The Reverence of One: Book Three of the Shadow Series by J.M. Pierce Read Free Book Online

how much this girl reminded her of her son.
    “Anyway,” Lauren continued, “the rest is history and here we are.”
    Test turned away from the window and sat back in the chair by the fireplace. He thought for a moment, and then asked, “So, why didn’t they come after me in Lincoln ?”
    Lauren walked firmly across the hard wood floors , her steps echoing in the room, and regained her seat on the couch. “I don’t know,” she replied. “ With you as public as you were, and with all of the military involvement, my guess is that they let you go in hopes that eventually you would do something stupid. ” She grinned. “Which you did.”
    Test dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “So they waited for me to hide, and then waited for me to lose it?”
    “Pretty much, that’s my guess,” replied Lauren. “Most Shadows are cursed with a lack of self-control . I t kinda comes with the package.”
    From her chair, Maggi e began to laugh. The sound of it cut through the heaviness of the room like a wrecking ball through a brick wall.
    “What’s so funny, Mom,” asked Test.
    “Nothing, honey, nothing at all.” She leaned back in her seat and rolled her head towards Alyssa.
    Through all of it, Lauren’s speech and Maggie’s laughter, Alyssa remained motionless in her chair and stared blankly at the fire.
    With a smile still on her face, Maggie asked Alyssa, “You alright, hon?”
    Alyssa shifted her eyes from the fire and rested her gaze upon Test. “How is this all going to end? I mean,” she paused, choosing her words carefully, “I thought that all of this was over. I thought that even though, I’m…” she choked. “I thought that even though I’m not—alive —that we could settle down and be at peace.”
    Lauren let out a ‘humpf’ sound . “That’s what you get for thinkin’”
    “Shut the fuck up, Lauren,” shouted Test as he jumped from his chair.
    An immediate shockwave of energy shot towards Lauren, causing the coffee table in front of her to slide into her legs. She quickly stood.
    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she yelled with her palms held up towards Test. She turned to Alyssa. “I’m sorry, seriously I am. I’ve lived by myself long enough now where I think the filter between my brain and my mouth is broken.” She held a faint smile on her lips, hoping that she would see it reflected back to her on any of their faces. Seeing that her hopes wouldn’t come to fruition, she continued to speak as she pushed the coffee table away from her legs. “Look you guys, the fact is that none of us can know how this is going to end, least of all me. I’m truly sorry for what happened to you, Alyssa. Unfortunately those closest to a Shadow tend to get the short end of the stick.” Her eyes dropped to the floor.
    Test then remembered the story Cliff had told him about Lauren’s brother. She’d already lived everything and more that Test was going through. He let his anger fade and took a deep breath. He tilted his head from side to side, stretching his neck in another attempt to relax himself.
    “Look, we’re all in this together,” he said and the n glanced to Alyssa, “none of us by choice. Lauren knows things that none of us do. She can help me stay alive.”
    As soon as the word ‘alive’ left his mouth, an enormous wave of guilt washed over him as he saw Alyssa fade from view.
    “Alyssa!” Test shouted, but she was gone.
    “She’s gone, Test,” said Maggie in a loud voice as she stood from her chair. “Let her go. I think she just needs some time alone.”
    The guilt within him was crushing, and any thought of saving himself to ok a back sea t to somehow comforting Alyssa.
    Lauren pushed the coffee table away from her a short distance more . With a shaking voice, she spoke. “I know I come off as a heartless bitch, Mrs. Davis, but the truth is that I want to make things right. I’ve lived most of my life as a Reaper; I honestly couldn’t say how many