to pretend to be smart?”
“I’m not talking about being smart.”
“Then, what do you mean?”
Lillie laughed lightly, amused by some personal joke. “You know, we’re a lot more alike than you may realize.”
Legann was about to refute her claim when the bell rang. Lunch was over. Lillie stood, reaching for her bag. “Keep the notebook tonight. We can meet up tomorrow to figure out how to split up the presentation.”
: : : : :
It was raining. Olinia watched as the drops fell on the kitchen window before sliding down the glass. She would have liked to listen to the rain, but because she wanted to feel alone she had the music app on her phone blasting in her ears again. Legann and Sazx had gone to bed hours ago as she had, except she hadn’t fallen asleep like they had. Her mind was restless – too much to think about.
A little more than twenty-four hours ago, Sazx had reentered her life. Not exactly the person she had imagined finding in Ethon, but it was a pleasant surprise. Having Sazx with her and Legann was oddly soothing. He gave them another set of understanding ears. Just earlier that night they had discussed over dinner the main differences between Saerd and Eve lifestyles. Both Olinia and Legann had laughed hard over the comments. Even the former Nagreth had cracked a few smiles.
It was easy being around Sazx, easier than she would have expected from a former enemy. But he was one of them – an Other Worlder. When they would reference a world or term, he knew what they were talking about. It was so marvelously refreshing.
Outside, the rain grew heavier. Olinia pulled the fleece blanket she had brought downstairs from her room tighter around her shoulders. With all the lights off inside, Olinia could peer out into the rain and trees easily. She lifted her bare feet onto the wood chair she was sitting on and hugged her knees, tucking her feet beneath the cover of the blanket.
It was on nights like these that she felt closest to her realm. Somehow the dreary skies, howling wind, and pouring rain would tug at the edges of her senses until they almost swallowed her up entirely, leaving her breathless over memories of a place that was so far away now it seemed made-up. Olinia craved those moments. Too bad they were few and far between. The absolute bliss was similar to the high she had once received from her Globing.
Her heart really did ache for the gifts she had lost. She’d like to say that it was worth the sacrifice, but she really wasn’t sure. Had the destruction of the Vrenyx really been for the best? Sazx didn’t know if her uncle was dead. Wasn’t Dagon’s death the purpose of the attack? Or had it been to free Zedgry? Olinia rubbed her eyes with her hands. She couldn’t even remember the reason why she’d given up her gifts. It’d been too long.
As the song switched in her ears, Olinia felt a slight shiver down her spine. Someone was watching her. She’d learned what the feeling meant during her time in Ethon. She whirled and found Sazx standing in the archway where the kitchen met the family room. Olinia yanked out the earbuds and fumbled with her iPhone to shut it off.
I didn’t mean to startle you, Sazx thought as he joined her at the table, lowering himself into the seat beside her.
“I know,” she replied. “I just wasn’t listening. I was trying not to, actually.”
He nodded once, but held his mind blank of thought, keeping only the images he saw. Olinia smiled inwardly at that. In the Other Worlds, he had retained his thoughts to himself. She was pleased to discover he was still careful not to reveal much to her. He was once again so refreshing, such a good change of pace. But then, his inner silence was probably in part due to his former training as a Nagreth. He was most likely schooled in putting up mental barriers when he encountered an Eve. Whatever the reason though, Olinia loved the fact that he could sneak up on her. She couldn’t remember
“I’m not talking about being smart.”
“Then, what do you mean?”
Lillie laughed lightly, amused by some personal joke. “You know, we’re a lot more alike than you may realize.”
Legann was about to refute her claim when the bell rang. Lunch was over. Lillie stood, reaching for her bag. “Keep the notebook tonight. We can meet up tomorrow to figure out how to split up the presentation.”
: : : : :
It was raining. Olinia watched as the drops fell on the kitchen window before sliding down the glass. She would have liked to listen to the rain, but because she wanted to feel alone she had the music app on her phone blasting in her ears again. Legann and Sazx had gone to bed hours ago as she had, except she hadn’t fallen asleep like they had. Her mind was restless – too much to think about.
A little more than twenty-four hours ago, Sazx had reentered her life. Not exactly the person she had imagined finding in Ethon, but it was a pleasant surprise. Having Sazx with her and Legann was oddly soothing. He gave them another set of understanding ears. Just earlier that night they had discussed over dinner the main differences between Saerd and Eve lifestyles. Both Olinia and Legann had laughed hard over the comments. Even the former Nagreth had cracked a few smiles.
It was easy being around Sazx, easier than she would have expected from a former enemy. But he was one of them – an Other Worlder. When they would reference a world or term, he knew what they were talking about. It was so marvelously refreshing.
Outside, the rain grew heavier. Olinia pulled the fleece blanket she had brought downstairs from her room tighter around her shoulders. With all the lights off inside, Olinia could peer out into the rain and trees easily. She lifted her bare feet onto the wood chair she was sitting on and hugged her knees, tucking her feet beneath the cover of the blanket.
It was on nights like these that she felt closest to her realm. Somehow the dreary skies, howling wind, and pouring rain would tug at the edges of her senses until they almost swallowed her up entirely, leaving her breathless over memories of a place that was so far away now it seemed made-up. Olinia craved those moments. Too bad they were few and far between. The absolute bliss was similar to the high she had once received from her Globing.
Her heart really did ache for the gifts she had lost. She’d like to say that it was worth the sacrifice, but she really wasn’t sure. Had the destruction of the Vrenyx really been for the best? Sazx didn’t know if her uncle was dead. Wasn’t Dagon’s death the purpose of the attack? Or had it been to free Zedgry? Olinia rubbed her eyes with her hands. She couldn’t even remember the reason why she’d given up her gifts. It’d been too long.
As the song switched in her ears, Olinia felt a slight shiver down her spine. Someone was watching her. She’d learned what the feeling meant during her time in Ethon. She whirled and found Sazx standing in the archway where the kitchen met the family room. Olinia yanked out the earbuds and fumbled with her iPhone to shut it off.
I didn’t mean to startle you, Sazx thought as he joined her at the table, lowering himself into the seat beside her.
“I know,” she replied. “I just wasn’t listening. I was trying not to, actually.”
He nodded once, but held his mind blank of thought, keeping only the images he saw. Olinia smiled inwardly at that. In the Other Worlds, he had retained his thoughts to himself. She was pleased to discover he was still careful not to reveal much to her. He was once again so refreshing, such a good change of pace. But then, his inner silence was probably in part due to his former training as a Nagreth. He was most likely schooled in putting up mental barriers when he encountered an Eve. Whatever the reason though, Olinia loved the fact that he could sneak up on her. She couldn’t remember
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