Endeca (The Escapism Series) (5 page)

“How do you mean?” he asked, bemused.

“Let’s get going, big guy,” I giggled, pointing toward the front door.

“Who’s Marla?”

“My best friend.”

“I thought Calliope was your best friend?”

“You can have more than one, you know,” I sighed, derisively.

“The term implies ones friend who supersedes all others,” he patronized.

“Then shoot me! I have two, lucky me,” I smirked, rolling my eyes.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he sighed aghast, taking another bite of a crème filled donut.

“Well how do I look?” I asked self-consciously before I grabbed my book bag.

He sighed in frustration, searching for an appropriate response. “You look…
cool
,” he remarked appeased. He held the door for me. “Time for
bouncing
?” he asked quizzically.

“
Almost
…keep at it. Best way to learn is to listen to others. You’ll pick it up in no time,” I patted his shoulder, sympathetically.

I could get used to him very quickly. He was a distraction and I was unequivocally a fan of those.

As soon as we stepped out the front door, all eyes were on us.  Edric followed closely, one foot behind me as we approached the convertible. Marla and Calliope looked at one another, awestruck.

“Hey guys, this is Edric. He’s…new to the country and staying with us,” I smiled, nervously.  “He’s from Sweden.”

Calliope and Marla’s smiles edged to the corners of their enticed eyes.

“Good morning, Marla and Calliope—the
two
best friends of Xenia.” He sent me a sideways glance of skepticism.

“Interesting,” Calliope said dryly, nudging her sunglasses back up. “Welcome to our humble abode.”

“Yes, welcome.  So, how do you know Xenia?” Marla jumped in eagerly.

“A family acquaintance,” he quickly replied as though he had prepared. Concise responses leaving very little to the imagination—I liked this about him.

I quickly added, “We’re running late. Edric still needs to register and stuff so let’s go.”

“How long are you staying for, Edric?” asked Marla.

“Indefinitely,” he snapped, surprising both himself and me.

“Do you have any relatives here? What are you planning to major in? Moreover, what if it’s too late and you can’t register? What then?” she asked, nervously.

“Okay, calm down, Marla. He’s only been here for like two minutes. No need to overwhelm the guy.”

“No, that’s quite alright. It’s only natural for a dear friend of yours to have reservations about me,” he said, turning to address Marla. “I’m here alone. Physics, I think. There’s always winter semester and a personal project of my own that I am working on, which will keep me quite busy.” The corners of his lips twitched, fighting a grin.
Project Orion—crack the self-destructive spy.

“Okay then. Best of luck to you,” Marla quietly retreated, appeased by his diplomatic response.

As we pulled into campus grounds, Edric’s posture stiffened and his expression became stone cold. “Stop the car.”

“What is it?” I whispered anxiously.

“We should go now. It’ll be faster for me to register, while Calliope parks. Thanks for the ride.” Edric gracefully jumped out of the convertible and I followed in tow.

“But registration is...” Marla’s voice faded in the background as I tailed Edric.

He was watching someone….someone familiar.

“She’s one of us,” I uttered, startled. We had a brief encounter at the summoning—cat eyes.

“That’s Viola.  She shouldn’t be here,” he whispered evenly.

“Does she pose a threat to everyone?” I asked, observing her chatting with another girl.

“No…just you,” he gazed in awe of Viola.

“Shall I will her away with my mind?” I muttered sarcastically.

“There’s no point.  You haven’t reached your full potential—you need a jolt of sorts.”

“Maybe I’ll be struck by lightning and my powers will be released,” I offered, snidely.

“That could very well work,” he replied, grimly.

I cringed in recollection of Caleb…was he trying to give me
a jolt of sorts
?

My skin prickled from head to toe once Viola laid eyes on us. She winked and walked away inviting us to follow along.  She continued down a path toward Winter’s College where she turned to face us. “Edric, are you matriculating here as well? I have bad news for you. Admissions are no longer accepting.” Her wide, evil grin was displeasing.

“You need not worry about me.  I can always make a position pop up—yours for one,” he sneered, “What do you want, Viola?”

“You know,” she hummed, floating closer to him.

“The queen exonerated her.  You
can’t
be here,” he hissed in frustration.

“Edric darling, I’m not the only one.” The sun glistened against her long black hair and her constellation of orangey-blue eyes weren’t as threatening in the day light; her eyes were defined this time in blue with fine spokes of orange.

“I’m standing right here!” I replied, annoyingly caught in the middle of two heated, powerful TheoDiplozoes aka immorta of Endeca. I was a part of Endeca although not immorta, but apparently ripe for the picking.

