Eternal Echoes, Emblem of Eternity Trilogy Book 2 (4 page)

I shook my head and closed my eyes, wondering how to diffuse the situation. “That’s not it, Jas. I’ve just been really busy.”

She huffed so hard it looked like she was getting ready to breathe fire. “It used to be that when you had free time, you called to spend it with me. Now I’ve been replaced by random people you met in class a few weeks ago?” she said, gesturing to Vicki and Hutch. “It’s nice to know where I stand on your list of priorities, Evie. I don’t know what your problem is, and I’m sure it has something to do with Alex and Emil, but since you aren’t talking to me about anything, I don’t have a clue. When you figure out that you really do need your best friend, let me know. Maybe I’ll still be around.”

Jasmine threw her tray down on the table, angry tears gathering in her eyes as she stomped off toward Zach. As she grabbed onto him, she staggered. I started to stand, worried. Her flushed face, combined with what seemed to be vertigo, made me think something was wrong, but I had a feeling it was a reaction to her emotions. I wasn’t feeling great about the altercation either. Zach put his arm around her, trying to console her as they walked off. He looked back over his shoulder at me, shaking his head in disappointment.

When I turned back, everyone at the table, and in the lunch room, was staring at me. “Are you okay?” Vicki asked, putting her hand on my back between my shoulders.

I took a deep, calming breath. “Yeah,” I answered. “I should probably go.” I gathered the remains of my lunch on the tray, and put the water bottle in my backpack. “Thanks for asking me to lunch,” I said, not knowing what else to add. The situation was awkward enough. They muttered their good-byes as I walked off.

I threw my trash away, sliding the tray on top of others on the shelf above the trash can. I was shaking with emotion. I felt guilty, upset, and sick to my stomach. I hated knowing that my best friend was mad at me. But I couldn’t talk to her, either. I needed to figure out a way to fix this.

I made it as far as a secluded nook in the library before I broke down. I had no best friend, shadows stalking me, Tracker powers I didn’t understand, and no idea what the next day, or even the next minute, would bring. It was a lot to internalize. After a solid ugly-cry, I wiped the mascara from under my eyes, blew my nose, and stared out the windows at the snow-capped mountains. The giant, white-washed “W” for Western State was invisible, covered by the fresh snow.

“The mountains remind me of you.” I felt his warm hand on my shoulder and closed my eyes, reveling in the peace. I didn’t get many opportunities.

“They remind me of you, too.” For the rest of this life, I’d always associate the mountains with Alex because that’s where he’d re-introduced himself to me after two hundred and fifty years.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded. Sometimes I forget Alex can see me through his magic ring. He says he doesn’t watch me often, but I know he checks in. He must have been checking in when I was getting yelled at. I hoped he hadn’t also witnessed my ugly-cry.

“I will be. I just need to figure out what to do, and how to handle things with Jas.”

Alex crouched down next to me, one hand on my thigh, the other rubbing my arm in soothing circular motions. He wore dark jeans and a black ski jacket. He smelled like wet cedar, and his deep brown hair was damp like he’d just gotten out of the shower. I wondered where he’d been. The gym, maybe? The thought of Alex lifting heavy things was almost enough to improve my mood. He looked up at me, his emerald eyes soft with concern. “Why have you been avoiding her?”

My brow fell as I pushed the corners of my lips down. “Why do you think?” I said, picking at a string on my sweater. “It’s not like I can tell her what’s going on, and she’d know if I lied. Unless you want me telling her about the Amaranthine and Daevos, it’s easier to say I’m busy.”

Alex leaned back, studying me. “It might be easier, but I don’t know that it’s better for your mental health.”

I widened my eyes. “You want me to tell her what’s happening? Who I am? Who you and Emil are?”

Alex bit his lip, shaking his head slowly. “Not if you can help it, but you need friends, Evie. You need people to relate to and have fun with. You’re taking on too much. You need to give your mind a break from this paranormal insanity once in a while. Jasmine used to be your release-valve. She was the person you went to when you needed to talk, vent, or relieve stress. You’ve made it so she’s not that person anymore. You’re internalizing everything and talking to no one.” He squeezed my arm. “You at least need to talk about your problems with me and Emil.”

I snorted. “Yeah, because you’d both love listening to me discuss my relationships with the two of you.”

Alex lifted a shoulder. “Actually, I would. I’d like to know what’s going on in your head. You’ve cut me and Emil off from any romantic involvement with you. From my own experience and what Emil has said, I know you’re not talking to either one of us about how you feel. And we’re not spending time alone with you either. So if there’s something you want to discuss,” he gestured for me to go on, “please, do.”

I looked at him from under my brow and slightly shook my head.

“I’m serious,” he said. “Talk.”

He had no idea what he was asking for. I thought the best way to explain it would be an illustration, even if it wasn’t kind. I lifted my voice in falsetto, “Kissing Emil was amazing, but so was kissing Alex! And I wish I knew how our past lives fit into everything. Maybe if I could remember the past, it would help me choose, because I can’t just take Alex and Emil’s word for what happened.”
High sigh
. “How will I ever decide between them?”

Alex thinned his eyes, his hands knotting slowly into fists. He forced himself to release them as he exhaled. “Point taken.”

I nodded once.

He watched me for a minute longer, seemingly lost in thought. I looked at my watch. “It’s almost time for my next class.” I stood and started to walk away. Alex stepped in front of me, reaching his hands up to cup my cheeks.

