Fates Divided: Halven Rising

Elena breathed in, registering for the first time the body lock she had on her neighbor.

What was wrong with her? Now she was clinging to people she barely knew?

She peeked at Derek from beneath her hand, and dropped her arm from his waist. She held her middle and scooted to the edge of the bed.

Derek’s mouth twisted in a frown. “What did you learn today that has you upset?”

How could she tell her brilliant neighbor the truth? Who would believe her? She barely believed it, and Derek already thought her a nuisance after the explosion in his lab. Now he blamed her for his health problems—which she might very well be responsible for. Wonderful.

She shook her head. “Nothing. I—it’s nothing.”

“Do you want me to ask your roommate to come back? Would you rather she comfort you?”

God, she couldn’t tell Reese something like this. “No. I should go.”

Elena rose and crossed the room. She pulled her phone and wallet from her backpack and jammed them in a small purse.

“Wait.” Derek stood. “You’re upset. You shouldn’t drive.”

“I’m not driving. I’m walking.”

“I’ll walk you wherever you need to go.”

Why? Was he trying to keep tabs on her? Still worried about the solution and what it had done to him? Well, he could get in line, because she had bigger issues to deal with.

“Thanks, but I need to be by myself. Tell Reese I”—she stared at the license that had slipped off the bed to the ground—“I’ll talk to her later. I can’t do this right now.” She darted out the door.

Being different wasn’t new. Elena’s physical appearance deviated enough that the Mexicans in her community thought her white, while everyone else in the world considered her Latina. But now she couldn’t claim either, if what Keen and his people said was true. She was part “other species” and part Mexican, a messed-up mix if ever there was one.

Until today, she thought she’d finally found a place where she belonged in Dawson University. A place where cultural ambiguity didn’t matter and an obsession with science was encouraged.

She was wrong. She didn’t belong here either, but maybe if she helped the Fae she’d regain something she’d lost. Her mother. Because if her mom was still alive, she had questions. Like why her mother had abandoned Elena seventeen years ago.

Oblivious to students and everything else, Elena made it halfway across campus before registering the vibration of her cell phone in her purse. She reached for it and peered at the picture of her cousin on the screen.

“Mateo, I can’t talk right now.”

“Too bad. I’m checking in to make sure you’re not out partying. Or maybe you’re too hungover after your birthday? Are you hungover? You better not be hungover. Don’t make me come down there and shove your nose in a book. Never had to at home, but I will if you’re getting into trouble.” His voice grew deeper with each sentence.

Really? This? Now? Could his timing be any worse? “I’m not out partying.” Mateo didn’t need to know she’d gone to one last week after Reese managed to drag her to a fraternity house.

“Good, ’cause you need the grades if you’re getting into medical school.”

“No shit, Mateo. Back off, will you?” Her family was obsessed with her becoming a doctor, and sometimes the pressure got to her.

A dark figure brushed against Elena’s arm, and her heart lurched. She swiveled her head to the side and realized it was only Keen. “Craaap. You’re supposed to keep me safe, not give me a heart attack. Were you behind me the entire time?”

Keen nodded and stared straight ahead. “They’re waiting for you.”

“Who is that?” Mateo nearly shouted into the phone. “It sounded like a guy. And why do you need someone to keep you safe?”

“I misspoke. I’m fine, Mateo. Someone just took me by surprise. Look, I have to go. I’ll call you later, okay?” She hung up before he could say any more.

Elena raised her head to the darkening sky, blinking back tears. She didn’t know what she was doing—not really. But she couldn’t return to her apartment and pretend that everything was okay. She’d been vulnerable back there with Derek, but she hadn’t lied when she said nothing would ever be the same after today. How could it be?

“I want to find my mom… and do what I can to help the Fae.”

Keen glanced at her with a mixture of concern and weariness. He nodded. “This way.” He veered toward the buildings at the heart of campus. “We’ll reach them through the classroom. You’ll always be able to enter, as long you are with me.”

They made it to the darkened physics building and Keen pulled out a set of keys.

Who gave Fae keys to the buildings? Exactly how much influence did they have at this school?

