Page 44 of Fade With Me

I hesitated, my pulse quickening at the thought of getting caught. My fingers trembled as I took it. “I’m not allowed to have a phone,” I said, my voice tight. “If Reggie sees this—”

“He won’t,” he cut in, his tone serious. “Trust me. Keep it hidden. I need a way to stay in contact with you, and you need a way to reach me if something goes wrong.”

I nodded, my grip still unsteady. “Okay,” I murmured. “Thank you…for everything.”

Zeke’s hand enveloped mine, his palm large enough to swallow it whole. His voice was soft, a thread of warmth running through his words. “No need to thank me, Bryn. I’m just relieved I found you, the real you.”

His last sentence clung to me as we flew down the street, the trees blurring into a sea of green. My pulse still surged, but with a different force now, one that hummed beneath my skin, like a quiet shiver. Like the hush before everything changes.

We turned onto the road leading to my house, and relief washed over me when I saw that Reggie’s Mustang wasn’t in the driveway. “Thank God,” I whispered, letting out a breath. “He’s not home.”

I glanced at the clock on the console: 8:01. Without wasting another second, I jumped out of the car, barely muttering a hurried, “Bye!” before sprinting toward my front door. I swung it open, the shrill sound of the phone ringing from inside greeting me.

I dropped my backpack with a loud thud and rushed into the kitchen, my heart pounding in my ears. I grabbed the phone just in time, drew a quick breath to steady myself, then answered with forced calm.

“Hello?”

“Brynie girl, what took you so long to answer?” Reggie’s voice boomed, thick with a slur, his dramatic sigh dragging through the line. “You know I’m more important than those dresses, right?”

I placed my hand over my racing heart, trying to catch my breath from the sudden surge of adrenaline. “Sorry, Reggie,” I replied, my words cool but betraying a hint of breathlessness. “I was literally putting in the last stitch.”

“Yeah, yeah.” His voice crackled, casual but with a faint edge of expectation. “Just checking that you got my laundry done before tomorrow. Left a note, but I wanted to make sure you saw it.”

I rolled my eyes, already knowing why he'd called right at 8:00.

“Yeah, I saw it,” I said dryly, my gaze drifting to the note stuck on the fridge—another reminder, always a task to keep me tethered.

“I’m almost done with it,” I lied.

“Thanks, Brynie,” he chimed, all fake sweetness. “You’re the best. Catch ya later.”

The call ended, leaving the house eerily still.

I sank into the nearest chair, the calm a sharp contrast to the chaos I’d just escaped. My nerves, frazzledfrom the sprint and the phone call, began to unwind in the quiet.

But even as my body relaxed, my mind kept racing. Zeke’s claim echoed like a distant pulse in my thoughts.

You’re not mortal.

An Immortal sorceress.

His tone had been so intense, the look in his eyes burning with something I couldn’t quite place. And then, those final words that made my heart skip:I will not leave you behind.

I tried to silence his voice, but it lingered, wrapping itself around my thoughts like an insistent whisper.

Once I finished folding Reggie’s laundry into neat stacks on his bed, I escaped into a long, hot shower. The water cascaded over me, soothing my aching muscles and washing away the day’s sweat.

I carefully unwrapped the dressing from my hand, wincing as I examined the damage. The skin was bruised and swollen, a jagged mark distorting the usual smoothness of my complexion.

My gaze drifted over the rest of my exposed body, lingering on the mottled bruises that marred my skin from the fall. It was a far cry from the flawless perfection one might expect from someoneimmortal,if that’s even what I truly was.

As my fingers traced the bruises on my arms and legs, a bitter thought settled in: how could I, so fragile, so breakable, and yet…eternal, feel so utterly human?

After finishing, I wrapped a fresh bandage around my hand, the cool material pressing against my skin. Slipping into my soft, fuzzy pajamas, I was embraced by the familiar comfort of my bed, a safe haven with warm, soothing blankets. I sank into the plush softness, feeling the exhaustion of the day melt away.

Reaching for my backpack, my fingers brushed against the phone Zeke had given me. To my surprise, there was already a new message waiting for me.

Zeke:Please tell me you answered the phone in time.

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