Page 48 of Shades of Silver City

“Don’t make me repeat it.”

I’m normally not such a dunce, but something about her brash attitude and ability to laugh in the midst of dark situations has me at a loss for words.

“When. Can. I. Start?” she says, enunciating each word slowly.

This time, I’m the one who bursts out laughing.

“Shit,” she says. She clears her throat, then winces, rubbing at her neck. “I didn’t realize I said anything funny.”

“I just—you’re not what I was expecting.” I run a hand through my hair. “I figured you’d be livid about your boyfriend and roommate.”

“I am! And I am seriously annoyed that you knew and you weren’t going to tell me.” Shooting me a glare, she starts tapping her foot. “But damn.” She rubs her chest mindlessly. “Weirdly, I’m kind of relieved.” Her body relaxes as she lets out a long breath and leans against the wall across from me, staring at a spot above my head. “Reed’s a good guy, but he was never truly invested. I mean, come on. He didn’t text me at all last night or this morning. Not until you showed up all barbaric, apparently, calling him names and ordering my roommates to clean up.”

She glances at me and chuckles.

“That isn’t quite how it happened.” I check that my phone volume’s up so I won’t miss Godric’s call. “And I beg to differ that Reed is a good guy. Good guys don’t make their partner feel like they’re not ‘invested.’ They certainly don’t sleep with their roommates, either.”

Tasia seems intelligent enough. Surely, deep down, she knows this already.

She holds my gaze, as if she’s studying me, and then her features soften into something indecipherable until finally she swallows and looks away.

“Well, I would’ve paid to see that.” She looks down at her phone again and groans, kicking at the dirt. After stuffing her phone back in her pocket, she says, “Speaking of pay, I just officially lost my job.” Her eyes flutter shut for a brief moment. “At least the timing works out. Since we’re going to work together and all that, can I at least get your real name?” She levels me with a dark stare. “Not your vague-ass gang name. It sounds as stupid as the Reaper. You two could be related with those names.” She snorts. “Phantom.”

“I didn’t choose that name.” The Scouts dubbed me the Phantom—for my ability to go undetected in the city. To them, I’m more myth than man. A specter. A legend.

In reality, thanks to the glamour Godric and I cast, combined with Pixel’s hacking skills, it’s fairly easy to go about unnoticed. Having an alias makes it even easier. “I agree—it’s not my first choice.”

“Then give me your real one.”

I swallow, holding her stare unwaveringly. “Names hold power.”

“Exactly.” She lifts a brow, crossing her arms. “And you know mine.”

Stroking the scruff on my jaw, I contemplate the repercussions of acceding to her request. There’s a chance she’ll need to know my real name anyway, especially if I take her to the masquerade.

“Fine,” I say, noticing the sparkle in her eye. “Archer. Archer Acciai.”

"…the manifestation of golden-hued soul-shades is exceedingly rare… Extensive investigation spanning two decades substantiates that gold tones denote an intrinsic quality of purity… Does the soul-shade influence the individual, or is it the individual’s qualities that shape the shade?”

-Excerpt from the personal journal of Dr. Claude Foster, Director of Faeology at Mesmeric Labs

CHAPTER 12

FANTASIA

Archer’s phone rings, and he excuses himself, jogging further down the tunnel to take the call.

Archer Acciai.

I like that a lot better than the Phantom.

Despite being only one or two floors underground, it’s like an entirely different world down here. It’s quiet, away from the bustling city above.

The rough, earthy tunnel stretches off into the distance until it disappears in shadow. I squint, noticing that it branches off in a few places. This appears to be a complex system of caves held up precariously by brick archways and sagging beams. But the modern lighting throws me off.

Agitation blazes through me, but I subdue it with a sigh, plopping onto the floor. I’ve been in much shittier positions in my life, and although I’m annoyed at being manhandled and carted off like a child, I’m not fearful. Oddly enough, despite his barbarian tactics, Archer’s presence puts me at ease.

In fact, him worrying about me is a huge turn-on. Hell, Reed didn’t even care that I ran off in the middle of the night. Yet Archer, a virtual stranger, has come to my rescue twice in a few days. His methods may be questionable, but based on that golden haze around his body, he’s truly doing what he thinks is right.

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