Chapter 28 Beneath the Layers
Beneath the Layers
Heaven
Icouldn’t sleep. The mattress I had made was draining my energy faster than maintaining something like this on Earth would.
I kept it up, though. Neither Allie nor I liked sleeping on the ground, so I had to.
The fact that she willingly shared a bed was proof enough that anything was better than the hard ground.
Our reasons were very different. She hates dirt; I don’t mind feeling the earth beneath me, but I can’t sleep on anything hard.
Tossing and turning, I end up pondering over the best course of action. Hades told me there was a shortcut, as long as we were able to summon a pathfinder.
The only problem, which he of course never mentioned to me, was that after summoning a pathfinder, which I know of from my own studies, the pathfinder will carry out a test. If we pass, they will guide us to our destination, and if we fail, we must pay the price, whatever that might be.
That’s my main concern – can we handle what they may throw at us?
Here, our powers are so different from Earth, I’m not sure what we are capable of, or if it will be an intellectual test.
I sit up and walk over to Ahren and sit beside him.
“Hey, you ok?” he asks, putting his arm around me.
I nod, snuggling into him, and smile when his wing closes around me. I’m fine, you should sleep. I can take over the next watch, I write.
He tilts his head, looking at the letters. “I’ll keep you company. You gave up your voice, but you’re still able to perform spells easily, right?”
I nod again. Yes. But I don’t think Hades expected that. I smile.
“Well, you have always been smart.”
I know, I write.
He grins before resting his head on top of mine. “Think she’s doing ok?”
My heart feels heavy, and it hits me just how much he’s missing Sienna right now. Absolutely. She’s strong, I write.
He nods. “Yeah…”
And I hope Tatum is ok.
“He’ll be fine,” Ahren reassures me.
We fall silent, simply listening for anything that might disturb the silence.
There’s no sign of animals or insects, well, none that I can hear.
The only sound that can be heard is the soft snoring of three of the Westwood boys.
As for the power in the ground beneath us, it still surges through me – it just feels different.
I’m almost drifting off when I hear someone move from behind us.
“I’ll take the next shift.” Theo’s voice, still thick with sleep, comes. I look over my shoulder at him just as he adjusts his pants that already reveal way too much of his Adonis belt.
I look away quickly, not even sure why I ended up looking where I shouldn’t when it comes to him. Men are hot… I mean, we’re shifters, and all werewolf men have these crazy abs and muscles, but there’s something about this idiot that distracts me just a little more.
Urgh, I hate him.
“You sure?” Ahren asks him.
“Yup, I got enough rest. Why the hell are you awake, Blondie? Bed not good enough for you?”
Guess not, I write, tossing my hair over my shoulder.
“Try sleeping,” Ahren advises, unfurling his wings as he stands up, turning to Theo, who has come over to us.
I nod. In a bit. I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. I’d be happy to take over watch, I offer.
Theo grins, that skeletal mask turning into a wicked grin. It’s not really a mask, but what his face has morphed into. “Oh yeah? You lost your voice, remember? How do you plan to alert us?” he mocks.
I frown. Like this, I say, flicking my finger and sending an invisible needle straight at his stomach. He jerks back, massaging those annoying abs.
“The fuck you did! You’re a crazy woman!” he hisses.
Ahren chuckles. “You will learn to never challenge a witch.”
I nod in agreement. Watching in secret amusement as Ahren lies down before shifting onto his side. Clearly, those wings aren’t comfortable to sleep on. Unlike me, Theo doesn’t hide his snicker.
“Shut it!” Ares growls, his voice a low rumble as he turns over, trying to go back to sleep. He’s so grumpy. All five of the brothers are so different.
I cast a silencing spell so no one can hear the dummy. He seems to realise I cast a spell as he looks at me with those sharp eyes. “Now you want to silence me, too?”
Whatever. You know, I think I like the mask; this way I don’t need to see your annoying face, I write.
He grins again. “Well, I can agree with you there. I like it. It looks dangerous and pretty cool.”
If you say so.
“I do,” he replies as he sits down a few feet away from me, resting back on one elbow, one leg raised as he stares into the never-ending darkness. I glance at him; his scars are glowing. I wonder what they mean, or why they are glowing like that. “If you ask me, Blondie, you’re on edge. Why?”
I look over my shoulder at his face. I’m not, I write. His eyes burn into mine before he arches a brow.
“Whatever you say, Blondie.” He lies down fully, resting his head on his arms. Those huge biceps bulge as they flex.
I turn away, not replying as a soft wind blows through my hair.
“You’re not responsible for any of us here.
We all came willingly of our own accord, so stop pinning all this shit on yourself.
Relax, get some sleep and remember we’re doing this together.
We’re all in this shit together. You don’t need to have the answer to everything. ”
I stiffen, my heart betraying me for a couple of seconds before I rein it in. How- how did he even come up with that? I never let that on. I can contain my feelings!
He’s silent after that, and I take a few slow breaths, trying to steady my thoughts and my heart that won’t quite calm down.
‘I see you’. His words from the party flit through my mind again, uninvited. As much as I want to brush them off, I’m unable to ignore the rising curiosity within me. I force myself to turn, crossing my legs as I lean forward.
Tell me, how can someone so dumb be so observant? I write, the glowing words hanging between us.
Theo lets out a low, deep laugh, the sound lazy and infuriatingly cocky like usual. “Who said I’m dumb? That’s just cruel, Blondie.”
Answer the question.
He tilts his head, pretending to think. “Maybe I’m just gifted.
Or cursed. Depends on the day. I just notice things that people think I don’t.
You know, the little details they all try to hide.
