Page 50 of Above (Darkness Reigns #1)

When the meal was finally over, I hugged my parents, promising to see them in a month and kissing them each goodbye.

Dad shook Altair’s hand and wished him luck.

Mama gave him a hug that seemed to startle him, promising to write to him just as she did me, ever the loving soul.

Celeste said nothing to him, but she did give me a tight hug, her reluctance to let go making me want to cry.

I hadn’t trailed her since I caught her leaving the house, but I figured she was still up to no good. Whatever it was, it pushed her farther from me. I could feel it in my bones—in my heart.

“I love you, Heavens.”

“I love you more, Starlight.” Celeste leaned in closer, her mouth against my ear. “I believe in you. Please don’t forget who you are.”

With that, she walked away, leaving me there to stew in her words. Sighing, I kissed my kitten goodbye, rolling my eyes when she rubbed against Altair. Then we were off.

Altair and I landed on the sandy beach, neither of us willing to be the first to shatter the silence that held the secrets of the night.

It had gone surprisingly well, though the oddity of seeing him there ruined it.

I wished he had never met them, because it would change nothing.

He would still want me dead and continue his plight against of eadi.

One day he would probably hire eadi servants that he too would abuse and kill.

The cycle would continue, even if he did look back and remember a time when he was shown the truth of eadi.

They were normal people, just as he was.

“I hadn’t realized sitting at a dinner table could be…

joyous,” Altair stated, his eyes lifted to the stars.

I allowed myself a rare moment to study him openly.

Even in the eadi clothing, he was formidable, radiating opulence and power.

The plain blue trousers and button-up black shirt could not hide who he truly was.

“Depends on the family I guess,” I responded with a shrug.

“Your mother is lovely. She reminds me of a servant I once had.” His response had me on the defensive, wishing I had never allowed him to trick me into kindness, but he was quicker than I was.

“My favorite. Martha. The one who sang me lullabies that didn’t talk about death.

She hugged me the same way. With her arms linked at my back. ”

“She’s one of the best people I know,” I whispered, the wind oddly vacant from the beach as we stood there side by side.

It was strange to feel as if I were in a state of equilibrium with Altair.

Like we were experiencing a very rare moment of understanding.

“That’s why I work so hard. To save them. ”

“Let me guess, you’re dosing them with haya?

Even the servants that didn’t piss off my father died before they hit seventy.

” From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of him facing me.

Studying me. But I refused to turn and break the spell that had us on mutual ground. “That won’t work for much longer.”

“I’ll figure out something more sustainable.” Crystallization, maybe. I hadn’t had the chance to try since I had gotten the supplies. Talon simply wouldn’t leave me alone long enough to escape to my lab before tonight.

“I have to kill you, Tershetta. You know that, right?”

“I know you’ll be forced to try,” I sighed, feeling the weight of the night.

Altair stepped in front of me, forcing my gaze to meet his. “Which means your family will die after.”

“Or maybe I’ll kill you first,” I threatened, feeling defensive over my family. Altair didn’t even flinch.

“Even then, you wouldn’t be able to save them. You can try, but you won’t succeed.” Another step had him nearly against me, his eyes earnest as he openly stared at me.

“Why are you saying all of this?” I questioned in a hushed voice, feeling so defeated that my body was growing too heavy to hold up.

“Because hope is a plague that will kill you and everyone you breathe near. Best to stifle it while you can.” Hand rising, he snatched one of my curls, toying with it.

“According to you, we’re dead no matter what.”

“But they don’t have to go right away.”

We both stilled, our oddly loud breaths and the crashing waves all that could be heard. What did he mean by that? Was he suggesting they could live if I stopped giving them haya? Or something else?

“Never took you for someone who had a soft spot for eadi.”

“I generally don’t.” Altair released my curl, his hand falling to his side. We were too close. Too open. Too everything in that moment.

“Don’t tell anyone about this, okay?” I asked as I stepped back, folding my arms around myself.

Altair cocked his head to the side, assessing me as he said, “It would hurt me just as much as it would hurt you, right? Waste of my time.”

“Exactly right. And next time you decide you want to drown yourself, I promise not to interfere.” Swiftly, without second-guessing myself, I stepped forward and swung my knee, catching him between his legs.

