Chapter 9 Elodie
ELODIE
Nausea settles in my stomach like calm waters lapping gently at the shore, set to never leave.
Its rhythmic pattern is almost luring, a sway drifting me in and out of my thoughts on repeat.
Jude’s message lingers in my mind. I showed it to Rion and Ocean immediately, but it did nothing to calm the gnawing in my chest.
I have to trust that whatever Kael has said has been to protect me and our plan, but I didn’t anticipate it going in this direction. Nevertheless, believing in Kael is the only option I have; it’s the only thing I can control, so I’m rolling with it.
Thorne, however, is a different issue altogether.
Attending classes today and pretending everything is normal was his idea, only for him to be taken by The Sanctum before we could even make it to our first stop. Now, lunchtime is here and he’s not.
No wonder bile burns at the back of my throat.
This isn’t the survival I’m used to. Survival used to mean taking care of myself at all times, making it from one day to the next. Walker was my glimmer of hope back then, but I never worried about him or concerned myself with what might come his way.
That’s the stark difference between then and now—minus the lack of abuse, of course.
Now, I’m surrounded by people, friends, lovers… family. And I… care. I care about them with all that I am, and as strong as that makes me, it also leaves me weak and exposed.
My vulnerabilities aren’t just my own now, they’re theirs too; Thorne’s, Kael’s, Rion’s, and Ocean’s.
Rion throws his arm around my shoulders, tugging me into his side and jolting me from my thoughts. I muster the best smile I can, but the knowing gleam in his eyes confirms he’s not falling for it.
“What is my Petal thinking about?” he asks, and Ocean huffs from my left.
“I think that’s obvious, dufus. Don’t make her say it when there’s nothing we can currently do about it,” she gripes, giving him a pointed look, and he grimaces.
Instinctively, I place my hand against his chest, rubbing mindlessly, and this time when I smile, there’s a little more heart to it.
“You’re good, and it’s probably best if we talk about it.
Otherwise, it’s going to eat me alive,” I manage, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.
“Besides, I’m becoming acutely aware that I’m letting my thoughts win out here, and I don’t want to get lost down that road.
I need to do something, anything, that’s more than this. ”
“I feel you, Petal. My muscles are so tense from doing nothing, I feel like I’m going to pass out,” Rion admits, his eyebrows drawn together with a hint of confusion.
“Thank God. I thought we were going to walk around blanketed in this pall of depression forever,” Ocean blurts, making me snicker for the first time in what feels like forever.
“So it’s agreed, we’re over this exhausting idea of Thorne’s that requires pretending to do absolutely nothing?” Rion clarifies, and I hum in agreement.
“The question is, where do we even begin?” I grumble, watching Rion’s lips purse as he nods.
“Anything involving Kael is off the table. I guess we just need to be on our guard for when that time comes. Jude sent the message, he’s coming, but we can’t sit and wait until he does.”
“Thorne?”
Rion scrubs his free hand down his face, confirming what I already know. “If we go charging in there, then it’s going to cause a whole other layer of problems for us.” Defeat clings to his words, and it irritates me that we’re reduced to this.
“But if I don’t go and kick up a fuss, would that not be odd to them too?” I push back, glancing between Rion and Ocean. The latter lifts her brows, like she can see my point, but doesn’t utter a word.
My stomach churns, another backflip leaving me in knots as the dining hall comes into view. The thought of food right now is the last thing I can handle. I grind to a halt, ready to steer us away from the communal area, when a curl of black smoke appears before me.
My eyes widen as my back stiffens, and I spin on the spot, desperate to see its origin.
My gaze crashes with the shadow fae it belongs to.
Rion breathes his name, dropping his arm from my shoulder as he moves toward his friend, but I’m rooted to the spot.
The black smoke trails from his fingertips, wrapping around my upper arms and chest like a warm embrace, stealing my breath as I blink at the man in question.
Rion claps him on the back, breaking the moment, and I shake my head, trying to refocus as Ocean snickers from beside me. Turning to her, I find a knowing grin spread across her face.
“What?” I grumble defensively, and it only turns her snicker into a giggle.
“Anyone else in the world would have just called your name, but not Thorne, and you fucking love it.”
I wave her off, feeling my cheeks heat. I don’t have a response, though, and she knows it.
