Eternal Echoes, Emblem of Eternity Trilogy Book 2 by Angela Corbett

something outside her window last summer right before I left.” My fingernails dug into my hands as I remembered the platinum-eyed ethereal figure that had hovered outside the kitchen window. It had scared the crap out of me, and made Alex think the Daevos had found him. He broke up with me because of it. “I thought the figure outside the window was just Caleb and since it was nighttime, he seemed to be a shadow figure when Evie saw him,” Alex said, pausing to recall the memory. “When I asked Caleb about it in the cave last year, though, he didn’t confirm or deny it.”
    A shiver ran through me and I pulled my wrap snug around my shoulders. I wasn’t sure what I’d seen last July, but I knew it wasn’t human. I’m not a Daevos scholar, but I’m pretty sure the Daevos don’t have the ability to change shape and become somewhat transparent. The shadow figure with bright platinum eyes wasn’t Caleb.
    Alex sat on the edge of the chair across from me and met my eyes. “Can you tell me exactly what you saw last summer, Evie?”
    I pulled myself out of the memory and recounted what I’d seen. “It was hard to make out because it was dark outside and the window screen was in my way. I saw it dart from one side of the yard to the other. I thought it was probably a college student goofing off, running through the yard. But then, the figure was suddenly right in front of me on the other side of the screen, inches away. It was a black, human-shaped mass with bright platinum eyes, and it definitely wasn’t solid. It seemed to be floating in the air. I screamed for you,” I tilted my head to Alex, “and the figure backed slowly away. But it flashed a horrifying smile as it did, then the light from its eyes dimmed, and the figure disappeared.”
    As I finished, Emil’s lips were pulled tight in concern, and Alex seemed to be vacillating between worried and angry. “You didn’t tell me all of those details when it happened, Evie.”
    “Yeah, because you were already freaking out about the guy we’d seen in the park, and telling me I had to move to another country. I wasn’t giving you any more ammunition. You’re over-protective enough as it is. Plus, you seemed to have a lot on your mind when it happened. Gathering information before you act isn’t one of your strengths.”
    “Because actions are my job,” Alex said, his lips barely moving. “And I can’t do it right when I don’t have all the details.”
    “Well, you have them now,” I answered.
    Emil broke the tension. “Based on Evie’s description, the shadow figures tonight sound like they were similar to what she saw last summer, though we didn’t get close enough to see their eyes. How does Evie’s description relate to what the Protectors are seeing before Trackers are taken? Are they comparable?”
    Alex looked at me, nodding slowly. “The shadows vary in size and form, but yes, the description is similar to her experience.” A realization dawned. If I’d given Alex more details about what I’d seen, maybe the Protectors could have watched for the shadow figures and kept their Trackers safe. I blew out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Adding to my already guilty conscious wasn’t helping things. It didn’t make the truth go away, though. I might have helped save some Trackers if I hadn’t been keeping secrets. The thought gnawed at me as Alex kept talking. “The shadow figures are becoming more prominent and always prelude a Tracker being taken. However, it seems the shadows are being seen in other places around the world, too. We need to start watching for the figures, as well as watching for Daevos members in case the Daevos and shadows are connected.”
    “That would be easier if it wasn’t winter,” Emil pointed out. “Their vowmarks are the only way to tell if they’re Daevos members. The cold weather is the perfect excuse to wear long sleeves and coats so their vowmarks are covered.”
    Alex nodded in assent.