A Mist of Frozen Ashes

Chapter 27

Kaius was acting strange. He hadn't spoken a word to me since we left the meeting with Zebulon. Was he mad? Did I say something to piss him off? I couldn't think of anything that I'd done. Of course, I'd gotten testy with Zebulon but he laughed it off and the alliance was coming together. So, what the fuck? I wasn't sure why it bothered me either. I was used to people not wanting to speak to me. Hell, I preferred it when they didn't. No, this was different because it was Kaius who wasn't speaking to me. The man had a way of throwing me off balance and I hated it. I hated that his silence bothered me so much. I hated that he made me question myself. It wasn't until I veered off from the turn that would lead us back home that he finally opened his mouth.

"Where are we going?" He asked, leaning down near my ear so that I could hear him over the rumble of our ATVs.

I ignored him. It was petty and I took just a bit of pleasure in being able to dish him back some of the shit he served. The others followed behind us as I guided us to the Ostrix facility that hid up North. It wasn't on any maps. I'd checked. I wasn't sure how much they'd paid back then to keep it off but it had to be a pretty penny. The government obviously turned a blind eye to the things that they were doing here too. I needed to piece together this puzzle and this was my starting point.

"What are we doing here, Reverie?" Kaius questioned as soon as our engines died. I was tempted to continue ignoring him. Why should I have to answer his question if he felt like he could ignore me whenever it suited him? I shook my head, brushing off the thought. I was being emotional and now wasn't the time. That still didn't stop the words from leaving my mouth.

"So, you remembered how to speak?"

Kaius was studying the facility but my comment turned his head toward me. Per usual, a frown took up residence on his handsome face. "I asked you a question," was all he said in response.

I couldn't deny the sharp pang that went through my chest at his cold dismissal. What the fuck was his problem? I felt my nails biting into my palms from my clenched fists. I started walking toward the crumbling building. "This is the research lab where I was frozen alive," I spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "I'm looking for evidence of Vladmir's time here."

"You mean Xandyr, right?" Cassian said as he came into step with me.

I glanced at him, watching his curious red eyes study the building. My boots crunched on broken glass as I stepped through the shattered windows. "Xandyr, Vladmir, whatever. Who cares what he's calling himself these days? It still doesn't change the fact that I'm going to kill him."

Cassian chuckled. "Bloodthirsty as always, Rev. I still find it hard to believe that Xandyr is an Ancient. That just doesn't seem possible. If it were true, how could he wake up before you?"

We stopped in the cafeteria as we waited for everyone else to gather around. Cassian had a point and that was the exact reason why we were here. I wanted to know how he woke up before me too. There had to be something here that would give me some insight into what he was planning. Soren and Kaius stepped in through the broken windows with Onyx and Lukan right behind them. They all took a moment to scan the area around them.

Onyx whistled and the sound echoed off the walls. "So this is it, huh?"

"The one and only," I said to him and he turned to me with a light smile. I jerked my head toward the door to our left. "The lab is through here." I whipped my gun out and started in that direction. We were all tense, prepared for anything as we descended the steep flights of stairs. I recalled how I dragged my weathered body up these same stairs when I first woke up. That seemed like so long ago now.

My party remained silent as I guided them through the building, taking in the tattered remains of the world I once knew. I pushed open the double doors to the lab, scanning the place before I motioned for everyone to file in behind me. My gaze swept around the room. Everything was still the same as when I woke up. Tattered lab coats hung limply from hooks, their fabric faded and threadbare. Busted computers and shattered glass screens adorned the abandoned workstations, their broken frames mirroring the shattered dreams and unfinished projects. Though I guess they'd never know that one of those little projects was semi-successful. Me.