Glow by Anya Monroe Read Free Book Online

my eyes. I want to read deeper, farther into them, but that’s a foolish thing to do right now. Right now I’ve got to find Perfection.
    “I’ll come back, trust me.” I put my hands firmly on her shoulders.
    “I don’t trust people, Charlie,” she says, sadly.
    “Then I promise you. I promise I will come back.” I lean over and kiss her cheek, even though I want to kiss more, kiss all of her.
    But I don’t.
    She can decide what happens next.
     

15.
     
    Lucy
     
    The morning passes quickly. Everyone’s been looking at Lukas with a different sort of reverence. One that annoys me. I liked being the only person who saw Lukas for who he really is. But now everyone sees him as special, important, a gift.
    Maybe this was all a mistake.
    Before I left Lukas, before I jumped off the ledge, I thought everything was always going to make sense because I was doing it all with Lukas, the person I professed to love . But he doesn’t feel like the person I am in love with right now. He feels distant.
    I don’t like the idea of his light changing color when he’s stressed. Even the fact that he can make fire, as awe inducing as it is, is terrifying. There are parts of Lukas I don’t know, don’t understand. Like the fact that when he loses his light, I am the only one who can save him.
    It’s a lot of pressure and takes away all my choices.
    “Want to look for mushrooms?” Junie asks. “We need some more food and Colton says he saw some when he was out hunting this morning.”
    “Can I come?” Timid asks.
    “Of course, sweet pea. You coming, Lucy?”
    “I’m going to stay in here. I just….”
    “No need to explain. There’s been a lot going on.”
    “Do you think Charlie is going to find Perfection?” Timid asks me.
    “I do. Charlie knows this land better than anyone else.”
    “We could all go, you know, Lucy. We could all just go to The Light. That’s where she’s going,” Timid says, taking Junie’s hand.
    “I know, but I’m not ready.” I turn away from them, see them cast glances at one another out of the corner of my eye. I feel this huge divide. It’s crazy how things change, and how fast. Just days ago Timid was hand in hand with me, leaving The Light. And now it’s the only thing anyone wants to run back to.
    Everyone is so quick to forget, and walk right back into the belly of the beast. They killed my mother. I don’t want to be near any of those Councilmen, or Humblemen. The idea makes me gag.
    I watch them leave to forage in the woods, wishing knowing what to do about Lukas and The Light was as simple as going out and looking.
     
     

16.
     
    Lukas
     
    She stands at the edge of the ash, where the tree once stood. Green light pours from her arms, the ground she stands on radiates. She radiates.
    “Lucy,” I say, knowing in my gut I came at our situation all wrong last night. Telling her of our destiny, our future. She wasn’t ready or willing to hear it, but maybe now she is.
    “What is it?” she asks, not turning to look at me, instead staring at the flecks of charred wood on the ground.
    “I want to talk about last night. I get the impression you’re scared to talk to me, or even be next to me. If it’s about Perfection--”
    “It is not about Perfection,” Lucy says sharply, cutting me off.
    “Then what is it?”
    She turns, and holds out her hands. A gesture I wasn’t expecting, but I take them in mine, and our cocoon returns. A place that feels safe to speak in. A place I never want to leave.
    “Lukas, choosing to go back to The Light would feel as though I condoned what they did to my mother. What they did to my friends. I can’t support them.”
    “Integrity gave me his journal. It has all these notes, about The Light, about you--”
    She holds her hand up, stopping me. “What did he say about me?”
    “He told me he knew about you, about your light….”
    “Did you stop for a moment and think about the possibility that he’s playing you? Of course he