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Chapter 2
Talon
The front door to our home slams shut as Alexi trudges inside, heading straight for the open lounge and kitchen area. He’s slumping in his usual brown leather chair before I’ve barely taken two steps. This is going to be fun.
My body feels more alive and alert than it has in years, and I know exactly why that is. Or more specifically, who that is because of, and she’s downstairs in the basement, where Alexi chose to put her.
I don’t quite know how I feel about that yet, but at least it’s going to give me a minute to fucking think. I never expected her to step through the portal, with Nyx of all damn people, and now I need a moment to collect my scattered thoughts.
Glancing over at Malik as he takes a seat on the sofa by Alexi, I try to read their facial expressions, but they’re both too good at covering them. Hiding our thoughts and emotions is something that came naturally from our childhoods, but now, with our job, being able to do it is even more important, and it’s impossible for us to drop our masks.
As much as our emotions are locked behind wrought-iron gates, our metaphorical walls highly erected, the atmosphere in the room is sour.
The shock at seeing Harmonia after all this time is real, I can’t deny it. Yet I can’t bring myself to be mad over it either. And the thunderous vibe in the room tells me there’s a lot that needs to be said after what just transpired.
We changed our deal, at Alexi’s word, no longer taking what we wanted from Nyx, and instead taking the girl that was meant to be ours all those years ago. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I take a deep breath before cracking my neck and dropping my hands into my pockets.
I can’t sit down like the other two. My body is too antsy right now. I have no idea what the fuck is going on or how we’re going to adjust to the new guest in our home, but it’s clearly going to be me who starts asking questions. These two seem far too happy to sit, trapped in their minds, instead of verbalizing.
Excellent.
Sweeping a hand through my hair, I flick my gaze between my two closest friends. My brothers in every way but blood. “So, are we going to address the elephant in the room?”
Alexi scoffs as Malik quirks his brow at me.
“I think you mean angel in the room,” Alexi corrects me, and I roll my eyes. Always so fucking literal.
“Sure, the angel in the room. Harmonia.” Her name on my lips makes the pair of them suck in a breath as my chest squeezes. None of us were ready for this, that much is clear, but Alexi acted on instinct, and now here we are. When silence continues to blanket the room, I clear my throat, asking the question that has been ringing in my mind since we left the gym. “Is this a bad idea?”
Malik instantly shakes his head, brows pinched together, but he doesn’t utter a word in explanation. Alexi clasps his hands together in his lap, sweat dripping down his temple as his jaw clenches.
“She knew she was ours almost seven years ago. She knew, and she ran anyway. There’s no running now.” His tone is void of emotion, leaving me just as confused as to whether this was a good idea or not. The memory of the last time I saw her flits through my mind. Before I can respond to him, Malik swipes a hand down his face and frowns.
“Did she run though? Or did we push her away?”
Alexi stands in front of me while Malik is behind me in the line. I can’t deny that my palms are sweating and my leg is desperate to bounce or do something, anything, to alleviate the nervous energy coursing through my veins. As always, Malik and Alexi give nothing away, so I have no idea if I should be this nervous or not as I stand, waiting to touch Pandora’s Box, to find out what my future holds.
Every supernatural and human is required to pay Pandora’s Box a visit at the age of twenty-two. Then, if it determines that magic runs through your veins, you will be shipped off to Saints Academy. We know that’s our future, our parents are all supernaturals, but change of that magnitude still leaves me off kilter. I’m not accustomed to not knowing what the future holds.
We each take another step forward, the line moving toward Pandora’s Box getting shorter and shorter as we near. It’s still bizarre to me that the three of us were born on three consecutive days. Alexi, March sixteenth, Malik, March seventeenth, and me, March eighteenth. Then we somehow all grew up on the same street together. Weird as fuck, but everything happens for a reason, and now here we are.
“Step forward, please.” A familiar voice reaches my ears and I glance up to see Ms. Lovell, Harmonia’s mom, standing by Pandora’s Box. Her eyes are soft like her daughter’s and her smile is almost as infectious too.
Alexi moves forward, taking the two steps up to the platform where she waits. I don’t miss the moment she startles in surprise when meeting his gaze. Her shoulders loosen and it’s almost like she wants to reach out her hand to comfort him but manages to refrain as someone steps between them.
“Name and date of birth,” the guy grunts, dressed head to toe in black, other than the Saints Academy coat of arms embroidered on his chest. He’s clearly one of the transporters or something, they’re all holier-than-thou with firm sticks shoved so far up their asses it makes them easy to spot.
I expect Alexi to lose his temper, but Ms. Lovell quickly places her hand on the man’s chest, ushering him back a step. “No need for any of that now, Foley. This is Alexi Bowman, date of birth March sixteenth.” Without pause she looks over to the line, smiling softly at Malik and I. “And that’s Malik Haines, date of birth March seventeenth. Followed by Talon James, March eighteenth.”
Foley cocks a brow but doesn’t say a word as he takes a step back, leaving Ms. Lovell to run her hands down her pink pantsuit before resuming business.
“Step forward, Alexi. Place your hands on the box and the magic will do the rest.” I shuffle from foot to foot, nibbling my bottom lip as I watch my brother from another mother do as she says. I think my heart may burst out of my chest as he raises his hand.
It plays out in slow motion before me as his arm extends, fingers flickering slightly before they brush over Pandora’s Box. All at once my vision blurs, my body tensing as screams ring out around me. I feel something pressed against the palm of my hand, but I can’t see anything to understand what is going on.
Blinking hard and fast, I try to focus, confusion getting the better of me as an incessant ringing sounds in my ears. What the fuck is going on? I’ve seen plenty of people here touch the damn box and be escorted out calmly. What the hell is all of this?
As if acknowledging my growing questions, my vision begins to focus. It takes a few moments to realize that I’m not standing where I had been moments ago. No. I’m standing beside Alexi, Malik on his other side as we each grip the edge of Pandora’s Box like our life depends on it.