“Now Xenia, have you reconsidered immortality? It wouldn’t only close the portal, but it’d allow for many great things to transpire.”

Edric averted his eyes from Viola, pressing his arm against mine. ‘
She possesses psychic abilities and with the summoning of Endeca, quite powerful searing. Never look into her eyes for more than a few seconds, she…’
He moved his arm as she crept closer, suspiciously.

“I should get going.  Can’t be late for my first lecture,” she said, casually.

“You should highly reconsider leaving, Viola
…indefinitely
.”

“Or what?” she challenged continuing, “You look dead tired, Xenia. Trouble sleeping?” she smiled sinisterly before leaving.

“What did you say about eye contact?” I asked, sheepishly.

“She can tap into your subconscious if she holds your gaze. You’d know—it’s intense.”

Crap.

“How long can this tapping in last for?” I asked, clearing my throat nervously.

Edric heaved a sigh, grimacing, “When?”

“I didn’t know. It was at the grand summoning.”

“How long did she sear you for?”

“My memory is pretty hazy…maybe for a few seconds.”

“Okay, that’s not too bad. It may last a day or two—can’t be sure.”

“
Great
. Between the attempted flooding, alleged electrocuting and sleepless nights, I could only imagine what the others have in store.” I wondered why I had entrusted my home to Edric. It was a leap of faith on my part, maybe even his.
He said he wanted to repay me & maybe this was what he meant—protection.

Edric winced at the thought.

“Quick recap, Caleb and Viola have it in for me. What about the others? What are their names?”

“There’s Sebastian, Castiel and Daisy, all of whom are far more worrisome than these two, unfortunately.”

“If that’s the case, why aren’t they popping up to torment me already? Is this some kind of sick game to them?”

“They’re meticulous, Xenia. They hunt and gather information from people of interest first.”

“You mean, they could be watching me this very second?” I asked, yielding to a wave of paranoia.

“No, I’d be able to sense them as should you by now. Oddly enough, Daisy wasn’t at the summoning. Nyxta likely cut you slack because of her absence, but have you felt any changes?” he asked, noticeably agitated.

“Nope,” I lied.
I didn’t want him to know of my recent power surge in the event he turned on me.  I needed some hidden ammo for the time being, even if it meant straying from the truth a little.

“That’s unusual. With the grand summoning, you should’ve been reawakened partially at the very least.”

“Trust me, I was awakened. Maybe my powers are the slow releasing kind, but so intense, requiring time to settle in so that I don’t spontaneously combust.”

“Hmm, however unlikely that sounds, I suppose anything is possible,” he shrugged.

“I have to get to class.  You’ll let me know if the rest show up, right? And Edric, try to blend in…act
normal.
”

“But of course. Easy as pie,” he smirked, having picked up on someone’s convo.

“See ya later,” I giggled impressed.

“
Later
,” he said, although it sounded more like a question. “I’m a 204 year old immorta. How hard can it be to find a building and register?” he sighed, looking around the vast college campus unsure of which direction to take. He pressed his eyelids together, stirring the air around him and just as soon as a dark cloud formed above his head, it dissipated. “Hmm…that wouldn’t be very
normal
.” Instead, he started on foot in search of the admissions building.

“Edric,” he called out, briskly walking over.

“Ah, Nicholas. I was just on my way to the admissions office. Would you care to join me?”

“Alright,” he chuckled redirecting him in the opposite direction. “Don’t worry. It took me a while to acclimate to this world, let alone this campus.”

“I’ll manage,” he replied, snootily, “Approximately, when did you start to become familiarized with this world?”

Nicholas silently chuckled, “Give it time, Edric. After all, you’ve been dead for a
while
.”

“Hmm…it has been a while. Tell me Nicholas, what is it that you do here?”

“I’m a teaching assistant, working on my masters.”

“Excellent. And my brother?” he pried.

“Orion came on his own accord…but I was here first,” he replied, guardedly.

“I too will follow in your lead,” he said smugly. He walked with his hands interlaced behind his back. “Instead, I think I shall become a doctor of philosophy or a physicist. I quite enjoyed my studies as a boy.”

“You sure about that?” Nicholas raised his brow. “That’s a lot of work to take on from your…
hiatus
.”

“I feel more alive than ever. I’m ready for anything,” he proclaimed.

“Suit yourself,” he said, indifferently. “With an open portal, and all things gone a rye, I’m not sure if we’ll need a cover any longer.”

Edric sighed, placing a hand on Nicholas’ shoulder, “You can tell me, brother.”

“Tell you what?” he sneered, furrowing his brow.