“There she is,” he croaked, bending forward as he gripped himself. Smiling down at him, I turned, waving.

“Goodnight, Snake. Lay off the liquor and leave me alone.”

“Will do, Little Void,” he groaned. His grunt was followed by the hum of a blade sailing through the air. The pain was sharp and quick, a slice of his dagger to the back of my calf that had me stumbling.

Looking over my shoulder, I leveled him with a glare. But he only winked and chuckled, his dimples appearing briefly before he shadow walked away.

Ass.

As I made my way toward the barracks while attempting to heal myself, I considered our night of civility. Had he been pretending? Or was there really a good person hidden somewhere inside of him? I doubted even he knew. Since he was still determined to kill me, it didn’t really matter.

Every stair was painful, each step leaving my leg aching, the cut continuously breaking open. The excruciating sting and the warm, dripping blood reminded me of who I was. Their enemy. The akhata who gladly threatened their precious way of life. One of the few things standing in their way.

Altair and Talon could say that I wasn’t capable of saving my family, but the latter’s clear fear of my success told a different story. Each new step was one closer to a solution, and if I only kept climbing, I would find it.

By the time I reached the top floor, I was positive I’d crumble.

Still, I had done it, and that was enough for now.

Leaving a trail behind me, I slowly crept down the hall, reaching Talon’s door with a sigh.

It was late, but not so deep into the night that he’d be asleep.

I was fully prepared for any anger he would offer me.

Opening the door, I was instantly met with his amber gaze. Apparently, he was also prepared.

“Hi.” My soft response was awarded only a sharper glare and crossed arms. He stood by the window that faced the sea, as if he had been star gazing before he began his furious position.

Clearly, he was furious, but why? He knew I left.

There was no reason for him to be this standoffish. “Is everything okay?”

When he didn’t reply, I nodded and closed the door, heading over to my bed and grabbing some night clothes from beneath. As I purposefully stumbled through the task, I tried to consider what would be upsetting him. My absence? Our unresolved argument from the other morning? Something worse?

“You two looked cozy.” Fuck. There it was. Definitely worse.

Not wanting to further upset him, I slowly stood, pivoting to face him, ignoring the burn in my leg as it continued to bleed. He had moved closer, his steps silent. Now I could make out the exhaustion on his face. The devastation.

“It’s not what you think, Talon.”

“I’m quite tired of hearing that from you two.”

“He had been halfway in the water when I was leaving, and I thought he was a trainee preparing to drown themself.” He had to believe me. Why would I ever want to be around Altair if I didn’t have to be?

“Oh yes. Nova the savior,” he mocked. “That makes complete sense. Why wouldn’t you save one of the random classmates that probably hates you? I’m so sure that was what happened.”

“It was!” I shouted. He scoffed in response, clearly not believing me. “When I tried to walk away, he ran at me and shadow walked us to the Star District. I hit him and got him on the ground, but he said that if I left him there he’d tell everyone I was going somewhere at night.”

“Suddenly you care about people knowing you leave?”

“If it can get me killed, then yes!”

“Or maybe you’ve decided that I can’t help you anymore and you need to sleep your way a step higher!” His voice was hysterical, his eyes wide and loose hair a mess from the way he tugged at it. “Maybe fuck him until he forgets he wants to slaughter you and everyone like you!”

Stars I wanted to hit him. I wanted to scream. To turn around and never come back. But I worked hard to tamp down my anger. To take the time needed to see what he was really saying.

“Talon, I think we need to have a serious talk about you and I.”

“Great. Just perfect.” He threw up his hands, turning around and walking away from me.

“Is that not what’s going on?” I asked, trying to further heal my leg so I could follow him. “You’re confused about us and think that I’m using you?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Partly, yes. I feel safer with you and you’ve helped me a lot.

There is a sense of debt there, because I owe you not only my life, but the lives of my family, even if you don’t realize it.

” He let out a heavy breath, as if he had been holding it for a long time.

Then he sat on the end of his bed and placed his head in his hands.

“Beside that, I also haven’t been able to shake you off.

Not only your relentless desire to be with me, but also my own undeniable desire to have you near. I do like you, Talon.”