The Evanescence (Fallen Soul Series) Read online

  “It always does,” Laylen mutters. “And not only do we have to find Gemma, but I don’t think anyone has even begun to figure out how to get Aislin out of the Fey Kingdom.”

  Evan holds up his hand. “Before you two start making plans, can someone please give me a rundown of what the heck is going on? I mean for all I know you two could be zombies.”

  I roll my eyes. “Zombies don’t exist. Everyone knows that.”

  Evan elevates his eyebrows and gives an exaggerated eye-widening. “Yeah, everyone knows that, yet a few hours ago, you two were lying on the floor without a pulse and now look at you.”

  I shrug. “It’s been known to happen.”

  He sighs, shaking his head. “I don’t get what you’re saying.”

  “I know,” I say and then give them both a quick rundown of what happened.

  “There’s one thing I don’t get,” Evan says, fiddling with the chain on his belt loop. “Why weren’t we able to tell that you were still alive? We couldn’t see you breathing or find a pulse.”

  I shrug. “Maybe it was because I was on the brink of death. Or maybe because I was possessed. I really don’t know.”

  “Or maybe it’s because you were dead and now you’re a zombie,” he says.

  “Oh, would you get off the zombie kick, dude.” Laylen looks at me with disbelief as he hitches his thumb at Evan. “Seriously, what’s up with him?”

  Laylen doesn’t know Evan very well, but I do, and I know he’s seen a lot of strange things in his life, which is why he questions a lot of things.

  Evan narrows his eyes at Laylen and I catch his skin flickering. It’s time for a subject change before one of them steps too far on the other one’s toes.

  “Any ideas of where she would have gone?” I ask Laylen.

  “Gemma?” he questions. “Why are you asking me?”

  I stare him down. “Because she seems to tell you everything? Do you remember her saying anything when she found your body?”

  He shrugs. “I couldn’t really hear anything.”

  “You know the possibilities of where she could have gone are endless, right?” Evan chimes in. “With her gift she can basically go anywhere.”

  “I know that,” I tell him, thinking about the last thing she whispered to me. She said she’d make her pay. Helena. It has to be Helena. I tap my fingers on the armrest, wondering if she’d really do it. Throw herself into danger without any protection. Sure she’s Immortal—one of the protected one’s—but she could get trapped down there, amongst many other things. Maybe that’s what she wants. Maybe she wants to die. I shut my eyes. It’s like I can almost feel her pain, feel what she’s doing, see how she’s thinking. It’s strange, but for some reason, I can almost retrace her steps.

  Without saying a word, I get up from the chair and leave the room. With my eyes still shut and ignoring Evan and Laylen’s shouts about where I’m going, I walk down the hallway; not of my own accord, but with something else, as if I’m getting lead by a ghost.

  When I open my eyes again, I’m standing in front of the curio table. It hits me, like a brick over my head. Her locket and the Cornu Lepore are gone. I crouch down on my hands and knees and feel underneath it, searching the floor to see if they were knocked down. However, deep down, I know I’m not going to find them because I know she picked them up on her way out to where ever she went, just like, deep down, I know she’s hurting and angry about something. I can almost see it happening, the way she walked down the stairs, sad, yet determined, and when she passed them, she scooped up her locket because deep down, a tiny part of her wants to live.

  Evan and Laylen walk in. “Are you okay, man?” Laylen asks, leaning against the doorway, eyeing me as I crawl around on the floor.

  “Evan, did you move the necklaces we took from Gemma?” I ask, pushing to my feet.

  “No, they were on the table earlier today.” He points a finger at the curio.

  “Gemma must have taken them,” I speculate, brushing the dirt off the knees of my jeans. “I think I might know where she is…” I glance at the front door, picturing her opening it. “To Nalina’s with the Cornu Lepore.”

  “How do you know that?” Laylen wonders. “Just because she took the necklaces?”

  “It’s a feeling,” I reply, knowing I’m sounding like a freaking weirdo.

  “Okay…” Laylen considers this and then, standing up straight, he heads for the door. “Let’s go get her.”

  “Why would she do that, though?” Evan questions, perplexed, as he zips his jacket up. “The Cornu Lepore isn’t supposed to be anything special. At least, that’s what I’ve always been told.”

  “It was special to Helena,” Laylen interrupts, turning the doorknob, then holds up his hand when I start to open my mouth. “Don’t ask me why because I’m not sure. All I know is that it was important to her. That’s why she took it from Nalina in the first place.”

  “Maybe Gemma’s going to try and go after Helena on her own.” Evan shuffles toward the door.

  “Yeah, I already thought of that,” I mutter.

  The three of us grow quiet and I feel like I’m going to explode. I’ve always been taught to keep my cool and deal with whatever’s thrown at me, but it’s becoming too much. I just wish that, for like a month—Hell, I’d take a day—that we could live our lives in a normal way, without any crazy Faeries, Keepers, Witches, or anything else trying to take over the world.

  “I think she’s gone to Nalina’s to find out why Helena wanted the pendant.” I pat my pockets for my knife. “And I think she is going after Helena if we don’t make it to her first.”

