Fates Divided: Halven Rising

Elena wrestled her arms through the sleeves of her nightshirt, her head popping out the top just as Reese entered her room.

Reese hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “Why is that guy Keen sleeping on our couch? Not that I’m complaining, ’cause—” She fanned a hand in front of her face and leaned against the door. “Do you think the resident advisor cares if he stays?”

They might live off campus, but the building was all freshmen and housed an RA. “I doubt it. The walk of shame is practically a daily occurrence.”

“True. But that’s not what’s going on, right? I mean, if you like Keen…” She looked down. “That’s fine. I just—I didn’t get the sense you guys had something going on.”

“You think—no, Reese.” Elena shook her head vehemently. “Nothing like that is going on. He’s here to… to protect me,” she said carefully.

Reese stared for a moment, then methodically moved to the bed and sat in the center, crossing her legs. “Why would you need protection?” Her tone was serious, and Elena wondered how much she could tell her roommate. She couldn’t keep everything from Reese. Not with Keen shadowing her every step and staying the night.

“I know something’s going on,” Reese said. “You’ve not been yourself. I mean, you’re always a hermit bookworm, but I don’t know. There’s more, isn’t there?”

Listening for the television, which appeared to be at full volume, Elena decided it was safe to talk without being overheard by the superior Fae hearing in the living room.

She moved to the head of the bed and tucked her feet beneath the sheets. “If I tell you, you can’t freak out.”

Reese yawned and balanced her chin on her hand, elbow propped on her knee. “My dad writes for Hollywood—you think I’m not used to drama? I can handle whatever life crisis you’re going through.”

“Oh, really?” Elena laughed humorlessly. “In that case, Keen’s a Fae.”

Reese stared, as if waiting for more.

“A Fae, Reese. Do you know what that is?”

Reese furrowed her brow. “Fine, I’ll play along. A Fae? Like a pretty little fairy with wings?” She giggled, and Elena was tempted to as well. Keen with delicate wings was a funny mental image.

“Not quite.” Elena’s mouth twisted wryly. “Supposedly, Keen isn’t the small, winged variety. He looks normal, and so do the others I’ve met. They’re exceedingly tall, slender, and—attractive. You’ve seen him. You know what I’m talking about.”

Reese nodded automatically, then her face sobered. “Wait—what? Elena, he’s playing you. That’s like the oldest pickup line in the player handbook. You think a guy hasn’t told me he’s a superhero before? How could you fall for that?”

“It wasn’t a pickup line, and he’s not playing me. His people have powers. They told me I have powers too.”

Reese raised her eyebrows pityingly.

“Fine, you need proof?” Elena shoved aside the papers on her nightstand and centered the glass of water she kept there. Focusing on the liquid, she read the molecules and commanded them to re-form, her hand passing over the glass.

The water bubbled.

Reese jerked back. “What the…?” She pointed. “You—what did you do?” She unlocked her legs and scooted off the bed, walking backward toward the door.

Elena might not understand her ability, but it was freaktastic—freak being the operative part.

“Simmer down, Reese. You didn’t believe me, so I’m giving you proof. You just got done telling me you wouldn’t wig out. What happened to your hardened Hollywood experience?”

Reese waved her hands around wildly. “That was before you went all hocus-pocus on me. I thought you were going to tell me your family was part of a Mexican drug cartel, not this.” She glared at the glass. “How did you do that?”

“Remember how I told you I never knew my mother?” Reese nodded. “Well, she’s a Fae. That’s why she left me and my father all those years ago.”

Reese’s jaw dropped and she stared without blinking.

“Tell me about it,” Elena said.

Reese looked around. “Shit, Elena. What the hell? That guy on the couch, can he do this too?”

“No.” Elena shook her head, then reconsidered. “At least, I don’t think he can. I don’t know what Keen’s abilities are. They assigned him to protect me.”

“They?”

“The other Fae. On Dawson campus. They live inside an alternate realm in the physics building.”

Reese walked forward and sank onto the bed. “You realize you sound psychotic, right?”

