Page 95 of Ensnared
“Maybe she was wrong,” I say. “Maybe everyone will see it as the miracle it is.”
His smile’s sad. “You’re a human. You don’t understand. Our affinities define us in every single way. We can’t accept something that defies expectations.”
“So your entire life is a lie,” I say.
“Except when I’m with Euphrasia, and now with you,” he says. “But you have to swear to keep the secret from everyone. Your siblings can’t know. No one can.”
My siblings. I can’t help my cringe.
“What?” He stiffens. “Are they in danger?”
I’m a terrible sister. I’m sitting here on Axel’s lap while they could be anywhere. “I’m not sure.”
He blinks. “Even if you left, Rufus would have gone back as soon as the?—”
“Gideon left with them,” I confess. “They were planning to escape when the attack happened.”
Axel’s eyes are hurt, and I feel the pain of betrayal through the bond.
“I’m sorry,” I say, “but I told you about the nuclear warheads, and you didn’t plan to do a thing about it.”
“Because,” he says, “I told you it would be fine.”
That’s technically true, but. . . “Warheads less powerful than those leveled two cities full of humans many years ago. Every man, woman, and child who was anywhere near the blasts died. The ones who survived the explosion sickened from the exposure and died soon after. It was horrific.”
“None of that will happen,” he says. “I took care of it.”
“I didn’t know you could,” I say. “You weren’t very forthcoming about a lot of things.” I arch an eyebrow.
“There’s been a lot I couldn’t tell you,” he admits.
“But not anymore?”
He sighs. “I’m not sure. Do you still want to stab me while I’m sleeping?”
I shrug. “Depends on my mood.”
To my surprise, he laughs. “I’d expect nothing less.”
“You’re ruining my world.” I’m sort of kidding, and I think he knows it.
“You lost my swords,” he says. “Let’s go retrieve them before someone else does. We can talk about what to do with Ocharta on the way.”
“And can Rufus and Gordon check to make sure Sammy, Coral, and Jade escaped?”
“Do you really hope that they did?” Axel sounds curious.
“I’m not sure what I hope anymore,” I say.
That may be the scariest part.
21
My first kiss was a disaster.
I liked a guy named Nat. No, not Nate. That’s short for Nathan. The guy I liked was a skater, and his parents were California, through and through. He was way too cool for me. He knew it, I knew it—everyone knew it.
He had long hair.
