Chapter 40 #2
Flint shifts. His face morphs into Ender’s like a second skin. High cheekbones, cold, ghost-pale eyes, and that perpetually severe mouth stare back at me. The resemblance makes my spine prickle.
“I’m Ender,” Flint says, voice dropping into that familiar cadence. “And we’re visiting your sister.”
“Perfect,” I say. “The rest of you wait out here for our return. You’re our getaway vehicle.”
“This officially tops the dumb pranks we used to pull on my dad,” Gray mutters. “This is borderline suicidal.”
Gray drops us a few feet away from the gates.
“Good luck,” he says.
I step out and walk with Flint to the compound. I hope they don’t find it weird that Ender isn’t driving.
“Remember to glower and act entitled,” I whisper. “If you’re nice or smile, they’ll know something’s up.”
“I spend every day around him,” Flint says dryly. “I’ve got this.”
Two enforcers straighten instantly at our approach. The second their gaze lands on Flint, their eyes grow wide with fear.
“We weren’t expecting you today, sir,” one says carefully. “You usually come on Fridays.”
Flint doesn’t respond. He just stares them down. The guard pales and immediately begins unlocking the gate.
I squeeze Flint’s hand in encouragement, biting back a grin. That was so good. He spoke volumes without uttering a single word.
We move upstairs quickly, and I knock lightly on Mercy’s door.
“Come in,” she says softly.
I fling the door open.
“Happy birthday, loser!”
Mercy shrieks and launches herself at me, wrapping her arms tight around my neck.
“Happy birthday, twin,” she breathes. “I missed you.”
“Me too.”
“We’re breaking you out,” I say, already heading for her closet.
I grimace at the row of conservative dresses. All of them are either ankle or knee length.
“What are you, forty-five?” I ask aghast. “Nothing here screams twentieth birthday party.”
Mercy glances nervously at Ender. “Can we have a moment alone?”
“That’s my friend Flint,” I say. “Not Vale.”
“But—”
“He’s a Shifter,” I explain. “He steals faces.”
“Hi,” Flint says cheerfully.
He shifts, wearing our face. It’s kind of funny to see us wearing an oversized suit. He looks ridiculous.
Mercy gasps.
“Triplets,” I say, delighted.
“That’s terrifying,” Mercy says. “And impressive.”
I pull out a midnight-blue dress. It’ll do.
“Bathroom. Now. We don’t have much time.”
Mercy clutches the dress to her chest, biting her lip nervously.
“Won’t he be furious?” she whispers.
“Who cares?” I grin. “It’s our birthday.”
Minutes later, we’re slipping back through the gates. I laugh the whole way to the truck.
“I can’t believe we did that,” Mercy says, eyes shining.
Flint shifts back and grins like a maniac.
“Shit,” Gray says, scratching his hair. “It worked.”
Rei whoops as we drive into the city.
There is one nightclub in Division Two. There are more in Division One and the capital, where the people indulge in entertainment and debauchery more. But around these parts, Nightmare is as good as it gets.
Obsidian wallpaper stretches like rubber along the wall, broken by silver accents. Strobe lights flash from the ceiling, casting prismatic shards across the space. Music pulses, spreading through my body like a live wire. Couples dance on the luminous floorboards, bodies coiled like snakes.
The scent of sweat and cologne thickens the air.
“I got us a booth,” Gray says.
He threads his fingers through mine, guiding us through the crowd.
“You look irresistible,” he whispers.
“Your staring gave that away,” I say.
“Humbleness is a virtue, Vee.” He pokes me in the side. “You could do with a bit of it.”
“Never claimed to be virtuous,” I say with a wicked smile. “You should know better.”
We reach the stairs that lead to the second floor. And that’s when I see them.
My feet screech to a halt.
Knox, Spider, Orion, and Clover fill the large U-shaped seat.
And at the center of the group is none other than Ender Vale.
He sits like a king in exile. His military coat lies lazily behind him, and his black t-shirt fits him like a second skin.
His raven hair is mussed, falling delicately into his eyes.
A glass of scotch rests in his hand, the mahogany-colored liquor untouched.
He stares at it as if it had committed a great crime.
He looks like he was forced to come out.
