, the open area beyond lit by glowing lights and surrounded by towering glass buildings. People everywhere laughed, screamed, drank, and danced. The Star District.

“What’s wrong with you?” I croaked, fear swirling in my chest and making me stutter as my eyes frantically searched for a way out. Should I shadow walk? Could I do it with such little room for focus?

“There she is,” he cooed, a smile overtaking his face. I could see now that his cheeks were flushed and his under eyes were hollow, whiskey leaking off his breath. “My terrified Little Void. I like you best this way.”

“You don’t like me at all.” Altair’s thumb stroked my jaw, my skin tingling beneath his touch as his smile widened enough to show his dimples.

“No, I think I do. And I’ll like you even more when you’re dead at my feet.”

Rage turned my vision red, and suddenly, I wasn’t afraid anymore.

I was fucking furious. I shoved my face forward, my forehead connecting with his nose with a loud crack.

He cursed, blood pooling down his face, dripping off his pointed chin.

I used the opportunity to bring my knee up between his legs, my hands digging into his shoulders.

Altair crumpled, the alcohol stealing the endurance he normally had and allowing him to crash to the ground.

I looked down at him, his all black uniform decorated with silver snakes, his hair perfect despite having been halfway into the sea.

Blood dripped down his cheek, pooling on the gravel below and coating his long fingers, which, as always, were full of silver and black rings.

Some of them snakes, others skulls, some stars, and a couple nothing but a plain band.

Another sign of his wealth. Immaculate persona, but I knew the truth. I knew who Azazel Altair really was.

“You’re pathetic,” I hissed, bending down.

I lifted up on my toes, folding my knees and placing my elbows onto them.

Peering down at him, I realized how sure I was that he wouldn’t lunge for me.

So confident that he couldn’t get me that I further teased and tortured him.

“As always, you prove that I’m not the only mistake in Elite Academy.

Have fun getting back. Maybe I’ll get lucky and you’ll die when you try to shadow walk.

Honestly, I can’t believe you were even able to get us here. ”

Altair began chuckling, the sound manic and deep, almost guttural. He rolled over, letting his back flatten against the hard pavement below. With perfectly white teeth glittering red from the blood, he smiled. “I wasn’t trying to take us here, actually.”

Huffing, so annoyed that it began replacing the anger, I muttered, “Of course you don’t care about your life either. Why am I surprised?”

I stood, not bothering to spare a second glance, and turned, ready to head home. The night was still young, and I had a feeling they’d be eating a late dinner now that Mama had to work my hours.

“Bye, Snake, see you tomorrow. If you live.”

I made it no more than ten steps before Altair’s irritating voice rang out. “You know, if you leave me here and I do successfully get back home, I’ll tell everyone that you leave.”

Halting, I instantly let the panic overtake me. My chest heaved, a ferocious ache forming behind my eyes. With a few deep breaths, I tried to think through the stress. He had no proof I left. He was the one who took me here. I couldn’t show my cards. “Who said I leave?”

“I have somewhere to be. I’m running late.” His voice was higher pitched, as if mocking me. I had said those things. Why did I insist on being an utter idiot? “Sounds like you’ve been leaving quite often.”

“It’s not explicitly said that we have to stay on the island,” I argued, knowing it was futile. Altair had me.

He shook his head, still on the ground lying flat.

“You know you’re not supposed to leave, or else you wouldn’t sneak around.

It doesn’t need to be said because it’s a ridiculous thing to do.

Why leave at night and lose sleep we all desperately need?

No wonder you always look so tired and hideous. It’s hard to even see you.”

“Then stop fucking looking!” I shouted, instantly regretting it.

I didn’t want anyone to notice us. Didn’t want to draw attention to the core boy and the of eadi above him.

People would spin it. They’d blame me. And I couldn’t cloak myself with my mind a mess.

It was hard enough to do with all my focus.

I couldn’t count how many times I had failed at it.

But I had to do something about the despicable snake at my feet. Fast.

Considering my options—of which I had few—I tried to decide if any of them would lead to me not getting caught. If he did tell on me, would I get in trouble?

Yes. They attacked me in front of everyone without a second thought. What would they do if I actually deserved it? I couldn’t risk it, but was there any possible way to keep Altair silent?

