Page 71 of Revenant

Elias keeps his head on a swivel the entire trek back to my room. It’s funny as much as endearing, considering with his supersonic hearing, there shouldn’t be a way for Eryx to sneak up on us.

But I’ve been wrong before.

“So remember when we were in my room and you were telling me that you all had…abilities?”

He looks at me curiously. “Out of all the things you could make small talk with, I have to say, this is the one I least expected.”

“I’m only bringing it up because I’m afraid I was too tired to ask any follow-up questions.”

“Ask away.” Amusement laces his tone as he wraps an arm around my shoulders.

“So I brought it up to Bastian, and he informed me that he can basically read minds?” It comes out more like a question than a statement. I still don’t believe it’s possible. When he doesn’t deny it, I keep going. “What’s yours?”

He doesn’t answer, only keeps a shit-eating smirk on his face until we reach my room. Thankfully, one of the guys made a copy of my key since I apparently can’t be trusted to grab them. Elias lets me walk in first, then once the door is closed, I’m transported into a rainforest.

A literal rainforest.

“What the…” I look around what I thought was my dorm room. Tall grass sticks to my sweats, my fingers lazily brushing the tops. The trees sway in the wind, and I have no idea why I can feel it so deep in my chest. And…monkeys?

I turn around, staring at Elias who looks nothing if not proud of himself. “Illusions,” he finally answers, and suddenly my surroundings transform to the fucking sky. I scream so loud it has to have alerted someone, somewhere.

My eyes can’t make sense of it. I’m standing on an actual cloud, and my stomach bottoms out. Endless sky, colors of pink and orange like the sun is setting take over the space, and instead of being amazed, I feel bile rise in my throat. “Oh my god, turn it back. Anything else,” I manage to get out.

In a blink we’re back to my room. While I’m trying to keep the contents of my stomach inside, Elias stands by the door, trying to stifle a laugh.

“I can make you think you’re anywhere. Sounds, smells, touch, obviously sight. Even taste.”

“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced!” And certainly, the coolest. “I don’t know how being in the sky didn’t make you hurl.”

He shrugs his shoulders, but it’s a feeling he’s probably gotten used to by now.

“What about the others? Their abilities?”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to ask them yourself.” And I accept that, it’s only fair, I suppose.

I grab my suitcase that has been banished to live under my bed. Considering it’s broken, just another reason I needed to bring some muscle with me.

Leaving it open on the bed, I hurry to grab whatever will—reasonably—fit inside my luggage. Uncaring if it gets wrinkled, the clothes get thrown haphazardly, and only when I throw a pile of underwear on top, does Elias’s interest peak. He holds a black thong by the strap, examining it like it’s the most interesting thing in the room.

“Now these, I wouldn’t mind tearing off of you.”

Heat creeks up my cheeks. “I’ll keep that in mind. Should the opportunity ever arise.” He raises an eyebrow. “No. Not here. Being in here is making my skin crawl and the last thing I want to do is ever lie on that bed again.”

His flirtatious features quickly melt away, replaced with guilt. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking I—”

I laugh. “It’s fine, really. Maybe one of these nights, I’ll find myself in your bed for a rotation.” Throwing him a wink, I turn back to grab my mirror and grimoire from my secret hiding spot.

Suddenly the door gets blown open and my body locks up. Elias stands abruptly and my eyes slam shut, bracing for impact.

“Nice to see you still know where you live.” Reyna’s voice fills the room, and I never thought I’d be grateful to hear it.

I quickly put the board back where it belongs and turn to face her. “Just grabbing a few things. Not sure when I’ll be back.” Short and sweet, not too much information.

However, she seems to be stunned in place. Probably uncomfortable with Elias being here, but I don’t really care.

“O–Oh,” she stammers, her gaze downcast. “Okay.”

Grabbing my book bag off the chair, I stuff the mirror and grimoire inside, attempting to conceal it. “Congratulations, you’ve been upgraded to a single.” I try to lighten the mood, but even Elias seems off kilter by her demeanor. I throw my bag around my shoulder and do my best to shut my luggage, but it’s no use. I look at Elias with doe eyes, and he picks it up happily. Reyna seems zeroed in on my backpack. “Rest assured, everything I grabbed is mine. All your stuff has been untouched.”