Fractured Souls(35)

Alex glances at Nicholas and then demands, “Tell us how to get into The Underworld and then we’ll talk deals.”
Nicholas lowers his feet to the floor. “I don’t really think you’re in a place to give orders since I’m going to be taking you away soon, but if you must know, getting into The Underworld requires a lot of Foreseer power and an Ira.”
“What the fuck’s an Ira?” Alex asks.
Nicholas shrugs, nonchalantly kicking his feet up onto the apothecary table. “A very powerful crystal ball. One that can take you to and from forbidden places, like The Underworld, and in present time, too, without any of the laws being broken.”
“And it’ll work?” Alex pulls me even closer to him, as if he can’t get enough of touching me, as if he’s about to go soon.
I bite my nails, nervous at what lies ahead for us. What’ll happen to him? To me? To us?
“I didn’t say that,” Nicholas corrects him. “But it’s your best bet.”
Alex exchanges another look with Aislin. “How much damage can he do with something like fraxinus invisibili?” he asks her.
“Well, if he can get a Witch to help him use it,” she replies. “Then probably a lot. He’ll be able to go invisible whenever he wants which means he’ll be harder to find, yet it’ll be easier for him to find us.”
Alex’s forehead creases as he frowns at Nicholas. “She’s not helping you use it.”
Nicolas raises his hands in front of him. “I never asked her to. All I said is that I need it.”
Alex scoots forward in the chair, still holding onto me so I have to move forward with him. “You know I could just beat you up and force you to help us.”
Nicholas’s eyes darken with a challenge as his fingers curl around the armrest. “You’d be surprised how much pain I can endure. Besides, you don’t have that long before you’re officially considered to be going back on your promise.” He releases the armrest and taps a watch on his wrist. “Time is ticking.”
Alex puffs out a frustrated breath and glances at an antique clock on the wall across from us. “Fine. Aislin will give you the ash after you take me to the City of Crystal. That way you have to come back.”
Even though I knew it was coming, I panic, grabbing onto his arm. “You can’t go to that God awful place.”
“I have to go… its part of the promise I made with Dyvinius… you already knew this,” he says simply.
“I know, but…” I trail off as he leans in and rests his forehead against mine.
“Whatever you do, don’t trust him,” he whispers. “He’ll stab you in the back as soon as he gets a chance.”
“You’re coming back, right?” I whisper. “You’re not leaving me forever.”
“I would never leave you forever.” He lets out a faltering breath. “Eventually I’ll be back, however I have to stay there for a while.”
Panic owns me at the moment and I can’t seem to control it. Everything else that happened between us, the good and the bad, doesn’t matter. Only this everlasting second does and the fact that I can’t let him go. “Alex, please don’t go.”
“I have no choice… the consequences if I stay… well, lets say they’re way worse than going to the City of Crystal.” He puts a hand on the hollow of my neck right above my locket. “And never take this off. Promise me you won’t.”
My skin swelters and I’m unable to help myself when I graze my lips across his. “I won’t,” I whisper against his mouth. I’m about to pull away when he cups the back of my head, tugging gently on my hair, and kisses me hard with every ounce of passion he possesses. Again I wonder just how much control we have over our emotions and how much control the electricity has. I kiss him back with an everlasting hunger. I’m breathless by the time I pull away and I’ve completely forgotten we’re in a room full of people.
Aislin covers her mouth as Laylen clears his throat, staring at the doorway. Alex’s lips are swollen as he turns to Nicholas.
“Alright,” Nicholas says and slips a ruby-filled crystal ball from the pocket of his pants. He rises to his feet with it palmed in his hand. “Let’s go.” He winds around the apothecary table and holds it out in front of him.
Alex gives me one last kiss on the cheek and then releases my hand, getting to his feet. I want to grab onto him, pull him back to me, and hold him against me. I fight the urge to do so, trying to decide what’s right and what is wrong while fearing what’s going to happen to him when he goes. Is this what caring for someone feels like? All this worry and fear floating around inside me, only it’s not for me.