The Evanescence (Fallen Soul Series) - By Jessica Sorensen Page 0,64

trees crashing to the ground. “You think they’d pick you over me? Try. Try and see!”

I don’t want to try. I want to get the hell out of here. I gather everyone in and we huddle together as the world around us falls apart. Closing my eyes I try to visualize someplace safe. Someplace no one will look for us. Someplace where I wish I could be instead of here. What surfaces in my mind surprises me.

“Stop them!” Luna shouts. “Stop them now!”

It’s too late. We’re already being pulled away.

“I won’t let you do this!” she cries, but her voice is fading. “You won’t reign over my people and ruin my plan. I will win the war!”

When I open my eyes we all stand in the middle of the living room of my old house.

It goes silent. I can hear Laylen, Aislin and Evan panting around me. For a moment, I don’t dare open my eyes, but when I do, it’s hard to take in. Because where I’m standing is where all of the craziness started; the place where I was hidden, forced to live in solitude from my emotions, and where I roamed my empty life until I found Alex. I have no idea why I’m here, but maybe my subconscious does.

Whatever the reason, I take a deep breath and glance around at the house I grew up in, located in the snowy mountains. The place I once called home.

Chapter 33

Gemma

I’m confused, bewildered, lost. It doesn’t look like the house we left behind. The roof has caved in, the windows are boarded up, and there’s garbage and broken glass everywhere.

“God, this place turned into a mess.” Aislin kicks a can out of the way as she makes a path to the window. Gazing outside, a frown forms on her mouth. “It so quiet and bare out there… like a ghost town. I wonder if the Fey got to this place.”

“Or the Lost Souls.” I sigh, glass crunching underneath my shoes as I take in the mess. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to grow up here, raised by my mother and father, free to experience emotion. Would I have had a good life? Gone to school? Made friends? Dated? Fallen in love? Fallen in love with Alex?

“Gemma, I hate to interrupt your thoughts, but what the hell happened?” Laylen asks. “What took you so long? I was getting worried.”

My mouth drops open a little as I turn around. Really? That’s the first thing he says after Aislin’s been gone for much longer. I give him an exaggerated, eyes widening look, nodding my head at her.

Aislin turns from the window, placing her hands on her hips as she narrows her eyes at him “Really? That’s the first thing you have to say after we’ve both been gone?” She runs her hands through her hair, combing the tangles out. There are dark circles under her eyes, her top lip is split and she’s missing one shoe. How? I have no idea.

I don’t look any better, though. There are scratches all over my arms from the branches of the trees we hiked through, my eyes feel heavy, and my jeans are torn on both knees. “Maybe we should all take a breather and get cleaned up or something,” I say, trying to ease the tension.

Laylen shifts his weight uncomfortably as Aislin continues to stare him down.

Evan moves up in front of us all, blinking the tiredness from his eyes. “Don’t you think the most important thing now is not,” he rolls his eyes, “girlfriend, boyfriend drama, or taking a breather, but figuring out what the hell just happened back there.” He points at the window, like the castle is somehow going to pop into view.

Aislin stomps over to the torn sofa and plops onto it, picking up one of the throw pillows and placing it on her lap. She absentmindedly plucks at it. “Fine, you have a point.” She glances up at Evan. “Wait, who are you?”

Evan sticks out his arm and shows her the marks on his skin. “What? You don’t remember me?”

Aislin eyes him over very closely and then a grin touches her lips. “Evan.” She jumps up and throws her arms around him, hugging him. “God, it’s been forever.”

Laylen glances at me, raising his eyebrows, and I catch a ping of jealousy in his expression. They continue to hug and finally Laylen gets annoyed enough that he moves over and pulls on Aislin, breaking up their