The Lyris Read online

  “Is Jay here?”

  “Hey, he’s not the only one who knows how to cook.”

  She looks at me suspiciously.

  “Okay, okay. He was here earlier and cooked up a few things. But I diced the tomatoes,”

  “I’m impressed.”

  “Wait until you see the toast, only half way burned,” I vow.

  “Wow; all that and bacon. I’m a happy girl,” she jokes.

  She takes a seat at the round wooden table. I’m about to place the food in front of her, but then I remember something very important and I race up the stairs.

  “Where are you going?” She asks.

  “Be right back.”

  I come back down seconds later with my cell in hand.

  “Jay made me write down the names of every dish on my cell because he said it was the only way to do his food justice.”

  She laughs despite herself.

  “Okay, I’m ready.”

  “Today, Ms. Baxter, you will be having smoked apple wood bacon and egg crepe squares, sliced tomatoes with a hint of basil, and garlic and herb home fries. That will be followed by raspberry swirl scones. In addition to fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee.” She laughs at me.

  “How’d I do?” I ask.

  “Jay would be very proud.”

  “Thank you,” I reply as I start to serve her.

  “The thing is, I’m really not hungry,” she confesses once the food is in front of her. She must have seen my face fall because she picks up her fork and begins to eat.

  I watch her and for the first time in what seems like forever, I’m content. I know the feeling won’t last but I pray to Omnis to get as much out of it as I can.

  Emmy must have sensed how much I didn’t want to talk because she waited until she had taken at least two bites out of everything before she started with the questions again.

  “Marcus, what’s going on?”

  “We’re having breakfast.”

  “Okay. Where is it?”

  “What?”

  “Your wedding ring? Don’t the Quo exchange rings when they get married?”

  “Yeah, they do.”

  “So where’s yours?”

  “I didn’t get married.”

  “I don’t understand…”

  “When I went to see in jail, you said you got high because you wanted to die.”

  “Oh, Marcus, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you—”

  “—Emmy, when we first came to Earth, you were this happy, kind human who had a mom, and peace of mind. Now your mom is gone, you’re getting high and wishing you were dead. I did that to you.”

  “Marcus, it’s not that simple.”

  “Yes, it is. I looked in your eyes, and high or not, you meant what you said. And if you were to do something to yourself and I wasn’t there to stop you…”

  “I’m not gonna do anything. It was just the weed talking.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “So you have never wanted to die?”

  She avoids my eyes.

  “That’s what I thought. I’m done hurting you, Emmy. I’m not gonna marry Bianca.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “The dishes.”

  “Marcus, be serious,” she scolds.

  I don’t reply. I just start to clear the table.

  “What’s going on with the team? What’s happening with the Sage?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Did he find the underground city, yet? Are they coming for the Angels?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “How long do we have until the Sage finds them—”

  “—I DON’T KNOW!!!” I scream hurling the plate in my hand at the wall.

  I place my hands on the side of the wooden island that divides the living room from the kitchen and lower my head. I speak because I think I’m more composed now. But I’m wrong. My voice is filled with agony.

  “Emmy, two days ago you looked at me and said you wanted to die. Do you know what that did to me?”

  Defeated, I sit down on the floor, head in my hands.

  “I know…” She says softly.

  I shake my head. “No, Emmy, you don’t.”

  She gets up and sits on the floor beside me.

  “Tell me,” she pleads.

  “After watching you being tortured and hunted time and time again, I prayed that you would survive this mission. But sitting there in that cell, I realized it’s not the mission you need to survive; it’s me. You need to survive loving me.”

  “Marcus, I shouldn’t have said what I said. I’m sorry.”

  “No; stop being sorry. Anyone else would have lost it by now. Emmy, you have gone through so much because of me.”

  “You didn’t put my name as the clue. You didn’t tell Lucy to kill my mom, and you didn’t make me love you. Things happen; awful, dreadful things. But you are not to blame for all of it.”

  “I’m not leaving you, ever again,” I promise her.

  “What about the Sage?”

  “We’ll fight him as best we can. I sent Jay and rest of the team to find as many Paras as they can to help us fight. They’ve texted me; they have gathered nearly three hundred Paras.”

  “Is that enough?”

  From my silence, she gathers that the answer is ‘no.’

  “What about Bianca and Dalce?”

  “They have given me until sunrise to reconsider. If not, the deal is off the table.”

  “Marcus—”

  “—I don’t care. We’ll handle the Sage. We’ll stay here until morning. Then, we’ll go back to the underground city and help them gather as much reinforcement as we can. Maybe we can make up for the lack of number with strategy.”

  “Really?”

  “We have a meeting with Wolf in the morning. He’s bringing the Omari.”

  “The Para assassins?”

  “Yeah, they’re brilliant fighters and they can help train others.”

  “So, you really think we can do this with the army?” She asks, filled with hope.

  “Yes, I do.”

  Tears of joy spring to her eyes as she embraces me tightly.

  “I love you so much. I didn’t know how I was going to deal with you and Bianca together,” she confesses.

