28. Elzora
28
ELZORA
“ W hat’s your plan for today, then, mo sholas ?” Ciar asks, tapping his fork gently against the ceramic of my mug to get my attention.
I put down the textbook I was reading as his question echoes inside my mind. I’ve been practically avoiding my dad for the last few days, after the chaos of the body-swap, and the breakdowns I’ve had around him… I just needed some time to pull myself together.
Omi and I have had sessions each day, excluding Monday, and I feel a lot more comfortable entering the state of animus bellatoris at will. I don’t think I’m anywhere near being an expert, but she’s impressed with my progress.
Plus, since I know that today is the only free day my dad has between now and the Royal Showcase… it’s time. Especially since there’s only just over a week before this event.
“It’s time for what, ZoZo?” Ryes asks before shovelling a forkful of scrambled eggs in his mouth. He’s reading something in the newspaper in front of him, not paying too much attention, and I feel privileged that my thoughts take priority over what he’s doing.
“I think it’s time I get prepped to figure out what the Royal Showcase entails and probably have that talk with my… with, um, Anomus about the, um…” I trail off, blushing as five extra pairs of eyes are pierced my way.
“Well, that blush is just truly adorable, isn’t it, Zo?” Ryes says, waggling his brows, as he drops his newspaper to eagerly nudge Zohar in the ribs. “I wonder what has such a look on your face, ZoZo.”
My face heats up even further, and I duck my head. “Stop it.” I drag out the ‘I’ sound, my mortification clear to hear in my tone.
“That’s the cutest whine I’ve ever heard from you, Ellie baby,” Mael teases. “Is it because you nearly acknowledged that he’s your dad in front of us?”
“Or is it the fact that you’re going to be asking him for talks about a super interesting prophecy where you have to fuck my brother?” Etrix asks, holding his own mug of tea in his hands, pinky finger out and all.
Oh, my days.
“That’s what the prophecy says?” I shriek, and Ciar quickly moves to steady me in my seat before I can fall to the floor.
“Stop teasing her,” Jasper snaps before smirking at me with his own brand of amusement. “Or at least get your facts straight before you do. Zoe’s called him dad before, haven’t you, sunflower?”
“Not outside her thoughts she hasn’t,” Ryes says, shaking his head.
“Oh, yes, she has,” Jasper teases, a knowing glint in his eyes.
Have I? When?
“Oh, no, she hasn’t,” I say, shaking my head. “Nuh-uh, not a chance, nope. He’s… he’d be…” I groan, dropping my head into my hands as the amusement in the room seems to grow.
“Why are you so embarrassed, princess?” Etrix asks curiously. “Your dad adores you, and I think he’d cry if you actually called him that to his face.”
“He loves you,” Ciar echoes, rubbing his hand up and down my back.
“And he’s not the worst person in the world,” Mael adds.
“It’s… new,” I mumble, letting my hands muffle all of my words. “And…”
“Scary,” Jasper says, and his tone is full of understanding. I look over at him, and he gives me a gentle smile. “Nobody is judging you, sunflower. You and your dad are finding your groove, and that’s all there is to it.”
“He loves you,” Zohar says. “And you love him. That’s all there is to it.”
“And I promise that no matter how stupid he is, I won’t kill him,” Mael teases, waggling his brows at me.
Etrix snorts. “As if you could, vermis lucens .”
“I think that this sounds like a good idea for today, though,” Jasper says, interjecting before the fighting can get worse. “They’re making plans that the rest of us know nothing about.”
“If you want to be involved, just interject yourself,” Zohar says reassuringly. “I can come with you, and we can figure out what’s happening.”
Jasper smirks. “Aw, are we going to hold hands and skip there like two best friends?”
Ciar, Etrix, and Mael burst into laughter, and Zohar just rolls his eyes.
“If you’re nearly finished, I’ll come with you, princess,” Etrix says. “I was meant to have a meeting with the lot of them, anyway, this morning.”
“Rather you than me,” Mael says, stretching his arms up above his head. I can’t help watching the way his body moves and flexes, and when he catches me looking, he smirks but doesn’t comment.
I think my blush is statement enough.
“Yeah, I’m done.” I send my books back to my room and move to the sink to wash my mug as they organise plans for the rest of them.
Interestingly, Zohar, Ryes, and Jasper have plans together. Ciar’s got an assignment, which leaves only my fire witch to find something to do today.
“It’s not his fault he’s a lazy fuck with no friends, ZoZo,” Ryes says, wrapping his arms around me. I shriek, not having heard him approach, and his chest rumbles at my back with his laughter.
“Who is lazy with no friends?” Mael demands.
