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“What the fuck?” Libra says.
I stare at the spot where he went under, just as his head briefly pops up again. He screams, then is dragged back under. Libra takes an instinctive step back as we watch the mad splashing caused by Evan’s underwater thrashes.
And then, ominously, everything goes silent and still.
The ripples in the water gradually dissipate.
The frogs and crickets restart their songs.
Evan does not reappear.
“What the hell just happened?” Libra whispers.
I shake my head. I have no idea.
“He didn’t just spontaneously drown, did he?” She leans forwards and squints, as if that might help her discern Evan’s whereabouts. But it’s futile and we both know it; whatever happened, one thing is certain: Evan isn’t coming back up.
“You need something for your eye injury. We should go back inside,” I say, putting a steadying arm around her shoulder. I’m surprised when she doesn’t shrug it away.
“You’re right. I need to call the police and tell them what just happened.” She glances at me and seems to notice my injury for the first time. “Oh, my god! He shot you. We need to clean the wound.”
I nod. “I’ll be fine. Come on.”
I lead her inside and she seems to move on autopilot, calling the authorities for help. While we wait, I tend to her, icing her bruised eye and battered knuckles. I finally examine the designs she has on her fingers: They’re delicate tattoos of stars, moons, and constellations.
I place a hand under her chin and tip it up until she looks at me. “I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry,” I say.
Her brown eyes go wide. “For what?”
“For everything. For hurting you. For using you, if that’s what I did. It was never my intention—I thought we were both getting what we wanted out of it. But I don’t think I took your feelings into consideration the way I should have. The way you needed me to. I’m not used to that, you know. You’re the only human I’ve ever cared about.”
“Right. Because I’m a siren.”
“No.” I shake my head firmly. “I’ve told you before that it has nothing to do with that. It’s because you’re you. You’re strong and resilient and creative. You’re kind and beautiful. You faced your biggest fear and won, twice. You have interesting dreams and somehow aren’t afraid of me, the monster who almost took over your life. I don’t care about your lineage. I only care about you: Libra Cartwright.”
Eight
LIBRA
After several days, Evan’s body was found at the bottom of the lake, pretty far from where he went in. The official cause of death is still pending, but everyone is calling it an accidental drowning, and the police have closed the case on it. But I know what I saw—something pulled him under and killed him. It was no accident. For me, it definitely lends credence to the rumors that the lake is haunted, because there sure as hell is something scary in that water.
As for the other scary thing in my life, Callister, I’m not sure where things stand. If he’s been visiting my dreams, he hasn’t revealed himself. And he hasn’t materialized in corporeal form since the night Evan died, after disappearing before the police arrived to take my statement.
It’s frustrating, because I’m the one who asked for space, but I miss him. On one hand, I feel like I barely know him, because we spent so little time together when I was awake. On the other, dreams are real for him, and we were together a lot in his realm.
Argh. Why do feelings have to be so confusing? I know he didn’t mean to hurt me. And he isn’t human, which means he might not understand why his actions were wrong. So there’s no guarantee he won’t do it again.
But maybe he’s worth it.
I want him to be worth it.
Aw, fuck it, I just want him.
“Callister, if you hear or sense me, please appear. I want to talk to you.” I feel silly speaking to my empty apartment, but I don’t really know how to contact the King of Nightmares. He’s always the one who comes to me.
I sit down and wait, and it doesn’t take long before he appears. He’s in what I’ve come to assume is his natural form, all gray and silver and spiky. For the first time, he doesn’t look powerful and confident. He seems a bit…tentative?
“You summoned me?” he says.
