The Agrista (Between the Lines Book 1) (10 page)

  “You think I don’t know that?” she stiffened, sliding her body further into the corner until her front was uncomfortably flush with the wall.

  “What were you thinking about?” Alex sensed her growing agitation and attempted to change the subject.

  “Nothing,” she bit out, failing to think about
anything
except Anthros now.

  A sheen of sweat washed over Marie as images of flesh being torn from bone filled her head. The phantom pain that accompanied them caused her to tremble.

  Her heart drummed against her ribcage so hard that it repeatedly jerked her forward as the growing tension set fire to her muscles. In one swift motion, Alex slid his arm over her ribcage and flipped her onto her side so she was facing him. It was anything but delicate.

  Marie found herself shrouded in darkness. Instinctively, she knew she was dreaming, but it didn’t ease the icy tendrils of fear wrapping around her heart and seizing her breaths. She shakily clambered forward. The soft, squishy ground made it difficult to find a decent foothold and remain upright.

  Every time she attempted to place her foot firmly in front of her, it sank into the ground. The crude disconnect shattered her equilibrium and threw her onto her knees. A feeling of dread washed over her as her hands sliced through the ground. It was as if it were made of water, but it felt thick like molasses, and her struggle only pulled her deeper.

  “Is this...quicksand?” She went perfectly still. It was impossible to know. She couldn’t see a thing and she had no idea what quicksand felt like. It wasn’t exactly an issue back in her hometown of Quaker Springs.

  Her attempts to stay afloat were futile, and the land swallowed her in mere seconds. Marie pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes shut as the ground closed over the top of her head, burying her in fear. The coppery syrup seeped through the cracks of her lips as it rafted through her nostrils and burned her eyes.

  Oh god. This is blood!
Marie thrashed wildly as the sudden realization thrust her into fight or flight.

  The sharp taste of metal permeated her taste buds as it slid down the back of her throat, filling her lungs like cement and anchoring her to the ground. Her innards burned for air, for relief from the torment of drowning while buried alive, deprived of her most basic need and stripped of her sight.

 
The ground spit her out onto a hard surface. The abrasive impact sent jolts of pain racing up her spine. She lurched forward, retching. She slapped her clammy hands down on the floor and violently recoiled when the sharp sting of ice stopped her heart cold, freezing the flow of blood as it deflated her lungs.

  “How am I not dead?” Marie was no longer so sure she wasn’t. This place was beginning to feel less and less like a dream, and more and more like a waking nightmare.

  A spotlight suddenly appeared, illuminating the same silver door she’d seen in her last dream. This time it was flanked by four foreboding silhouettes. Driven by morbid curiosity, Marie dragged herself forward on her hands and knees.

 
“Marie!” Alex shook her like a rattle.

  He’d been trying to wake her for several minutes, but she wasn’t responding. He knew she was still alive by the beat of his own heart, but something wasn’t right. Her tortured wheeze roused him from a deep slumber, raising the hackles of his inner animal and awakening his primal instinct to protect her.

  Marie shot straight up, gasping for air. She clawed at her neck as if something were lodged in her throat. The cool rush of relief burned her lungs in its unfamiliarity, and it took her a moment to acclimate herself with the simple motion of breathing again.

  She slowly blinked several times, taking in her surroundings with a newfound appreciation. She’d never been so happy to be alive, or so afraid to go back to sleep.

 
“Are you alright?” Alex’s heart caught in his throat at the familiar sight of her beautiful blue eyes as they popped open, stealing his breath away.

  Marie coughed into her trembling hands, still unable to take a full breath. Did something in the physical realm trigger her nightmare, or was it the other way around? She quickly clasped her hands together after seeing a mottle of red splattered across her palms, not wanting to alarm Alex. Little did she know, he could already smell the blood.

  “What was your dream about?” he narrowed his eyes and watched her expectantly. His penetrating gaze forced her to suddenly look away in order to break its hold.