He unlocked the outer door and waved her inside. They stepped through two more doors before entering the hidden Fae room through the stage of the physics auditorium.

Just as Keen had said, the Fae were waiting. But this time Elena was greeted by elevated voices. Portia’s to be exact. She seemed to be in some kind of argument with the redheaded Fae, Deirdre. Elena didn’t catch the whole of it, but enough to know it had been about her.

Leo looked up at their entrance and appeared relieved. Portia cut off her heated conversation with Deirdre and proceeded to look on with a calculating intensity that had Elena’s skin rising in gooseflesh.

“I am sorry, Elena,” Deirdre said, speaking to her for the first time. “This must all come as a shock to you. There’s nothing we can say that will make it better.” Her tone was soft and gentle, but Portia flashed an annoyed glance her way.

“We are pleased you returned of your own accord,” Portia said. “That makes it easier.”

Of her own accord? Would they have forced her?

Portia stood and walked around the wide table. “We mustn’t waste more time. You will need all of it to master your abilities.”

She turned to the odd map on the wall Elena had noticed the first time she entered this room. “The disease is killing our people within a human week. It is unheard of in our realm. We do not get diseases.” Portia punctuated the last sentence, as if humans were inferior for their contagions. “Those of us in this realm are safe, but the others…” She gestured to the map. “Soon only a few will remain in our land. We will do whatever is necessary to stop the virus. Even work with a Halven.”

Ouch. Portia had hinted at it earlier with the abomination comment, but it was still a shock to witness prejudice between species, not just skin colors.

“I’m sorry your people are suffering, but how can I save them? I’m a first-year college student, not an immunologist.”

Portia yanked on the wrist of her immaculately pressed sleeve. “With your bloodline, you’ve inherited a rare gift. You will tap into your ability to manipulate matter and create an antidote to the virus. You’ve already commanded your elemental ability with disconcerting ease.”

Portia said this like it was a bad thing. Considering they needed her, that made no sense. And hello? Elemental ability? “Technically speaking, I’ve only blown things up.”

“Yes.” She peered over at Leo, who didn’t meet her gaze. “That is distressing. Perhaps with training you’ll be able to master your powers,” Portia said indifferently.

Portia didn’t seem like much of a believer, and Elena couldn’t blame her.

She rubbed her temples, her fingers shaking. “How much time do I have?”

“As I’ve already stated, we have but one human week to create a cure before the rest of the realm is infected.”

“A human week? That differs from a Fae week?”

Portia’s mouth compressed as if she were irritated, but Elena wasn’t trying to annoy the woman this time. She was serious. Time mattered. Particularly when she had no idea how to control this elemental ability they said she possessed.

“Of course, if your mother is not careful, she could be exposed sooner,” Portia added.

Another threat? “Look, I’m not even sure I believe my mother is still alive, or who you say she is. Stop trying to bully me. It won’t work.”

“Not even if the lives of your precious Mateo, Aunt Leti, or grandfather are at risk?”

Elena swallowed. Hard. Portia had listed Elena’s entire remaining family—everyone she cared about, save Reese. She didn’t know what they could do, but the magic door, the little healing trick Keen had pulled off—she wouldn’t risk finding out.

“Help us,” Leo said, “and we will do our best to keep your mother and family safe.”

Was he telling the truth? Elena stared at their stoic faces, then at the map on the wall that looked genuine, and absolutely foreign. Even if they weren’t telling the truth, she wasn’t willing to take a chance on the alternative.

And if her mother was out there somewhere, Elena might be able to find her.

“Fine, yes, whatever you need. I’ll help.”

Deirdre blanched. Portia’s mouth curved up at the edges.

A sense of doom filled Elena’s chest. She thought she understood what they had asked of her, but now she wasn’t so certain.

Portia focused on something off to Elena’s right, her eyes rolling up in annoyance. “You may show yourself.”

A faint ripple flickered in Elena’s periphery. She jerked to the side as the pixelated image of a large man slowly formed a few feet away.

What the hell…

Derek?

He grabbed her arm while she gaped. “What have you done?” he said.