  Evan withdraws a small, ruby-filled Crystal Ball from his pocket and holds it in the air. I’d almost forgotten that he has the power of a Foreseer as well. “I can’t use this in here with the Praesidium.” He glances at the lavender marble lining the floor. “So, we’ll have to go outside.”

  We nod and Evan leads the way. It’s pitch black and I can barely see as we make our way down the grassy hill and away from the castle. I can hear the pitter-patter of footsteps and the fluttering of Sprite wings. I take out my knife because it makes me feel content and Evan lights up his hand so we can see where we’re going. Where are we going exactly? To Gemma? I really don’t know. All I’m basing it on is a feeling I have that I can read the things she does. That’s it. Other than that, I’ve got nothing.

  All I can do is hope that I’m right. And I’ve never really been a fan of hope.

  Chapter 10

  Gemma

  I think I’ve officially lost my mind, but I don’t think I care. I have Nalina trapped in the corner of the living room, cowering and crying as she rocks back and forth, banging her head against the wall. I used the Serpent’s mark to invade her mind; made her think that there were snakes crawling on her. It’s a little trick I learned from a certain Fairie/Foreseer who also has the mark. He did the same thing to me when he invaded my thoughts. I guess I’m a good student.

  Nalina’s fear of snakes is much more intense than mine, though. She flipped out so bad that she jumped on the kitchen table, screaming at the top of her lungs until she ran out of breath. Then, she ran towards the front door and almost escaped, but as she swung the front door open I conjured up the thought of a giant snake with an open mouth, scaly skin, and venomous fangs, waiting outside to swallow her. She leapt back and slammed the door shut. After that, she retreated into the corner of the living room, cowering behind the sofa. That’s when the banging started, like she’s trying to bang the images out of her head.

  I feel sort of bad for her. I know from my own personal experience that it’s terrifying to see snakes everywhere and to have my mind invaded. Nevertheless, I need to know why Helena wanted the pendant. Besides, I think I’m starting to lose my mind a little bit, maybe because of my grief or maybe it’s from the hate I feel toward Helena, but for some bizarre reason, pity, guilt, and shame just aren’t working for me at the moment, like I’ve completely disconnected fr
om the world and reality.

  Snapping my fingers, I make the crawling snakes vanish from Nalina’s thoughts and walk over to the sofa.

  She’s trembling from head-to-toe and tears stream down her cheeks, soaking her face and the collar of her shirt. “Please, Gemma,” she begs me. “Please, don’t torture me anymore. I can’t take it… it’s hurting my head.”

  I squat down beside her, wanting to feel bad—searching for it deep inside me—but I’m numb. “Okay, I’ll stop, on one condition. You have to tell me the truth. No more bull crap lies about not knowing anything.” My voice does not sound like it belongs to me; it sounds strong and confident.

  She takes a breath through her nose and releases it from her quivering lips. “Okay, I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” She wipes the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand, then stands up, running her fingers through her hair, trying to compose herself. “I just need to sit down for a moment.”

  Nodding, I follow her to the sofa in the middle of the room and we have a seat on opposing sides. It’s quiet for a minute and I can hear the tick of the clock, the song of the wind, the shouting of some dude nearby who really wants to, “Chillax.”

  “What happened to you, Gemma? You have become quite ruthless.” Her eyes are full of animosity. “If I didn’t know better, I would think that Helena might still be inside of you.”

  “She’s not,” I tell her, crossing my legs and studying the window across from us. It’s getting dark, the stars are out. The day’s coming to an end. The day everything came to an end. “This is just who I am now, I guess.” Shaking my head, I clear the thoughts and shoot her an impatient look. “Start talking.”

  She sits up straight and, covering her mouth with her hand, she clears her throat. “I was telling the truth when I said the Cornu Lepore was given to me by Luna when I was a child, I just left out a few of the details. I promise that my intent with all this has always been to protect you, even though it may not seem like it.”

  I roll my eyes at her. “Sure, whatever you say.”

  She glares at me. “My mother taking me to see Luna was a one-time event. It was the only time I was allowed to go to the Fairie Realm. My mother told me I was never supposed to go back—that it was too much of a risk and that the Empress could end up being discovered.

  “Even though our meeting was short, Luna managed to pull me aside while my mother was distracted by some Sprites. Luna told me that I was special and I deserved something special. She told me to hide the pendant from my mother and that she was never supposed to find out I had it. I did what I was told and I don’t even know why. Luna didn’t know I’d never be allowed to return to the Fey Realm and she became bitter toward Nalini. Honestly, she just became bitter towards everything.” She crosses her legs and adjusts her skirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. “I think it’s one of the reasons why she wants to conquer the world… because the Cornu Lepore proves that I’m from royal blood and, if I were to go to the Faerie Realm, the Fey would have to respect that I could rule over them, even though I’m not full Fey.”

