Chapter 19 Elodie
NINETEEN
ELODIE
“Are you sure this is what you saw?”
I glance at Ocean with a slight wince, tightening my lips as I tuck a loose curl behind my ear.
“No, but I’m confident enough to commit to looking,” I offer, unable to lie, but ever since Professor Grimm’s class this morning, I haven’t been able to get the visual out of my mind, and this is the only place I can think about.
“That’s fair. At least you’re honest,” she murmurs as we stand side by side, staring at the rows and rows of bookcases in the library.
I never visited the library back home; I didn’t even know where it was. Not the one at school, and definitely not the one in town. Yet I’ve been here for two afternoons running. I should get a trophy for that revelation alone.
There’s still no hope blossoming in my chest. I might be here in search of something else today, but my chances of finding it are just as slim, if not worse.
When I bumped into the same assistant at the entrance, she had no direction to offer us.
Apparently, there are no books on The Institute Games in here, but I know what I saw in my vision and I refuse to accept that as an answer until I’ve seen for myself.
“Okay, we’ve got this,” Ocean declares, standing taller as she plants her hands on her hips. “You start looking, I’ll get the drinks to keep us going,” she offers, and my eyes widen with delight.
“Deal,” I agree, and she darts for the door a moment later.
Hopefully, by the time she gets back, I’ll have found what I’m looking for.
Since the library assistant was adamant that there was nowhere for me to look in here, I decide to move to the left of the entryway and start there. I’ll do five laps of the damn place if I have to in order to find a resemblance to what Professor Grimm’s thoughts offered.
Shaking my blazer off, I drape it over the back of the closest chair before turning my attention to the first block of books.
I scan every single shelf desperately, but when I reach the final book, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.
Grumbling with disappointment, I follow the exterior wall lined with shelves, moving into a small alcove before turning to the left, where the books continue.
Frustrated, I sigh, rolling my neck from side to side as I try to keep my irritation at bay. Shaking my head, I take a deep breath and follow the curve of the room around, and my gaze lands on the panel of books at the far side.
My pulse quickens as adrenaline courses through my veins, tingling with excitement as I blink, but even after the third clench of my eyelids, the books remain in place, and I’m sure they’re what I’m looking for.
Giddy, I rush toward the shelves in question, rising on my tiptoes, but I fall a few inches too short.
Dammit. Brushing my hair back off my face, I glare at the offending height of the shelf I need, silently wishing I could make it come to me, but that doesn’t seem to be one of the benefits my supernatural skills come with.
With a pout on my lips, I glance around the space in hopes of finding something of use.
There aren’t any tables or chairs around here, but I can hurry back for the one I claimed at the beginning.
My mind is made up, but I only take two steps before I pause, spying the familiar wooden legs of a set of ladders, only these ones are attached to the bookcase.
Hurrying toward the aid, I find they don’t move at first, but I quickly realize they’re locked in place. Flicking the latch, I almost squeal when they glide in the direction I want. I’m so excited to reach the shelf I need, I don’t even bother locking them in place as I hike up the few steps.
With the shelf in complete eye view, I beam with excitement when I read the golden-etched spines;
The Institute Games: Year One.
The Institute Games: Fifth Anniversary.
The Institute Games: Tenth Anniversary.
The Institute Games: Twentieth Anniversary.
The Institute Games: Forty-Fifth Anniversary.
Holy crap.
They’re the exact match from the vision. Beaming with delight, I opt to take the earliest dated book and the last two for comparison. With them secured in my grasp, I hold on to the ladder, steadying myself before I start to descend, when a breath at my ankle makes me freeze.
“As much as I appreciate this view, we need to go.”
Fear ripples through my body as I gasp, tilting my head to gape down at the infuriating vampire that forever drives me insane.
“What the hell, Kael? Don’t fucking do that,” I blurt, watching as he frowns at me like I’m the crazy one.
“Do what?”
“Make me jump,” I grumble, still trembling from the surprise, and my heart rate only spikes when he curls his fingers around my ankle, dragging his thumb gently over my skin.
“Cute, but seriously, let’s go, you can reprimand me on the way,” he states, pointing his free hand over his shoulder, unfazed by the fact that I’m glowering at him.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I insist, shaking my head at him, and he sighs.
“Fine, you can bring the books with you.” It’s not an offer, it’s a command, but it’s one I’m not interested in adhering to.
“No, thanks,” I sing, faking a smile as I shake my ankle, loosening his grasp as I hurry down the rungs. He doesn’t move when I reach the floor; if anything, he crowds me more, so we’re toe to toe, staring off with one another.
This stance is becoming all too familiar with him. Anyone would think he likes my resilience.
“It’s not for me,” he mutters, scrubbing at the back of his neck, and my fingers twitch, the sudden need to run my hand through his hair burning inside of me.
I fight against it, clearing my throat as I shake my head. “It’s still a no.”
“It’s Rion,” he admits, and my chest instantly tenses, but I force myself to swallow it back as I shrug my shoulders.
“He’s a big boy. He can handle himself.” Then why is my heart thundering in my chest?
“Mostly, sure. Today? Definitely not,” he grunts, sending a wave of goosebumps over my skin.
“Why?” I breathe, betraying the front I’m trying to put on.
He takes a step back, curling his finger at me. “Come with me and you’ll see.”
I scoff. “If you’re not going to tell me, I’m happy to decline. I have enough of my own shit going on,” I say with a huff, refusing to play whatever game this is with him.
Before I can even register what’s happening, he eliminates the small distance between us, snatching the books from my grasp as I gape at him.
