Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 26760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
He looked deep into my eyes, and for a moment, I felt as if he was peering into my very soul.
“Call it a hunch.”
One of his companions, a tall figure, stepped closer. “Are you sure about letting her go?”
“Vedremo la di nuovo,” he replied in a cryptic tongue, a cascade of melodic, mysterious syllables that held no meaning for me. I could only guess their significance. “Segui-la in silenzio” Another exchange in that same language, and then, with a final weighted glance, he released me and stepped back.
“Return to where you shelter and stay put. No one will bother you again.”
I didn’t understand why he’d helped me or how he could be so sure of that, but I wasn’t going to press further. I nodded and allowed him to help me stand. Despite my instincts telling me not to, curiosity got the better of me. “What's…what’s your name?” I asked hesitantly.
A grin danced on his lips. “You'll know soon enough.”
I turned away, inadvertently catching the gruesome scene unfolding behind him. The man who’d attacked me had been stripped naked and was now undergoing the chilling process of having his flesh removed. Curved blades flashed beneath the dim glow of lights the men wore as they worked. The way his flesh curled back reminded me of peeling potatoes. The underside of the skin was a mix of sinewy tissue, blood vessels crisscrossed like delicate, intricate webs, and patches of exposed muscle.
A visceral shudder surged through me, and I forced my feet to move. I could feel the weight of their collective gaze on my back.
A million questions flitted through my mind as the distance grew between us. I touched the necklace, feeling its cool metal against my skin. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to run from the mysterious man who'd saved me and his brigade. It took all the strength I had left to maintain a semblance of composure, putting one foot in front of the other, wondering why he’d let me go.
CHAPTER TWO
Present
Demeter Plaza always teemed with life. The convergence of history and innovation was palpable here. While old buildings stood regal with modern augmentations that barely altered their classical charm, the newer additions to the city, transparent towers of glass and responsive metal, captured the reflections of a past that existed long before I did.
Winding pathways illuminated with sleek, ambient lighting led to myriad stalls. The chatter of enthusiastic vendors peddling, and the gentle hums of tech-displays, combined with the sizzling and bubbling sounds from the food stalls created an orchestra of urban life.
“The skewers from FusionFire smell divine. Should we grab some?" Ophelia asked, her gaze fixed on the stall's sign. It glowed in fiery orange and electric blue neon above the serving window, flickering like a dancing flame.
Inside the stall, state-of-the-art cooking gadgets and equipment hummed and whirred, producing dishes that looked like they belonged in a five-star restaurant rather than a plaza stall. Robotic arms moved about, plating dishes, while the cooks monitored the fusion process and added final touches.
“You said that about the sushi, too. This is why you’re not supposed to go shopping hungry,” I joked.
“You know how I feel about food. I could eat now, then again, and again at dinner.”
I looked at the line and shook my head. It was already midday. “Let’s grab some my next day off. Mom needs this sauce.”
“What about Ezra?”
I diverted my attention to a little girl flying a dragon kite. “What about him?”
“I don’t know. You two haven’t seen each other in a while, right?”
“It hasn’t been that long.”
I wasn’t going to tell her how he had me bent over four days ago. The memory was as vivid as the hideous décor inside the motel room we’d met in.
I’d been more focused on the vintage comforter than Ezra fucking me. I wasn’t sure he’d noticed.
Ophelia glanced over with a slight frown. “Are you two okay?”
I lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I think we were better off as friends.”
“I hate to be right, but I called it. Your relationship hasn’t changed that much, only the label. Oh, and the sex. Now he gets sex.”
I laughed and shook my head. She wasn’t wrong. When it came to Ezra, I found my feelings in a state of flux more often than not. He had been a constant in my life since I was seventeen. I’d just gone from living in seclusion to a more prominent area of Antheia. He’d befriended me during my first week at Haven’s Crest Academy and helped me adjust. He'd been a pillar of support and understanding ever since.
Did I love him as more than that?
Sadly, I didn’t think so.
I valued his friendship more than words could convey.
He was handsome, reminiscent of a modern-day Byronic hero. I laughed every time we were together, and he never made me feel as if he’d grown tired of me. But it was as if we were both actors in a play, continuing our roles even though the script had become old and worn. A few days before we met in that motel room and became a tangle of limbs, I’d tried to break it off.