“Guys,” I say softly. “We might have a problem.”
Gray follows my sight and curses under his breath.
“That’s not good,” Rei says.
“We’re upstairs,” Gray says. “We’ll just stay out of their way and wait until they leave.”
He signals the guard, and the rope lifts, giving us access to the second floor. The booth is spacious and secluded. Just as Gray promised.
“I want you to have fun, Vee,” Gray whispers, squeezing my shoulder. “Ignore him.”
Ender’s presence did spoil my mood. I wanted a night where I could forget about him. One where I could just be free to spend time with the people I loved.
“I’ll try,” I say.
Drinks are laid on the table, and we all grab a glass.
“To the twins,” Grayson says.
“To the twins.”
I smile at Mercy as I down my drink in one go. She takes a tentative sip before she slowly places it down. Mercy is not fond of alcohol. I don’t blame her; we both have a terrible tolerance. I wouldn’t bother drinking if Grayson weren’t here. I know he’ll just carry me to bed and tuck me in after.
I pull Mercy close.
“I missed you, Mer-Mer.”
“I didn’t miss that nickname.” Mercy groans.
“How’s the Vale estate?”
“Boring,” she says. “He’s never home. But when he is… he asks about you.”
My chest tightens.
“I think he’s fishing for information,” Mercy continues.
I hesitate, staring down at my tangled fingers. I’m afraid to tell her about the kiss, but I have to. I’ve never kept any secrets from my sister, and I refuse to start now.
“He kissed me the other day. It was after an argument, and he just…well, he grabbed my face and did it,” I say. “We both regretted it, and it will never happen again.”
“Haven,” she warns. “He’s dangerous.”
“I know,” I whisper. “And he’s yours now. It was an incredibly selfish thing to do. You’re my sister, and you deserve better.”
Mercy catches my hand, squeezing my fingers.
“I have no interest in Ender Vale,” she says. “And I am not blind, I saw how he looked at you at the engagement party.”
I stare at her under my lashes. Surprised that she is not angry at me.
I thought she would be more upset, that she would curse me, and call me selfish.
It was my idea for us to swap. I was going to be the soldier, and she, the wife.
But I kissed her husband, a man that I gave to her, to pursue vengeance.
And now everything is messy and muddled. Ender knows our secret. He wants me to speak our vows and to be his wife. The rebels are growing stronger, and the regime is getting restless. I’m in the middle of it all—the war, and this relationship.
“How did he look at me?” I whisper.
“Like he was memorizing your face,” she says softly. “Like he was trying to contain the weight of his desires, but failing spectacularly at it. If his heart is made of ice, then you are his flame, burning at the wick to reveal his softness.”
Mercy has always been a bit of a wordsmith. But I fear this time her romantic fancies have gotten ahead of her. Ender does not look at me with anything less than disdain and lust. It is a strong attraction and nothing more.
“But you can’t forget who he is,” Mercy says.
“I think often about how our mother found our father bearable for a single night. She did not flinch from his touch, and perhaps in some inscrutable way, she even liked him. But that choice doomed her, and I don’t want to watch you make the same mistake. ”
Tears sting my eyes because she is right.
I do think a lot about how similar Ender is to our father, how his hands are stained with the blood of innocents. He is just as monstrous as he is.
“You’re so similar to her,” Mercy says. “Brave and passionate and wild. I don’t want to see you lose your spark and your life in pursuit of a man who is unworthy of you.”
I nod.
“You’re right, Mercy,” I say, smiling weakly. “You were always the smart one. Must be all those books.”
Mercy presses a kiss to my forehead. I’m a few minutes older than her, but it always felt like she was a little wiser than me. Calm, deliberate, cautious, while I was reckless and spontaneous.
“Come on,” I say, tugging her hand. “I want to dance with you! We can’t spend the night sitting on our asses.”
Mercy smiles with a shake of her head, but she lets me lead her to where the girls are dancing with Flint.
Tonight I want to make new memories. Good ones that I can hold onto when things get dark, because I know it’s only going to get worse. Our training is coming to a head. Within the next few weeks, one of us will join Black Star.
There are only three of us left.
Flint, Rei, and me.
And I’m not ready to think about what I will do when we reach the last stretch.