King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

*Adrik ”

Sephie stood on her toes and whispered, “I’m gonna go take my contacts out for like ten minutes. I really need to rub my eyes for a few minutes where nobody can see me. I’ll be fine. You stay. I’ll be right back. Promise,” she said. She kissed my cheek, but was already heading toward the bedroom before I could protest.

I noticed Ivan catch her eye before she turned down the hallway. She made a motion like she wanted to rub her eyes, so he understood what she was going to do. He stayed with the rest of us, but it was obvious he had wanted to follow her just as I did.

I continued the conversation with Vitaliy and Trino, but kept an eye on the hallway, waiting for her to return. I glanced at my watch every few minutes. She said she needed ten minutes, so I wasn’t going to worry until ten minutes had passed.

When she didn’t come back after ten minutes, I started to worry. I caught Ivan’s eye. He was also starting to worry. Vitaliy, completely oblivious to my growing unease, called Ivan over to ask him a few questions.

Twenty minutes had passed and we still hadn’t seen Sephie come back. Vitaliy and Trino were still in deep discussion, but I couldn’t think about anything but Sephie. I knew her eyes were bothering her, but I didn’t think it would take her this long.

After thirty minutes, I sent Ivan to go check on her. He was gone for just a minute before he reappeared in the hallway, indicating that I needed to come with him. I excused myself quickly and followed him back to the bedroom.

Sephie was sitting on the end of the bed, completely awake, but completely zoned out. She’d taken her contacts out, like she said. We could tell because her eyes couldn’t pick a color to stick to.

“I tried to snap her out of it when I came back here a minute ago, but she didn’t respond,” Ivan said. “I’ve never seen her like this before.”

I put my hands on her shoulders, talking to her, trying to get her to respond. She just stared blankly ahead. For twenty more minutes, she was completely nonresponsive. I couldn’t get through to her. Ivan couldn’t get through to her. We knew something was happening, because her eyes never stopped changing, but we had no clue what was happening.

“Should we call Andrei or Misha? Maybe one of them can figure out what the he ll is going on,” Ivan said.

“They still don’t know about her eyes, I’m liking keeping that a secret a little too much right now. I will if I have to, but not yet,” I said. I knelt down) in front of her, my hands still on her shoulders. “Sephie? Sephie, love. I need you to wake up. Please wake up. Please come back to me,” I was really starting to get worried. She’d never been this unresponsive before. “She’s not responding. She’s never zoned out this completely before. I don’t know

what to do.”

don’t feel anything bad, at least, but I don’t feel anything good, either,” Ivan

a blank stare, but at

I said. I was almost desperate to hear her voice.

rubbed her eyes again, saying, “I’m okay. I’m sorry. She’s sorry, too. She said it’ll never happen again.” She finally pulled her hands away from her eyes, but it still took her a few seconds to focus on us both

few seconds to realize what she’d said. I stood up, feeling my anger coming on strongly. I glanced at Ivan, who was clearly bristled as

before. I didn’t even know it could happen,” she said. “I’m very sorry I worried you both.” She reached up and placed a hand against each

Did you zone out?” I asked. She

one is gonna be hard to believe. Your mother and I had

that possible?” I asked.

1

looked up, she was standing in front of me, as clear as you two are now. I heard her voice the other day, but this time I could see her,” she said. She turned to look at me, smiling

heard her voice? When?” Ivan asked.

also always known that he would find all of you, as well. She told Vitaliy so. She wanted me to tell him that

is the kind of petty passive-aggressive behavior that I will live for as a ghost,” Ivan said, laughing.

I think the rest of it is for Vitaliy only,” she said, smacking his

her arm to keep her from smacking him again. He spun her around, facing away from him and holding her arms so she couldn’t smack him anymore, wrapping her up in a bear hug, obviously relieved she was okay. It gave me a chance

me. And she also made me promise that I would tell Vitaliy that he’s a cheeseball,” she said, still

but I was still a little taken aback by what had happened. I could tell that Sephie was holding back, but I knew she was waiting until we

princess. You had us worried,” Ivan said, finally letting her go.