Page 32 of Created in Chaos

“You don’t live here anymore. I don’t think you’re even allowed on the grounds.” A pit opens in my stomach, making me feel queasy. Lucian will surely see this as treachery, I just don’t know if he’ll think I betrayed him too.

“I’m not.” He looks out over my head and lets out a heavy breath. “The coastline isn’t quite the same from any other spot on the island though, and I wanted to see if it was as beautiful as I remembered.” In the short time I’ve known Alden, or been acquainted with him, because I don’t actually know him, he’s never been a talker, so the statement seems like a big revelation.

“Geez, that seems risky for a little look at the water, but I’m actually kind of relieved. I thought you might be here to take me back to the Umbras.”

“There is that too.” He shifts his gaze back to me. “I was pretty surprised to find you alone so soon.”

“So soon? You mean after the call?”

He nods slowly.

“Your plan was just to hide out here to see if I happened to walk by?” I’m sure he can hear my skepticism.

He lowers his chin and gives me a disappointed glower. My mind starts reeling at what the expression could mean. “You couldn’t have known I would come here. I’ve never been here before,” I challenge.

“The Morningstars aren’t the only ones with trackers on you, Nova.” He sounds like a chastising teacher, like I’m some rogue kid who can never make it to school on time or answer the question when called upon.

“What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t know they put a tracker on your car?” he divulges as if he assumed I already knew, but I don’t trust him. He wouldn’t have told me if it wasn’t in his best interests to do so, or should I say the Umbras’ interests, since he works for them.

“Are you saying they slipped a microchip in my arm like a stray dog, and I didn’t notice?” I’ll deal with the car thing and Lucian later. This feels more intrusive because it’s a shock. Finding out Lucian put a tracker on me seems to be par for the strange course.

“This isn’t a sci-fi movie, Nova. They have an app on your phone.” He motions toward me.

I reach for the offending device, feeling betrayed by the dang thing. “What app?” I question, looking up at him, but then I remember when I thought he was on my side and realized he wasn’t, so the desire for him to answer fades with the knowledge that he will always be in the Umbras’ pocket. He’ll only tell me what they allow him to tell me, or what he thinks will help their cause.

“Forget it.” I turn around and chuck my phone. It flies like a Frisbee, soaring in an arc until it splashes down near the edge of the water. I’m sure it’s not dead, but it will be soon enough, and the important part is it’s no longer on me.

“Now they may go for a more permanent solution.” He crosses his meaty arms over his chest.

“That should be fun for all parties involved,” I snark. We engage in a long stare off, where I wonder when or if he’s going to make a move. He didn’t just come here to talk to me, so what does he really want? As my patience starts to die, I think about just asking him, but it feels like I would be giving up power if I did that. Why should he be the one deciding?

“How did you get in here?” I take one step down the porch, hoping he won’t notice, but it’s Alden and he sees everything. His dark eyes track my movement, but he doesn’t make an effort to stop my retreat.

“I told you, I used to live here. I know all the Morningstars’ secrets. You should remind them of that.”

“So you want me to tell them you were here?” I take another step down.

“You would have either way.” He shrugs like he knows me, but he doesn’t, and I don’t like the implication. Now’s not the time to argue though, not when it seems like he’s going to let me leave.

“Why did you really come here?” I’m in the sand now. It’s not much of a head start if he comes after me, but it’s something.

“I already told you.” He levels his eyes on the sea again, and my heels dig into the sand as I backpedal to take advantage of his distraction.

“I don’t believe you.”

“You should. I’ve been the only one without a motive who’s trying to help you.”

I snort. “I would say you have plenty of motives. You work for the people who want to turn me into a substitute for their will. They don’t care about me, only that I can make their name live on.”

“Yet instead of seeing it as a gift and using them right back, you want to play the victim. I expected more from you, Nova.” The disappointment in his tone stings a little, and I can’t even explain why.

“You think it’s a gift to be turned into a baby factory? How long before they would expect me to pump out babies for them?”

“So you have a few kids. You probably would have had one eventually anyway. You wouldn’t even have to raise them if you didn’t want to, and then you’d be set for the rest of your life, a goddess among mortals, making laws and deciding futures. You would be the matriarch,” he implores with real passion.

“I don’t care about being the matriarch or deciding futures. I’ll admit I was a little smitten with the house and car at first, but none of it is worth giving up my life and my choices.”

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