Remi raised her fist and rapped at the thin wooden door of a small cottage, anticipation building in her stomach.
After a long moment, the door opened to reveal a striking dark skinned man, probably in his late twenties. He was incredibly tall and muscular, and one of the most handsome men Remi had ever seen.
He was also blind.
"Can I help you?" he muttered gruffly, his eyes focused just over her shoulder.
"I'm Remi Goldridge; pleased to meet your acquaintance. May I come in?" she asked brightly, scooting around the man when he didn't reply. She took a seat in his small living room on one of the old, scuffed couches. They looked a many years old, and Remi had to wipe off a layer of dust from the couch before she sat down.
There was a second dark couch to her left, and an ancient leather chair across from her. She could tell that he probably only ever used the red chair.
Slowly, he strode over to her and sat down in his leather chair, staring at her in contemplation. "Fathom Warynn," he introduced himself, his pretty face pinched in annoyance. "Why are you here?" he questioned bluntly.
Remi didn't hesitate. "I've heard you're a contractor. One of the best. I'd like you to assist me in an endeavour."
He stared at her silently for a few moments, a frown creasing his brow.
Remi took the opportunity to look around. Fathom's entire house was probably smaller than her room, but it was homey and clean and painted with warm, earthy tones, and Remi liked it here.
Finally, he replied. "Then you've also heard that no one will hire me anymore. Not since I lost my vision. Tell me, what are you hoping to gain by hiring a man without eyes in his eye sockets to build for you? A lopsided, falling-apart structure?"
Remi shook her head, then remembered he couldn't see her doing so. She leaned forward on the couch, resting her arms on her legs. "I've seen what you can do. And I think you're customers lost faith in you because you lost your vision," she said, wording it like he had in hopes of not offending him. "And not because the quality of your work began to decline."
"Is that so?"
"Yes," Remi confirmed. "So, as I've said before, I'd like to hire you. Would you be interested?"
He let out a deep sigh, something akin to relief, and then stood up and offered Remi his hand. She stood and shook it firmly as he said, "I'd be honoured. Thank you for the opportunity."
———
With a pleasant smile on her face, Remi exited the small cottage home and started out down the paved stone pathway back into the city.
Vertice was much smaller than Merricrest, probably only home to around forty thousand people. It was also terribly brighter—pristine, white paved streets, ebony skyscrapers that seemed to glimmer magically, decorated by a myriad of beautiful, pale-coloured flowers and plants. Everything sparkled in ethereal hues. If she had the time, she could stare and gawk for hours.
A cool breeze fluttered through Remi's hair as she walked, causing strawberry curls to blow across her cheeks. She pulled all her hair to one side in an effort to hinder it from blowing so wildly.
Remi definitely wasn't used to this wind, but she couldn't say she disliked it. The opposite, perhaps. The chilly air was refreshing, and blew away all the unpleasant smells. There was no constant smell of pungent sweat as there was in Merricrest, and the sun tended to hide behind thin clouds at all times. Everything here was so raw and fresh.
Remi closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air.
A branch snapped to her left.
Remi's eyes shot open immediately. She spun around, eyes darting into the luscious jungle that was on either side of the white path she was travelling on.
"Who's there?" she called out, willing her voice to be strong and sturdy. She wasn't too certain she achieved the desired effect.
Another branch snapped, this time much closer to her.
Remi's heart races. The hairs on her arms stood on end, and goosebumps rapidly spread across her flesh. Even the air seemed to drop a few degrees, and the clouds separating the earth from the sun thickened, plunging the narrow path into dusk.
"Show yourself!" Remi yelled angrily, her eyes scanning all around her.
Her blue energy surely wouldn't be overly effective here, since it required so much concentration, and she definitely wouldn't be able to concentrate if she was trying to fight for her life.
Therefore, Remi tried looking around her to see what she could possibly use as a weapon. There were a few twigs and some pebbles smaller than the padding of her fingers. Neither would fare too well against an attacker.