“Hey,” I grumble, quickly trying to gather them back from him, but I pause the moment his stormy eyes burn into mine.
“He has his first solitary training session with Drayker.”
My irritation, the uncertainty, and the gnawing at the back of my mind all melt away as I nod. “Lead the way.”
My blazer is barely on as I tap out a quick text to Ocean.
Elodie: Rion needs me. I found the books. They’re hiding in the little alcove to the left. If you can’t grab them, no problem, I’ll get them later. Sorry to disappear! Hold a ceremony for my lost drink while I cry for it.
I’m already mourning the sweet deliciousness I won’t get to consume now, and it’s all his fault.
I glare at the vampire who manages to stay two steps ahead of me despite my hurried footsteps.
Deep down, I know it’s not his fault, but he’s the one here for me to aim my frustration at, so he’s just going to have to deal with it.
Despite my agitation with the man in question, I quicken my pace to keep up with him, desperate to get to Rion just as quickly as he is. Although there’s a thought that keeps niggling at the back of my mind.
“Why am I needed?” I blurt out, earning an instant, pointed look from Kael. His steps slow slightly so he can walk beside me instead of me chasing after him. I wonder if he notices.
“We both know why,” he finally mutters, shaking the lapels of his blazer as he keeps his gaze fixed ahead, and my eyebrows rise.
“Do we?”
He sighs, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. “He likes you.”
“Well, duh. I’m fabulous,” I tease, tossing my purple hair over my shoulder for extra measure, and he snickers, but the humor is nonexistent.
“Of course. Nothing to do with the sweet taste of your pussy at all then,” he states, leaving my jaw to fall slack, but I quickly gather myself and roll my eyes at him.
I aim a finger his way, but my retort doesn’t come as he sighs.
“Rion’s connection with Professor Drayker is…
complicated, to say the least, but the balance completely shifted when you arrived,” he explains, making my chest squeeze with emotions I can’t decipher.
“Why?”
He stops, turning to face me head-on with his brows furrowed. “Did you miss the part where I explained he likes you and that pretty pink pussy of yours?”
“You think my pussy is pretty, huh?” I clap back, my tongue moving before my brain can catch up, and I feel my cheeks heat as he gives me another pointed look before turning to carry on walking.
I keep at his pace as he drags a hand down his face, and I try to focus on the matter at hand, even though all of this talk about my pussy has her coming to life.
Needy bitch.
Clearing my throat, I shake my head. “Isn’t she his guardian?” I mutter, and he scoffs.
“She was.”
Was? “Who is now?”
Another glance from those ridiculously intoxicating green eyes. “Me.”
My eyes widen in surprise. “Wow, you’re gaining some real responsibility here,” I joke, stilted on what else I’m supposed to say when I can’t wrap my head around why he would do that.
I don’t truly know what the responsibilities entail, all I know is he likes to think he can boss me around, but we both know that’s not true.
Even more than that, it says something for Rion to ask that of him.
All I get from the grumpy vampire is another head shake.
Taking a deep breath, I try again. “Why isn’t she his guardian anymore?”
“You’re not asking the right questions,” he bites, a tick rippling at his jaw, and my lips purse as my pulse flutters.
“Then tell me what I should be asking,” I breathe, and his hands ball into fists.
“Her being his guardian was never the issue,” he grunts. “If anything, she was great at it; she’d been doing it long enough,” he rattles off, pressing his fingertips into his temples. “But she knew him better than anyone, and that’s not from being his guardian.”
My stomach rolls as his eyes find mine and I know what he’s not saying immediately, but I need to hear it. I need to know I’m not coming up with my own conclusions. “Say it.”
“Ask it,” he retorts quickly, and my breath catches in my throat.
“I can’t,” I croak, struggling to swallow past the lump forming.
He stops, hands on my shoulders as he stares deep into my eyes, as if he’s trying to steady me before he speaks, but nothing prepares me for the words that part his lips. “Until you arrived, he was her lover, her wolf to command in every shape and form.”
I feel like I’m drowning in his words, and it’s not even about me.
Thinking about the sweet smile Rion wears when I make eye contact with him, the way he winks at me all the time, I can’t help but see him as a golden retriever ray of sunshine.
“Against his will?” I whisper, and Kael shakes his head, making me rear back.
“How can it be against his will when he never understood he was being put in such a vulnerable position?” he offers with a shrug, and I gulp.
“He does now?” I ask, and he grimaces.
“Not entirely, but he’s starting to.” He rakes his hand through his hair, the move much more weighted this time, and my heart aches.
“He shouldn’t be alone with her,” I whisper, and his eyes find mine.
“Exactly.”
I don’t know what passes between us, but it’s something, an understanding, an agreement, a vow.
Silence drapes over us as we rush for the combat field, but when we arrive, there’s no one around.
“They should be here,” Kael says with a frown as I sink my teeth into my bottom lip, trying and failing to control the shiver that runs down my spine.
“Is she angry with him?” I ask, trying to think of places to look, and Kael huffs.
“Furious.”
I slowly spin on the spot. “Then this is too open,” I admit, tapping my finger on my chin as my gaze finds the building off to the side.
Kael must follow my line of sight because he heaves a heavy sigh. “Her office?”
Our eyes collide for a moment before we dart toward the building. I know Kael could move faster, but he doesn’t leave my side, and when we reach the door, he holds it open for me before I rush down the hallway, bypassing the protocol of knocking as I burst into Professor Drayker’s office.
My wild eyes widen as my breath hitches. “Rion?”