” His eyes flick over me briefly before he adds, “You, for example, you wear this mask of perfect indifference, although inside you’re anything but indifferent. ”
I arch a brow. Think what you want. You’re not getting away from my question by being annoying and diverting it towards me. You hide behind that stupid humour, but I know it’s just that. A front to hide the reality you feel. The ones who joke the most usually hurt the most. Are you hurting, Theo?
Something flickers in his eyes, but it’s gone before I can place it. He groans, running a hand through his white hair – that actually suits him pretty well. “Bloody hell, you’re relentless. What are you, my therapist?”
I don’t move, waiting blandly for him to stop trying to hide. Keeping my eyes fixed unblinking on him. Suddenly, he sits up, in one quick sweep, one elbow on his knee, closing the distance between us until I can feel his breath ghost against my cheek.
“I’m not hiding,” he says huskily, in a way that makes my heart rate quicken.
“But since you’re so keen on peeling people open, tell me this…
what about you, Blondie? You play the calm, collected one.
The strong one. Trying to be perfect. But I bet that’s just your armour, isn’t it?
You’d rather break quietly than ever let someone see you bleed. ”
The words sink deep, and I can’t quite breathe.
Not only is he too close, his knee almost brushing mine, but those words just hit the nail on the head.
He has one hand on the ground just beside me, the space between us shrinking until the scent of him fills my head.
He’s watching me, not with mockery this time, but with something far more dangerous.
It’s like a predator trying to force his prey to yield beneath his gaze.
I look down, tracing words into my open palm, And if I tell you whether you’re right or wrong, will you tell me what’s really going through your mind?
His gaze drops to my hand, following the faint glow of the letters before flicking back up to my eyes.
That smirk returns slowly. “Sure. But only if it stays between us.” His tone drops to barely above a whisper, although no one can hear us, and I know he sensed my magic earlier.
“Call it… repayment for helping you reach Hades.”
I roll my eyes, though it’s mostly to hide the way my stomach feels all weird right now… Deal.
Theo leans back a fraction, but not enough, his smirk curling mockingly. “Good. Now, stop looking at me like that, Blondie, or I’ll start thinking you fancy me,” he says sarcastically, combing his fingers through his hair.
I open my mouth to shoot back a retort, but nothing comes, making him snicker. I glare at him just as his knee brushes mine. My pulse kicks hard, and I look away before he notices any change in me.
He chuckles under his breath. “So, start talking; we don’t have anything better to do.” He leans back, propping himself up on one elbow, those annoying abs catching my attention again. I look away and take a deep breath.
Maybe you’re right.
“Maybe?”
Ok, you’re right, for the most part, except one thing, I don’t want to be perfect. I am perfect, I state, writing the words clearly as I stare at him pointedly.
“Oh yeah? And there’s that cockiness.”
Your turn, I write, crossing my arms under my bust.
Theo’s eyes flick over me once, slow enough to make my skin prickle, before locking on mine.
“What do you want to know about how this amazing mind works?” he drawls. He’s just sitting back like he’s on a throne.
What’s your greatest fear? I ask quickly, before he can derail it with one of his quips.
He tilts his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Who says I have one?”
Everyone does.
For a heartbeat, he’s still, all mockery stripped away. Just when I think he won’t answer, his gaze shifts to the sky, the moonlight cutting sharp lines across his half-shadowed face, and he says, “That I don’t know what limits I’d go to protect the ones I care for.”
My heart skips a beat. His words slice deeper than I expect.
Meaning you’d do anything for them.
He shrugs, the motion casual, and his eyes return to mine.
“Yeah. But I also know that just saying that out loud would make my father keel over.” His lips curl in a faint smile.
“So, let’s call this our little secret, although maybe stressing Dad out might just be the very reason why I should start mentioning it more often. ”
There it is again; he’s hiding behind the humour.
Well, your father follows the rules A to Z. You’re a bit like my mama, you know. She’d do anything for the people she loves. I admire her.
Theo chuckles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Does that mean you admire me then?” He winks, and the glimpse into his soul from moments ago is gone, buried under his usual cocky mask.
You wish, I write, rolling my eyes. But the truth is, what he’s just given me says more than he realises. If that’s all he wants to offer, I’ll take it.
There’s nothing about you to admire.
He clutches his chest theatrically. “Ouch. My poor heart. How will I recover from such savagery?” His voice turns low and mocking. “Oh wait… I don’t have a heart.”
I push his knee lightly and turn away, looking back at the sky.
Even monsters do.
He doesn’t answer. But I can feel his eyes on me, burning into me, as if he, too, is looking way beyond my skin and straight into my soul.
Wait. Did we just have an actual conversation? Did we share things? My stomach flips, but I keep my head facing forward. I’m not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction.
“You should get some rest,” he says finally, voice calm and smooth, like velvet hiding a blade.
I’m about to tell him I’m fine when his hand suddenly slides around my throat, warm and firm, his thumb pressing just enough to make my pulse jump.
His breath is in my ear before I even realise he’s moved.
I whip my head around. Opening my mouth to ask him what the hell he’s doing, but no sound comes.
Instead, a wave of sleep crashes over me, thick and heavy.
“Sleep, Blondie.” His voice rumbles in the darkness, distant but intimate. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
I try to turn my head, to fight the pull, but my vision is already blurring. The last thing I see is the pale, piercing blue of his eyes glowing faintly in the dark like twin shards of ice.
What… did he… do… to me?
A strong arm slides around my waist, catching me as my body goes limp. Darkness closes over me like water, dragging me down, and his voice is the last thing I hear before darkness claims me.