  “I can’t remember.”

  “You’re lying,” he replied dryly, his candor catching her off guard.

  “Yup.” Marie couldn’t believe she’d actually admitted the truth. She was known to defend a lie down to her last breath, but something about Alex pulled the truth from her like a serum. “Honestly, it was a terrifying dream, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Why didn’t you just say that to begin with?”

  “If I had, would you have let it go?”

  “No,” he smirked. She could read him better than he thought, and in such a short time. “I don’t care if you lie to others, but don’t lie to me. There’s no need.” His words held far more vitriol than he’d intended.

  Alex made a point to always keep a straight face and never convey too much emotion in his speech, but Marie pulled his heart to the surface; bloody, beating and vulnerable, for all to see. He needed to figure out how to stop that from happening, but so far, he was at a loss.

  Everything about her broke him down and dredged up feelings absolutely foreign to him. While she may not know him that well, he’d been watching her for as long as he could remember. He knew her better than he knew himself. He vowed to build up an immunity to her charms. It was the only way to protect her, and himself.

  “Talking about things can be helpful,” he suggested coyly, not one to follow his own advice.

  “It’s going to sound stupid, but I think saying your fears out loud is like tempting fate. I’m not paranoid or anything,” she quickly amended. “I don’t think there’s some evil omnipresence constantly listening in, waiting to strike,” she rolled her eyes. “I just feel like once I admit my fears, they’re out there and...possible. Does that make sense?”

  “Not really.”

  Marie turned away to hide her smile. His bluntness repeatedly caught her off guard. A typical male might feel obliged to agree, whether he understood or not. At least, in her experience. She was happy Alex wasn’t a typical male. His honesty was refreshing,
most
of the time.

  “We still have a few hours until daybreak. Try to get some rest. You’ll need it.” Alex lay back down, shifting into a comfortable position.

 
Just what I need, to be reminded of tomorrow.
She yanked the covers close around her, struggling to hide the sudden shiver coursing through her body. “Sweet dreams,” she mocked.

  “Sweet dreams.” In the past second, something had transpired to upset her, but he had no idea what. Sometimes he wondered if he’d ever fully understand the woman lying beside him.

  Alex always meant well, but he was totally oblivious. Marie was far too terrified to go back to sleep. What if her dream picked up where it left off? Perhaps this time she wouldn’t wake. Things worked differently here, and she wasn’t taking any chances. Her dreams had changed since she’d come here. They felt far too real, often blending into reality and disorienting her throughout her waking hours.

  Marie would’ve preferred for Alex to stay up and talk with her all night, but she wasn’t going to deprive him of what he so desperately needed. It would be selfish and self-destructive, for both of their lives rested solely on his shoulders. It was a tremendous amount of pressure to put on Alex, and it asked a lot of Marie, who had so little faith.

  She started to think about everything Fallon had told her about Anthros. She had quickly forgotten her dream amongst her ruminations, because reality was far more frightening. If it was as bad as Fallon and Cayden made it out to be – which she had no doubt it was – why would
anyone
choose to go there?

  Laylia was obviously just as crazy as the rest of them. That is,
if
she was actually on Anthros. That was the worst part of all of this; all four of them could be risking their lives for nothing, just to follow a false tip.

  Marie stared blankly at the wall for the remainder of the night. Her cruel and boundless imagination conjured up every possible horrible scenario it could, filling her head with endless dark thoughts that gave life to her fears.
Alex would never take me to a place that dangerous unless he was absolutely
certain
he could protect me!

  One thing she didn’t doubt was Alex’s devotion. She may not know him that well yet, but she had no doubt he valued his own life, and it was unequivocally linked to hers. However, when she considered the greeting they’d received when they arrived on Milités, she didn’t feel quite so assured. She’d never been in any
real
danger here, but what if she had?

