Elysian by Addison Moore Read Free Book Online Page A

storm. It cleansed us from all of the sins, the grime, that summer brought. The war is over, and the world is new again. Now if only we could have the conclusion to the matter, know the resolution, we could go on with the rest of our lives comfortably and in peace. Per usual my mother holds all of the cards. She knows the future and yet holds back the details like secrets too rich to unveil at once. I want to shake her down, wrap my hands around her neck until she spits out exactly what I want to know and, oddly enough, it’s not regarding the faction war or anything to do with the sword of the Master. It has everything to do with my heart and where it lands—who I might destroy in the process. 
    Logan called and let me know Gage is home. They discharged him an hour ago. He’s just getting settled.
    I pull into the Oliver driveway, but it’s the Harrison house across the street that catches my attention.
    God. Ellis’s parents must be going insane right now. I’ll have to go over later and explain to them how their son landed in pieces and is currently under the mercy of Ezrina, a rogue Celestra who couldn’t care less if the Counts live or die.  
    But for now, Gage waits inside, and I’m not letting another second separate me from the boy I love—one of them anyway.
    I run up and give a brisk knock over the door.
    How is it possible to love more than one person? I mean really love—like reach into the pit of your soul, can’t survive without them kind of love. And how is it possible that Marshall has wrangled himself into this category as well?
    The door swings open, and Logan beams his magnificent smile.
    “I missed you,” he whispers wrapping his arms around me, dropping a quiet kiss on my forehead, but I don’t stop him. Last night brought us closer than we’ve been in a long time.
    “You just saw me two hours ago,” I smile up at him. Spending the night in Logan’s arms was pure bliss, a topic I’ll be sure to avoid once I see Gage.
    “Doesn’t matter,” Logan says, walking me through the entry. “You could leave the room, and I’d miss you.”
    I inspect him like this, his forlorn smile, the glimmer of pain locked in those sunset-colored eyes. His words are laced with far too much grief for this early hour, and it fills me with a sense of dread over what he might truly mean by I missed you .
    We head into the family room where Emma and Barron are seated with Giselle. I look across on the opposite couch, and there he is—Gage. He looks heartbreakingly gorgeous, his neck wrapped in white gauze as if he were simply wearing a turtleneck.
    “Gage!” I run over, and he rises to meet me. He circles his arms around my waist and peppers my face with kisses in a rather brazen, passionate show of affection.
    I never thought I’d see you again. He winces as he says it.
    “Are you OK?”
    “I’ve got a mean sore throat.” He presses out a dry smile, and his dimples explode as if they were greeting me all on their own.
    “Don’t talk,” I plead.
    “The doctor says its fine,” Emma says it stern, layered with attitude geared at yours truly, no doubt. “His vocal cords weren’t harmed.”
    “Chloe came by last night,” Gage whispers. His features harden when he says her name—as they should, she tried to kill him.
    “What?” I glance back at Emma and Barron, his self-imposed bodyguards.
    “I couldn’t sleep on that chair.” Emma shakes her head defensively. Her hair is spun up in its signature chignon, and her lips are smeared with that same orange cream she thinks suites her best.
    “I saw no danger.” Barron looks to Gage. “What happened?”
    “She rambled out an apology.” He pulls me onto the couch and continues to secure his arms around my waist as if we were still together. “She said something about saving Ellis and how she’s going to make things right for us,” he rasps. “That we’ll be together just like we were destined to be all along.”
    A huff of laughter