Chapter 13 Elodie
ELODIE
“I’d love to know why there's always crazy-ass things lurking in the basements here,” I blurt as the tree line begins to thin, making way for more light to filter through the branches. Not that there’s much with the darkness rolling in.
“I think that's where everybody puts their skeletons these days, instead of putting them in the closet,” he muses, and I offer him a half smile as I spot movement up ahead.
I'm quickly greeted by the sight of Thorne and Ocean waiting for us.
Thorne’s brows gather the moment he sees us, and Ocean follows his line of sight, peering over her shoulder. Her face is animated as she takes in the two of us before her features quickly morph to the same as Thorne’s.
I frown in confusion, unsure what’s going on until I peer at Rion, and I'm quickly reminded of what just happened. Despite his clothes being back in place, the blood still remains.
As we draw closer, Thorne’s mouth parts, but before he can speak, Rion beats him to it.
“We ran into a little trouble,” he states, and Ocean scoffs at his clipped explanation, but doesn't say a word.
Thorne, however, peers at him with wide eyes as he clears his throat. “Do we need clean up?”
“It’s already taken care of,” Rion confirms, and he nods in response.
The tension unravels around us as Rion unlinks our arms to drape his around my shoulders, pulling me in tight.
“Is that bag for me?” Ocean asks, and I nod, offering it over.
“What is it we're about to walk into?” I ask, glancing at Institute One lurking through the trees, and Ocean beams with pride, but it's Thorne who speaks.
“Ocean was the one to find it,” he explains, and her smile widens at the acknowledgment.
“I haven’t been down yet, but we're certain this is where the pulsing source of The Vale is coming from.”
“Why put it in an institute building?” I ask, aware they don’t know the answer, but it just doesn’t make sense to me.
“Because who would think to look in an institute?” Thorne breathes.
“That's true,” Rion replies as Thorne steps closer.
“You three head on down. I'll be with you in a moment,” my shadow fae states, causing panic to blossom in my chest.
“Is everything okay?” I ask as Thorne takes a backward step, nodding as he goes. There's something in his eyes, and I can't quite decipher it, but it doesn't feel intense enough to pause the moment. If anything, he seems calm.
Instead of pressing him, I follow Ocean's lead, thankfully avoiding anybody from Institute One or someone intent on causing us harm.
To my surprise, the basement door isn't even locked. When it opens, instead of the dark and dingy stone staircase that we have in Institute Thirteen, we’re greeted by a lavish, well lit grand entrance.
The steps are made of oak, and a matching banister runs down the side, while a deep-red patterned wallpaper adds a touch of luxury. I can’t help but wonder what the rest of the building looks like if this is supposed to be the basement.
Our footsteps are muted as we head down, but when we reach the bottom, instead of facing a single door, we find three, each labeled with a golden plaque.
Storage. Weapons. Administrators Only.
The latter comes with an additional engraving that comes with a warning to ‘keep out’.
Casting a glance between Ocean and Rion, I think it's safe to say we all know which direction we need to go in as we turn toward the third and final door.
It's no surprise to find it locked as I reach for the handle and press down as hard as I can. We were lucky upstairs. Twice in a row would have been suspicious at this point.
“This is where the bag comes in,” Ocean murmurs as she digs inside, reaching around for a moment before she pulls out a small vial.
I gulp at the sight of it as I recall the last time I saw one of those and what I used it for.
My hand instinctively reaches for my throat, recalling the taste as I poisoned myself without thought.
But instead of drowning in the sorrows that come with it, I’m reminded of the fact that Ocean mentioned she had used it once before, and I still don’t know why.
I save the question for another time as I’m snapped back to the present. The sound of liquid trickling down the door and pooling at our feet echoes around us as I watch her pour the contents of the vial over the handle.
Staring in disbelief, I watch as she presses her thumb against the metal before her head snaps back.
She sucks in a tight breath as her hair flutters from an imaginary breeze, but it’s swiftly followed by the resounding click of the lock opening.
She tries the handle, and the door swings open with ease.
Whatever it is she just did worked.
“Way to go, Ocean,” Rion mutters, and she smirks.
