THE SPARK ETERNAL

Chapter One

William

 

"Bloody hell.” I rub my head where the faucet chose violence for the day, glad that I’ve let my hair grow out. I think I’ve made a nice little row of forehead bruises now. Next time, I’ll turn my head and get one on each temple; maybe I can pass them off as a tan line.

 

I turn off the water, placing my toothbrush back, and peer at my blurry reflection in the mirror. I’ve been without sight for about a month now. The first two weeks were the worst of it, as Dr. Rye held me bedbound. During my last visit yesterday, he said the burns are all healed, but my skin is still sensitive in areas and numb in others. Then there is my vision. He told me that would never return to normal.

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Squinting, I can kind of make out my caveman face better. Ergh. I can’t put off shaving any longer.

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As I line up the razor against my jaw and guide it down, a knock sounds at the bathroom door.

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“Hurry up, I need to pee,” comes a familiar voice.

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I groan, chucking the razor back in my bag, and move to unlock the door. A fuzzy outline of James appears before me.

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He cocks his head. “Need some help?”

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I point at my face. “Oh, this? Nah. Just a new look I’m trying out. It’s called a blind man’s beard. Think I can make it a thing?”

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James chuckles and pushes past me. “Give me a second.”

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I wait outside the door, leaning against the cool wall. Water drips off my face and onto my black, legion-issued shirt. As I debate whether this is a good time to ask him to put in a good word with the kitchen about making chocolate croissants a regular part of breakfast, the door swings open, and he pulls me back in.

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He sits me on the toilet like a toddler and grabs what I assume is my razor out of the bag. The soft scent of soap wafts in the air. At least he washed his hands.

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“Hold still,” he grunts.

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I swallow. “You know what? I think you’re just using this as an excuse to make me less good-looking. I’m going to walk out of here with a Hitler mustache and wicked sideburns.”

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He scoffs as he runs the razor down my chin and neck. “I don’t think Juliet will care.”

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“Juliet?” Confusion swirls my thoughts. She helped a lot during my stay in the infirmary, but that was definitely guilt-driven, not because she has a thing for me. Maya helped, too, and she’s made it abundantly clear that I’m friend-zoned for life.

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“I know you can’t see, man. But come on—”

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I cock my head.

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“Hold still or sideburns will be the least of your problems,” he snaps.

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“Juliet is not into me.”

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He doesn’t respond until he gives me a towel to wipe off the rest of the water/hand soap mixture. “Anyone with eyes can see it.”

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Juliet’s pretty face materializes in my thoughts, her thick, white-blond hair and blue-gray eyes. Have I missed some signals? If I’m being honest, I haven’t paid that close attention to the girl. Maya has been the only thing occupying my mind for months.

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My head swivels toward the sound of drawers closing. “Are you putting away my stuff? You don’t need to do that.” I stand and feel around for my things, but I end up grazing warm skin. “Oh. Sorry.”

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The weight of his hand lands on my shoulder. “William. It’s nothing. Seriously. Everything you have done for Maya…I owe you my life. Never hesitate to ask me for help.”

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I shake my head. I was not helping Maya for him, but I don’t say that. Maya is a sore subject. I went to her as soon as I heard that she and Sebastian broke the bond, but she didn’t want to talk. She was at my bedside every day visiting, then bam, nothing. She’s been aloof in the weeks since. With Sebastian gone, I assumed her next step would be getting back together with James, but she’s avoiding everyone, including him. It’s not how she was when he left over the summer, at least, so I don’t think she’s back in her depression.

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Bound to Sebastian, dealing with James’s disappearance, and her mum’s kidnapping, she’d had a terrible couple of months. But selfishly, it was wonderful to have so much time with her: taking care of her, comforting her, holding her. Those months will always hold a special place in my heart. That’s when I truly fell for her. Hard. So bloody hard. I miss her. I miss her a lot, and I know I shouldn’t. We’ve cleared the air. I know her feelings for me. Maybe I should go for Juliet. Maybe it’ll help. I can’t imagine ever truly getting over Maya, but at least other people will think I’m trying.

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“Thanks.” I hesitate. “Have you talked to her?”

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I think I see him shake his head no as we head out of the bathroom and into the barracks. I grab my jacket off my bottom bunk, barely avoiding hitting my head again. Yes! I am getting better. I don’t miss the infirmary beds, but I do miss Maya’s couch. Sure, it wasn’t the most comfortable thing to sleep on, but being near her always brought peace…and a little anxiety, but mostly peace. And I didn’t have to sleep in a room full of two dozen men snoring and farting all night. This place constantly smells like something died in it.