She parted her lips to shout once more, make herself sound braver than she was, but stopped short when she saw the dark figure emerge from behind the thick trunk of a jungle tree with a wide canopy.
His startling blue eyes scorched her from the inside out.
"You came back," Remi whispered with furrowed brows, taking in his broad shoulders, deeply tanned skin, and large wings.
"Yes, that much is obvious," Killure said with a raised brow, feigning annoyance.
Before she could even process what she was doing, Remi found herself flying towards him. His expression shifted to one of uncertainty just before she flung herself into his arms.
Killure immediately stiffened in surprise, arms frozen at his sides, but Remi didn't care.
She was just so happy to see him alive and safe.
When she finally pulled back, Killure was staring at her with complete confusion. He frowned, parting his lips to speak, then tightening his mouth into a thin line. Finally, he said, "What was that for, doll? I thought . . . you'd be angry with me."
Remi shook her head. His question was so silly. "Obviously it was because I'm happy to see you. I'd been so worried that I'd done something wrong when I fried your bonding chip. I thought I'd made you hate me for it. In other words, I missed you, and I'm glad you're back."
He rolled his eyes at her, expression aloof and tone bitter. "Yes, well, it seems your male companion in the cottage you just came from has kept you company in my absence."
Remi started in surprise, then looked him hard in the eyes, unflinching. "You're always doubting me. It's as if you want me to . . . to—"
"—Fall from the high pedestal you're always standing on?" he finished sharply, eyes flashing. "That would make everything easier." He let out a deep sigh, and finally seemed to really look at her for the first time. He took a tentative step backwards. She frowned in confusion. Was she unknowingly carrying the plague and he couldn't bear to be near her?
"I'd prefer if you moved on from pitying me to your next charity case. You've done your due diligence," he said coldly, crossing his muscular arms and moving further away.
"What? That's not—"
"We need to leave now, doll," he cut her off harshly. "From what I overheard, your uncle and father plan to turn some of you into ice cubes and the rest into corpses."
Remi froze in shock. She met his gaze. "Pardon me?"
"I didn't stutter."
"Uncle is planning on killing his own flesh and blood? I mean, I know he's extreme and selfish, but—" Remi broke off, her entire body numb with shock. Surely she'd misunderstood him.
Kareem . . . she had to get to him.
"Indeed," Killure replied, appearing almost bored. It was infuriating.
A shift took place in side of her, and fire began to burn in her eyes. "How . . . how long ago did you hear them speaking of this?"
"Right before I left to come find you."
Remi felt absolutely furious. "And you didn't stop to help my family? You did . . . absolutely nothing?"
Killure's expression hardened. "They aren't my family. Mine are dead, courtesy of your grandfather. Why should I help those who murdered my family? Tell me that."
His words felt like a punch to her stomach. They completely knocked the wind out from Remi's gut.
Grandpa Bericc? "You're lying," she whispered. The grandpa she knew could never hurt a fly. He'd never massacre an island of people—not in a million years. Fury boiled within her veins. First he left her family to die, and then he accused her grandfather of being a mass murderer? He had no right.
Killure let out a humourless bark of laughter. "Believe what you will, doll. It doesn't matter to me. I only came to warn you. Now that that's done, we have a ship to catch. If you don't hurry, it'll leave without you."
He started walking away without a care in the world.
Remi clenched her fists tightly at her sides. How could he deliver such distressing news so callously?
Not only that . . .
She was angry, and infuriated, and wanted to demand that he go back and save her family and take back those words about her grandfather, but also . . . in spite of herself, Remi found her lips parting to ask him a question that shouldn't have mattered whatsoever in that moment. "When you kissed me . . . was that real? Any of it?"
He stiffened, and stopped walking. Without turning to face her, Killure replied in an icy voice that pierced her with its hurtful daggers. "None of it. I was only doing what I needed to in order to survive. And now that I'm no longer bound to you, I suppose I'm relieved of the burden of having to pretend."
And then, in a startling blur, Killure was gone.