Page 79 of Those That Are Lost

Her hair is shorter. Not by much but it hits her chest instead of her waist. She looks radiant, glowing and dressed up in a tight sequinned dress like she’s heading out for the night.

“Who are you? Are you this piece of shit’s girlfriend?” She jabs a finger at the male behind me. Ty places his hands on my waist.

‘She recognised me and started yelling,’he tells me.

“Bree,” I say again, keeping my voice low. “It’s me.”

She takes a step back and shakes her head.

“No. You couldn’t… not that much.” Her voice barely a whisper as shock crosses her features.

“It’s me,” I repeat, unwilling to say my name aloud when any supernatural could be listening.

Bree takes an inhale and I see her work through the shock, the familiarity, the relief and sadness and anger. She brings her hands together at her face as tears well in her eyes. “Oh gods. It’s really you.”

“It’s really me,” I say a third time.

She responds by dragging me into a bone crushing hug. It takes me by such surprise, she nearly manages to wind me. I feel Ty bristle, but I quickly reassure him and hug my best friend back.

When she finally releases me, she starts up again, firing questions quicker than I can comprehend. Her gaze flicks between me and Ty and the only thing I catch is that she’s figured out that we’re together.

I pause her with a hand to her arm. “Bree, I want to answer you, I do, but…” I gesture around the open lobby. “We need privacy. Are you staying here?”

“Yes… Gods, you don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I got a residency with a ballet company in the southern continent. We’re here for a short week-long run.”

“The southern continent? But you were hoping for the Scotian Company,” I say, confused.

“I er…” She takes a breath. “With everything that happened, I didn’t make the audition. The Balacian Company took me from my tapes alone.” From her eyes, I can tell she means that my disappearance caused her life to take a very large pivot. Crushing guilt floods my system and I lose the ability to speak.

Ty’s hands are back on my waist as I stare at my best friend. I’d thought of her and Claire over the months, of course I had. I hadn’t thought of the ramifications though.

“Claire?” I ask.

“She’s still in Froan. She took the first job she was offered when we graduated but she didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. She recently got offered to interview at that place she always talked about and is currently putting her portfolio together in preparation for it. It’ll be a little less money to start, but you know how much she loves their design ethos.”

Guilt gnaws at my stomach. It feels like both of my best friends have had rocky starts in their careers. The voice in my head snarls that I must’ve been the cause. It could’t have been easy for them to concentrate through finals when I disappeared.

“She’s living back with her parents,” Bree continues. “We call almost everyday. She didn’t want to live alone after… Have you been here this entire time?”

“Do you have a room we can talk in?” I glance at the two other males I’m here with, who have backed away somewhat. Our original mission here has crumpled but they nod and let me know they’ll keep to task.

Bree looks hesitant but says, “Follow me.”

CHAPTER 32

TY

‘Can I tell her the truth?’Red asks me as we ride the elevator up to Bree’s suite.

‘A version of it.’I hate that I have to curb her revealing everything but the whole truth is too risky right now.

Red reassures me with a squeeze of her hand as we follow Bree out the elevator and across the hall. She scans a pass and we enter her room. After a cursory sweep and a deep inhale I can tell we are alone. I use the shadows anyway to check the rooms we can’t see. I nod to Red when they confirm our safety.

“Please, can you drop your glamour now?” Bree asks. Red takes a deep breath and reveals her true form, except for the tattoo on her arm.

A huge smile catches Bree’s face. “You’re more powerful now. When did that happen?”

“Around the same time that I fully turned,” Red says, keeping her voice level and calm but I can see the anxiety wash over her. Bree might not react well to this. I step closer to my mate in case. Bree’s nearly full Fae and, whilst a weaker earth elemental, she still holds power.