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The battle last spring decimated Legion Headquarters, and as soon as we finished rebuilding it last month, all of us men returned. The new paint smell lasted maybe three days? Sure, we can go to the manor whenever, but it’s not quite the same. The returning commanders expected to go back to how things were when Lawrence was in charge—the matching system, the separation of men and woman, the hard rules, the secrets about the outside world. Well, it’s all out in the open now, and Wixx changed all that in her time as our leader anyway. It’s been this odd mesh of power struggles and liquid rules. Nobody knows what’s going on.

 

James releases a breath as I pull my jacket on. “No, I haven’t talked to her,” he says.

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For a second, I can’t remember what we were talking about. Right. Maya.

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“I’ve tried, but she wants nothing to do with me. I think breaking the bond affected her more than she’s letting on. I’m worried.”

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I follow him into the hallway. This will be my second official day back at training, since the doc refused to clear me until I was completely healed. I’m trying not to let the frustrations of blurry vision get to me. But it’s irksome, like trying to fight for the first time yesterday. It sucked, but today I have a plan.

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“What does Abby say?” I ask, trying to focus back on the conversation. I regret the words once they’re out. Abby has her own issues right now.

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“Well, when she’s not crying or curled in a ball not talking to anyone…not much.”

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I let that sink in. My heart goes out to Abby. She lost her mate in Seattle, and I haven’t seen her since. Well, if I could see. All I know is that she hasn’t left her room.

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“My mom says they both need time to heal. None of us knows the true repercussions of breaking a bond. So, it’s not like we have a what to expect guidebook for it. All I know is that Maya’s abilities are unaffected. I saw her training Cal the other day. She’s okay physically.”

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We step into a light drizzle, the chill of an October breeze wrapping around me. I pull my hood up. “And Abby?”

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“She hasn’t used her Terra abilities at all. Everything in her room is wilted. She won’t even try to grow anything. I don’t know. My mom didn’t lose her abilities when my dad left her or when he died, so we’re hopeful.”

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I don’t know if I knew that fact about them—that their dad left their mum. It’s quite taboo to leave your mate. “They didn’t break the bond?”

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“No. He didn’t want to put them through that, but…sometimes I feel like that would have been better. A clean cut. Nobody wants to be bonded to someone they don’t love. But I guess she eventually got it in his death.”

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He doesn’t sound like he likes his father very much, but I don’t ask. I think of Abby, my heart squeezing. She was only bonded to Trevor for two days. Her abilities can’t be gone. To James, I say, “Abby is strong. She’ll pull through.”

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He nods, but we walk in silence for a bit. Abby’s heartbreak is awful but expected after losing a mate. But Maya, she’s different. She didn’t want to be with Sebastian. “It was Maya’s idea, right? To break the bond?” I ask. Even if I had been there and heard Sebastian tell her he wanted to break the bond, I wouldn’t have believed it. That man was obsessed with her.

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He seems to understand my real question. Why would this effect Maya so much if this is what she wanted? “Yeah. But still. He was her mate,” he says.

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I cringe, remembering that awful moment I found them twined together in the bedroom doorway at Michael’s house. Sebastian was all over her. At the time, I thought he was forcing himself on her, but looking back, she was enjoying it. Bile rises. “I don’t know what she saw in him.”

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“Aren’t you his best friend or something?”

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I trip over an upturned root and swear. “Or something,” I murmur.

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My thoughts replay his apology before going into Seattle. Before going into the battle that cost me my vision. Sebastian was truly distraught over losing my friendship, and I played nicely at the time. Wanting to go into the battle with a clear mind, I told him I forgave him. Then he did prove his loyalty, almost dying to protect Maya and ultimately freeing her from the bond. I guess I don’t hate the guy anymore, but our friendship will never be the same.

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When we reach the training grounds, James nudges me. “Juliet is here,” he says suggestively.

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I imagine him wriggling his eyebrows at me as I look around, but I only see black blobs. If I squint, I think I see one with long white hair. She is beautiful, has a great body, and a super sweet personality. And she did nurse me back to health.

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I sigh. “Fine. But if I knock out, I blame you.”

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He shrugs. “That’s alright. I’m usually to blame.”

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I pause, placing my hand on his shoulder, but miss. I try again, and my hand lands on the scruff of his neck. I take it. “You’re a good guy, James.” I rub his neck for good measure.

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He shoves me away. “Get off. But thanks. Now go get her.” He grabs my shoulders and directs me toward the pretty blob with long hair, giving me a little push.