Page 43

My heart pounded, and my stomach twisted as I approached Bryce’s door. It was cracked open, and I took the opportunity to peek through the gap.

I’d never meant to go this far. He’d been mean, and I’d been embarrassed. I’d only wanted to make him hurt, too.

I never thought it would feel this bad, though.

His bedside table light was on, and the dim glow threw his face into shadows as he sat on the side of his twin-sized bed. His face was buried in his hands, and his shoulders slumped.

It felt like I was spying on him, and my breath caught. Guilt was guiding my actions now, and I pushed the door open. “Bryce?”

His head snapped up, eyes wild and unrestrained. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry…” I bit my lip, locking my hands together at my back. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“What?” He sounded confused at first but then cleared his throat. “Oh, that. No worries, I didn’t take it personally. Brayden said you might lash out, and I’m not known for being great with people.”

That was an understatement. But I was the same way, so I couldn’t judge.

“I didn’t hurt your feelings?” I asked.

“No,” Bryce replied, a frown heavy in his voice. “I needed some time to think.”

Relief swelled in my chest. I hadn’t hurt his feelings. Bryce was brutal and heartless. He drank poison for fun and probably had no soul. It would take a bulldozer to move his emotions. “What were you thinking about?”

“Our mother,” he said. “You reminded me of her. She would have liked you.”

His response floored me. Of course, people always thought about their parents; that was to be expected. At least, I thought that was normal. I tried not to think about the Griers and knew almost nothing about the family biologically related to me.

I knew Declan was my father, and that he was supposed to train me. But I didn’t know my mother’s name. I knew hardly anything about her.

And his statement. How could he know? “Why do you think she’d like me?”

“She always wanted a girl and thought she’d never have one.

You’re a lot like her,” Bryce replied. “She loathed being sheltered and being told what to do. She’d put up with it but found small ways to rebel.

Despite that, she was beautiful, graceful and feminine…

” His words trailed off as his eyes ran over me critically.

My face was warm. This was the first time he’d said anything remotely nice to me—

“Well, there are differences,” he said. “I’m not certain that the last part applies.”

I frowned, and the warm feeling spreading through my chest vanished. “You’re mean.” Should I ask? It felt stupid to bring it up now, and the worst he could do would be to refuse to answer…

He sighed, sitting back on the mattress. “What is it?”

My voice was smaller than I hoped, but I couldn’t help myself. “What was her name?”

Bryce blinked at me, and his mouth dipped. My nervousness made it difficult to stand in one spot, and when he finally answered, his voice echoed in my spiraling thoughts. “Alyssa.”

The name registered, and so did the connotations. I frowned at him. “Alyssa.”

“Yes…” Confusion flickered across his expression. “Is something wrong?”

Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. Only that I was going to kill Finn. Again.

“Excuse me, I need to see Finn for a moment.” I hoped he was having a grand time discussing my gaming alias in my absence. They may even be having some laughs over it.

I hoped they were.

He should enjoy himself because he had only moments of joy remaining before I strangled him with my bare hands.

Not until the life faded from his eyes would I be victorious.

Bryce slowly moved to his feet. “Why? Do you need help?”

Good call. Bryce should be there. Finn played an essential part in Bryce’s quintet, so he should witness the hand of justice.

As for Finn’s role in this world, we would replace him soon enough. Perhaps, even with Norman. The man was ambitious. “Follow me.”

Everyone was still lingering when I stalked into the living room. However, I wasn’t sure what they were doing because only Finn’s startled form remained locked in my sight.

“You!” I pointed at him. He’d said he regretted everything. What a liar.

I’d show him regret.

“She’s more pissed than before!” Brayden jumped back from the blond. His voice was thick with accusation. “Finn, what did you do this time?”

“How the hell should I know?” Finn sounded slightly panicked. “I was here the whole time.”

“Bianca?” Julian reached for me, concern heavy in his question. “What’s wrong?”

I sidestepped Julian’s reach, my finger still pointed at Finn. “Alyssa.”

Finn paled, his eyes widening.

My blood ran hot, and my breathing became forced. How dare he look innocent? He’d done this to himself.

But then I spotted the fear in his expression.

Good.

He had better be afraid. I was going to rip off his head and pull his intestines out through his chest. Then I’d feed his remains to some free-range cattle. I wasn’t aware of where a farm might be, but we were in a remote area, so there was bound to be something.

