Page 110 of In Between Darkness

“Promise me you won’t freak out,” I repeat frantically.

“Okay, I promise,” River affirms, still utterly perplexed by my actions.

“I need you to Influence the door shut,” I explain with desperation in my voice.

My floorboards creak as she steps just outside the door. River nods his head quickly, and I watch his fingers roll into a fist and aim at the door. The door begins to shake at its hinges. Miss Worthington is trying to get in.

“Asha, open the door.” Her voice shrieks through the gaps in the wooden door as the panels rattle more violently. I watch as each screw twirls out of its wooden bed and falls onto the bathroom tile. She is going to take the door down.

“I can’t hold it for long; this Influencer is super strong.” River strains as his veins bulge visibly in his arm.

I take a deep, regretful breath and conjure my portal. “Don’t say anything; just go through it,” I say as I pull him through the vortex for the second time.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”

Ryder exclaims as River and I tumble onto his bedroom floor. River’s eyes widen with shock as he pants on top of me. I give him a slight shove, and he rolls on the floor next to me, then I get my feet. Ryder offers River a hand up, and he takes it, his face still unsure of what just happened.

“I assume there is a very good reason why you’ve brought him here,” Ryder directs at me, and I whisper in his ear to keep River from freaking out any more than he already is.

“My room got ransacked, someone knows my secret, and Miss Worthington is after me,” I say, and he gives me a stern nod.

“But that still doesn’t explainthat.” Ryder points a finger at River, who is currently backing himself against a wall, staring at his hands confused, like they are not his own.

“We were just in your dorm room.” River’s words tremble, and his hands shake.

Ryder raises an eyebrow at me and nudges my elbow as if to question why he was in my dorm room. I ignore his jealousy and attempt to calm down River.

“I was there one minute and now I’m here?” His face is as pale as a wax candle. “Where the fuck even is here?!”

“Now you’re in my room,” Ryder spits at River before glaring at me. “What the fuck was he doing in your dorm room, Asha?” His voice is stern and unwavering.

Really, he chooses now to get all territorial.

“Seriously?” I roll my eyes, not feeling the need to explain myself.

“You,” River snaps, his eyes narrowing in on Ryder. “You’re a Moon.” His pale skin flushes red.

“No shit!” Ryder snaps before turning his attention back to me.

“What was he doing in your room, Asha?” he repeats, this time slower with more emphasis on each word.

His insecurity leaves a distasteful film on my tongue, but I can’t decide whether to feel infuriated or euphoric because, although he has not said it, I know he is afraid to lose me.

“We were just talking. Gods,” I huff at Ryder before staring back at River.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to suck you into all this…Again,” I mutter the last part under my breath so that River does not hear it.

“Subtle,” Ryder smirks, still with a glare in his eyes, and I roll mine for the second time.

“Again?” River asks, aching for some answers. “What do you mean again?” he repeats, and I sigh, regretting mentioning that word.

“Wait.” River’s face contorts with pain as he holds the sides of his temples and grunts. “The woods,” he blurts out as he falls to his knees. “The darkness.”

His eyes narrow as he winces, still holding his head in his hands. “The serum.”

His words disrupt the thickness of the air, and I suddenly feel like I cannot breathe. He is remembering.

“You.” He points a finger at me, and my heart sinks. “You took my memories. The date, the forest, him.” He points his finger at Ryder, who now has his arm around me. “I remember it all.”