AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wait.” Alessa stood. “Dante isn’t yourreal name?”
“It’s my name, just not my first name.” A smile teased at his lips as Alessa prowled closer.
“What’s your first name, then?”
His smile deepened. “I’m not telling.”
“Why not?” Alessa’s voice rose with indignation. “Just to annoy me?”
“’Course not. Annoying you is a perk, though.”
“I bet it’s something terrible, like Eustice. Maybe I’ll call you that until you tell me.”
He snorted. “Call me whatever you want. But don’t expect me to answer.”
“How do you sayjackassin the old language?”
“Stronzo.”
“Bastard?”
“Bastardo.” Dante sauntered toward the door. “Should I write these down for you?”
“I’m sure they’ll come in handy.”
Dante held the door for her to go first. A bastardo, but a gentleman.
Twenty-One
Chi pecora si fa, il lupo se la mangia.
Become a sheep and the wolves will eat you.
DAYS BEFORE DIVORANDO: 26
The island began trembling during breakfast, as though it, too, shook with dread. The second quake sent Alessa back upstairs, dripping with spilled orange juice and grumbling about deities whocould havesent messages composed of clouds or rainbows, but oh, no, they simplyhadto use natural disasters as a countdown clock.
The shaking subsided by the time she stood in the training room in clean clothes, but Crollo seemed determined to dump an ocean from the sky. She set to work arranging the pillows she’d brought to make it feel less threatening—and break any potential falls—but she couldn’t do anything about the ominous rumble of the storm.
Kamaria leaned against the wall, projecting rakish ennui in snug, fawn-colored breeches, but she kept fiddling with the lacesof her untucked blouse. Nina stood behind Josef, subtly mirroring his movements like the tide responding to the moon. The pale pink of her dress was a change from her usual white attire, but not by much.
Kaleb’s usual scorn had melted into sullen gloom, and in case anyone wasn’t entirely certain how he felt about being there, he’d chosen to wear uninterrupted black from head to toe. Feet planted wide, arms crossed, he glowered at anyone foolish enough to glance his way.
Saida was the first one to meet Alessa’s questioning gaze, and she stepped forward. Dressed as if bright colors could banish the oppressive air of pessimism, each layer of her skirt was brighter than the last, and her eyes were highlighted with blue eyeshadow. The color coordinated perfectly with the scarf she’d tied around her hair, presumably to keep it from whipping around when she used her powers.
“We can sit, if you’d like,” Alessa said, gesturing toward the scattered pillows.
Saida pulled her shoulders back and looked Alessa directly in the eyes. “Thank you, but I prefer having room to move.”
To escape.
Working her fingers, Alessa tried to coax her blood to circulate, even though cold fingers were the least of anyone’s concerns.
In one corner, Renata watched intently, lips moving in a silent litany of “gentle, easy, careful” that matched the refrain in Alessa’s head.
Her hands were so clammy she wasn’t sure she’d be able to hold on, so at Saida’s jerky nod, Alessa curved her thumb and pointer finger around Saida’s wrists like a bracelet.
Her power woke with a surge, a current racing through her,greedy, yearning for something long denied. It was too much, too fast.
