Chapter One #2
“What are you thinking about?” Leo asks.
You don’t want to know.
Playing his signature game of evasiveness, I shrug. “Our destination. I hope you know what you’re getting us into.”
“I saw you take your pills. What’s stressing you out?”
Damn it.
Silence stretches between us. One beat. Then another.
He releases a measured breath. “You’ve always been terrible at keeping secrets from me.”
Touché, brother.
“You know me. I’m anxious.” I wrap a strand of raven hair around my finger, twisting it out of habit. A nervous tic I can’t kick.
“You’ve been worse the last few days. Are you feeling okay? You look pale.”
“I’m fine.” I place a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.
A spark shoots through my fingertips, sending a jolt of electricity through my entire body. My teeth rattle from the shock. I yank my hand away, heart racing as nausea coils in my gut.
I’m standing on a dark, deserted beach with bone-chilling wind whipping my hair around me. I wrap my arms around myself, shivering.
“Leo?” I call out, voice small against the howl of the wind.
A silhouette approaches, tall and broad-shouldered—definitely a man based on his build. He moves slowly at first, then breaks into a sprint, feet pounding the sand. His hand drops to reveal a thick blade gleaming in the darkness.
“Draven?” I shout.
Every instinct in me screams to flee.
But if this is Draven, I need to face him. I need answers.
Why he didn’t stop it.
Why he helped it happen.
He’s closing in quickly, but I still can’t see his face. It’s blurred beneath a black hood. He stops short, then turns and sprints in the opposite direction.
“Wait! Come here!” I chase after him, but my feet sink into the sand. I trip and fall flat on my face, granules slipping into my mouth.
That same shocking sensation rips through me, and I’m back in the truck.
We’re parked on the side of the road.
“What happened?”
He frowns, his eyes clearing from milky white back to their natural color. “You activated a premonition.”
“What?” I blanch. “How?” I rub my hands over my stomach.
Leo watches me closely, as if he’s searching for something, though I have no idea what. “I’m not sure. Let’s get back on the road.”
“Why aren’t you freaking out? That’s never happened before.”
I don’t have any abilities. How could I have activated his vision?
Reaching for him, I say, “Give me your hand. Let’s try it again.”
He pulls away. “No. I don’t want to mess with that right now. Let’s keep going. We’re five hours away.”
He unbuckles his seatbelt. “By the way, it’s your turn to drive.”
“Are you serious? We’re going to pretend that didn’t happen?”
He rubs his forehead and sighs. “Time is of the essence.”
His nonchalance after what occurred is infuriating.
Can’t he tell I’m completely freaked out?
I trade spots with him, sliding into the driver’s seat. Hours pass, and that same sickening sensation creeps back into the pit of my stomach—the one that’s been lingering since Mom died.
Something’s not right.
I just don’t know what.
According to the GPS, we’re two miles from the destination Leo insists we reach. I’m still not on board with his plan, and after hours of silence, I’ve had plenty of time to contemplate the predicament we’re in.
It’s three in the morning. My eyelids are heavy, and my glutes ache from the long drive. The beach has never looked so good, even if I’m too exhausted to enjoy it.
The GPS leads us to a paved beach parking lot, dimly lit by a few flickering streetlights. There’s not another vehicle in sight.
Not exactly what I expected.
Flipping the visor open, I angle the mirror toward me.
No surprise, I look wrecked.
My blue-green eyes, usually bright with a soft sea-glass shimmer, are dull tonight. My long raven hair hangs in tangled waves, clinging to my cheeks, and my face looks thinner and paler than it did a month ago.
Running for your life will do that.
Reaching over, I shake Leo’s arm. His eyes snap open, wide and alert.
“Is this the right spot?” I ask, stifling a yawn as I wait for an explanation.
“This is it.” He unlocks the door and jumps out, stretching. He presses his hands against his back, yawning as he stares out at the vast, open sea.
“What’s the plan?” I hop out of the truck. “Are we sleeping on the beach?” I motion to the empty parking lot. “We’re the only ones here.”
“Shh,” he hisses. “Lower your voice.”
Hmm. Ignoring my question again. Classic Leo. He always does this when he’s acting on one of his visions.
I’d argue he has the power of avoidance too.
“Leo, you can’t keep basing every decision on a premonition. Let’s find a hotel.”
Leaning against the truck, arms crossed, I wait for him to get back in the damn thing.
It’s freezing. My teeth are chattering, and I hug myself tighter, growing more impatient by the second.
I only brought one hoodie, and it desperately needs a wash.
All the more reason I’d been hoping for a cheap motel tonight.
“This is where I was in my vision. I was standing over there.” He points toward the shoreline. “Come on. I think the man I saw is waiting for us down there.”
His eyes are still glassy, focused on the dark abyss like he’s not fully here.
“Are you crazy? It’s pitch black and freezing. Who would be hanging out on a beach this late?”
“I thought you trusted me.”
“I do, but—”
He grabs my hand and leads me toward the shore. I wrap my arms around myself to keep warm, noting how much colder the Oregon coast is compared to Southern California.
“Don’t forget to keep our last name a secret. If anyone asks, we’re Leo and Lia Collins. No one can know we’re Lockharts.”
I inch closer to him. “I can’t see anything,” I whisper, not liking this one bit.
My Chucks sink into the sand, making each step slower.
“They’re over there!” a loud, deep voice booms from the far end of the beach.
Oh, hell no.
“Leo…”
He grips my hand tighter, guiding us toward the sound. “Stay alert. Aether Hunters could be out here.”
“Aether Hunters? I thought we were meeting people who could help us?”
“I’m not taking any chances. Come on.”
Leo takes off into a full-blown sprint, dragging me with him. Sand kicks up behind our shoes. The cool breeze stings my cheeks as we race down the shore and into a tucked-away neighborhood with homes scattered along the beachfront.
It’s dark. No streetlights. Fog rolls in from the water, worsening visibility.
It’s eerily quiet.
Too quiet.
“Stay low,” Leo whispers as we crouch behind a thick bush.
“So incognito,” I mutter.
He jabs me with his elbow. I bite my lip, fighting a laugh.
Footsteps close in. My calf burns from staying crouched so long. I shift my leg, and the leaves rustle.
Shit.
The night holds.
Only crickets and the distant sound of waves along the shore.
“I heard something over there!” a man yells from somewhere farther down the beach.
The footsteps stomp away from our hiding spot.
“Let’s go.” Leo takes my hand, and we sprint through the neighborhood.
Some people are built for this. I am not one of them.
“Slow down. I think they’re gone,” I wheeze.
“Lia, come on. We can’t stop here.”
Forcing myself to keep up, my shoes pound against the sidewalk, barely matching my twin’s pace. His hand closes around mine as he drags me past hedges, low branches, and scattered trash cans.
I’m dead weight.
He’s the only reason I haven’t collapsed.
He halts abruptly, sending me stumbling. He catches me, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me.
A man stands ahead beneath the glow of a tall forest green lamppost. His sandy brown hair glistens under it, but his features remain shadowed. From here, I catch a glimpse of hazel eyes—the kind that size you up in a heartbeat and give nothing back. Broad shoulders. Controlled posture.