My eyes narrowed. “Thewhat?”
He ran his hand through his shiny black hair. It was cropped to his head, except for a few longer pieces at the top. “How you don’t like to be touched, and you go all ghost-like when you do.”
“Ghost-like,” I repeated. “Who told you that?”
He had never been at any of the meals with King Elion. I knew for a fact he wasn’t there when the king made everyone try to touch methis morning, and I wasn’t transparent when he dragged me out of the brothel.
Did everyone know about my Token and I had no idea? And if that was true, did everyone knowwhyI had it? Was the fact that I didn’t want anyone touching me public knowledge?
Suns. It made me want to crawl into a hole. I had spent so many years being invisible, no one knowing who I was, only to now have everyone know…
“Hael told me.”
I swallowed. A flash of relief washed through me that at least not everyone knew. “Why?” I asked.
He scratched his head. “Well, if we’re going to be traveling together, I kinda needed to know. He said it was super important that I didn’t touch you, and that?—”
Whatever else he said was lost on me as I felt my mind splitting in two.
Dahes entering my head was even more jostling than before, like each new time he did it, he dug deeper, opening and flaying my skull wider.
My breathing hitched, and I staggered backward on instinct, the sudden movement made everything throb even more.
Shit. How was I going to finish this conversation?—
“Relax, little ghost,”Dahes crooned.“I know you’re talking to someone.”
You know?I thought.So you can hear him?
“No, but I can hear your thoughts, and you subconsciously repeat what is said as your brain processes it,”he said. “You need to compose yourself.”
I straightened, completely aware that Jaxs was looking at me funny. I was still clutching my temples. “Travel?” I asked, trying to collect myself. “Who are you?”
“I already told you, my name’s Jaxs. I’m Hael’s second.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I started to close the door, not having the energy to care if I was being rude. I had to stop this conversation now…
Jaxs caught the wood with his foot before it shut on him. “Can I come in, please?” His voice was sending coils of nausea through me, his words sounding like screams, even though he spoke quietly.
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t find my voice as I let myself do a cycle of breaths, trying not to make the turmoil inside me obvious.
My world was reduced to the pulse of Dahes squeezing my skull. Suns, how had I put up with this for years? The pain was so constant that I had gotten used to it, but now, it felt foreign, twisting and turning and taking up too much space.
“Keep talking to him,”Dahes ordered.“I want to know what he wants.”
“Is Hael okay?” I asked, unable to stop the question from rolling off my tongue. Dahes could ask me about it later.
“I’ll explain everything,” Jaxs droned, “just let me come in first.”
“Fine.” I pushed away from the door, turning toward the window to close the curtain. The bright lights suddenly felt like glass shards were hitting my eyes.
A click sounded, and I knew he was inside. “Hael’s fine,” Jaxs said, and I immediately hated that relief fluttered through me. “But all of this could have been avoided if you just left when he originally told you to.”
“Excuse me?” I whirled on him and instantly regretted it as my head throbbed. “Are you saying this ismyfault?” I forced out through gritted teeth.
Jaxs had the decency to flinch. “No, but things will get worse for him if you stay.”
I furrowed my brows, forcing myself to steady the rise and fall of my chest. “Why?”
