The Never List

by Jade Presley

covering the light, silvery mark that showed up when I was ten. The one that looks like a tiny cloud. The mark of a demi blessed by the goddess Neph.

But she abandoned us long ago, along with my friends’ mothers, the goddesses Tareena, Eirdis, and Neph.

Kal’s has rubies, Pierce’s has emeralds, and Axl’s, sapphires. Mine has black diamonds, a nod to my Obsidian city.

“I’ll never hide when something I love is in danger,”

“I’d rather be in danger with them than be safe somewhere without them.”

“When my father offered you an out…” He wets his lips. “It would’ve been so easy to leave.”

“Nothing about leaving any of you would be easy.”

“Look at me, darling,” I say, and her head dips forward. I mentally lift her to my eye level, gently gripping her chin. “You’re mine now.” She shivers at my words. “Your mind, body, and heart belong to me. So,” I say, smiling as I tease her mouth with my tongue, “do what I say and come.”

“And don’t worry, darling,” he says. “I’ll keep your secret until you’re ready to share it with all of us.”

Omg does he know? Like the BIG secret?!

“Now I’m the one who can’t survive without you. I need each of you like I need air to breathe, and that scares the shit out of me. I was never meant to be a queen or a mate. And then, when the Faders came and I learned you all suspected demis were behind the rebel group… Goddess, don’t you see how terrible it looks? You’ve chosen a demi and are fighting a group of them at the same time. I never wanted you to think I had any part of it. Because I don’t. I would never support such irrational violence…but it doesn’t change what I am…an Ashlander, the lowest of the classes in Lumathyst, and a demi.”