Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera (best new books to read txt) 📗

“Sure thing, I’ll schedule that in after I go back in time.”

“Fantastic.” Wyatt digs inside his satchel and withdraws a mason jar containing a thick liquid I can only describe as red mud. “Here, good sir, is your Dayrose salve.”

I unscrew the top.

“Wait, don’t!”

But it’s too late. This Dayrose salve, whatever this is, doesn’t smell like any rose. I gag so hard, screwing the top back on immediately. The stench reminds me of this time that I cooked some veggie pasta for the family, but some of it got left in the pot while we were away for a few days, and it molded so bad that Brighton threw up on the kitchen floor upon smelling it. Wyatt lowers his headband to cover his mouth and nose before passing me an extra so I can do the same.

“Possibly the worst smell in the world,” Wyatt says. “I’d rather be around Nox when he’s having stomach issues and I promise that’s no garden stroll.”

My eyes are watering. “What the hell is Dayrose?”

“It’s a flower that smells quite lovely on its own, but you mix anything with a couple corpse flowers and you get that assault on your senses. The salve was created to heal phoenixes whose regenerative powers are on the slower side, such as the queen slayers. As much as those phoenixes viciously conquered dragons, they often returned from battle wounded.”

As tragic as the extinction of dragons is, I’m pretty relieved I don’t have to go up against any dragon specters.

“I must’ve missed every detail about Dayrose in all my studies.”

“That’s because it’s a trade secret. Halo Knight exclusive.” Wyatt sits on the windowsill, lifting his headband to breathe in some fresh air. “Though if we’re being honest, I believe there’s a future path where you become a Halo Knight. Certainly controversial since you’re a specter, but that won’t always be the case.”

Back when starting up community college was supposed to be the next phase of my life, I was excited to dive deeper into researching phoenixes. I believed working with Kirk at the museum was going to pair well with all my academic lessons. I thought there was a chance I could even take over the exhibit one day.

I never dared to dream about becoming a Halo Knight.

This would be an amazing opportunity for me. It’s not as if I can ever return to my normal life with people knowing me as Fire-Wing and Infinity Son. I could probably even be safe here and learn how to better protect phoenixkind. But there’s no way they would actually welcome me as one of their own.

“It’s a cute thought, but we both know that’s never going down.”

“What’s wrong with that? There are two ways to become a Halo Knight. The first is being born into it, a wonderful life hack I was privileged with. Or you can make significant contributions to phoenixkind. I’m not on the council, but between your gorgeous face and, oh, you know, retrocycling to find a potion that will banish the essences of fallen phoenixes from specters, you’re a shoo-in.”

Thankfully this headband around my face is hiding my blushed cheeks after Wyatt’s gorgeous comment. “The only problem is that my past life causing this is pretty unforgivable, right? Making me a Halo Knight now would be like giving someone a promotion for fixing their own massive screw-up. One that cost lives.”

“Well, our numbers are down, so we can’t be picky,” Wyatt says and I can tell that he’s smiling behind his headband. “Truly, Emil, you have the heart for this. If you can create this potion and get rid of your powers, you are well on the way to joining us. I would mentor the holy blazes out of you.”

He’s staring at me so damn lustfully that I need some air.

I hold up the Dayrose salve. “Should we go outside? I don’t want to stink up the room.”

“Wise man.”

Every step getting to the courtyard hurts. I spot Nox resting in the moonlight, a favorite pastime of his apparently. This idea of me becoming a Halo Knight is the first time I’ve been excited in a minute. I’d get to work more closely with phoenixes, but I wonder if I’ll get to bond with one or if they’ll all sense the dead gray sun’s essence that has been in my blood for three lifetimes.

We pass the front gate of the castle because Wyatt says the phoenixes don’t respond well to the Dayrose salve’s stench either. I’m truly not looking forward to smelling like this for stars know how long. We sit close to the drawbridge, the sounds of the river flowing calming me. I suck in one last deep breath of fresh air before reopening the mason jar. The smell is so intense I cough and cough against the headband.

“Do you have any spray inside that handy satchel of yours?”

“Afraid not. We’re going to have to soldier through this one.” Wyatt steps closer to me. “Will you do me the great privilege of helping you apply it?”

The flashback returns of Ness helping me in the art supplies room—of Ness touching me.

“I got it,” I say.

“Be generous to yourself.”

I scoop out enough salve to cake my fingers. I almost lift my shirt, but Wyatt’s blue eyes are on me and I don’t want him to see my bare body. I turn my back and lift my shirt, applying the salve across all my scars. I spread the most over my stomach since the wound from Luna’s stabbing has been pulsing with pain. In seconds, something icy activates within the salve.

“Please tell me I don’t have to keep this on all night,” I say as I turn back around to Wyatt.

He doesn’t answer. He’s staring at me like I’m some work of art, which is ridiculous. “Believe it or not, love, but as forward as I have been with you I have been holding back some. I’m desperate to tell you how