128 LYRIC WhileIwasworriedabout notseeingJarisneck,MaddykeptnaggingabouthowmuchshehatedJarisand,surprisingly,Nerion.Ihadtostruggletoremainfocusedontheroad.
Hedidnteventrytogoaftermeoranything!Instead,hesidedwiththatmonsterandaskedmetoshutup!Shefurried.
ButKaelwasthereaswell.WhyareyouonlyangryatNerion?Iwascurious.
ThatmoodygrouchandIhadnothingincommon!Nerionwasmyfriend.
IlaughedatherdescriptionofKael.Well,thatwaswhathelookedlikeintheeyesofpeopleuntil youactuallygottoknowhim.
He wasmybestfriend.Therewasasmallcrackinhervoicethatmademeunderstandshewasreallyhurt.Yet,hedidnothingwhenmybrothersentmeawaytoanasylum.Forfiveyears,hestayedwithJarisandevenbecamehisheadofsecurity!Hedidntcometovisitme.Hedidntcareaboutme!Andnow ,hesimplyaskedmetoshutupandgetout.BecauseIwentagainstthemonster.
Iglancedatherandwasshockedtoseeatearonhercheek.Whatthe hell? Areyoucrying? Shesniffled andcarefullyflickedthetearoff,notwantingtoruinhermakeup.
Ididntevenknowsomeoneashotheadedasherwascapableofcrying.
Comeon,Maddy.Imsuretheresareasonhedidnt- Theresnoreason,shespat,hermeanattitudebackon.Hesimplydidntcareaboutme.AndnowIdontanymore.
Silencefilledthecar foralittlewhilebeforeIbrokeit.
Youum…mentionedsomethingaboutJariskillingsomeonebefore.Likealover.Wereyouserious? Shefoldedherarmsandlookedaway,outthewindow.
Maddy? Shedhinted attwothingstodaythatkeptmeonedge.Whywontshesayanymore? Idonthaveanythingtosaytoyou,Lyric.Hervoicewasclipped.
But- Itsnotinmyplace toconfessmybrotherssins.Shethrewa heatedglareatmebefore returninghereyestotheroad.
Isighed,shakingmyhead.Shewasactuallystillprotectingthebrothersheclaimedshehated.

Therestofthedrivewentoninsilence;oneIappreciatedanyway.
Bythetimewereachedthegiftstore,Maddywascompletelyoutofhertearymoodandexcitedtomakeselections.
Thestorewasquitelargewithsomanyitems,itwashardtomakeachoice.Maddywassoexcitedtoshopshedidntnoticethemenoglingather.Asideherdressingsexy,shewasactuallyaveryprettygirl.Hadthiscuteinnocentfacethateverymanwouldwanttoclaimforthe firsttime.
Andsometimes,shecouldreallyactinnocent;likeavirginchild.
Now,forinstance,shewassohappypickingoutitemsshedidntevennoticetheattentionshegarnered.
Atsomepoint,IlefthertofeedhereyeswhileImade acall.ItwasElderMathias,andthistime,fortunately,heanswered.
Goodness! Hello?Goodmorning,Mr.Mathias.
Whosthis?Hewasgrumpyashell.
Its…ImLyric.Ijustwantedtoaskifyourwife,Mrs.Penelopewasaround.Ivebeentryingto reachherbut- Whatabout?Hecutmeoff.
Imsorry,butitskindofpersonal.
Well,sheisnthome.Shewentonatrip.Ifyouwanttospeakwithher,youcallher.
BeforeIcouldsayanymore,hehunguponme.
Ipulledmyhairinfrustration,notknowingwhatelsetodo.
So,Penelopewasonatrip?ShewasobviouslyfinewhileIdbeenworriedtodeathtryingtoreachher?WasntitobviousIwasbeingignoredonpurpose?Shewasstartingtomakethewholethinglooksuspicious.

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1/2 128 IcursedundermybreathasIfixedthephoneintomybackpocketwhileturningaroundtoreturntoMaddy.
IreleasedastartledgaspwhenIcamefacetofacewithayoungladyIdalmostbumpedinto.
Sorry,shesmiledatme,thoughitwaschilling.Didntmeantoscareyou.
Gettingovertheshock,Itookinherfeatures.
Shewasquitetallwithlongslenderlegsandaskinnybody.Although,shewasskinny,shelookedverystrong.
Shehadtattooscoveringherarmsandthemostpartofherneck,extendingdownwardandgettinglostintotheTshirtshehadon.Ihadafeelingtherewouldbemoretattoosbeneathhershirt.
Coupledwiththeicylookinhereyes,shelookedlikesomeoneverydangerous.NotthekindofpersonIdwanttobeassociatedwith.
Gettinggiftsforsomeone?ShetiltedherheadtowardMaddy, Shemustveseenuscomeintogether.
Yeah,Ianswered andwalkedpasther.
Yourequitepretty.
Istoppedwalkingandturned aroundtofaceheragain.Shewasgivingmethatsmileagainthatcoldonethatsentuneasedownmyspine.
ButIhadafeelingshewassomeonethatdidntsmilealot,andrightnow,shewasgivingmeherbest.
Thankyou,Inodded.
Haveaname? Iscoffed.Whowouldnt? Imsorry,Ihavetogoback.IpointedinMaddysdirectionbeforeturningaround again.

Fineifyoudontwannatalktome.Ijustneed onemorething.
Okay.NowIwasgetting tired.
Ispunaroundinherdirectiontoanswerherforthelasttime.Shepulledoutafoldedpaperfromtheback pocketofherjeanpants.Iwatchedwithcuriouseyesassheunrolled it,andthemomentIsawwhat itwas,oxygenstoppedflowingtomylungs.
Haveyouseenthiswomanbyanychance? Ibarelyheardherabovetheroaringinmyears.AndIbarelyheardtheroaringinmyearsabovethethunderingofmyheart.
Myheartstoppedbeating,bloodstoppedpumping,andIwentcompletelystill.
Wasthiswhatitfeltliketogointoastateofshock? Istared atthepictureforwhatfeltlikeaneternity,yetfoundithardtoaccept.
Iwasstaringatmyself.
Myoldself.
Thescarredme.
Myterrifiedeyesflickedbacktothewoman.
Therealizationsettledonmelikearockhittingmybrain.
ShewasanExecutioner.
TheywerehereinNyxvale.
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