I don’t even need to verbally answer since they all hear it from my thoughts, and I groan as the bickering starts. Ryes presses a featherlight kiss to my neck, and I whimper.
“Hm.” My air witch hums under his breath, the sound throaty and nice , as he does it again. I relax into his hold and gasp as he bites my neck.
“You make beautiful sounds, Ellie baby, but I’m interrupting to get my goodbye kiss,” Mael says. My eyes fly open at the proximity of his voice, and I’m startled to see him right by my side.
“Um…” I can’t even function to speak real words.
Mael smirks and leans in, brushing my hair out of my face before pressing his lips against mine. Ryes’s hands tighten around me as he presses in closer. The kiss with Mael is short but heated, and his usually amber eyes are lit up burnt orange.
It’s quite the compliment, knowing that his magicae is affected.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, brushing another kiss against my lips. Just as he begins to deepen it once more, he pulls away, sneering at Ryes. “And you are a cockblock.”
“A what?” I ask, moving out of Ryes’s way as he bends over laughing.
“A cockblock,” Mael repeats, shuddering as if in pain.
I don’t understand. Ryes is far too amused, and Mael’s anger is clear to see, his magicae from our connection brimming at the surface. It’s a testament to his restraint that he doesn’t unleash it.
If I felt that way, I think I’d have levelled the room by now.
“It’s like… someone who interrupts your moment,” Ciar says slowly, looking at Etrix for help. Not that he’ll get any, since the light prince is guffawing into his fist.
“What did he do?” I ask, confused by the look on Mael’s face. Did… was it because Ryes was standing there? Should I not have… should I?—
“Don’t let her go into a panic because of your wandering fucking hands,” Mael hisses, cupping himself through his trousers.
“Ryes decided to try and fondle Mael whilst the two of you were kissing.” Jasper’s laughter is clear to hear in his tone, but at least he’s answered the question.
I gasp. “Like… down there ?”
This time, their laughter is off the charts, and I rest back against the countertop, watching the genuine amusement from each of my men. My soul hums in contentment, my magicae settled and happy, as we just bask in the positive feelings.
It’s so comforting, so needed.
“We’ll strive to give you this every single day, dragonfly.”
I blow a kiss at Zohar before opening up a portal to the corridor outside my dad’s office. I tug lightly on my bond with Etrix, and he cocks a brow at me. “Are you coming, E?”
“He fucking wishes he was,” Ciar says, sending the rest of them into more laughter.
Etrix grins. “Let’s go, princess. I’m ready to get away from the perverts here.”
“Trust me,” Ryes sneers. “I’d not touch your dick if it was the only thing that would save me.”
“How would Etrix’s dick save you from anything?” Mael asks.
“Rumour has it that it’s too small to even help?—”
The words are cut off as the portal closes, and I miss whatever Ciar’s retort was.
“Just so you know,” Etrix murmurs, talking a slow step towards me. I back into the wall as he approaches, the energy surrounding him is electrifying, and I know if I let it, the current would drag me away.
“So I know?” My words are surprisingly breathless.
He smirks, caging me against the wall with his body. A hand presses into the wall, next to where my head is, the other one reaches up to trail the knuckle of his forefinger down my cheek.
The flutters in my tummy are second only to the goosebumps that are covering my skin. My eyes are wide, lips parted, as I look into his heady gaze.
“My cock is not small.” His words are quiet and filled with the promise of something . “And unlike your lovely little virgins back home, I need absolutely no guidance on how to look after you.”
I whimper, my heart beating so fast I’m scared to move. The intensity in Etrix’s face is exhilarating in all of the best ways. I don’t know how, but I can feel that my underwear is damp…
“Fuck, princess, you can’t think shit like that.” Etrix switches to our mental link as he presses our chests together. I can feel the heat coming off him, making me feel almost light-headed.
“Like what?”
His grin widens as he presses our foreheads together. “Like my presence being enough to make your pretty little pussy get wet for me.”
I gasp, and he takes the opportunity to kiss me, his tongue teasing mine, as he draws us together by my waist.
“Kissing you like this has been something I’ve only ever dreamed of. So perfect, so responsive, so fucking good.”
I moan into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck, as I try to get even closer to him. The air in the hallway is so warm, and I can feel my magicae pouring out of me, into my light witch.
“Yes, baby, like that,” Etrix coaches silently, and I copy the movements he’s doing with his tongue.
I need more. I want more.
But, of course, the door to my dad’s office opens, and I panic. I’m no longer standing next to Etrix within a blink of an eye, and I look to the doorway.
Thankfully, it was not my dad, but Vexus. He tugs the door shut behind him, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Don’t say a fucking word,” Etrix grunts.
My soul witch smirks. “I wasn’t going to. You look beautiful, Zoe, love. Ciar reached out and said that you were wanting to talk to the big man about everything?”
