Fates Divided: Halven Rising

Elena’s head no longer throbbed from the hit to her temple, and she was fairly certain her faculties were in operating order. What Keen had just said made no sense. “But if you can read minds, why can’t you read Reese’s?”

Keen opened the passenger door to his car for her. “Humans are more difficult to pick up. Halven come in clearer. Fae are perfectly clear. Reese’s mind I cannot hear.”

“Because she’s a human?”

He didn’t respond.

“Is that why you’re so pissed off with her? Because you can’t hear her thoughts?”

He looked confused. “I am not angry with Reese.”

“The two of you fought the other night.”

His mouth compressed. “We do not understand each other.”

“That’s obvious,” she muttered. “At least let me stop by my apartment. Maybe Reese went home early. She should have gotten back to me by now if she had, but it’s worth a try.”

Keen agreed to stop by Elena’s house, but when he pulled up to the walkway of her apartment, he peered around warily. “If Reese is not here, we return to Emain immediately. This day has been filled with danger. I do not like the feeling I have.”

Normally, she preferred her own bed, but after today, the relative safety of Emain sounded better. And Derek was in Emain. She wanted to be near him, even if he slept in a different room.

When Elena walked into her apartment, Reese wasn’t there, and she hadn’t been there by the look of things. The place hadn’t been disturbed.

There was always the possibility that Reese had found a friend, or met a guy, and had gone home with someone else. Elena hadn’t lied when she’d told Derek her roommate didn’t sleep around, but that didn’t mean Reese was a nun.

Mateo wasn’t home either, but he’d texted earlier to say he was crashing at his date’s house for the night. Big surprise.

Elena grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed a few overnight items inside. She didn’t know when she’d be returning. Leo had been adamant about her remaining in Emain for the time being.

She texted Mateo to tell him not to wait around, that she had a huge project at school and would be on campus or crashing with study pals for the next couple of days. He probably wouldn’t buy it, but she’d deal with the aftermath later.

After leaving one final note on the counter for Reese to call as soon as possible, Elena and Keen drove to the parking lot near the brick building’s portal.

Elena stepped out of the car and peered at Keen across the roof. “What if they have her, Keen? What if those men who tried to take me took Reese?”

Keen glanced around the parking lot. “Right now, we must get you safe. We will address other possibilities later.”

Elena stared at the wall that somehow housed the portal. “Is it safe for me to bring my bag through?”

“Yes, but I should carry it until your landing skills improve.” His lips twitched.

“Are you going to give me pointers, or allow me to land on my face every time? Why isn’t this portal like the one inside the physics auditorium? This one is so disorienting, and the one in the Physics Hall just feels like I’m walking through a door.”

“The physics auditorium portal has been augmented for ease of entry, and it is at the heart of the energy source that supplements our magic. The other portals are permanent, but…rough. For these rougher portals, transporting through them is like jumping off a cliff into a pool of water. Imagine how you might keep your body upright. Would you flail your limbs, or attempt to maintain form and body alignment? There is a moment toward the end of the portal when pressure builds before the final landing. Search for the pressure, and when you feel it, bend your knees to soften the impact.”

“You make it sound easy, but this portal spins me around like a washing machine. And the rainbow lights are blinding.”

“Ignore the lights. They are disorienting.”

She thrust the duffel at him. “You could have told me all of this before you pushed me through the first time.”

Keen shrugged lazily and stepped within inches of the brick wall. “I will go first to make sure everything is clear on the other end. We cannot risk someone from Emain seeing you. I must tell Leo about tonight, but as for the others… It would be best to limit our confidences. Enter the portal immediately after me. I will count to five. If you do not emerge in that time, I will return for you. Do you understand?”

She looked nervously over her shoulder. “Believe me, I don’t want to be out here by myself. After today, I plan on sticking to you like a seat cushion on a hot day, so you better move it if you don’t want me landing on your ass.”

Keen nodded in approval and passed through the portal. Elena waited exactly one second and dove through.

The same disorienting flux engulfed her, but she followed Keen’s instructions and, shockingly, landed on her feet. Mostly. She might have tripped a bit, but she caught herself before falling on her face. Her catlike reflexes from hours of soccer practice with Mateo were finally paying off.

Keen looked at her with his brow raised.

“What? That was graceful compared to the last time.”

He shook his head and proceeded down the hall. It was empty, as usual.

“Where is everyone?” she asked, trying to keep up with his long stride. “How come I never see the students in Emain? This place is some sort of Fae University, isn’t it?”

“Among other things.” He glanced at her.

Right. The monitoring station for Halven.

“The students are in the labs working,” he said, “as you should be. Under the circumstances, however, you should gain some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day. Possibly the last.”

That did not sound good. But he was right. Portia said they only had a week to find a cure. How many days had it been so far? Four? Five? “Just a couple of hours and then I’ll get back to work. You guys do sleep, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Wow, a straight answer. She peered around in case she’d missed something. “Then where is everyone? This is the dorm area. Why aren’t people coming and going from their rooms?”

“They reside in another section of Emain.”

She laughed. “What, am I contaminated goods?” His face turned stoic, and he didn’t respond. “That’s it?” She hurried to keep up. “Your people don’t want to be near me?”

“The leaders believe it best to maintain a degree of separation.”

