Page 166 of Firestorm
“At the gala,” Landon went on. “They were saying he’s found them again. He thinks he knows where this Phantom is.”
My heart pounded as my apartment flashed through my mind.
“You should leave,” Landon leaned forward and lowered his voice. “It’s not safe, Skye. He’s stronger, now. His men are better trained. Iknow you’re older now, but you’re out of practice. Connecting with Aiden should have helped, but–”
I stood abruptly, my chair skidding back behind me and screeching along the library floors.
“I can help you,” Landon continued. “I can throw them off. Don’t tell me where you run to, but you can go. Take your brother and–”
“No,” I said a bit loudly, shocked at the conviction in my tone. “No, Landon. I’m not running anywhere.”
“It’s not safe, Skye.” Landon hissed, moving to stand. “You don’t understand what you’re up against.”
“It’s not like you’ve been so forthcoming with information,” I spat. “You just blow up my evenings with revelations and then come back to give me some grim warning.”
“Skye, I’msorry.” Landon’s tone turned pleading as I thought about leaving. “You don’t understand. He’s in my fucking brain. I don’t know how, but he can pop in whenever he wants. I can’t keep him out. He can see everything I do.”
I shivered as a cold sweat drifted down my spine. “What?” I breathed.
“It’s not safe for you, Skye. He’s planning something, and he keeps coming into my brain and taking information. He knows where your dorm is. He knows you’re friends with Willow and Mia. Heknows.”
My feet moved me backward, away from Landon like that would get me further from this unseen threat. He didn’t look threatening, though, he only looked scared.
And sorry.
“I’m not running anywhere.” I repeated.
Landon blew out his cheeks before running his hands through his dark hair. “Okay. Okay, then I’ll do my best to keep him away, and–”
I turned suddenly, feeling something off in an aisle nearby. I usually stayed in the corner of the library, away from the windows so I could focus on my research instead of whatever was happening outside.
But this corner was darker than normal, and the longer I watched it, the more and more the shadows seemed to…move.
I took a step back, and Landon was already at my side, moving in front of me defensively. The shadows continued to move, coming closerto us in a manner of milliseconds, not nearly enough time to comprehend what was happening.
I gasped as the shadow finally took the form of a man.A handsome man, I barely had time to realize before he was reaching out for me. My affinity didn’t react, and the man threw his arms around me before we were completely engulfed in darkness, leaving Landon behind.
Chapter 47
Aiden
I froze as soonas I stepped through the door of my dorm. I hadn’t been back here in weeks. Mia’s roommate had dropped out halfway through the term and Willow was spending most of her time there, so I was free to stay in Skye’s room. I’d only come for another change of clothes, but I instantly knew it was a mistake.
“Ah, Aiden.” My mother flashed me an evil smile from where she sat on my bed. Her hair was perfectly slicked back, as usual, into a bun at the nape of her neck. The barest hint of her naturally dark roots were coming through, though I could see she’d tried to powder them away.
I cleared my throat. “Mother, what a surprise.”
She hummed, looking around the room in disgust even though it was spotless. “This is what I pay for, is it?”
My survival instincts told me not to answer, though my brain really wanted to snark at her. That was more and more common these days. Connecting with Skye had given me a lot of things, including a backbone.
“I heard something very interesting this past week, Aiden. I heard that you, dear…have a Key you’ve hidden from me?”
“Would you like to meet her?” I asked. Under no circumstanceshad I ever wanted my mother to meet Skye, but now…Skye was such an automatic safe space for me I didn’t doubt she’d protect me from whatever bullshit my mother was cooking up.
“I can’t imagine she’s anything special,” my mom replied, wrinkling her nose. “Who are the other Links?”
“No idea,” I replied easily. It wasn’t exactly a lie. I knew of Wyatt and the prince, but I hadn’t bothered to ask if there was anyone else. If I knew about the prince, though…why didn’t my mom?
