Chapter 102 Breath of Life
1311words
Belinda murmured something incoherent. "You think it's a great idea to trust him of all people with that kind of information?"
"At least he isn't as stupid as you," Ember's tone was venomous. I had no idea what happened that Rake suddenly gained her favor, but I didn't ask. Not with Belinda present in the room. "What the hell is wrong with you, Belinda? You need to get over Kayn. He's clearly not interested in you!"
Belinda huffed. "I didn't know. No one told me she was like us!"
"We didn't know until yesterday. If I had any idea you were this stupid, I'd have dragged you out of glass to inform your incompetent ass," Ember spat back. "But seriously, toilet water?"
Rake released a low whistle, his eyes dropping onto me sitting on the floor, shivering. "Good luck," was all he said before he slipped out of the bathroom.
When hell had finally decided to draw back and the pain stopped, Rake cleared out the mess using his fairy magic. Sadly, his power only went that far and couldn't dry my clothes.
That's why Ember sent him to fetch me some of hers since I've never before thought I'd need a set of spare clothes.
I mean, who could imagine a crazy ex-girlfriend mermaid would try to drown me in toilet water?
"I'm never going near water again," I cursed under my breath.
Ember sighed. "It won't hurt like this again, I promise. It's a one time process."
"Forget it. Not going to happen."
"Have fun stinking like a rotten fish, then," Belinda rolled her eyes.
Ember smacked her on the arm. "Just shut up. You've done enough damage."
"Me?" She waved a hand my way. "We've had nothing but trouble since she arrived!"
"She didn't ask for all this," Ember bit back. "You're just mad because Kayn is in love with Carly."
My cheeks heated. "That's a bit of an exaggeration."
"In love?" Belinda snorted. "Is that what you call that connection now?"
"He said it himself," Ember shrugged and my mouth dropped open. Just then, Rake reappeared carrying a purple bag.
"Got it," he said, locking the door behind him. When he saw my startled expression, his brows shot up. "Why do you look like you got your fishtail stuck in a power plug?"
***
I fell into Kayn's arms the second we stepped into their house. I didn't say anything, but I doubted I needed words for him to know something was wrong.
"I'll go prepare something for lunch," Adriane spoke faintly, circling back toward the hallway.
"How are you feeling?" Ember asked Kayn.
"Great," he said, holding me to him. "But I have a feeling the shitstorm has just begun."
"What are you talking about?" she sounded confused. I didn't blame her. I didn't utter so much as a word on the way over here. That's what's so great about Ember. She knew I needed some space, but she didn't have half of a clue what I knew at that moment.
"We need a moment, Em," was Kayn's response.
Ember sighed. "I'm in my room if any of you need me."
"The old man is drinking. He might need some intervention," Kayn suggested.
"Great," Ember murmured, moving out of the room.
"Good luck," he replied.
"Yeah, yeah," she shouted down the hall. Her sling of curses could still be heard as she walked out on the porch.
"Just let it out. Everyone's gone now," he said and I instantly exploded into a fit of sobs. Kayn sighed, his arms around me tightening. "I'm going to kill Belinda."
It took a few tries for me to manage, "It isn't her."
"Want to tell me?"
"It's bad, Kayn." I buried my face in the crook of his neck. "Really bad. If Rake is telling the truth."
He stiffened. "I don't like the sound of that."
I had the idea it wasn't what was said, but the fact that it came from Rake. "He's telling the truth. I know this because there's no way he could know of subject 611." And me, 912, and Aria, whose subject 342.
"Wait, what?" Kayn pulled away enough to peer down at me, his arms looped around the back of my waist. "How does he know?"
"Apparently he took a trip to the AOUB's headquarters in Bowmore. He discovered a few things."
"Like what?"
I lifted my arm to wipe my eyes with my sleeve. "Like my parents might not be my real parents."
"Oh." He didn't sound surprised. "Does he have any proof of that?"
"I don't know. I didn't even think of asking him," I admitted. "But he confirmed about the subjects. He described 611. He could only do that if he'd personally seen her. So, I don't see why he would lie about everything else."
"What does he know about them?" he asked, frowning.
"That he helped 611 to escape." Kayn looked surprised by that confirmation. "I'm subject 912."
"Did he find out the name for 611?" he asked. "And does he have any information about the other one? Can't remember the number…"
I couldn't stop my lips from quivering as I peered up at him. "342," I echoed.
"Yes?" He stared at me for a long moment. "Carly, who is 342?"
"It's Aria."
"Okay, but we know the AOUB has information on her for some reason," Kayn spoke. "Why, I don't—"
"Kayn, Aria is alive."
The frown slipped from Kayn's face and a startled expression took over. "That's impossible."
"They have her," I persisted. "The AOUB."
"No. The council, they…" his eyes narrowed. "They don't have her. Rake is lying. My sister, Aria, is dead."
"Kayn, I don't think—"
"This time I come bearing gifts," Rake's voice startled me. "In the form of evidence."
I flung around to find Rake standing behind me holding a stack of papers.
"So help me," Kayn spoke through clenched teeth. "If you're making this all up…"
"I'm not," Rake cut short, holding out the papers toward us. "Look for yourself. I couldn't steal the original copies. I've already drawn too much suspicion freeing Salyssa. So, I made copies."
"Salyssa?" I frowned as Kayn snatched the papers from Rake.
"Yes. Subject 611's name is Salyssa," Rake confirmed. "Anywho, those papers have copies of your fake identity."
"What do you mean?" I asked, watching Kayn flipping through them, his frown only deepening with each page.
"According to these," Kayn spoke in an unsteady tone, his eyes flicking up to meet mine. "Your parents forged fake documents of your birth and identity."
"What?" I crossed the small distance between us and peered down at the papers. "They made fake documents? They didn't even legally adopt me?"
"Speaks volumes, doesn't it?" Rake breathed. "Why does it seem more and more as if your mom nicked you from some poor, unsuspecting mermaid and decided to raise you as her own?"
A smack sounded, and I glanced up in time to see Hector lowering his hand from behind Rake's head, a scowl on his face. "I'd be quiet if I were you," he groused, before glancing at me. "It explains your mother's unusual interest in us."
Rake scoffed at Hector, "If you agree with me then why did you feel the need to hit me?"
"Just because I find it relaxing," Hector snorted, eyeing the papers in Kayn's hand. "What else is in there?"
Kayn glanced up, hesitating. I'd barely dropped the bomb on him of his sister being alive. Telling by his expression, he was having one hell of a time trying to process the news. He opened his mouth and closed it, repeating the notion a few times before he managed, "Aria is alive."
