Page 64 of Above (Darkness Reigns #1)

“Yes, I’m so eager to meet them,” Celeste added, a sort of knowing there in her voice.

I couldn’t help myself.

“I’m so excited to meet them,” I mocked in a particularly whiney tone.

“I’m so excited to meet them,” she fired back, her words mingling.

When I went to do it again, Dad nudged me. “Stop, both of you. You aren’t children anymore.”

He was right. We weren’t. Wasn’t that heartbreaking?

As if summoned by the thought of another man, Talon’s voice was loud behind me. “Supernova!”

I whipped my head around, seeing as he waved and approached me, the biggest, most joyful smile on his face.

He looked like a stuffed teddy bear. Something you were meant to cuddle and whisper secrets to.

There was a unique sense of welcome to his body language, something that made you feel safe and at home.

Still, I truly didn’t want him meeting my family.

“Nova, who is that?” Dad questioned, his tone deeper as he squared his shoulders. Great. Just great.

“That’s—”

“Hi!” Talon exclaimed, waving at my family before reaching for my hand. Reluctantly, I let him take it, his hand gripping tighter when mine hung limp. “I’m so excited to meet you three! I’ve heard so much about you.”

On instinct, my lips tightened, eyes scrunching closed. Why did he need to do this?

“Dad, Mama, Celeste, this is Talon. We’re…

” I struggled to find a way to explain what Talon and I were.

Especially since I was beginning to think he was right.

I had the stars. I would soon be forced to train beneath General Altair of all people.

The chances of me being married off to Talon one day were becoming more and more likely.

My future was set in stone. “…together.”

“You and this boy?” Mama asked, her eyebrows rising, causing deep wrinkles to form on her forehead. The realization made the whispers of the stars seem louder. As if they were compelling me to act now and save them.

“Yes, ma’am. Nova and I have been seeing each other for most of academy,” Talon confirmed. He briefly turned to me, his eyes shining as they seemed to express his admiration. “I’m in love with her.”

A collective gasp came from the three of them, and I wished then that I had been more firm with Talon earlier. This was too much.

“Well, I think that’s enough chit chat for now. I should get you three home.” I rushed forward, pulling my hand out of Talon’s and darting around Dad, grabbing the push handles to his chair.

“Wait!” Talon urged, reaching over my dad to grip my wrist. “I was actually coming over here to invite you all to my house. We’re having a dinner tonight to honor our graduation, and, of course, celebrate Nova being awarded the stars’ essence. If you’ll come, that is.”

How dare he.

How. Fucking. Dare. He.

“I don’t think that’s a good—”

“We’d love to!” Mama said, interrupting me. Her small, sharp elbow sunk into my side, and I gritted through the momentary pain to step in.

“Talon is a core,” I hissed. Silence overtook our group, the loud buzz of the surrounding chatter unable to penetrate our bubble of quiet tension.

“Well, that’s foul,” Celeste deadpanned, her voice and face like a mask of disgust and anger.

Blowing out a breath of air, I looked up at Talon, who looked stricken where he stood. “He’s an amazing person, but I don’t necessarily think his family home is a good place for us all to be.”

“Nova, please, just come. I swear my family will be on their best behavior. In fact, they’re eager to discuss the future of Dajahim with you. I promise you’ll all be safe and welcomed.” I dared to look into his amber gaze, wishing I hadn’t when I realized how desperate he seemed. “Please?”

“We’ll talk about it,” I muttered, turning Dad’s chair around and heading for an empty space where I could shadow walk.

Luckily, Talon didn’t follow. But it was too late. They all knew now.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Dad ordered, his voice thunderous. To make matters worse, Mama spotted someone else.

“Az!” she shouted, waving her hand. My eyes found him immediately, and I was punished with the sight of him looking over his shoulder and smiling fondly at my mother.

“Mama, stop it!” I hissed, trying to grab her dress and tug her toward an opening ahead. But she smacked my hand, still waving at Altair.

Without hesitation or even an explanation for those around him, Altair began walking toward us, Dofrel smirking my way from the place Altair left. Ridiculous, heinous, foul little—

“Hello.” Altair’s voice was soft, his uniform immaculate and hair perfectly styled. A vastly different man than when he had first met my mother. Unfortunately, she seemed to like him ever better now.

“You look so dashing! We’re very proud of you all for your hard work. Hopefully now those joints can get a break. How do you feel? Did you get that tincture I sent over?”

Joints? Tincture? Stars above.

“Yes, I did. Thank you so much.” Celeste scoffed from my side, and I turned my head in time to see her roll her eyes before locking that grey gaze on Altair’s hair.