  Reaching into my pocket, I take out the Cornu Lepore. I thread it through my fingers and hold it up in front of my face, letting it spin. Nalina watches it spin, her eyes hungry and full of lust. She wants it. Badly. And it makes me wonder if she wants to control the Fey.

  “But, why do you want it back?” I ask, letting it spin from my fingers.

  She’s mesmerized by it. “I already told you why… because I’m not supposed to have it.”

  I shake my head and enclose my hand around the necklace. “No, I don’t think that’s the only reason.” I lean forward, getting close to her, and her eyes darken as they shift to my hand and then back to my face. “I think that you want to have it for the same reason Helena does. I think that you both want to rule the Fey and their realm. Because if you do, you’ll have more power than any other Fey—maybe even more than anyone else in the world.” I tip my head to the side, thoughtfully. “When you told me, during my first visit, that there was a battle breaking out in the Fey Realm and that Lucinda, Helena, and Annabella all wanted something…” I unfold my fingers and let the chain hang around them, dangling the pendant down at eye level, “you meant this, didn’t you?”

  It makes sense. Helena already rules the Lost Souls, but if she has the ability to rule the Fairie Realm, too, she’d have a lot of control and power, which is her favorite thing. Also, if there really is a war about to break out amongst the Fey, her chances of winning would be even greater with the ability to control both sides.

  I slip the pendant off my fingers and tuck it back inside my pocket. “I think I might have just gotten what I came here for.”

  “You know that belongs to me,” she snaps, sticking out her hand. “Give it back.”

  “Right now, it belongs in my pocket.” I get up from the sofa, feeling liberated—feeling powerful—but also very tired.

  I walk towards the door. “Well, Nalina, it’s been a real pleasure, but it’s time for me to—” Her arms wrap around me, and she tackles me to the floor with a surprising force for someone her age. My head bangs against the floor and she lands on my back, grabbing my hair as I try to flip over. I elbow her in the side, trying to shove her off me. I manage to get on my back, twisting my body, but she shifts her weight and sits down on top of me, pinning me down by the shoulders with her weight. She reaches into her pocket and whips out a knife, flipping it open, she places it against my throat as she smiles down at me.

  “The necklace is mine, give it back!” She yanks back my head and tips the blade of the knife so it grazes my skin.

  I gradually reach inside my pocket, inching my hand in as I glance around, looking for something that can help me. What I need is to get out from underneath her. What I need is the knife.

  Suddenly, someone pounds on the front door and it distracts Nalina long enough that I kick her in the gut. She huffs as she slumps forward, dropping the knife to clutch her stomach. I shove at her and she loses her balance and falls to the side, then I quickly leap to my feet and make a mad dash towards the door.

  “You’re not going anywhere!” Nalina cries, running towards me with the knife in her hand.

  The door swings open and hits the wall with a lot of force and I whirl around ready for anything because, at this point, anything could walk through that door. What I see, though, is nothing I could have prepared myself for. I stumble back, tripping over my own feet and fall to my ass.

  My body bounces back and my head hits the hardwood floor, hard. I blink up at the ceiling, watching it spin insanely.

  “Gemma,” I hear his voice, but I tell myself it’s a hallucination because he’s dead. I saw that he was dead, touched his cold skin, saw his funeral and the missing mark. Alex is dead.

  Except he can’t be since he’s leaning over me, his bright green eyes fierce, and his jawline is taut like it almost always is.

  “Are you okay?” He bends down and touches the side of my head, right at my temple where my pulse is racing. Or maybe it’s his.

  I nod my head up and down, afraid to blink, afraid to breath. “Are you?”

  His lips quirk and then he’s reaching for my arms, lifting me to my feet like I’m air. Steadying me by the shoulders, he smoothes down my hair, and traces a line down my cheek as he pulls away. I watch him, unable to take my eyes off him because he’s here, alive, when I thought he was dead. Suddenly I feel alive again. The numbness is gone. My heart has stopped bleeding.

  He smiles softly, shifting his weight, and looking a little uncomfortable. “Gemma, if you don’t stop staring at me like that, I’m going to lose it and have to take you back to the castle.” He sucks in a deep breath, his chest expanding as he lets it out and his eyes scroll down my body. “And as much as I want to, we have a bunch of other stuff to fix at the moment.”

  “I don’t care,” I say with honesty, still staring at him. “I don’t care about any of that. I want you to take me back to the castle. I
want you.”

  I’m not even sure what compels me to say it. I’ve always been afraid of intimacy and how it makes me feel, but right now, standing here with him when I thought he was dead—it’s scarier if I don’t say it. I almost missed my chance.

  Alex’s neck muscles work as he swallows hard, then he wraps his lean arms around me and warm air flows freely though my lungs again as I bury my face into his strong chest. “I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my hair, his heart beating against my cheek and the sound is the most amazing, beautiful noise that’s ever touched my ears. “I hated seeing you like that… seeing her inside you.”

  “I missed you, too.” Encircling my arms around his waist, I breathe him in, his earthy scent. I feel safe. Then I hear a grunt and a loud bang and I quickly pull away, looking over my shoulder.