“Oh, I’m well aware. Why do you think I didn’t tell you sooner?”

“If I didn’t just see you hocus-pocus that glass of water, I’d be checking you into a mental health institution.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Her mouth twisted. “Let’s say that I believe you about realms and whatnot. Why is Keen protecting you? Is it about your mom?”

Elena spent the next thirty minutes telling Reese what she knew about the virus and why Fae had come to her for help. She also explained who her maternal grandfather was, and how she could be in danger—from the man who created the virus, from her grandfather’s enemies—kind of terrifying when she laid it all out like that.

“You’re a princess?”

“My mother is, I’m not. And Reese, you utter a word of this to anyone and I will take my hocus-pocus hands and incinerate your designer wardrobe.”

She cocked her head. “Did you just stereotype me? I come from a wealthy family, so all I care about are clothes?”

“Why are you being touchy? I’m the one with—”

Reese waved her hand in an all-encompassing manner, then more pointedly at the glass. “What do you expect? The world’s gone psycho!”

Some of that drama Reese had grown up with in Hollywood must have rubbed off.

“Relax. Everything’s going to be fine,” Elena said. She hoped it would be fine. “But I do have a favor to ask.”

Her cousin’s call this evening had hammered home what deep shit she was in. Mateo was the voice of her family, and they were counting on her not to fail. No one in her family had made it to college. Shoot, most of them hadn’t finished high school. Elena couldn’t blow her chances at Dawson, no matter what Leo had said.

“Can you take notes for me tomorrow?”

“Um, yeah-h-h,” Reese said cautiously. “I can help, but I can’t promise I’ll understand a word of your nerdy science lecture.”

“That’s okay. Thank you.” Elena reached across the bed and squeezed her roommate so hard she squeaked.

“Ouch, Elena. Did you gain muscles along with those powers?”

“I don’t think so, but I have been working out. Can you tell?” She flexed.

“Nope. Same wiry arm.”

Elena twisted her head to stare at her biceps. Damn, all that training with Keen for nothing.

“I could help in other ways too.” Reese glanced at the bedroom door. “He’s watching reality television,” she whispered. “Maybe I’ll join him.” She waggled her eyebrows. “See what I can discover.”

Oh, good God. Elena pressed her fingers to her temples. “I just finished telling you he’s a Fae. As in, another species. Do you really think it’s a good idea to be alone with him? Keen seems harmless, but it’s not like I know him that well.”

“But he’s H-to-the-O-to-the-T. Besides, in addition to giving me free shopping rein, my parents booked me in extracurricular activities.” She ticked off her fingers. “I’m a decent gymnast, I play the piano, and I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I can drop a man twice my size.”

“I’d like to take this opportunity to point out that the Viking is three times your size.”

Reese snorted. “Viking? Is that what you call him?”

“Sometimes. He has all those Nordic features. Stick to the point.”

“First of all, you worry too much. Second, I doubt he’s three times my size. Two and a half, at most. And anyway, it won’t come to a fight.”

Elena looked to the ceiling and sighed. “Somehow, that doesn’t reassure me.” She scooted further under the sheets and stifled a yawn. “But I’m too tired to argue. It’s been a rough day, and I have to wake in a few hours. Just be careful…” She thought about it for a moment. “And scream if you need me. Derek will probably come running too.”

“Yeah—what was the deal with him tonight?”

Elena frowned. “I don’t know. I think he’s upset he got dragged into my problems. He sort of stumbled upon me with the Fae. That’s why he’s involved in all this.” Elena left out the part about Derek’s ability. It wasn’t her secret to share.

She pointed at Reese. “That’s why it’s important you not get too involved. I couldn’t see how to keep you out of it entirely with us living together, but I don’t want you to become a target, Reese. I don’t trust them, so don’t provoke Keen.”

Reese pressed a hand to her chest. “Me provoke? Never. I’ll simply work my own little magic.” She waggled her fingers.

Several things worried Elena about that statement, but Reese had a way with men. Considering the way Keen had stared at her earlier, even Fae weren’t immune.