Instead of torturing myself under her amused stare any longer, I turn back to Thorne, and it’s only then that I spot the bag in his hands. Finally finding my tongue, I move toward him.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, coming to a stop when we’re toe to toe, and he nods, his free hand no longer dancing with black magic, instead finding its way to my waist.
“Everything’s fine, Echo. Nothing to worry about,” he soothes, but it’s the softness in his eyes that fills me with relief.
Nodding, I lean into his embrace, resting my head against his chest as I breathe him in. It’s rare for me to display affection, but for it to be with Thorne makes it even crazier. Yet I melt into him, unfazed by our surroundings. I’m just thankful that at least one of them is okay.
Reluctantly, I stand tall, peering up at him, but as I part my lips, sharp words snap through the air from behind me.
“This bitch!”
I’d know that screech anywhere.
Peering over my shoulder, I have the lackluster joy of finding Willow standing a few feet away.
“Great,” I mutter under my breath as she jabs a finger in my direction.
“She should have been placed before the sentencing council too,” she snarls, glaring at Thorne, but it’s her red-rimmed, puffy eyes that hold my attention, along with the words she just spat.
Sentencing council?
“What’s Willow talking about?” I ask, tilting my face to peer at Thorne, but he’s too busy snarling at the fiery red-headed wolf.
His entire demeanor changes as he drops his bag at my feet, his eyes blacker than black as he slips around me, taking measured steps in her direction.
“You just watched me get away with murder. Want to see it happen again?” The threat is like ice through the air, chilling everyone to the bone as Willow shakes her head.
“It’s her I have a problem with,” she retorts, folding her arms over her chest defensively.
“You should fear her more than you fear me. Don’t forget, we both saw what she is capable of that day,” he rages as Willow’s gaze snaps between us, wide with panic.
“I could take her,” she finally grumbles, but her tone isn’t as firm as it was a moment ago.
“Well, unfortunately for you, Willow, we come as a whole package. Every. Single. One of us. So please, Willow. Fucking try me,” Ocean snarls before I get the chance to speak, but it seems I don’t need to when Willow takes a backward step, baring her teeth at us before hurrying inside.
When she’s completely out of sight, the tension finally dwindles. Rion scrubs a hand through his hair as he shakes his head in disbelief, while Thorne takes a moment to compose himself, and Ocean beams with pride.
This is madness.
Clearing my throat, I turn my attention to Thorne. “Is everything really okay?” I ask, and he nods.
“Of course,” he confirms, reaching for his bag.
“What did she mean when she said the sentencing council?” I ask, my words lingering in the air for a moment too long as Thorne sighs, staring down at the ground for a second before his gaze finds mine.
“I had to face them and stand against charges of murder.”
“The Sanctum?” I ask, and he shakes his head.
“The people who sentence those before being submitted to Institute Thirteen,” he explains, and my eyebrows pinch in confusion. “The same people who sentenced you,” he adds for clarity, but I shake my head.
“I faced The Sanctum, just like Kael did.”
I glance at Rion and Ocean, hoping for confirmation, but they look at me just as bewildered as Thorne does. Apparently, that’s not the norm, but it seems when it comes to me, nothing is.
“Regardless, what did they say?” I ask, keeping the conversation on track, and Thorne shrugs. “Thorne?”
“They said I’m not guilty.”
“Did you use your magic or something? Is that why you’re not saying much?” Rion asks, and Thorne rolls his eyes.
“There’s a restriction in there so you can’t use your abilities,” he states, like it’s obvious, but I don’t say a word, staring him down as I try to figure out what he’s not saying.
If he senses it, he doesn’t let on as he hikes his bag over his shoulder.
It’s only when I still haven’t moved that it’s clear we’re not going anywhere just yet.
He curses under his breath as he wipes a hand down his face.
“The Sanctum asked me to spy on you, like they did with Kael.”
I suck in a breath, but I’m not really surprised. “And you said yes?” I clarify, and he shakes his head, making my eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Why not? That would have been easy.”
“Because you are the mate of a shadow fae. Not just any shadow fae, either. A prince. You are the other half of me. I will never put you in harm’s way. Ever. Especially not for something as simple as that.”
I gape at him, disbelief creeping in as I try to swallow back the emotions clogging my throat.
“Stop talking dirty to her, Thorne. She’s going to self-combust,” Ocean teases, tugging me from my thoughts as Rion grins and Thorne rolls his eyes again.
“So what happened?” I rasp, my attempt at remaining unfazed by his declaration falling flat.
“I reminded them that I’m here by choice.”