Everlife

For a moment, one perfect, stolen moment of time, I think I spy the others in that small doorway. Elizabeth, a tall, slender brunette, smiles at me, content. Meredith, a petite blonde, beams at me, as if she’s proud of me. Levi, the tallest, all tanned and chiseled, nods in support.

Tears scald my eyes, threatening to fall. I miss these guys, so, so much. Then Archer steps through the doorway, and my heart stops thudding only to flutter with happiness. He’s as tall as Killian, as packed with muscle, tanned like a surfer and blond with copper eyes. While Killian is raw seduction and rugged aggression, Archer is flawless beauty and tempered steel.

I used to think of the two Laborers as sinner and saint, but I was wrong. Like everyone else, both boys have their strengths and their flaws.

Both deserve the best life has to offer, and both want what’s best for their realm.

They will choose love over war, and love will not let them down.

With unsteady knees, I trip forward, my speed increasing until I’m running. Then I’m throwing myself into Archer’s open arms, hugging him tight. He hugs me right back, and he’s trembling just as violently.

I breathe in his scent—clean cotton warmed by the sun. I love this boy like a brother. Since his death, a piece of my heart has been missing.

Finally he pulls back and shakes me. “Why?” he demands, his English accent slight but noticeable. “I mean, I know why. I just think you should have—”

“No,” I interject, the word little more than a croak. His eyes are different. The same color, just...deeper, wiser, fathomless. “I did what I should have done.”

“The war—”

“I want peace between realms, Bow. You’re going to help me.” The first time we met, his gloriously masculine self was encased in the Shell of a short, pink-haired girl he’d called Bow. The nickname stuck. “I need to catch you up on everything that’s happened.”

“No need. I caught myself up before the Vote. We all did. We watched playbacks of your life in the Rest.”

“So you know I’m an Architect.” Just saying the word gives me pause. I clear my throat. “And that I’m kind of a married woman now. Oh, and that I also expect you to help save my husband.” I drop each point all casual like, as if, hey, no big deal. Meanwhile my brain is shouting huge deals!

“Yes. On both counts. I knew about the promotion before you did.” As he leans down, his eyes narrow. With his mouth at my ear, he whispers, “I also know your husband is here, in Troika, and I’d like five minutes alone with him—and a baseball bat.”

I straighten with a jolt. “Do you know where he is, exactly?” When he doesn’t respond right away, I grip his shoulders to shake him. He’s wider than I remember, and more solid. But he’s also weaker, the forced movements causing him to stumble. Ugh.

“Well, do you?” I ask, dropping my arms to my sides. Mental note: Archer has just come back from the dead. He might not be in tip-top shape yet.

“No. I tried to find him, but he’s been expertly hidden.”

Zero!

Frowning, I say, “Why do you want to hurt him? I thought you two were getting along before your death.”

“Hey!” someone shouts, drowning out Archer’s reply. “What’s wrong with our Conduit? Where is her Light?”

—Tenley.—

Killian’s voice suddenly rings inside my head. I jolt, air hissing between my teeth.

“What?” Archer demands.

I hold up one finger, asking for a moment.

I attempt to push my voice at Killian. —Can you hear me? Are you all right? Do you know where you are?—The words glide along the bridge between our Grids. At the same time, my shadows writhe all over again, paining me. No, not my shadows. I won’t claim them. The shadows.

The question I most want to ask, but don’t? Do you remember me?

—I need you. Find me, baby.—

Baby? The same non-endearment he used with Erica? My stomach twists into a thousand little knots, each leaking acid. He never calls me baby, a generic nickname any guy can use with any girl—as he’s proven. What’s more, my Killian never gently, tenderly asks me to find him. He demands I get my butt in gear but also stay safe.

So. Unasked question answered. No, he doesn’t remember me. Now I wonder... Is he hoping to seduce me with this baby crap? Once upon a time, he had a routine he used on every target Myriad assigned to him.

Welcome to my web, said the spider to the fly.

What does Killian hope to gain from this?

The words he spoke to me after our bonding rumble inside my head. Why aren’t you dead?

My stomach does that horrible twisting thing. Does he still want to kill me?

No matter. Whatever his goal, I’ll deal. —I’m on my way.—Once again, for better or worse.

Disappointment chills me when one second bleeds into another, and there’s no response.

“All right. I’ve given you enough time. Tell me what’s going on,” Archer says. “Wait. Never mind. Let’s put a pin in that topic of conversation. Why do the Generals look like they want to murder you?”

“You know I decided who would be Resurrected, right? Half the crowd wanted me to choose Orion, the other half wanted me to choose Levi.”

“They were using common sense,” he mutters.

Man, I’m taking hit after hit today. I could really use your help, Eron.

Luciana leaps to her feet and closes the distance between us. Shamus keeps pace at her side, menace in their every step. Alejandro stops Shamus, but no one makes a play for Luciana.

Either her rage fuels the crowd, or the booers feed off each other, growing more incensed by the second. Soon, they’re going to lose control and rush the dais.

Eron’s words play through my head, and I receive a boost of strength. Show them you are willing to fight for what you believe. Just because you can’t see me, doesn’t mean I’m not there.

“Do we not prize wisdom over emotion?” I call. “Allowing our feelings to direct us will only lead to mistakes.”

Aggression levels spike. Tension thickens the air.

A suspicion lurks... What if I’m responsible for their upset? Not because of the vote, but because the shadows found a way into the Grid?

Raanan, Reed and Clay leap onto the dais to form a protective circle around Archer and me. I hate that they’re in danger, and I do my best to protect them with a beam of Light. Once, I could have used a single beam to carry us to safety. But no longer. Ugh! What little Light I have remains trapped inside me, held hostage by the shadows.

“What should we do?” Clay’s eyes are wild as the crowd stalks closer. “How do we get out of here?”

Good question. Logic failed. I’ve got one other card to play. My exalted position. “Everyone—calm down and be still,” I shout. A command from a Conduit. “Now.”

I’m ignored, the crowds continuing to surge toward us.

“I sent Clementine to the Eye,” Raanan says. He palms two short swords. “If we can keep everyone offstage for three minutes, eighteen seconds, she can get a lock on us and transport us into another city.”