Free Guild of Truth 01 - Silent as the Grave by Mary K. Norris Page A

with similar powers or was every person different? The questions continued to grow when Collette confided in Felix that she found work at a company that used people like us. Felix wasn’t happy with this new discovery and exploitation. He stopped talking to Collette, and some months after that he received a call that she had discovered something amazing. It turns out Collette was the first one to discover Mirror Mates, though she didn’t call them that. That’s our own specialty term.” Sydney grinned. “Anyway, from what Felix has told us, Mirror Mates are a sort of soul mate with the added benefit that, once a certain bond is formed between them, they increase each other’s powers.”
    “Increase their powers how?”
    Sydney shrugged. “Not sure. When Collette found her Mirror Mate, her Illusions became corporeal. So far she’s the only one we know of who is what we term ‘full-forced.’”
    So that was it, the reason why Felix was so nice to her. He wanted to use her to increase his own power. Her heart sank, though she shouldn’t have been surprised. She’d yet to meet anyone who didn’t want her for some other purpose.
    No one wants you for you.
    “Are you okay?” Sydney peered up at her studiously.
    Cali instantly pasted a false smile on her face. She didn’t want Sydney to know how much Felix had inadvertently hurt her. And here she had started to actually like the bastard.
    Her anger grew, something she welcomed as it burned away the betrayal and hurt she felt.
    “I’m fine,” she lied. “So I take it Felix and Collette dated back in the day?” The bitter words burst from her lips before she could even process what she’d said.
    Sydney gave her a funny look. “No. Never. Felix refused to date her, which only added to Collette’s anger toward him.” She stopped abruptly as if there was more to the story but she didn’t want to divulge it.
    Fine.
    Cali didn’t want to hear it anyway.
    “I think I’m going to turn in for the night,” she said briskly. She started back toward the office.
    Sydney huffed behind her as she tried to catch up to her long strides. “Hold on there Cali. Why do I get the feeling I said something to upset you?”
    “I’m fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “It’s just a lot to take in.”
    “You don’t believe us? Niella Dreamed it. I know to you that still doesn’t make it a hard fact but I’m sure deep down you know it’s true. There has to be some kind of connection you feel toward Felix that can support what we’re telling you.”
    Her chest chose that moment to ache. Cali ignored it. “Goodnight, Sydney. Thanks. For everything.”
    Sydney came up short, unsure where she went wrong. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it just as quickly. She collected her things from around the office and made her way toward the exit. She paused at the door. “Goodnight. I’ll lock you in. See you tomorrow.”
    Cali sat quietly as she listened for Sydney’s retreating footsteps. A few moments after she heard the door close, a car started, no doubt Joel’s truck. He’d left it for Sydney because she no longer had a car. Thanks to Felix.
    Cali groaned and flopped back onto the futon.
    Why did she keep thinking about him?
    An annoyed squeak alerted Cali to the fact she was squeezing Gadget a little too tightly. She loosened her grip. “Sorry little buddy.”
    Lying there staring at the rodent did nothing to calm her turbulent emotions. She cursed Felix anew and set Gadget on the floor. It was all his fault that she was lying there restless while he was no doubt calm as could be in his home, busy thinking up his next plan of action to try to trick her into trusting him.
    She punched one of the futon pillows to try to mold it into a more comfortable shape. She wanted her own bed. She didn’t want to have to be on the run or hiding from some group she’d never even heard about before just because, for some reason, they were after her. She didn’t want any