I’d leave him for the werewolves to eat if there was no farm.

I lunged for him, but Damen caught me mid-leap.

“Hold on now, baby girl.” His voice was mild, and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “You can’t kill my brother. He’s my Er Bashou, and I’ve only recently gotten his cooperation.”

He held me against him, but I could still meet his eyes. I glared at him, my anger pulsing through me. If Damen knew what was good for him, he’d mind his own business.

He frowned, and his grip loosened enough for my breathing to even. “What’s wrong?”

“When I first met Finn, I didn’t have a middle name,” I explained, twisting my fingers in the front of his shirt.

Damen’s frown deepened, confusion heavy in his expression, and he cocked his head to the side. “And?”

“He gave me one…” My chest swelled with emotion as I pulled him down toward me. There was no way it was a coincidence. “He named me after her .” I glowered in Finn’s direction. “How long have you known?”

A flicker of guilt passed through Finn’s expression, along with a hint of self-doubt. My throat closed, and the edges of my fury faded.

I’d always hated upsetting him.

But the look lasted only for an instant, and then it was gone.

“The first time I saw you…” Finn glanced away. “You resembled the pictures I’d seen of her. And Kiania told me who you were.”

“That’s interesting,” Bryce mused. He was leaning against the frame of the door, his finger to his chin. “And to think your middle name really is Alyssa.”

“Oh, please. It’s not like it was difficult to guess,” Finn snapped, glaring at Bryce.

“Is that an insult?” Bryce raised his eyebrow. “Your family isn’t much better.”

“Both of you shut up,” Julian interrupted, turning his attention to Finn.

“I understand why you said nothing after Kiania bonded with Bianca. I disagree with your decision to stay silent, but I admit it wasn’t entirely your choice.

That being said, if you knew who Bianca was before any of that, why didn’t you come forward then? ”

“I—” Finn blushed, and he stammered. “I couldn’t…”

“Why not?” Damen stepped forward, looking genuinely curious.

The blond’s eyes met mine momentarily, and my breath caught. He watched me with a faintly familiar expression—I hadn’t seen that look since the first time he’d offered me his hand.

“Never mind,” I muttered, breaking the connection between us. Did we have to discuss this? Perhaps I was overreacting.

Why did it matter why he never said anything sooner? It’s not like it would have changed anything.

“I don’t care anymore,” I said. And with that, I ignored the imploring looks of the others and left the room.

A breeze brushed over my face, pulling me out of my sleep. And I opened my eyes to see who’d woken me—not that it was difficult to guess.

“I’m not going.” I turned over, pulling the blankets over my head. “You can tell him that I’m over it.”

“ You can’t be ‘over it ,’” Kiania’s voice echoed through my mind. The ethereal quality of it caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. This was the first time she’d spoken to me since last week’s confrontation. “ And it’s not like you to run away from a problem. ”

I wanted to laugh at the audacity of her statement. She didn’t know me. I was the master of running away.

“ You really aren’t, ” she said. “ It’s not your style. But—in this life—that’s all you’ve ever done. ”

My heart began to beat furiously in my chest. Who did she think she was?

“ Well, we were friends once. A long time ago. Friends are honest with each other, even if the truth hurts. ” It was difficult to avoid her words when I couldn’t even block out the sound.

Besides, who was she to talk? She hadn’t been honest at all.

“Then why did you avoid me?” I snuggled in my sheets but turned—only enough to spot her through a gap in the blankets. “That’s not friendly , and neither is tricking me into this bond we have. Didn’t they say that shikigami don’t have emotions anyway?”

“ We were friends, ” she repeated, not answering my last question as she cocked her head. Her golden eyes reflected off the light of my small lamp as she changed the subject. “ But you’re not the same. When the moon isn’t out, you can’t even sleep alone in the dark. ”

“I can so!” My voice was low, and I pulled the covers around my face. I didn’t need a light—most nights.

Instead of remarking on it, she said something I didn’t expect.

“ Don’t run from Finn. ” She sounded further away. “ He had a moment of human weakness, but—throughout this—he’s been your greatest ally. If our past together means anything to you, you’ll consider my words. ”

I ignored her. After all, how I felt about Finn was none of her business.

“ You should understand his actions the most, considering. ”

I sat up in my bed, my racing heartbeat echoing loudly in my ears. The forest from my dream flashed across my thoughts. It’d felt so real—I could almost smell the wet moss and hear the wind moving through the trees.