  She let the salty frustration pour from her eyes in rapid torrents. She couldn’t hold back any longer, and she didn’t want to. She begrudgingly willed her sobs to crawl into Alex’s ears and rip him from his dreams, prompting him to wrap his arms around her as he offered her comfort the only way he knew how, but that dream never came true.

 
Marie spent the next few hours wishing, praying, hoping, and crying as she held herself against the panic. Nothing seemed to ease the fear that swelled with every new breath, shortening the next.

  She felt thunderstruck when the sun reared its ugly head, representing the dawn she so vehemently dreaded. She propped herself up on her elbows, greeting the blazing light with tired eyes and nonexistent resolve.

 
How am I going to get through this?
She buried her face in her hands, succumbing to the darkness.

ISABEL

 
T
he sun bled through the cracks of the cylindrical hut, dancing across Alex’s eyelids as they fluttered open. He turned on his side and looked up at Marie. She was barely holding it together. Dark circles rimmed her puffy red eyes as her pupils devoured the surrounding ocean, reflecting a wan pallor.

 
She hasn’t slept
. He sighed, feeling guilty for having slept himself. “Are you alright?” She couldn’t seem to stop fidgeting.

  “You’re always asking me if I’m alright,” she hissed, turning away. “It’s really annoying. I’m fine, okay?”

  Marie didn’t function well on little sleep. As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt the sharp twinge of guilt, but irritability had a tendency to dull her conscience and her tact. It wasn’t Alex’s fault she hadn’t slept, but unfortunately for him, he was the closest target for the angst she’d built up over the past few hours.

  “Did you sleep well, Alex?” Just when Marie thought things couldn’t get any worse, Fallon came sauntering in through the door, sporting skimpy negligee and without knocking, of course. “Are you experiencing any morning male phenomenon that requires my assistance?” Fallon’s eyes made a beeline for Alex’s groin.

 
Perfect. A new target.
Marie focused all of her vitriol on Fallon as she scooted slightly closer to Alex.

  “Great Lucidus, Fallon!” Cayden’s expression soured at her words. “Act like a lady, for once!” He held a fist over his mouth to hide his guilty smile. He couldn’t deny that she always amused him. “Mariella. Alex,” he politely inclined his head in greeting.

  “Please don’t call me Mariella.” The words were right, but her tone was clipped. “My name is Marie. It’s
always
been Marie, and that’s what I prefer to be called.” Normally, she couldn’t care less what he called her, but right now it was the
one
thing she could control, and she wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from her. She needed some semblance of familiarity before she lost her mind.

  “Aren’t you a delight this morning? Didn’t sleep that well last night, did you?” Fallon grinned sinisterly.

  A guttural hum rumbled in the back of Marie’s throat as she furrowed her brows in response, prompting a sudden interjection from Cayden upon seeing the fire in her eyes.

  “Alex, I’d like you to help Fallon load the supplies. Meet us at the Armory when you’re finished.”

  “Come on, Alex. I’ll give you a tour of the ship. There’s not much privacy, but there are plenty of dark corners,” Fallon dragged a helpless Alex out the door, winking at Marie on their way out.

  “Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave those two alone?” Marie watched them with a worried expression, knowing she had no right to be jealous.

  “Alex can handle himself,” Cayden laughed. “However, I don’t think you can.” Marie snapped her head in his direction, quick to take offense. “If I sent you off with Fallon, she’d dress you in faulty armor and paint a target on your back! You’re better off with me,” he teased, pleased to glimpse the faintest hint of a smile on her face.

  “Not that
I
particularly care for
her
, but why does she hate me so much?”

  “Fallon doesn’t…”

  “Stop. I don’t need lies.
Why
does she hate me?” she asked, watching him expectantly.

  “She blames you.”

  “Blames me? For
what
?” She’d
just
met the woman. What could she possibly blame her for?

  “She blames you for the fate of your parents. Your mother, Evangeline, used the last of her strength to save you instead of saving herself. Prior to that…” Cayden hesitated.

