Out of the Shadows by Ashlee Nicole Bye

Author:Ashlee Nicole Bye [Bye, Ashlee Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dragons, fantasy, Fiction, paranormal, Romance, Urban, Young Adult
ISBN: 9780648107804
Google: yo7YtAEACAAJ
Amazon: B06W58K67L
Publisher: Moonwalker Press
Published: 2017-04-10T23:00:00+00:00

26

IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT. APPARENTLY.

Julian had noticed the sketchbook when moving Sachi’s bag the night before. He knew it would be beyond inappropriate to pry, but he had been unable to rid those drawings Mira had sent a few days earlier from his mind, and knowing now of Mira’s connection to Sachi, he was curious to know if she was the artist behind those sketches.

He was sitting on the couch, sketchbook in hand, still debating whether to look through it without Sachi’s permission when Cleo emerged from Moss’s bedroom, clearly having travelled to the ever-present shadows lurking within the cave-like room.

Julian’s head snapped up in alarm. ‘Christ, Cleo! You scared me half to death!’

She rolled her eyes. ‘You already died, cheri.’

‘And you are far too literal, my dear.’

‘What is that you’re holding?’ She approached the couch, curious eyes fixed on Sachi’s sketchbook.

Julian bit his lip, eyes darting to the side as guilt washed through him. ‘It is Sachi’s sketchbook. I’m unsure whether to look at it—it seems rather an invasion of her privacy.’

Cleo shrugged. ‘She already hates you, Julien, what more harm could this do?’

He nodded. ‘You have a point.’ Although, it seemed Sachi had mellowed somewhat since the previous night—somewhere in amongst the ifrit banishing, the Vampire Diaries marathon and the Thai food he had even glimpsed a few smiles sent his way. She had a lovely smile and he was loath to see it wiped from her face because of something he’d done. He tapped his fingers on the sketchbook’s black protective cover, still reluctant.

‘What is the significance of this anyway? Surely this is not mere curiosity about the girl?’

Julian frowned. ‘Of course not—I believe there could be something in here to enlighten us further on this whole mess with the lilin.’

‘The lilin?’ Her eyes widened in surprise.

Setting the sketchbook aside, Julian ran a hand over his face. ‘Of course—I’m so sorry, Cleo, everything’s happened so quickly, we’ve not yet had a chance to fill you in.’

‘What has happened?’

So he enlightened her on the events of the past few days, from receiving Mira’s email, to his conversation with her in London, to the ifrit attack, to Sachi finally agreeing to stay with them in the apartment. He did not mention Mira by name—not because Cleo couldn’t be trusted, but because Julian did not wish to burden her further with yet another secret.

‘So this informant of yours—you believe they are the one responsible for returning Sachi from the dead?’

‘I do. And I believe the contents of this sketchbook could confirm it.’

‘How so?’

‘The visions she mentioned…’—Julian shook his head slowly—‘it is mere conjecture, but I believe Sachi has them as well. And I think a visual person like Sachi would be far more likely to draw these visions than write them down.’

Cleo looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘What makes you believe Sachi has visions?’

‘The night you accessed her ether she was screaming in her sleep—we had to restrain her, she was thrashing around so badly.

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