Page 141 of Shadowface

I frown as she lays a bouquet of roses on my bed. At least I think they are roses. They are wilted, with the inside of the petals an inky black.

“They’re dead,” I point out.

Dani shrugs. “Yeah, they sure are.”

My heart skips a beat. “Fuck, Mikael,” I whisper. What kind of message is that?

I grab the card and read it.

I miss you, pretty girl. Please meet me tonight.

My insides tremble because I have no idea which one of them is speaking to me.

The pretty girl is all Mikael, but the pleasantries are all Lincoln. I don’t know who’s behind these words anymore.

I’m tempted—more than tempted—to meet him, at the very least, to right my wrongs with Misty. Then I remember those fragmented texts from the voice I didn’t recognize. Whoever he is, he’s drawing me out, and it’s working…

Dani squishes her brows together. “Summer, who is Mikael?”

My eyes shoot up to her. “Huh?”

“Mikael. You just said the name Mikael.”

Shit. Did I? Tears well up in my eyes.

I did say Mikael, not Lincoln. Mikael.

“So, is it this Mikael who has you looking like your dog died? Was Mikael the one sending you those creepy messages earlier this semester?”

I take a sip of my tea, the water scorching my tongue, which jolts me awake. “I didn’t mean to say that name.”

She blinks and stares at me. “But you did say that name.”

I frown at her and stop playing with one of the dead rose leaves that crumbles in my fingers when I touch it.

“Summer… Does he…does this Mikael have something to do with all of this?”

I shake my head a little too quickly. I need to be real careful with what I say next to not implicate him. Why I’m keeping his secrets is beyond me—and a testament to the darkness he sees in me.

“No. It’s just…complicated. He’s very complicated.” I must sound crazy to her right now. I sound crazy to myself.

She squeezes my hand, and it trembles. “You’d tell me if something was going on, right? I know your family has roots here; are you one of them?”

I try to take deep breaths and shake my head. “I’m not one of them, Dani, I promise.” I stare at my phone, shutting it, trying to avoid the conversation.

She shakes her head. “Here’s the thing…I don’t think I believe a fucking word you say anymore. If Misty dies and you know something, that makes you guilty. That makes you one of them.”

I know where Misty is.

I part my lips, but my words are heavy in my throat. It’s the right thing to do, the moral thing to do. Why the fuck can’t I do it?

My head hangs heavy, and she rises and heads to the door. “Alright, I was just checking on you. I’m heading out tonight. I know we’re not supposed to, but a few people are going to put some flyers up around town to find Misty. I figure we will be safe enough if we stay together. Want to come?”

She obviously senses my foul mood, and luckily, is not peppering me with questions, even though she knows me well enough to know I’m lying.

I shake my head. “No. I’m good. I’m going to stay in.” Although I know I’m not staying in. I need to end this.

Dani quietly shuts the door, leaving me alone again and reeling with my thoughts and my lack of a conscience. I’m coming to terms with who I am. Because I don’t care that Grant died, or that Mikael likely ripped him to shreds. I don’t overly care about Misty, either.