  “Prior to that,
what
?”

  “Prior to that, your father disappeared after learning of your mother’s pregnancy,” his words were like a punch in the throat.

  Marie couldn’t believe the cruel irony. She’d run as far from her old life as she possibly could, only to come across another version of John Sr. and Junior – her father and brother back home – in another universe; two people that hated her simply for being born.  

  For eighteen years, Marie was reminded of that sentiment every Friday when they went to visit her mother, Melissa, and left her behind. She pleaded with her brother to put in a good word with her father, knowing he had the ultimate sway, but Junior couldn’t care less about what she wanted.

  John Sr. was at every one of Junior’s baseball games, and spoiled him on every birthday. He was there to dole out advice at every milestone, and treated his son with endless patience and understanding. Marie could never convince her brother that John Sr. was a bad father, because to Junior, he wasn’t.

  “Fallon knows what happened isn’t your fault. She’s just looking for
anyone
to blame because she can’t control what’s happened to them. To her, you’re the most obvious choice. Deep down, she knows she’s being petty. Unfortunately, Fallon has no qualms with being petty,” Cayden’s face relaxed into a sigh. In this light, Marie could make out every hard line around his mouth, permanently etched into his face from years of frowning. She had no doubt Fallon was responsible for every last wrinkle.

  “She’s even worse than I thought!” Now that Fallon reminded her of her family back home, the hatred was mutual. “Does she even like Alex?” This time Marie changed the subject, not liking the direction her thoughts were headed.

  “No,” he sniffed. “She’s just trying to get to you. Show her she can’t, and she’ll eventually learn to respect you.”

  “I don’t need her respect!”
The day I gain favor with Fallon is the day I lose myself
.

  Built into a wiry frame of carved silver was an edifice of angled glass. It soaked up the sun like a sponge and reflected it back like sparkling tides, painting a picture of the surrounding scenery beautifully askew. It was so bright that Marie had to avert her eyes and give them a moment to adjust.

  The inside of the building was one of the strangest sights she’d ever taken in. It looked more like the produce section of a grocery store than an Armory. The entire building was lined with sprinklers set to a timer while sunlight filtered in through the faceted glass, illuminating several hundred pieces of glittering armor strategically laid out on soft beds of dirt like dissected flowers.

  “It’s like a greenhouse for armor,” Marie mused. “Is it...alive?” Every time the mist coated the armor, it lit up like Aurora Borealis, as if pulsing with life.

  “Depends on who you ask,” Cayden smiled. “Infragilis Lilies are nothing short of phenomenal. They’re the only flower known to us that can live just as long off the tree as they can attached to it. They can be morphed into many things and serve several purposes, but they still need to be properly cared for, or they’ll weaken and die. As long as we preserve their lives, they preserve ours.” Marie’s heart warmed upon seeing Cayden’s face light up as he spoke.

  “That’s kind of poetic,” she smiled shyly.

  “Here, try this one on.” Cayden handed Marie a small breastplate. The reminder of why they were here quickly erased her already reluctant smile.

  Marie straightened her arms and bowed her legs in an attempt to ready herself. If a flower alone catapulted her to the ground, surely Infragilis armor would be monumentally heavier. She braced herself, but the weight still exceeded her expectations.

  Her arms shot straight to the ground like anchors, but Cayden’s cunning dexterity stopped the rest of her from sinking with them as he plucked the armor from her grasp and held her upright.

  “A bit heavy, I see. Damn,” he laughed heartily. Cayden had a kind smile that
always
reached his eyes, and age only seemed to improve it. Each new laugh line made him appear more distinguished, dulling the deep creases put there from years of struggle with Fallon.

  He handled the armor as carefully as he would a small child, meticulously putting it back in its exact place. He stalked across the room and ruffled through some drawers, returning with simple black clothes; a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of leggings.

  “This doesn’t look like much. Is it magical or something?” Marie asked, half-jokingly.

