The Altered Rise by Megan Morgan

Author:Megan Morgan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clickworks Press
Published: 2022-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

014

The uniform did not feel strange, not even after the eight weeks she’d spent getting well enough to wear it again. Cameron twisted her hair into a knot in front of the mirror. And that looked right, too.

A Sentinel was the only thing she’d known how to be, once. It had become a way to find out why her friend had died in the Crescent Mountains. She had always known this path would cost her.

She knew the price was going to be high. Paying it just hadn’t been a question since the day Erika died.

Ethan looked up from making coffee when she entered the kitchen. He frowned, but passed her a cup, anyway.

“I made some eggs, if you want some.”

“Thank you, but I’m meeting Armel for breakfast. What are those?”

Ethan’s hands shuffled the papers on the countertop. Even when he wasn’t playing, his fingers were quick, light. She liked his hands. She liked him. He smiled, but there was something bitter in the upcurve of his lips.

“It’s the paperwork for renewing our lease. It isn’t due until next week, but it’s time to think about it.”

Cameron swallowed hot coffee. “If you have to think about it, then you already have your answer.”

He sighed and clutched his own mug. “I knew you would say that. I just didn’t think you would say it that way.”

“I don’t want to drag this out. If we’re done, then there’s nothing to discuss.”

Ethan put down his mug. He stepped closer to Cameron, wrapped his arms around her, and drew her into a fierce kiss. She yielded easily, could not stop herself from kissing him back.

At last his grip loosened. A moment before all she’d wanted was to pull him closer, and now it took all her self-control to stop from pushing him away. What was the point, if they were about to say goodbye? But she stayed, balanced between that glimpse of normalcy and what was right.

“Isn’t this worth at least a little fight?” he said.

“We’ve been fighting for weeks now. Have you changed your mind?”

“No.”

“I haven’t, either.” She stepped back from him. His grip loosened. “No matter what we feel, we can’t get past this.”

He turned away and smoothed out the papers. “I love you.”

Cameron swallowed again and bit her tongue. Anything else she said would hurt him. Finally, he brought his fist down hard on the counter.

“Damn it, Cam, just say it!”

“I can’t.”

“Go, then. If that’s it, then leave.”

It was easy, now that it was happening. She walked to the door and put on her boots. She didn’t look at him, but she felt his eyes on her.

“I’ve never really known what you were thinking, have I?” he said.

“Probably not.”

“Did you ever love me?”

Cameron’s stomach clenched. A little tendril of anger grew, coiled in her chest. “What the hell kind of question is that?”

“It would be nice to know, before you go, if this ever meant anything to you or if I was just a place to be when you were in town.”

“Do

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