The Evanescence (Fallen Soul Series) - By Jessica Sorensen Page 0,6

this will work. “Laylen, I need to know how to get Helena out of Gemma’s body. Can you tell me how?” There is no response and I worry that we may have pushed too far. “Laylen,” I repeat, “We have to save Gemma… you know Gemma… the girl you…” It kills me to say it, but I need to because making the emotional connection is important. Emotions carry so much significance to memories and the things we do. I need to make Laylen connect back to what he felt for Gemma. “The girl you care for.” There’s a flicker of a movement that ripples across Laylen and sweat drips down Laylen’s forehead. I’m getting worried about how much longer either of them can continue without killing themselves or each other.

“Alex,” Laylen whispers in his natural voice as his eyelids lift. The blue shade has returned and replaced the darkness that has been in his eyes for the last few days. “Can you hear me?”

I inch closer to him. “Yeah, I can hear you.”

“You can save Gemma.” He gasps each word through ragged breaths as his skin coats in sweat.

“Thank God.” I exhale, releasing the tension from my chest. “How, though? How do we do it without killing her?”

“The loophole... Annabel…” His eyelids slip shut as his body goes limp, his arms and legs falling to the floor in a motionless slump.

“Laylen, what about the loophole?” Grabbing his shoulders, I give a rough shake. “What about Annabella?” I glance at Evan who has released Laylen from his grip.

“Crap.” Evan moves away from Laylen, stepping back, his eyes widen as he stares down at Laylen. “I don’t… I don’t think he made it.”

“What do you mean; you don’t think he made it?” I rise to my feet, the storm inside my chest building, raging and panicking. “Shit. He’s not…” I jerk my fingers through my hair as I stare down at Laylen, pale skin, bluish lips, and a slackened body. “Did it kill him?”

Evan releases a slow breath and then nods his head once. I feel guilt. I feel anger. I feel pain. I feel a lot of things that I don’t like and I know it’s only going to get worse if I don’t fix this somehow.

Evan turns away and heads towards the door. I’d call him back because I might need his help, but he looks exhausted and horrified; sweaty skin, his head hanging low, and his shoulders slouched inward.

I let him leave the room and then look down at Laylen. I rub my hand across my face and then crouch down, nudging him with my hand. “Hey, can you hear me?” I hold my breath, waiting for whoever’s voice to answer, wondering if it’ll be Laylen, Alexander, or Laylen and Alexander.

But it’s silence, which is way worse than any of the voices combined. Guilt starts to plague me, foul and heavy, and it’s messing with my head. Not knowing what else to do, I take the keys out of my pocket and free Laylen from the chains. He doesn’t move and deep down I know he’s dead, and leaving him… his body cuffed to the wall, doesn’t seem right.

None of this does.

“Dammit,” I curse under my breath and jump to my feet, running out of the room after Evan.

I catch up with him on the spiral stairway that leads to the foyer. “How do you know he’s dead? Can’t he just be pretending?”

Without looking at me, he continues to walk down the stairs, shaking his head. “I… I accidentally entered the mind of the Lost Soul inside him.”

“Alexander?”

“No, there’s also a Lost Soul in him.”

I trot down the steps to the side of him. “Okay, but what’s the difference between entering Laylen’s mind, Alexander’s mind, or the Lost Soul’s mind? Either way, you’re entering someone’s mind.”

“Entering the Lost Soul’s mind is dangerous to the body of the person they’re possessing,” he says with a loud exhale and guilt creeps into his voice. “I didn’t know it would happen.” When we reach the bottom of the stairway, we stop beneath the chandelier and Evan finally looks at me. Remorse and blame flood from his eyes. “I’m sorry.” His head falls forward as he balls his hands into fists. He stands silently for a moment and then he lifts his hand and slams his fist into the banister. “Dammit, Alex!” He kicks the bottom step and then rushes over to the wall and hammers his fist into it, leaving a hole