  “You won’t ever have to think about that,” I promise her.

  “Wait; did you already give Bianca your Rah?”

  “No.”

  “So that means we can…”

  “Hell yeah,” I say taking her into my arms and up the stairs…

  A little while later, she lies on her stomach as I kiss between her shoulder blades. I make my way down to her lower back. She laughs and shakes her head.

  “Marcus, we just made love; you’re ready to go again?” She asks.

  “First Guardians are never satisfied.”

  “You mean First Guardians are greedy,” she corrects me.

  “That too.”

  “Can I ask you a really personal question?”

  “Instead of going again?”

  “Before we go again.”

  “Then, yes.”

  She turns so that she is now on her back, looking up at me. I have known Emmy for awhile now and it stills surprises me how much I crave her.

  “Have you forgiven your mother for killing you?”

  “Wow, we really have to work on your pillow talk,” I reply.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to break the mood. I was just wondering.”

  “What made you think of that?”

  “Julian’s been calling me and coming by the apartment looking for me.”

  “You’re avoiding him.”

  “Trying…”

  “You know, I don’t really like Julian but, the truth is, he really tries to look after you.”

  “How, by raping my mother and abandoning me?”

  “He says it wasn’t rape and I kind of believe him.”

  “Well, that’s not t
he way my mom remembered it.”

  “You sound like you don’t want anything to do with him.”

  “But every now and then…”

  “You wonder what it would be like to know him?”

  “Yeah. I mean, he knows a part of my mom I will never know. What was she like on the bridge?

  Why did she fall for him? And if he loved her so much, how could he just walk away from…her?”

  “You mean how could he walk away from you,” I say gently.

  She avoids my eyes.

  “Look, I don’t know why Julian made the choices he made. But honestly, since being on this mission, I’ve done things I never thought I would ever do,” I confess.

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying Angels suck sometimes; just like humans.”

  “You think I should forgive him after everything he’s done?”

  “I think you should hear him out.”

  “He tried to ruin our relationship.”

  “He tried to protect you from evil.”

  She doesn’t answer - she’s deep in thought.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” I ask.

  “Oh, just thinking what it would have been like to have him around.”

  “He’s not dead; just talk to him.”

  “Marcus, he hates you.”

  “No, he just dislikes me, greatly,” I kid her.

  “You didn’t answer the question: Do you forgive your mom?”

  “Most days.”

  “And other days?”

  I look off to the side and suddenly I’m the one deep in thought. I replay my last day on Earth, and ask myself questions I know have no answers to.

  Could I have done anything to help her before things got so bad? If I had known what my momwas going to do, would I still have tried to stop her? What would I have done differently when Iwoke up that morning if I knew that day was my last day?

  “Hey, it’s okay if you don’t wanna talk,” she says, placing her hand on the side of my face.

  “No, it’s fine. It’s just most of the time I can accept it. But every once in awhile…”

  “You went to all this trouble to be with me and I’m ruining the moment.”

  “No, you’re not. Emmy, you deserve a time out. I just wish I could give you more than a few days.”

  “I don’t care how long you give me. I just want to be with you. That’s all that matters to me. And now, I’m done over thinking things. And I am ready for round two.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah and this time you won’t have to remind me to breathe.”

  “You’re getting much better at remembering. But I think round two will have to wait.”

  “Why?”

  “We have company.”

  “Who?”

  “The team.”

  She looks outside the window and finds the team and Rage standing outside the door.

  She quickly wraps the sheets around her.

  “Oh, no! Are they here because they’re pissed we took some time to ourselves?”

  “No, after I told them about the weed, everyone agreed you need a time out.”

  “Everyone?”

  “Yes, even Ameana. We’re supposed to meet them in the underground city in the morning.”

  “So, what are they doing here?” She asks.

  “I don’t know. But I’m guessing it’s not good.”

  A few minutes later, both Emmy and I are dressed and standing in the living room with the team. Emmy hugs everyone (everyone except Ameana and Rage).

  “I’m so glad you’re better,” Miku says, looking her over.

  “Me too,” Emmy replies.

  “So, the perfect human got wasted - awesome,” Rage says.

  “Why are you here?” I ask, unable to keep the harshness out of my voice.

  “Because my girl is here and I don’t trust your team to keep her safe.”

  “Ameana can take care of herself,” I reply.

  “Damn right she can but she’s into saving people, and I don’t want her to get hurt trying to save your pathetic team.”

  “Yo man, what the hell is your problem? You’re a damn Demon. You’re lucky we let you live,” Jay counters, pissed.

  “You want it, ‘Speedy,’ come get it. I’m right here,” Rage says darkly. The two exchange glares.

  “At least the Demon is decent enough not to screw his friend’s sister,” Rio says snidely.

  “Really, Rio? That’s really where you want to take it?” Jay asks.

  “You can’t tell me who to be with,” Miku shouts to her twin.

  “Since when are you ‘with’ Jay?” Rio asks.