Maybe if he were just as ashamed as I was. But what would make Altair want to keep this secret? I didn’t exactly kick his ass. I only got him down because he drank himself witless. So that wouldn’t be enough. I tilted my head back, staring at the stars.

Please, for once, help me out.

It hit me then as I stared at our rulers in the sky—a possible threat. One that might not work, but I was low on options and each of them were far worse.

Walking back to him, I bent down once more and grabbed his cloak, willing us to the shops in the Sham District—willing us home.

We appeared in front of a glowing shop, one I had visited on many dark nights. As suspected, he was open. His loss of sleep was my gain tonight.

Using all my strength, I began hoisting Altair to his feet, his groan of pain further irritating me.

“Stop, you’re fine. You’ve had worse.” Not that I knew for sure, but I imagined any amount of training that had him so lethal would have hurt twice as badly.

Another nonchalant chuckle left his lips, sounding gravely as it crawled up his throat. “I have actually. What are we doing here?”

“You need new clothes if you want me to help you. You can’t be wearing this where we’re about to go and I can’t manage cloaking you.”

“My clothes are nicer than anything I’ve ever seen you in,” he said, his lips close to my temple and his arm tight around my shoulders.

“You’ve only seen me in the provided elite wear.” I grunted beneath his weight as I risked using one of my hands to shove his face away.

“Exactly,” he scoffed, his breath hot against my skin once more. “Your inability to style anything you wear is absolutely horrendous.”

“I am wearing the same thing you’re wearing now.” Why I was arguing with him, I didn’t know. He wasn’t worth the breath.

“Then what’s the problem with me wearing them too?”

“Because yours are decorated with snakes and jewels and stars know what else,” I hissed out, my patience long gone. “Even if they don’t recognize what the snakes mean, they’ll know you aren’t some poor boy I’m trying to help.”

“Stars forbid these ominous people think you keep decent company.”

“You are the farthest thing from decent I have ever met.”

“That was rude,” he hummed, the words sounding less chastising and more…I didn’t even know. Warm, somehow. They skittered across my skin, tingling rather than itching.

“Shut up and walk,” I ordered, shaking my head. Focus. “If you say anything stupid in here, embarrass me, or make any hateful comments about eadi, I’ll stab you in the throat so that you definitely don’t make it back to the academy.”

“Even drunk, I am a better fighter than you. You could never stab me.” His voice was sure and steady momentarily, his weight suddenly bearable as he straightened himself.

“Seeing as I had you flat on your ass, I disagree.” We were so close. I was both relieved and terrified. My bottom lip slipped between my teeth, and I began slowly tearing off the chapped skin.

“Trust me on this one, Tershetta,” Altair whispered, his finger coming up and gliding across my lip. I startled, my teeth separating. “I wouldn’t let you live if you tried to kill me.”

“Be a good boy so we don’t have to test it,” I mocked, my voice oddly thick. He was unsettling me with his heinous personality.

“Don’t flirt with me and I will.” Altair winked, removing his arm from my shoulder, his steps wobbly.

“You’re disgusting. Now focus,” I ordered, not in the mood for whatever lighthearted jokes he conjured when drunk.

No matter what, I couldn’t forget who he really was.

Groaning in displeasure, he closed the distance between us and the pawn shop.

Both of our hands pressed into the glass doors, a bell dinging above, and I desperately wished I didn’t have to do this.

Throwing my arm in front of Altair, I stopped him in his tracks, quickly tugging his hood over his striking hair and wrapping his cloak tighter around him. Though he was still wet and the soggy sloshes on the tile could easily be heard from across the large room, I had tried my best.

“Artie! It’s me!” I yelled as I darted toward the back. Leaning across the counter, I tried my best to sound casual, though it came across more hysterical. “Hello?”

Artie popped his head around the open doorway to the back of his shop, brows furrowed in confusion. He probably wasn’t prepared to see me twice while I was meant to be at academy. Honestly, I was surprised I was here too.

“What are you doing back so soon?”

“Actually, I just need some clothes.”

“You need clothes,” he deadpanned, looking at me with slitted eyes. “What do you need them for?”

“Oh, they’re not for me. I need them for a…friend.” It pained me to call Altair such a thing, and from his loud scoff, the word bothered him too. Though I didn’t gesture towards Altair, Artie still looked behind me at the sound.

“I’ve never seen you with a friend in all the years I’ve known you.” Rude. True, but rude.