The Evanescence (Fallen Soul Series) - By Jessica Sorensen Page 0,2

an annoyed look. “You know that?”

“Surprisingly, that’s not the first time I’ve been told that,” he jokes, feigning a light tone as he shuts the book. He’s been reading a lot of books lately, hoping there’s an answer hidden in one of them on how to get Helena out of Gemma. Maybe there is, but there’s also a whole damn library of books and we don’t have time to go through them all.

I stop in front of the table. “I’m not sure if I believe her.”

Evan’s brows dip as he leans forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Who? Helena?”

I nod, scooping up the sword from the table. “Gemma’s too strong to give up without a fight. I know she’s still fighting. She has to be… I know it…” It sounds like I’m pathetically trying to convince myself.

Evan stares at me for an eternity and pity surfaces in his eyes as he presses his lips together. He probably has something to say and I probably won’t like it. It’s one of the things I like about him; his straightforwardness. There are no pretenses with him and he doesn’t sugarcoat things. He’s not uncaring; he just learned to deal with things in a direct manner to lighten up the complications that come from being an Omnia.

“Whatever you’re going to say, just say it.” I walk over to the china cabinet in the corner of the room and open the cupboard door. There’s an array of swords inside, all sharpened due to my nervous energy. I add the one I’m holding to the collection, balancing it in the stand.

“Are you sure you want to hear it?” he asks as I shut the cupboard. “Because you’ve been really touchy lately.”

I latch the cupboard and sit back down in the red chair. “You know I never want things sugarcoated.”

“Even when it comes to her?” he asks, his eyes wandering to the hallway that leads to the stairway.

My heart knots inside my chest and I swallow the lump in my throat. “Even about her.”

He returns his attention to me and sighs as he slumps back in the chair, coiling the gold chain on his jeans around his finger. “I can try to get inside of Helena’s mind and bend her thoughts… I can see if I can manipulate her to cooperate.” He pushes up from the couch and walks to the window, drawing back the velvet curtain. He stares outside at the lake, shimmering in the sunlight, and the Sprites pirouetting in the grassy knoll. “But because she’s in Gemma’s body, Gemma’s mind can also react to my power, and probably not in a good way.”

The knot in my chest winds tighter as I walk over to the window. “Are you saying that Gemma could end up getting hurt if you do it?”

Evan glances over his shoulder at me and his eyes convey a silent warning. “I’m not going to lie and try to make you feel better. I know how much you care for Gemma, but I can’t guarantee she won’t get hurt. I’ve never come across this kind of possession before… and I have no idea how it’s going to go.” He releases the curtain and it blocks out the sunlight, the room dimming to a grey. “There are always risks when I try to manipulate anyone’s mind. You know that. There’s a chance of causing permanent damage if there’s too much resistance from either of them. This is the Queen of the Afterlife we’re dealing with and even though we hate her, we both know she’s powerful and she’s going to put up a fight.” He pauses, his expression reflecting worry and doubt. “And if Gemma really is part of Helena now—”

“Then Helena’s resistance could damage Gemma’s mind,” I mumble, trying to grasp onto my belief that Gemma’s still herself, and that I can bring her back. Free her from being trapped. Free her from evil. That I can save her just like I promised her I always would. However, deep down, in the darkest of my thoughts, I have to wonder if maybe this time I might end up breaking my promise.

***

We decide to start with Laylen, since he’s possessed by my distantly dead grandfather, Alexander, and not a queen. When he was alive, he made the mistake of messing around with the love of three women; or more importantly, three women that came from Fey Royalty bloodlines and who happen to be sisters; Lucinda, Queen of the Underworld; Annabella, Queen