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25
ALISTAIR
Darkness clings to us, thick with the scent of damp earth and old stone, as a drizzle has been coming down for the last few minutes, drenching us to the skin. Not that we give a shit. Why we are here is far more important. The library looms ahead, its grandeur lost in the cloak of night. Charlie is beside me, sitting on the back of the stone bench, his elbows on his knees, but I feel the tension rolling off him in waves. My gaze is glued to the ancient oak doors, willing them to spill Ever into the safety of the moonlight.
“Damn it,” I mutter, glancing at my watch. It’s nearing ten, and every second is pulling night further in. She should’ve called one of us if she was out this late.
Why the hell didn’t she call?A chill gnaws at my spine, not from the night air, but from the void where she should be.
“Where are you, angel?” The words barely escapeas a whisper, blending with the night as if carried away by the ghosts of her prestigious ancestors. It sets my mind racing down dark paths.
I know Charlie is alert and always ready for trouble, but this situation is a thorn digging into my conscience right now. We should’ve been there. I should’ve been there to protect her to begin with.
Charlie’s gaze locks on the library doors like a hawk waiting to swoop. His body is tense, coiled to spring into action the second Ever steps out into the night. I can see the worry etching lines across his face, which mirrors the unease twisting in my gut.
“We should just go in there and tell her to come home,” he mutters, almost too quiet for me to catch. We’ve done this sort of thing enough times to know the atmosphere tilts when something unseen pollutes the air we breathe.
I’m about to agree with him when movement catches my eye—a familiar figure slinks around the corner of the library. It’s Alex, his posture rigid, eyes darting around as if he expects a phantom to leap from the shadows.
“Watch him, until we know who it is,” I whisper to Charlie, nudging him with my elbow. He could be a distraction for all we know.
Charlie nods, a subtle dip of his chin that’s all business, and shifts his attention to Alex. He’s got that look now, the hunter zeroing in on a potential threat, ready to dissect Alex’s every move.
“Hey,” I say as Alex shuffles closer, the moonlightcasting an eerie glow on his face. “What did your parents say about a twin?”
He’s jittery, eyes flicking to mine, then away, a fidget in his step that screams he’s not okay. “I’ll get to that, but first, I need to know. The list, Alistair. The fucking dates—did they match up with yours?”
I nod once, short, sharp. “Yeah, they lined up. Every single one.”
“Thank Christ,” he breathes, pressing his hands to his face in relief. There’s this moment where he looks like he might crumble right there on the grass. But he doesn’t. Instead, he squares his shoulders, trying to look like the guy who has it all figured out. “Okay, good. Good.”
“Now, what about the home front? What did your parents say?”
“There’s a twin,” he whispers.
“How do we know you aren’t him?” Charlie asks, almost casually.
“Fuck you, East. This is hard enough for me as it is without you chiming in with accusations.”
Charlie snickers and holds his hands up. “Gotta be cautious, man. You get it.”
“Fuck,” I mutter, feeling the weight of his words like a punch to the gut. “I mean, we kind of already knew, but this shit is huge.”
“It’s fucking messed up. I can’t even think straight. I’ll give you the details, but later, okay? I need time to process this shit.”
“Sure,” I reply, my tone edged with the kind ofunderstanding you can only have when you’ve seen too much family drama yourself.
Alex nods, his jaw set hard. We need to be sure we can trust him and that it’s him next time we meet. “We will have a code word,” I state. “For whenever we meet.”
“Right,” Alex agrees, a flicker of something like determination lighting up his haunted eyes for a second. The kid is seriously spooked. “Yeah. Let’s do that.” He clears his throat, steadying himself. “In Lumine Veritas, In Aeternitate Unitas.” He pauses, then translates our sect motto with a bitter twist to his lips, “In Light, Truth; In Eternity, Unity. I’ll say, ‘In Light.’”
“Works for me.”
Charlie nods once, sharply. “I’ll tell the others.”
“I’ll catch you later. I’ve missed three fucking days because of this bastard. I need to catch up.” Alex turns on his heel without waiting for a dismissal.
I let out a breath and glance at Charlie. “Shit.”
