Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera (new books to read .TXT) 📕

I get up to shake his hand, hiding my amusement when he steps back. The Senator assures Russell that he’s safe and reminds him that Jax is right outside should anything happen. It’s so pathetic watching Russell put on a brave face to impress the Senator when I remember how many years I was guilty of that same crime.

I want to believe that people can stop falling for obvious lies, but the truth is that some of them aren’t even being fooled.

“Hello,” Russell greets awkwardly as he settles in across from me.

The first time I met celestials as a kid I was tense like this too, swearing that someone might melt my insides with a single stare or control my mind to commit crimes. I truly believed that people with powers were all dangerous and that the laws so many worked hard to put in place were to protect people like me. It took too long to figure out that this wasn’t ever about security and always about dominating.

“Thanks for taking the time,” I say, programmed from my days with the media.

Russell nods and signals for Roslyn to begin filming. I’m sure he’s eager to move on to Carolina, who can’t hurt him. He turns to the camera with his chest proud, body language as big of a liar as he is. “Today’s interviews are being filmed from a discreet location to protect the whereabouts of my guests. First up as you’ll see here is Eva Nafisi, who was brought to our attention last month when she was featured in Brighton Rey’s series about the Spell Walkers. But lately she has had a change of heart. What inspired this, Eva?”

“The Spell Walkers are crumbling,” I say, and it’s one of the honest things that will come out of my mouth—Eva’s mouth—in a web of lies. “There have been struggles for leadership, and secrets kept from one another, even a really big one from my girlfriend. Some trust can’t be healed.” I take the pause that Roslyn wrote in for me even though any Intro to Acting class will often encourage you to ignore the descriptions, but the only way I’m going to survive is to play by all their rules. “The Spell Walkers are my family. They took me in when I was running for my life, but I’m tired of being a target.”

“Who’s targeting you?”

“Gang leaders and alchemists have always wanted to make good use of my healing power. But I was recently taken hostage by the Blood Casters. A former best friend of mine, Dione, hurt me and forced me to use my power to save horrible people.” I take a deep breath, knowing the lies that come next. “Then I was saved by enforcers. They weren’t able to detain Dione, but they arrested some acolytes and have kept me somewhere safe for the past three days.”

There’s nothing about this statement that will draw any immediate attention. Nothing too specific about the incident and no details shared about the acolytes’ identities or the prisons they would’ve been sent to if these were real accounts. I’m counting on Iris and the Spell Walkers to know better and dig deeper than everyone else who will accept this as fact.

“Have you reached out to anyone?” Russell asks.

I shake my head. “I tried reaching out to Iris, but she’d already vacated the hospital. It might be for the best until this all blows over. I love Iris, but I’m starting to question if we fit as well as this T-shirt her mother bought her. She leads people into battle with her powerhouse strength, and I’m this pacifist who heals them all after. I think I need to find my own way.”

“What will you do?”

“I plan on donating some blood to a medical center I can’t name. If I can help create some breakthroughs to heal patients with my blood, I’ll be a hero in a way that’s more me.”

“It’s certainly better than healing terrorists,” Russell says with the most aggression in his voice of this entire interview. That line wasn’t scripted. I choke on a response and ultimately say nothing. He grins. “Thank you for your time, Eva.”

“Cut,” Roslyn says. “Wonderful job, you two. Russell, we’ll need a few moments to escort Ms. Nafisi out of here and bring in Mrs. Rey, but I believe the senator is wanting to show you his personal office.”

Russell’s trying so hard to hold back his smile and play it cool. No matter how much I hate it, the Senator is a hero to many. The Russells of the world are so ready to vote him into office. It makes me sick.

Once they walk out, I glow in gray light and become myself again. “That comment wasn’t preapproved.”

“Not to you,” Roslyn says. “I asked Russell to sneak that one in. Who doesn’t love a little improv?”

If she were my friend or anyone I was even one-thousandth interested in getting to know, I would share that improv was my least favorite part about acting, no matter how useful it’s been to adapt to all situations as a specter with infinite faces. My instinct to not say anything when Russell challenged me seems to have played right into Roslyn’s hopes. They’ll now be able to broadcast Eva’s guilty expression as she didn’t negate the Spell Walkers being terrorists.

“Get dressed,” Roslyn says.

Gray light washes over me again. Dark hair with gray streaks, kind eyes, arms that lovingly hugged Eva, hands that were once used to nurture the best person I’ve ever met. One look in the camera and I’m so perfectly Carolina Rey that even she would confuse me for her reflection.

I hate the words they’re going to make me say.

A few minutes later, the Senator and Russell return. The Silver Star Slayer definitely has on his big boy pants this time as he mistakes me for a powerless mother. He doesn’t look me in the eye as he shakes my hand and I’m tempted to snap his