She rolled her eyes. “You mean segregation. Good God, Keen, did Fae learn nothing from American history? You ever think you might not be in this situation if your people would accept Halven as equals? You know, work together to create a better world instead of treating Halven as specimens to be tagged and monitored? And as far as the monitoring goes, you’re not doing such a good job, considering you let Marlon slip through the cracks.”

“He had no powers. We weren’t focused on him,” he said.

They reached the door to her room and she searched his face. “I know what racism looks like. I might be a minority among Fae, but I’m considered a minority in the Earth realm also. We’re all people. We need each other. I’m half Fae, with my own powers. I’m like you.”

“No. You’re not.”

The words, spoken kindly, burned. She’d thought Keen respected her. He teased her, though stoically, and he was willing to help even when it wasn’t in his best interest. She believed they were friends, but they couldn’t be if he never saw past their differences.

She walked into her room, and Keen turned his back to the door, standing guard outside.

She threw her bag on the floor and walked right back out.

Keen looked over. “Where are you going? You are not to leave. Leo made that very clear. I made one allowance because your friend was in danger, but do not think I will do it again.”

She spun around. “Yeah? Well, she’s still in danger, remember? You can’t hear her, Keen, and you don’t know where or who she’s with. I’m going to tell Derek about Reese. No one else cares what happens to her.”

“I never said I don’t care.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

Trying to figure out his allegiances gave her whiplash. “Prove it. Let me speak to Derek.”

Keen hesitated. “You will not like what you find, Elena. But perhaps this is for the best. You will no doubt heed Leo’s warning afterward.”

“What are you talking about?”

He stepped aside, allowing her to pass, and she stopped on a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know where Leo put him.”

Keen strode past her and motioned for her to follow. He took her down several more empty hallways—friggin’ Fae labyrinth!—and stopped in front of a door. An odd expression crossed his face. “Are you sure you wish to do this?”

He was worrying her. What had they done to Derek? Elena turned the knob and burst into the room.

Derek lay on his bed—on top of a woman. Kissing her. His hand beneath her top. Touching her.

Elena’s stomach clenched. “Derek?” Her voice came out light and shaky. A burning pressure built behind her eyes. She shut them and swallowed the ball lodged in her throat.

Derek swiveled his head toward the sound of Elena’s voice. He sprang off Beatrice, relief rushing through him. He could move again.

How had Beatrice done it? Trapped him in his own body?

Beatrice sat up and locked his face in her hands like a clamp. She leaned forward and mumbled against his lips. “Forget everything, except that you touched me and what we did in your room.”

Derek twisted away, stunned and confused. A wave of nausea roiled through him. He bent forward, tamping down the urge to puke. His chest heaved. What had he done?

He’d never kiss Beatrice…but he had. Why had she been in his room?

Beatrice sauntered past Elena, pretending to wipe a smudge of lipstick from her lips. She wasn’t wearing any.

He shook his head. This couldn’t be real. He’d never do this. He hadn’t thought of another girl since the day he’d discovered his pretty neighbor next door. If he was honest, he hadn’t thought much of girls since he’d turned. Elena had been the only one he coveted, even when he didn’t want to.

He looked over desperately. Elena’s body was stiff, shaking, and some of the fog cleared from his mind.

God, he’d missed her, and they had only been apart a few hours. She… What was she wearing? Her tank top clung to every curve. Had she gone out?

A flash of jealousy ran through him. “You were supposed to stay in your room. Where did you go tonight?” He stared at her chest, a mixture of appreciation and frustration burning through him. “What were you doing with Keen?”

“You’re chastising me? I found you making out with Beatrice. Beatrice, Derek!”

His brow furrowed. For a moment, he’d forgotten what had happened in his room, and his memory was nearly photographic. It was as though the whole sordid thing had happened to someone else.

“I—I don’t know what that was. I don’t remember…” He shook his head. “Elena, I am not interested in Beatrice. I can’t stand her. You know that.”

“Yeah, well, it seemed like you stood her just fine.” She turned and took off running.

Derek scrubbed his face, attempting to clear the rest of the fog from his mind. He leapt unsteadily to his feet and flew out the door. “Elena!”

She disappeared down a different wing and he raced after her, Keen silently at his side. They arrived at Elena’s door, but she had bolted it shut.

He turned to Keen. “What the hell, Keen? What’s going on?”

Keen raised his eyebrows.

“Not with me. I know I screwed up—I didn’t want to. I don’t know how it happened.” He shook his head again, attempting to clear the memories he didn’t understand.

There was no way he’d want to be with Beatrice, or anyone, after he’d made love to Elena. “It wasn’t me. I don’t know who that was, but it wasn’t me.”

Derek squeezed his eyes closed, then opened them again. “Where did Elena go tonight? I searched and couldn’t find her. Is she okay?”

Keen glanced away. “She is fine.”

Derek pressed his forehead to the door. “What happened to me tonight, Keen?” He rolled his head to the Fae and pierced him with a glare. “And don’t tell me you don’t know. It was like someone took over my body.”

Keen broke eye contact and sighed. “We had better speak to Leo.”

Elena thrust the door open, her eyes red and watery. Derek caught himself by the frame before he fell on her. “I’m going with you,” she said.