“Being part of this life, and knowing the things you do, can sometimes feel like a burden; but we’ll figure this out. I promise.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead, his lips a soft press against my skin.

I closed my eyes again, and took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears. I hoped we would, but at this point, I wasn’t sure.

I left Alex, and on my way to class, I noticed a long line at the nurse’s office. I heard some girls walking in front of me say, “They must be giving out free drugs.”

That seemed a likely explanation to me. I’d like some too. Preferably the kind that make you happy. I was having a hard time managing it on my own.

Later that night, I was in my room emailing my mom when I heard a knock at the front door. I opened it to find Alex holding a pizza box, and Emil cradling a two-liter bottle of lemonade—the pink kind, which I liked even more than yellow. “Can we come in?” Alex asked.

I took them both in from head to toe. Emil smiled, his eyes sparkling with his usual charm. His baby blue sweater with black stripes brightened the greyish-blue of his eyes. His sandy blonde hair was messy, like he’d recently rolled out of bed. That thought was distracting. A distressed black leather belt with a wide, square silver buckle held up faded jeans hugging his waist and thighs in all the right places.

Alex’s emerald eyes pierced me, seducing. His dark hair sat on the edge between brown and black and was cut short, though it was longer on top, styled so his slightly natural curl gave his hair texture. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a long, ribbed white thermal shirt. With how tight his shirt was, he might as well have been wearing nothing. I had a hard time convincing myself not to blatantly ogle his biceps and pecs.

I looked at them, my eyes drawn together in suspicion. Even though their friendship was better than it had been a few months ago, it wasn’t like they went on man-dates or anything. As far as I knew, they rarely spent time together unless I was involved. What were they up to? “I guess,” I answered carefully, opening the door wider.

I watched them walk in and put the food on the dining room table next to my fresh sterling roses. The sweet floral scent perfumed the entire house. I’d become so used to Emil’s gift of constant fresh roses over the last few months that I usually only noticed the smell when I’d been out of the room for a while. Emil noticed me notice, and smiled wider.

I went to the kitchen for plates and glasses. When I came back, we all sat at the table, passing the food around. I looked at Alex, then across from him at Emil. I was at the head of the table. Even eating dinner, I made the last segment of our little triangle. It was weird to think about us as one happy family. Okay, family wasn’t the right word, but we were a cluster of people working toward the same goal: keeping me alive.

I didn’t eat right away. I was more concerned with ascertaining the reason for their drop-in. “So, what’s with the visit tonight, guys?” I waved my hand between the two of them. “Your spying is usually more stealthy than this.” The fact they’d brought my favorite pizza—cheese, black olives, and green peppers with extra sauce—hadn’t escaped my notice. And the lemonade was pink. They had an agenda.

Emil looked at Alex. Alex took the lead. “We want to talk to you.”

I turned my head slightly so I could easily shift my eyes between them. “Okay. What about?”

Alex folded his arms on the table, leaning forward. “Evie, we think it’s time for you to date.”

I laughed. Outright, no-holds-barred, laughter. And it felt really good! I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time. Alex and Emil shared a glance. They’d been prepared for this reaction. “Why on earth would I do that? I have more than enough to handle with the two of you. I don’t need to add other guys on top of this mess.”

Alex shook his head. “No, not date other people. We want you to date us.”

My eyes went huge with surprise. For a moment, I was stunned. “I know we have this weird triangle thing going on, but I’m not the least bit interested in multiple boyfriends, or polyandry. I can barely handle one of you, let alone two.”

Emil’s mouth cracked into a smile. “We want you to date each of us separately. You won’t be exclusive with either one of us until you’re ready to take that step and choose.”

My mouth fell open. I had no words for at least thirty seconds. That gave me enough time to gather my thoughts and think of plenty to say. “Let me get this straight,” I said, scooting back in my chair so I had something to hold me up in case my spine decided to compress—which was a distinct possibility. “You want me to start going on dates with you both again, but you don’t want me to choose between you yet?”

“Yes,” Alex said.

Emil nodded.

I glanced back and forth between them, wondering if this was some sort of practical joke. “You realize a few months ago when our relationships were—” I paused, struggling for an adequate description, “—undefined, you both had testosterone-fueled fits and wanted to kill each other?”

“That’s not really fair, Evie,” Alex admonished.

“Are you kidding?” I asked, incredulous. “That first night at the sand dunes, I was scared to leave you in your tents. I thought for sure I’d wake up and find one of you mortally wounded.”

Emil grinned. “But now you know we’re immortal. Problem solved.”

Alex took a deep breath. “We were still establishing ground rules then.”

“Yeah,” Emil agreed. “I wouldn’t have killed him. Fought him, yes, but killing is a little extreme. Plus, I don’t want to win by default. You made the right decision two hundred and fifty years ago. I want you to choose me again, just like you chose me before.”

I could hear Alex grinding his teeth together without even having to look at him. “The point is, you need to date us. If you don’t, you’ll never be able to choose between us.”

My eyes tracked back and forth between them. I couldn’t argue with their logic. I’d been thinking the same thing. But it didn’t seem fair to date them both with no guarantee of commitment. “I’m not ready to make a decision, so there’s no point.”

“That’s the whole point,” Alex said. “You’ll never be ready if you don’t spend time with us.” He paused. “Quality time. Alone time. On actual dates.”