  “Yo, we ain’t together,” Jay adds.

  “Why do you have to say it like that?” Miku says, clearly offended.

  “I’m just say’n—” Jay starts.

  “—you say’n you think you could do better than me?” Miku accuses.

  “It’s not about that,” Jay replies.

  “Sounds like it is,” Rage says to Ameana as an aside.

  “Can you stay out of it?” Ameana warns Rage.

  “So, now you want to tell me what to do?” Rage asks.

  “I just don’t want us to get involved. We have enough issues of our own,” Ameana says, almost to herself.

  “What the hell does that mean?” Rage asks.

  “It means you don’t have to say every thought you have out loud,” Ameana informs him.

  “You asked me how your hair looked and I said I didn’t like it up. What’s the big deal?” Rage inquires.

  “The big deal is you’re being—”

  “—Like what, Ameana, a Demon?” Rage asks.

  “I was gonna say, ‘a jerk,’” Ameana protests.

  “You ask for my opinion and when I give it, you get mad. When I say anything, you automatically dismiss it because I’m a Demon; if Demons are so bad, why did you spend last night with one?” Rage roars furiously.

  “Stop putting my business out in front of the team!” Ameana shouts.

  “We’re not just a team, Mimi, we’re friends and since when have you two started sleeping together?” Miku says, clearly hurt.

  “She doesn’t want you to know because she knows you don’t like me,” Rage replies.

  Miku shouts back at him, “ Shut up, Rage! I didn’t ask for your—”

  “—His name is Thomas. That’s why I can’t tell you anything because you won’t give him a chance. No matter what he does, he’ll always be Rage to you,” Ameana replies.

  “At least Redd understands that I’m a Demon and she’s not trying to change me,” Rage replies.

  “My name is not—” Miku begins.

  “ENOUGH!!!” I yell. The silence is instantaneous. I look around the room and wonder how things got to be the way they are. But now is no time to ponder.

  “I know you guys didn’t come here so that Emmy and I could have a ring side seat to this petty crap. So what is it?” I demand.

  “We know we said we could handle things for a few days but something’s come up,” Rio says.

  “Did the Omari back out?” I ask.

  “No, they’re ready and willing to help,” Miku replies.

  “Has the Sage gotten closer to finding our location?” Emmy asks.

  “Yeah, but that’s not why we’re here,” Jay says.

  “Okay, well, what is it?” I push.

  “The Foundation is pissed about you changing your mind about the marriage,” Ameana reports.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m not marrying Bianca and that’s final.” Ameana answers me using her ‘second in command’ voice; it’s calm but deadly serious.

  “Dalce says if you don’t marry Bianca, the Foundation will join forces with the Sage.”

  CHAPTER THREE:

  REMEMBER ME

  I can’t bring myself to look at her. I know what she’s going to ask. Rage and the rest of the team wisely remain quiet.

  “What does that mean for us
?” Emmy inquires reluctantly.

  “Winning the battle without the Foundation will be difficult. But if they join the Sage, failure is guaranteed,” Rio replies.

  I’m pretty sure it’s not enough that Rio says it. She will need to hear it from me. And sure enough, she calls out my name; her voice made frail with desperation.

  I search my mind for the words that will cause her the least amount of pain. That’s like trying to choose which knife will hurt the least when you plunge in into the person you love. It doesn’t matter which one you choose, it’s going to hurt them - badly.

  “Marcus, answer me; is Rio right? Will we loose this battle if the Foundation joins the Sage?”

  “Yes.”

  She turns away from us; from me. She looks out the window at the mountains surrounding us.

  When she speaks again her voice is stronger, more resolved. Still, she doesn’t face us.

  “Then you have no choice; you have to marry her,” she says.

  “Emmy, I’m so sorry—”

  “—I know. Let’s just go and get this done,” she says running upstairs.

  The rest of us look on as Emmy packs her things and prepares to leave.

  “Is she okay?” I ask Rio.

  “Really, Marcus? You need my powers to tell you she’s dying inside?”

  “I don’t have a choice. She knows that,” I say, mostly to myself.

  “You have to tell her everything,” Ameana cautions.

  “Wait, she doesn’t know about the Exchange clause?” Jay asks, shaking his head.

  “No,” I reply.

  “And you’re really gonna tell? Man, that chick is gonna cry herself to death on the spot,” Rage adds.

  “Yeah, the human is good at crying. Actually, it’s her superpower,” Ameana jokes with her boyfriend. They exchange a quick look of amusement. I turn and address Jay.

  “When this is all over, remind me to kill Rage.”

  “No doubt,” Jay replies, glaring at him.

  “You have to tell her,” Miku says.

  “I know, it’s just…it’s only going to hurt her even more.”

  “You know what happens when you try to hide things from Emmy, Marcus? It blows up in your face. And you end up hurting her anyway. Please, for once, can you just be upfront with her?” Miku encourages.

  I run my hand through my hair and look down on the ground. I’m hoping, somehow, a massive hole will appear in the floor and sucks me out of this awful situation.