The Elements Trilogy: The Secondaries

Chapter 50: Water

"About the Troys. About Jamie and Stacy and Bryner and everything."

"Oh." I frowned. "I don't know."

Harry gave me a small smile. "Why don't you and Kyler go talk somewhere? The twins could stand guard and make sure no one surprise attacks you and the rest of us can continue fighting."

"Are you sure?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Harry glanced back at Kyler who looked extremely uncomfortable being under the gaze of all my friends.

"Have some respect, would you?" I snapped at them. "Kyler is a regular human being, just like us!"

My friends looked guilty as Kyler shot me a grateful look.

"Yeah, I'm sure. From what I've learned about clones, they're extremely loyal to the people they're made from. But if she does attack you....you think you can take her?"

I glanced over at Kyler who was now excitedly talking to Derek, her thin muscles hiding the super strength behind them. "I sure hope so."

***Derek's POV

"Why do you call her Skylark?" Kyler asked me, a smile lighting up her features.

"One time when we hung out, we got drunk and she kept talking about birds in her sleep."

Kyler's smile, if possible, got bigger. "She doesn't like to say so, but she loves birds."

"Hey now, don't be telling all my secrets, Kyler." Skylar appeared behind her clone and flashed me a grin. "Kyler, can we go talk someplace else? The twins can stand guard while the others go fight."

"Okay, sure." Kyler nodded. "But then we can go fight, right? I really wanna fight!" Kyler almost bounced up and down with excitement as Skylar led her away, motioning for the twins to follow.

"Yeah, don't worry Kyler. We can kick some ass later." Skylar chuckled as Kyler looped her arm through Skylar's.

Harry walked over to me, frowning. "It's weird."

"Isn't it though? She seems to be handling having a clone pretty well though."

"No, not that. It's just that the way Kyler acts is how Skylar used to act before we broke up. Skylar is different now, more angry and tense all the time. I still love her though. She just seems different. Kyler seems more like Skylar than Skylar seems like Skylar, even though they're technically the same person. Does that make sense?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it does actually. And I think I know why. Kyler doesn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders. I don't think she knows about Jamie's deaths or Troy's betrayal or anything else really, because Skylar tries so damn hard to repress those memories. She doesn't like to think about those things. But she is still bitter, angry, and moody. Kyler is still the carefree girl you once knew Skylar to be. But Skylar doesn't have those privileges anymore."

Harry watched a giggling Kyler pull smiling a Skylar into a room not too far down the hallway. "Maybe after this whole thing is over."

"Yeah," I shoved my hand into my pockets. "Maybe."

***Evie's POV

"Do you think Skylar will be okay with the whole clone thing?"

Evalynn gave an offhanded shrug. "She seems to be doing okay."

"Yeah, for now. Although I guess it's just sort of like having a twin."

"Meh, sometimes." Evalynn shrugged again. "Although sometimes, clones and originals date eachother because they understand eachother on a personal and intimate level like no one else can."

"Where did you even hear that?" I laughed, sliding down against the wall to sit on the floor, closing my eyes.

"Stuff goes around." Evalynn said in a bored tone. "I don't think I would do that though."

"Nah, you've got Derek."

"What do you-"

BANG. BANG.

Gunshots echoed throughout the hallway, my eyes flying open. Something warm landed on the side of my face and covered my shirt.

My whole body spun to face Evalynn, who was standing up, facing me. My eyes flicking up to her torso were two crimson stains sat, one on her stomach, one directly over her heart.

I dimly heard the noise of footsteps running away as I forced my eyes up to meet Evalynn's.

They were dim, the light slowly fading from them. Her mouth opened slowly in an attempt to speak. "Tell her I'm sorry." Her legs gave out, and she fell forward, as I immediately jumped forward to catch her.

She was dead before she hit my arms.