  “You’re to wear these
under
your armor,” he teased, handing her a full set of chainmail. “I’ll give you some privacy to change. Keep an eye out and mind your surroundings. Most of the men here haven’t seen a woman in months, and you
are
in a house of glass.”   

  “Fallon’s a woman.”

  “Depends on who you ask.” Cayden’s laughter filled the room as he walked away.

  Marie changed her clothes at lightning speed. The clothes he’d given her were so tight that they fit like a second layer of skin.
How small does he think I am?
She fidgeted uncomfortably.

  Marie pulled her boots back on and held up the chainmail, eyeing it skeptically as she ran her thumb over the links. She slipped it over her head and heaved a disappointed sigh. It was too big. The chainmail scraped along the floor behind her as she shuffled her feet, slowing her steps and constricting her movements. Obviously, Cayden had no idea how to gauge a woman’s size, much like every other male she’d ever encountered.

  “I better go tell him it doesn’t fit.” This whole process felt incredibly tedious, evoking what little patience she had left.

  The metal screeched along the floor, making her shudder as she dragged her feet forward. The maddening cacophony of Infragilis scraping over glass diminished with every step. Each step felt significantly lighter than the last as she propelled herself forward with growing ease.

  “What the...did it fall off?” It was certainly big enough.

  Marie glanced down at her armor to discover that it had changed shape. The glimmering surface shivered as it contracted and expanded with her movements. It melted to the contours of her body, catering to her unique shape and depth of motion as it molded itself into a perfect fit.

  “Whoa! Cayden, this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen!” she squealed, grinning from ear to ear.

  “I knew you’d appreciate it!”

  Fallon’s taunting laughter reverberated off the glass, devouring Marie’s excitement. She warily poked her head out the door to see her and Alex standing beside Cayden. Fallon’s amusement mirrored Marie’s, but her menacing smile stripped it away.

  “I told you the smallest would be too big for her. Pay up!” Fallon held her hand out expectantly.

  “What’s so funny?” Marie eyed them suspiciously, expecting to be the butt of a joke.

  “You’re wearing Parvúlus Armor! We use it to train
children
here on Milités,” Fallon smirked.

  “Is that so?” Marie huffed. “What do
you
wear? Extra, extra, extra large?” She couldn’t believe she was actually sinking to her level. Still, she couldn’t deny that it felt good to stand up to Fallon, even though her remark was juvenile and didn’t seem to faze her.

  “I’ll be glad to give you a demonstration of how it works,” Fallon bared her teeth in a ferocious smile as she slowly unsheathed her sword.

 
Marie sprung out of the way, narrowly missing Fallon’s charge. She oscillated her sword with the strength of a gorilla and equal parts grace. Marie clumsily parried, ducking and dodging best she could, but she wasn’t quick on her feet. Not surprisingly, Fallon was. She had no choice but to run.

  “Stand still!” Fallon grunted.

  “No way!” The length of Fallon’s stride doubled Marie’s, giving her a substantial advantage. “Why isn’t anyone stopping her?” she panted.

  Marie ran circles around the building with Fallon hot on her heels. The image of Alex and Cayden keeled over with laughter momentarily distracted her, causing her to misstep. When she turned the corner, she crashed into Fallon’s chest, taking them both down in an explosion of limbs. Fallon had apparently doubled back around to catch her by surprise.

  “Why are you chasing me?” she whined, knowing she was cornered.

“You ran.” Fallon shrugged. “I’m not going to hurt you,” she said, rolling her eyes. Marie didn’t believe her for a second, but she trusted Alex and Cayden, and they weren’t rushing to her aid. “Stand still, or you
will
get hurt.”

 
Marie cowered with her back pressed against the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut as Fallon raised her sword high to increase the momentum of her swing. She repeatedly sliced through the air at a speed that shattered the sound barrier. Each blow was angled to carve Marie up and whittle her into torn flesh and bare bone, but the blade never made contact.