“How much longer are we going to keep up this charade?” Edric whispered, continuing, “Your secrets—I know them. What you’ve done to me, and the powers you keep hidden from all the others.”

“You don’t know anything,
brother
,” he growled.

“Don’t fret. I have a few secrets of my own,” he smirked, “Xenia as well.”

“She told you?”

“She didn’t have to.”

Nicholas was visibly infuriated. He paced back and forth, pausing in front of Edric, “If you tell anyone, I’ll send you back
again
—that’s a promise.”

“You thought I had forgotten…that my memory would be marred somehow over, what felt like, a millennium—
surprise
. It’s not.”

“I hoped…for your sake.”

Edric laughed, entertained by the notion. “You don’t stand a chance, brother. I’m older and stronger than you. 
Back off
or I’ll launch you fifty feet in front of all these people.”

Nicholas didn’t move, calling Edric’s bluff.  They stood in an impasse.

“Very well,” Edric grinned, tilting his head back and pressing his eyelids together.  He stirred the air in an instant uproar before the unthinkable happened.

All’s fair

The wind careened like wild fire as Nicholas and Edric exchanged heated looks. Between them, she stood holding a pink fluttering file folder.

“What’s up with this crazy weather?” she asked, fixing her disheveled hair. She gazed at Edric, asking, “Did you get something in your eye?”

Edric shook his head, grounding himself.

“Marla, have you met, Edric?” Nicholas introduced, saved by the person he had least expected.

“This morning, actually. We rode to school together. He’s staying with Xenia,” she revealed.

“
What?
I mean,
right
…how could I forget?” he glared at Edric, who was still transitioning back, evident by the bright swirl of blue and black in his eyes.

“
Your eyes
, they look stunning in this light. Almost like a swirl,” she said, moving in for closer inspection.

“It must be a reflection.  It’s awfully bright out today,” he said, quickly blinking a few times before backing away.  “Nice seeing you again, Marla. I have to go see about a potential job opening.”

“Later,” she dismissed, aloof. Her attention veered to Nicholas. “Just the guy I’ve been looking for. I need your help with the annual carnival hosted by Winters College. Since I’ve volunteered to help, I’m responsible for hiring a fortune teller. You know, the whole smoke in glass and tarot cards kinda thing,” she said, playfully fluttering her fingers about. “I need four good-looking guys to volunteer for the dunk bowl. So far, I’ve got Landon and you—hope that’s okay,” she flashed an optimistic grin.

“I don’t know, Marla. What would I have to do?” he asked, fair-minded in light of the situation.

“Nothing too crazy, of course. You’d be sitting on a little board and if someone were to actually hit the target, which they rarely do, you’d be sunk in water.  You have to be shirtless too.
It’s for charity
,” she whispered, patting his shoulder. “
Pleeeeease
do it.  I can’t find anyone else.”

“Really? I find that hard to believe,” he furrowed his brow, dubious.

“It’d be a lot more fun to sink your TA than a random student,” she explained, sheepishly.

“And it’s for charity?” he sighed, conceding.

“Yay! Do you think you could ask two of your friends, preferably other TA’s?”

“I have just the perfect guys in mind,” he said, grinning ear to ear.

“Fabulous. I can’t wait for this carnival. I think Xenia really needs a good ol’ fashion carnival—something to cheer her up.”

“How’s she been lately?” he asked, troubled.

“She seems to be a little more preoccupied and on edge lately—any idea why?” she asked, concerned.

“She mentioned a small case of insomnia. Lack of sleep can really pull a number on you,” he smiled awkwardly.

“I hope that’s all it is,” she said, sighing heavily. “I’ll text you the details of the event. Thanks again, Nicholas.”

“Sure,” he nodded politely.

Marla strolled off in a chipper mood, while Nicholas scanned his surroundings, artfully. He couldn’t sense me at first but as I neared him, five feet away, he called me out.

“My my. You’re getting better at shielding yourself, Xenia,” he said, turning to face me. “Practice makes perfect, or so I’ve heard,” I said, leaning in for a hug.

“My favorite part of the day.” He burrowed his face between my neck and hair.

“I love our campus run-ins,” I revealed demurely. His soft, full lips grazed my neck, following the angle of my jaw where he planted a chaste kiss against my flushed cheek.

“They’re not so random any more, not when you track me like you just did,” he whispered impressed.

“It’s kinda stalkerish, huh?” I muttered.

“Illegal is what it is, but I’ve been known to break the law myself,” he said, with a wicked grin. “
Our
sacred laws of course.”

Diplozoes had laws? I already knew Nyxta tried rebellious diplos, but I wondered if there was a rapid guide on Diplozoe law, for reference sake.