Page 92 of Rising

I cracked my neck, my eyes trailing until they spotted Alexiares. Clad in the same black uniform, he was practically melded into the brick wall behind him. A subtle nod of my head conveyed my acknowledgment before gliding through the crowd, dropping to my knee as if I had stepped over to tie my shoe.

“Look busy. Pretend like you’re stretching for a jog.” My heart thundered in my chest as his raspy voice reached my ears, therin each word, singing to me as his accent slipped through. It was the first time he had spoken to me since we arrived.

Good thing I’d worn the sneakers that’d been tossed into the room before my physical assessment. Hoping they’d make my movements through the vent silent in comparison to the heavy weight of boots.

He stood just out of view. My face remained straight ahead as his breath kissed the tip of my ear. I grabbed my ankle, pulling my leg into a hamstring stretch, my fingers clinging to the corner of the wall.

“What are you doing?” I asked, wanting him to get to the point.

“Getting us out of here,” he said, scoffing as if it were obvious.

I dropped my foot, body stilling before remembering to keep up my rouse, pulling my arms behind my back and leaning forward.

“We don’t have access to our magic.”

He answered in full confidence, “Yes, you do.”

“How do you—”

“You’re smart,” he interrupted, “there wasn’t a chance in hell you’d take it.”

I grinned, his faith in me warming my body before forcing myself to bury it.

“Why aren’t you locked up with the rest of us?” I deadpanned, remembering the sound of Seth’s screams. The kisses. The bruises.

“I’m sorry about that.” He interrupted the thoughts before they could get too deep.

A moment of tense silence passed between us as I shifted my body into the next stretch, my eyes scanning the crowd with predatory focus.

“Look, we don’t have the time for me to explain anything, just know I lied my way out of the situation. Do you want to waste time talking about why I’m not locked in a dungeon, or would you like to focus on the important things?”

I wasn’t about to trust him easily. He’d proven too quick to switch sides. Even though we’d been out for three days as they carted us back here, the ease with which he’d done so gave me pause. “The gas, it didn’t affect you as much. You were awake before the rest of us.”

“Didn’t affect me at all, actually. Finley had us all vaccinated when she first created it. Incapacitating agent.”

“Those don’t work. Even the military couldn’t perfect them. The air, we were outside.” I protested. We’d researched them ourselves back at The Compound, a biochemist in the army working with Reina and her colleagues.

“She was smart before, studied at MIT, top of her class. Tinkerer’s genes made her into something of an evil Marie Curie.”

A gorgeous evil genius plays the villain, the jokes really write themselves.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked, noting my silence.

“Forgive me if I hesitate with your little display.”

He paused, tilted his head, then looked down, realizing what I was referring to. I turned, pointing my chin up to meet his gaze.

“You’re jealous,” he accused.

I shook my head quickly. “No.”

“Ihadto, Amaia. I need you to hear me. I did what I had to in order to survive, as you would. Because if you survive, they survive.” His eyes were harsh, searching mine before adding, “And right now, all I care about is your survival. I didn’t think it’d matter, anyway. Not after you pulled away.”

“We were interrupted.”

His expression turned brooding, and I dropped my head, resuming my stretches, turning my back to him, remembering where I was and why I was here.

“You made it clear you preferred my distance this last month. I gave you space to come to me. I opened up to you and you didn’t come.” His voice tore, and I stiffened. My back now pressed against him as he whispered into my ear, “Look at me, Amaia. Say it. Tell me. Why did you pull away that day?”

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