The Gifted (Book 2 of Seer Series)

Chapter 4

"Come in," I said, hearing a knock on my bedroom door. I pulled some paperwork over what I had been doing and turned to look at the door to see my twin standing there, waiting for me to let him in.

Chase raised an eyebrow and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He didn't have that bad of an aura around him, but I could still feel the darkness coming off of him. However, it was barely there, and I had a feeling that Carith was asleep or waiting for another moment to mess up my brother's mind.

"What?" I asked, leaning back in my seat. I cocked my head and studied my twin, curious why he was here when he had wanted to be alone since coming home from the hockey meet.

"What were you doing?" he asked. He walked over to my bed and sat on the edge of it being careful of my Guide.

"Coming up with theories and lists," I said, shrugging my shoulders. I scowled when he snorted and rolled his eyes. "And, that is why I don't want you to see them."

"I still don't understand why you do it," he said, and I shrugged my shoulders again.

"It keeps my thoughts organized," I replied, shrugging my shoulders again. I narrowed my eyes at my Guide when he chuckled while he woke up from his nap.

"Your thoughts are always jumbled up," my Guide said, yawning afterward. He sat up and scratched his ears, shaking his head after he was finished scratching. "I felt a disturbance, and oh look, there is one."

"Sabian," I warned, narrowing my eyes at him when he gave Chase a disgusted look.

My fox looked at me and hopped off of the bed. "I am just saying," he said. He flicked his bushy tail and walked underneath my desk. "You should send him out."

"He is my twin, so I am not going to throw him out when he clearly needs something."

"H-"

I kicked him softly in the ribs to silence him before I looked at my brother with a raised eyebrow. "What is it anyway?" I cocked my head and studied him, praying that he would tell me what was wrong, what he needed. I wanted to help. No, I needed to help. I needed to help my twin, and I prayed that he would allow me.

She doesn't care, that voice whispered, the air in the room turning a little darker. Dark magic filled the air, and I knew that it was because of Carith. She thinks that you are a nuisance.

Chase scowled, his face hardening. "Nothing," he said coldly. "I was just making sure that you were alright from this morning."

"Uh... ya, ya, I am fine," I said. "I just had this weird nightmare that I was awake for."

Chase raised an eyebrow, staying silent.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's hard to explain," I said, and he nodded his head. I could tell that he didn't believe me. "What about you?" I asked. "I saw you shaking on the ice."

Chase set his jaw. "I am fine," he said coldly. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Liar," I said, folding my arms across my chest. "You know that you can tell me anything, right? No matter how stupid it sounds."

Careful, Ruckur warned, and I mentally rolled my eyes at him. You don't want him to know what you know.

She is lying, the voice, Carith, whispered. She will judge you and laugh at you with that boy toy of hers. Don't trust her.

"It's nothing," Chase said, his voice darker. Anger flashed through his eyes, and Sabian growled out a warning.

"Sabian, shut up," I said, looking at him before I looked at my brother. I took a deep breath and relaxed, trying to let my little brother see the honesty in my eyes. "Look, I don't know what is going on, but I want to help."

She can't help you. She doesn't want to help you. She wants to kill you and break your heart, the voice whispered.

Can I please kill him? I asked Ruckur. I kept my face relax, but I really wanted to set my jaw.

And how would you do that? Ruckur asked sarcastically. You are not ready, not yet.

Chase shook his head. "You don't want to," he said. "You don't care about me."

I folded my arms across my chest and jutted my hip out. "I don't?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "And what gives you that idea?"

Chase shook his head again and cleared his throat. "You just don't," he said, his voice cracking. "You shouldn't."

"But, I do," I said, calmly. I took a step forward, watching as my brother tense. My heart ached for him because I could tell that he didn't believe me.

There was a knock on my door, and both of us looked that way. Mom stood at the doorway, and she looked at the two of us, watching us with knowledgeable green eyes. "Am... I interrupting something?" she asked, furrowing her brows. She cocked her head.

"A standoff between good and evil," Sabian said. He walked over to my mother, flicking his tail. "With Alexandria as good and... Chase as evil." He yelped when I threw a pillow and hit him in the side. He grumbled something underneath his breath and moved behind her.

"I will throw you out the window, Sabian," I warned, narrowing my eyes at him, and he raised an eyebrow while his eyes became wide in fear. "If you don't learn to keep that mouth shut."

She thinks that you are evil too, Carith said. Everyone thinks you are evil and worthless.

Chase set his jaw. "You didn't interrupt anything, Mother," he said, and Mom's eyes flashed with hurt that he ignored. "I was done anyway." He walked past her, hitting her in the shoulders.

Mom tensed but didn't do a thing, letting him walk away from her. Her jaw was set, and I could tell that she was annoyed. "You better be right," she said, her voice dark. "I want my son back and not some monster wearing my son like a mask."