Page 66 of Crossing Between
But we both knew that wasn't true. The Essencefeaster had reached me before, had pulled me into that dark place when I was trying to unlock my magic. This felt different, more intimate, more invasive, but no less real.
"He tried to sweet-talk me," the words were muffled against Varon's shirt. "Said my blood was wasted on you all. That I could be so much more."
A low growl rumbled in Varon's chest, so primal it made the hair on my arms stand up. "He won't touch you. I won't allow it."
I pulled back slightly to look at him, wiping tears from my cheeks. "He tried to trick me."
Something flickered in Varon's eyes, concern, maybe, before his expression smoothed. "Quilith is still learning about your abilities, Zoey. None of us has all the answers yet."
Before I could reply, the sound of voices downstairs announced Kenji and Elias's arrival.
"The others are here," Varon gently helped me to my feet. "Are you up to seeing them? I can tell them to come back later if you need more time."
I shook my head. "No, I want to see them." After that dream, I needed all of them close, needed the reassuranceof their presence to drive away the lingering chill of the Essencefeaster's words.
Varon nodded, his hand resting at the small of my back as we made our way downstairs. The simple contact was grounding, a reminder that I wasn't alone, despite the Essencefeaster's threats.
Kenji and Elias were in the kitchen, Kenji already helping himself to the casserole that was cooling on the counter. They both looked up as we entered, their expressions shifting from casual to concerned as they took in my tear-stained face.
"What happened?" Elias was immediately at my side, his hand hovering near my arm as if afraid to touch me.
"The Essencefeaster visited her dreams," Varon answered for me, his voice tight with barely controlled anger.
Kenji's usual playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold fury that transformed his features. "What did it say to you?"
I relayed the dream as best I could, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fear that still thrummed through my veins. When I finished, a heavy silence fell over the kitchen.
"He's trying to isolate you," Elias' gray eyes meeting mine. "To make you doubt us, doubt yourself."
"Well, it's working," I admitted, wrapping my arms around myself. "I can't stop thinking about what he said about you all. About what I really am."
The three men exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them that only reinforced my suspicions.
"There is something you're not telling me, isn't there?" I looked from one to the other, noting the guilt that flashed across their faces. "What is it? What do you know about my powers that I don't?"
Varon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not that simple, Zoey. There are things about Soulbinders that even we don't fully understand. Legends,myths..."
"Then tell me what you do know!" My voice rose with frustration. "I'm tired of being kept in the dark about my own abilities. I deserve the truth."
"You're right," Elias stepped forward, his expression solemn. "You do deserve the truth. But some of this should come from Quilith. They have more knowledge about Soulbinders than any of us."
"And they'll be back tomorrow," Kenji added, his tone gentler than usual. "Can you wait until then? Let them explain properly?"
I wanted to argue, to demand answers now, but the pleading look in their eyes gave me pause. Whatever they were keeping from me, they seemed to believe it was for my own good.
"Fine," I conceded reluctantly. "One more day. But after that, no more secrets. I need to know everything if I'm going to face this thing."
Relief visibly washed over them, and Varon squeezed my shoulder gratefully. "Thank you, little one."
The endearment sent a warm flutter through my chest despite my lingering frustration. It was hard to stay angry when they looked at me like that, with a mixture of concern and something deeper that made my heart race.
"Now," Kenji broke the tension, sliding a plate of casserole toward me. "Eat something. Food always helps after a nightmare."
Despite everything, a small smile tugged at my lips. Trust Kenji to bring it back to food. But as I took the plate, I had to admit he was right. The simple act of eating, of sharing a meal with these three men who had somehow become essential to my life, did help ground me in the present, pushing the nightmare's chill a little further away.
As we ate, the conversation shifted tolighter topics. Kenji told outrageous stories again, making me laugh despite myself. Elias and Varon added their own tales, each trying to outdo the others. It was clear they were trying to distract me, to keep my mind off the Essencefeaster's threats, and I loved them for it.
But even as I laughed and listened, a part of me remained alert, watchful. The Essencefeaster's words echoed in the back of my mind, a dark promise I couldn't quite shake.
