Glass Reality | Book One

Chapter XX

Grim appears beside me as I am staring numbly out a window. My hand is touching the glass, watching each snowflake as they gently fall to the ground. We are up high, probably in an apartment building somewhere. After I had gotten over the clown and everything else, I had decided to snoop around. I was surprised to find out that Grim lived in an apartment above a brilliant city. People walk like ants below me.

I've probably been sitting cross-legged before the window for ten minutes, my breath constantly fogging up the glass. I cannot help it. It's so beautiful to see the twinkling lights in the skyscrapers in front of me and the snowflakes all mixed together.

It took me a while to actually find the window, though. It was hidden behind a curtain, right next to a dresser. It was as if Grim tried to cover it up.

"It's beautiful," I whisper more to myself than Grim. He stands above me, his shadow ominously hanging over me. I tilt my face to look up at him. Seeing the snowflakes eased my anxiety. It also helped me prepare for the crapload of information Grim is about to dump on me.

Honestly, I'm horrified to hear what he has to say. Being called 'the branded girl' and something about 'mark of death' just doesn't seem exactly relieving. Especially to a high school girl who doesn't fully understand how the world works.

Yet somehow, deep down, I know exactly how it works. We, humans, are like guinea pigs, living in a cage with people controlling us. My parents didn't make me, I was chosen to be made. My parents didn't die by an accident...Grim killed them.

I realized that after he left me for the second time. He said he controlled who lived and died...so my parents...the monster killed them. A new hate formed in my chest, wrapping protectively around my heart. The hate in my chest will hopefully keep me from hurting even more than I am now. I was betrayed by Grim countless times and lied to over and over by people who thought they knew the in and outs of the Earth.

We humans are worthless little varmints compared to Grim and the other immortals.

"I suppose you have questions," Grim folds his arms across his chest, making him look three times bigger. I would be intimidated if I didn't think Grim would ever hurt me. He's had his chance countless times, and he hasn't done anything. But that doesn't mean I don't hate him any less. All I have to do is get my answers and then I'll be fine. I can kiss him goodbye and hopefully find someone who I can trust.

"You know I do," I stand up beside him. Grim's eyes meet mine in moments. "So where do we start?"

"With you showing me that birthmark of yours," his eyes lock on my chest. My skin prickles underneath his obvious stare.

"Right now?" I ask weakly.

"Right now." He nods. I shake my head stubbornly. 

Grim groans before in two short seconds, his hands are caging me into the window and keeping me against his body. His leg comes between my legs, keeping me frozen. The frozen January air outside sinks its teeth into my shoulder, making me freeze. "You have nothing to worry about, Cassie," his voice is soft against my ear. "I won't judge you."

My breath comes out in short bursts, but I eventually tug my shirt down a little. The tip of my bra shows as I reveal the ugly branches stretching across my chest. Grim looks down, and immediately sucks in a breath.

My eyes lock on the skull necklace on his neck, its eyes glowing very dimly. It stares at me as if looking right into my soul, the green power glowing slightly as my eyes connect with its black-shadowed eyes.

"It's beautiful," Grim's reply is slow as if scared of my reaction. I just tense a little. I expected him to growl in disgust or actually push me out the window. I didn't expect him to say that. Seconds after he speaks, his hand is placed on the tree. I'm unprepared for his hand to start tracing the branches, his warm fingers soft against my fragile collarbone area.