Everlasting (The Immortals #6)(61)

“She’s after the fruit.” Misa’s eyes dart between Rafe and me. “Lotus sent her. Convinced her to go find it just like she tried to convince us al those years ago. But now the ancient one seems to think Ever’s the only who can succeed. So Marco and I have been trailing her, which, I’m guessing, is what you’re doing too.”

Rafe squints but otherwise doesn’t move, doesn’t give anything away. Too busy assessing the situation, too on guard to supply an answer.

“Lotus has been looking for someone to make this journey for centuries.” Misa directs her words right at me as Marco snickers alongside her. “At first we thought she was crazy—wel , mostly because she is crazy. But now, with Roman dead, and with Haven having drank every last bit of his stash, and with Damen being—wel , no need to mince words here is there?—with Damen being as selfish as he is, we had no choice but to befriend her, to learn more about this tree, and to figure out how to find it. She got us to Summerland, but that’s it. Claimed she didn’t know how to find the tree, said you’re the only one who can, that it’s your destiny, like you’re some kind of chosen one or something.” She looks at me, a long, scathing glare that ends in an exaggerated eye rol , wanting me to know just how ridiculous she finds that. “Whatever.” She shrugs. “We’re just here so you can lead us to it, then we’l take it from there.”

“Except I got here first.” The threat in Rafe’s voice rings loud and clear. “A smal detail you’ve seemed to overlook.”

I watch as they tense, square their shoulders, and secure their stances as though they’re gonna duke it out right here on this reed-thin trail. Defend their right to use me to get what they want.

“Do you hear yourselves?” My eyes dart between

them.

“Seriously.

You

guys

are

unbelievable! And you cal Damen selfish.” I shake my head, not even trying to hide my outrage. Though the truth is, while my lips keep moving, spewing forth a slew of similar words, while my features arrange and rearrange to keep up with whatever it is that’s being said, my mind is someplace else entirely. Working furiously to find a way out of this mess, knowing I could’ve taken Rafe while he was stil on his own, but now that it’s up to three immortals versus my one—I’m no longer sure.

Despite the fact that they can’t kil me, they can stil do some major damage, or, even worse, they can stop me from getting there first.

“We don’t even know for sure if this fruit exists,” I say, my eyes darting among them. “But let’s just say that it does, let’s just say we find it right there, waiting to be plucked. Why can’t we just share it? Why can’t you each take a bite, then give me whatever’s left to take back to Lotus? That way everyone wins. And no one gets hurt.”

But instead of the refusal I expected, I’m met with dead silence.

A horrible, lingering silence that’s far worse than any argument they could ever wage.

They’re no longer interested in me.

Their attention is claimed by something else entirely.

And I know without looking what it is. I can feel it in the way the breeze whispers against the nape of my neck. I can see it in the sudden glow that shines in their eyes.

They see it.

The tree.

Which means they no longer need me.

Which means they no longer need me.

And though I try to move, try my best to flee, it’s too late.

There are too many of them, too little of me. And it seems, or at least in this case anyway, they’ve chosen to work together. Chosen to col aborate. Misa and Marco grab hold of my arms as Rafe slinks behind me. His cheek pressed close to mine, his lips chil ed, pushing into my flesh when he says, “Remember when I told you earlier that I lost my footing and fel deep into the canyon?”

I swal ow hard, steady myself, know al too wel what’s coming next.

“As it turns out, I lied.” He grins, I can feel his lips lifting and curling against me. “Had I been unlucky enough to fal , I never would’ve made it back up. You see, Ever, it’s a sheer drop. A very sheer drop that offers no outcroppings of rock—nothing for one to grab onto in order to stop. But then, I should probably let you see for yourself. I mean, no need to wreck the surprise with a bunch of spoilers, right?”

I fight.

I kick.

I scratch, and bite, and claw, and scream, and thrash, and struggle with al of my immortal might. But despite the fact that I can be satisfied in knowing I did a good bit of damage to each of them, in the end, it’s not enough.

I can’t beat them.

I’m no match.

And the next thing I know Rafe’s pushing me at the exact moment Misa and Marco let go.

Sending me flying.

Soaring.

Hurtling straight over the edge and deep into a bottomless canyon.





chapter thirty-one


Just like a dream where you find yourself fal ing and can’t seem to stop because there’s nothing to grab onto and you’ve lost al control of your body—

that’s exactly what this is like.

Except for the fact that usual y when I find myself caught in one of those dreams, my body eventual y jerks me awake before any grave disaster can take place.