Father was studying him as well, though he seemed to be in a game of comparison. His eyes flicked from Altair to Talon in the distance, brows furrowed.

“Oh good, I’m so happy to hear that. Were you planning to leave soon? We’d love to have you over for dinner!”

“Mama, we have plans,” I corrected, wishing she would stop pushing the idea of Altair being around us. Then I realized I was trying to avoid that dinner, and my mind began to spin.

“We aren’t going to that,” Celeste hissed, her eyes forming slits.

“It’d be rude not to,” I corrected as if it weren’t me who had insisted we didn’t go.

“You don’t even want to go, you said so yourself!” She had me there. But I was not about to bring Altair back to my house.

“Shoot, she’s right,” Mama quickly said, though I could tell she wasn’t excited about the idea. “Well you simply must come!”

“You can’t invite people to someone else’s event,” I chided, so bewildered by her sudden obsession with Altair.

Again she waved her hand at me, pursing her lips. “Don’t listen to her. You can be our plus one. I imagine such fancy events have those. And I’d feel much safer with you with us. We’re going to the…”

She let the words fall, looking at me with a question in her eyes. Sometimes I swore the universe was against me.

“Talon invited us over,” I answered, wishing I could run away.

“Ah, well, I’d love to come, but we aren’t really seeing eye to eye right now. I do hope you four have fun, though. It was lovely seeing you.” With that, he took Mama’s hand, placing a gentle and quick kiss to the back. Dad sighed, rolling his eyes when Mama blushed.

“Please do come for dinner soon, though. Yes?”

“I’d be honored.”

“Great! Nova, we’ll give you a minute to say goodbye,” Mama whispered, winking at me.

“The fuck we will!” Dad cut in, pointing at Altair like he might cut him down with his finger. Mama only huffed, pushing Dad’s chair away to the wide opening ahead. Celeste hesitated, her glare for Altair fierce and determined.

“I’ll be right there, don’t worry.” For a moment, I wondered if she wouldn’t leave, but then she let her head fall back with a groan and turned, heading toward Mama and Dad.

When I was sure she was out of earshot, I stepped toward Altair, baring my teeth at him.

“What are you up to, Snake?” I demanded. He only chuckled in response, staring down at me like he knew something I didn’t.

“I like your mother,” he stated, shrugging.

“I’m not buying that. Tell me what it is you’re really doing. Flirting with me, being nice to my family,” I shoved my finger into his chest, “all of it is a part of whatever plot you’re concocting.”

“The Zade home isn’t exactly a safe place for you all,” he commented, changing the subject.

“Talon is my—well, he’s—it doesn’t matter. He’ll keep us safe! And it’s none of your business.” Despite my scowl and hostility, Altair remained mildly amused, his eyes unblinking as he looked at mine.

“I liked your eyes better before.” What was he on about?

Bringing my fingers to my aching temples, I huffed, “Of course you did, because back then I didn’t have the stars.”

“They looked like heated honey.” Altair stepped closer, his head tilting down to maintain eye contact. “Or a liquid sunset.”

“Stop that!”

“Stop what?”

“Being nice!”

“It doesn’t seem to bother you when Talon does it.” He cooed, his wicked grin never fading. “Or Cal.”

Throwing my hands down, I balled my fists, resisting the urge to hit him. “You hate me and I hate you, there’s a difference. Talon and Dofrel—apparently—like me.”

“I’ve already told you I like you.”

“You told me you’d like me dead at your feet!”

“Potato, tomato,” he scoffed, shrugging again.

“Potahto,” I corrected.

He tilted his head, smiling wider and flashing his dimples. “Come again?”

“The saying.” He only continued to smile, raising a brow. “You said it wrong. It’s either potato, potahto or tomato, tomahto.”

“Of course you’d know the correct way to say it.”

“Ugh, you’re even more insufferable when you’re not trying to snap my neck!

” I shouted, causing people to turn and stare.

But Altair didn’t seem to care. He only lifted a hand and snatched one of my curls, twirling it.

The chocolate colored strands looked even darker wrapped around his pale, long finger, which held a ring the shape of a snake. “You want me dead, act like it!”

“I don’t think I do.”

“Liar.” He continued to play with my hair, the distracted crowd around us making the moment feel somehow private.

“Congratulations, Tershetta. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Before I could realize what was happening, Altair grabbed a dagger and brought it to my hair, tightening his grip so he could slice the curl. I yelped, backing away from him. But there was no need. He had already been taken by shadows.