Deluded Soul

six - camp defective

chapter six | deluded soul

“You're the first face that I see and the last thing I think about.”

It’s him. I don’t know how, or why, but Ryland is sitting across the fire from me. He’s alive. My thoughts are a jumbled mess and I can barely think straight. Staring at him, taking in his features, all I can envision is the day the Guards took him away from me. The terrified look he wore on his face—his eyes locked with mine as they pulled him toward the sub-car. And the last thing he’d ever said to me…stay alive, he’d mouthed. I shudder, blinking back a wave of hot, stinging tears. Before I can pull my gaze away, though, my eyes locate his and my blood turns to ice. No longer are his irises the warm shade of brown I’d always adored. No—they’re blue. Bright and impossibly blue.

Physically preoccupied with Fauna, he shifts his gaze toward the base of the fire. His eyes continue to travel up and in five seconds he’ll have caught me looking at him. Heart throbbing in my ears, I silently tell myself I don’t have to look away. Sooner or later we’ll have to cross paths—living in the same region of land. I swallow hard, setting my jaw. Pain shoots through my lower jaw; teeth clenched so tightly my eyes begin to water.  His chin lifts a fraction and his eyes settle on mine. At first, a blank look clouds his features. Then, his entire frame jerks. Fauna’s head snaps up, lips puckered in a frown as her eyes study his face. With the fire’s flames flickering between us, we continue to stare at one another.

Fauna’s head starts to turn, searching for whatever he’s staring at, and I jump to my feet.

Clapping a hand over my mouth, I stumble away from the fire and break into a run. I run through the base, allowing my feet to carry me far away. The Jeep swims into my line of vision. Looking at it through a film of unshed tears, I jog right up to it. Leaning heavily, I suck in a few deep breaths. My chest is on fire—either because of my run, or the act of seeing Ryland alive…I’m not sure. A part of me desperately wants to go back to the fire and hug the life out of him—but it’s clear that Cyrus’s Center has already done that. His blue eyes, even if unintentionally, were full of betrayal. As soon as I get my bearings, I will have to pull somebody aside and demand answers.

Ryland is no longer an originate—what is he doing here?

“Lira.”

I stiffen, feeling my muscles lock in place. Forcing myself to straighten, I turn to face him. He’s alone. He’s standing there, hands jammed into his pocket…looking so much like the Ryland I’d lost a year ago.

“Go away,” I whisper through dry, cracked lips.

“No…I just need to…” He trails off, looking lost. Removing one hand from his pockets, he pushes it through his dark brown hair, causing it to stand on end.

“Explain yourself?” I deadpan. “Save it.”

A hurt look flashes across his face.

“Why are you acting like this, Li? I haven’t seen you in over a year.”

He does not get to play the victim card, I think, hands tightening into fists.

“You were dead to me, Ry,” I rasp, unable to hold back the traitorous tears that tumble down my cheeks. “Dead. I thought you were dead for a year.” I press my back up against the Jeep’s front end, angrily swiping at my tears.

“You think I wanted you to believe that?” Ryland fires back, unbelievably defensive. “I came this close to having my soul ejected into the galaxy.” He holds up a trembling hand, pinching his thumb and forefinger together.