I sigh but nod. Under the watchful eyes of Etrix and Vexus, I smooth out my jumper and tug up my leggings. I silently cast a cleaning spell that helps me feel a little less… damp.
“Not a fucking word,” Etrix hisses, and despite Vexus’s amusement, he stays quiet.
I pull my hair out of the messy bun—well, it was a messy bun, after Etrix’s hands wandered, it’s now a messy… something or other—and run my hands through the clumps and tats.
“You look gorgeous, little love,” Vex says. “I’m going to go grab something to drink before we get started. Do you want anything?”
“A hot chocolate?” I ask, and he nods, disappearing from view.
“How did you get all the way over there?” Etrix asks, frowning. I shrug, and he laughs. “Come on, then, let’s go get this shit on the road.”
“Let’s do it.” I try to inject some bravery into my tone that I don’t really feel.
“You’re strong, you’re courageous, you’re brave,” Etrix says before pushing open the door to my dad’s office.
“Good morning, love,” Eirik calls, and I peek past Etrix to see him sitting in the arm chair around my dad’s coffee table. There’s another two chairs that have been brought in, as they weren’t here last time, and Necos is sitting on one.
“Good morning,” my professor echoes. “How did you sleep?”
“Um, well.” I wave awkwardly, not sure how to really engage, when my magicae is still so energised.
“That’s good,” Necos says, exchanging a look with Eirik. “Are you sure you feel ready to discuss this now?”
Necos’s bond is dulled, and I can’t really get a good read on him, but his aura flickers into sight. He’s concerned, nervous, and a little bit… aroused .
Eirik’s got similar emotions, but he’s not even trying to hide that he’s turned on.
The heat coming off my cheeks is enough to make my eyes water, and I’m terrified to look at my dad. Did he know? Could he feel it?
“I’m ready.” I try to portray confidence and calm, but watching Necos’s brows furrow doesn’t help. “Why do you ask?”
“We can feel the magicae pulsing through you, Elzora,” my dad says gently. “There’s a lot of it, and after the way things went the other day, we’re just a little concerned.”
“Oh.” I look behind me to where Etrix is helping himself to the snacks in my dad’s fridge. “I… I’m okay.”
It’s hard to be confident when faced with so much doubt.
“Come here, darling,” Eirik commands, holding his hand out for me to take. My steps are hesitant, my legs trembling, as my anxiety threatens to drag me under.
The instant we touch, I feel his magicae wrapping around me like a safety cocoon. Crisp air, freshly mown grass, dew drops, and the warmth of a spring morning. It’s lovely, and my magicae meets up to connect.
The surge of power causes a bright glow, and Eirik’s gaze is all too understanding.
“Give me some of that power, love,” Eirik says, his tone calm and soothing. I don’t hesitate, and the golden rune glows as it absorbs my offering.
“How about we go do something else first,” Etrix says.
“I think you’ll find my daughter doesn’t need to go anywhere with you, right now,” my dad says, and the mortification burns inside of me. “However, once Vexus is back, I think you and he could go somewhere together.”
“Of course, you pick him,” Etrix says with an eye roll.
“Well, he’s already given me his report, and you have not,” my dad says. “But also—you’re not a soul witch, so when the two of them go to the mental health unit, you’ll be useless.”
“Oh,” I say, turning around to look at him. “How did you know?—”
“Omi mentioned it the other day, and I think it’ll set the tone for our meeting,” he says softly. “But if you’d rather not, there’s other ways?—”
“No, I’d, I’d like to.” I pull away from Eirik, tugging on my bond with Vexus. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Like what?” Vexus asks, appearing in front of me with two mugs of hot chocolate. “What are we doing?”
“We’re going to visit the mental health unit,” I explain, taking one of the mugs from him gratefully. The warmth seeps into my hands, grounding me in a way that I need. “I think… I think it might help before we discuss everything else.”
Vexus’s gaze softens with understanding. “Of course, little love. That’s a wonderful idea.”
“I expect this debrief will take us an hour or so,” my dad says, nodding at me. “But don’t rush—I’m here all day.”
“Would you two like company for the walk over?” Eirik asks, but I shake my head.
“I think that this is something that I need to do with just Vex.” I look to my dad, not wanting to see if there’s any disappointment in Eirik’s gaze, and he beams with pride.
“Take all the time you need, darling, we’ll be here when you’re ready.”
The walk to the mental health unit is quiet but comfortable as Vex stays quiet to let me centre myself. The agony, the angst, the pain that I felt from this wing of the estate has been a niggle in my mind for days now.
I can help ease their pain, give them some light, do something worthwhile to the people who deserve it most.