“Remember not to underestimate me,” she muses with a wink.
“I would never,” Rion insists, lifting his hands in surrender.
“What was that?” I ask, bewildered, and she smiles.
“It’s a little potion that allows me to replicate someone else. In this case, someone’s thumbprint who has access,” she explains, and I stare at her in awe. I’m forever impressed by this girl.
“How do you do that?” Rion pushes, and she shrugs.
“With their blood. In this case, I preyed on Professor Morton,” she says, casually shaking the vial in her hand, and all I can do is blink at her in disbelief. This girl really is as psychotic as she says she is.
“Professor Morton?” I mumble, confused about who she’s referring to, and she smiles.
“The professor who made us roommates,” she explains, and I’m quickly reminded of the woman in question.
Without waiting for further interrogation, she pushes the door open to reveal another set of stairs.
“So we’re going into a second level basement in Institute One. That sounds like an awesome idea,” Rion mumbles with a snicker, but uncertainty wars inside of me at the unknown that lies ahead.
Despite that, Ocean takes the lead, and we’re greeted with the same decor as earlier. I keep a step behind her as Rion holds up the rear, the three of us trudging further down into the depths of Institute One, and I have no idea where Thorne is.
The staircase spirals, keeping our next step hidden from view, but I know we’ve reached something when Ocean gasps and her eyes widen. I quickly edge closer to see what has her attention.
There's no extra door separating us from what lies beneath.
Instead, we find ourselves on the edge of one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.
The sound of running water dances over my senses first as I blink at the sight before me.
The entire room is made of marble, from the floor to the ceiling, as well as the ornate water feature in the middle of the room.
Creams and golds glisten across every surface, intertwined in the marble as I gape up at the statue sitting above the water fountain.
Mermaids.
Each one is different. All five of them have fins for legs and exposed breasts as they loom protectively over the water, but their facial expressions…
Woah.
A shiver runs down my spine.
There’s something about them that leaves me on edge.
Turning my attention to the rest of the room, I swiftly find that there's not a single piece of furniture in here. There's nothing at all but the sound of running water filtering from the fountain.
Taking a deep breath, I let curiosity guide me, and it leads me closer to danger, drawing me nearer to the fountain as my heartbeat thunders.
The deep pool of water that sits beneath the ornate mermaids looks crystal clear up top, but a few inches down it turns dark and murky, making it unclear how deep it actually is.
“What is it we're looking for again?” Rion asks, and I shake my head.
“It doesn’t matter. If we’re correct in breaking down the riddle, then we're not going to see it if we're not a vampire, and none of us have pointy teeth and a foul attitude,” I grumble, a pang in my chest reminding me just how much I miss Kael right now.
“We have one.” The sound comes from behind us, and I startle at the sudden arrival, quickly calming when I see it’s Thorne.
But he’s not alone.
Wrapped in tendrils of black shadows, stands an unwilling guest beside him. Fear is bright in his eyes as he silently pleads with me to release him.
I don’t.
“Who is he?” I ask with a gulp, nodding at the new addition, and Thorne follows my gaze before returning his attention to me.
“A vampire.”
I clear my throat. “I don't trust him to look for us,” I admit, and he shrugs.
“Me either,” he confirms, making my nose crinkle in confusion, but it’s Rion who speaks.
“So why is he here?”
I can tell Thorne hears him, but he doesn't turn his attention away from me. “He’s here so you can siphon his abilities.”
Understanding washes over me as the guy's eyes manage to grow an inch wider with desperation. Instead of losing myself to pity, my gaze dips, landing on my hands as jitters threaten to take control.
I ball them into fists in an effort to keep the panic away, and I'm reminded of the stance I took earlier.
My mother's words guided me then, and I felt calm.
I can repeat that.
It may not be earth beneath my feet right now, but the marble will do. Standing with my feet shoulder width apart, I take a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that threaten to get the better of me. One single nod from me and the confirmation is accepted.
Thorne brings the vampire closer, dropping him to his knees as he remains bound by his magic, waiting for me to take control.
I can feel everybody's eyes on me, but I don't look in fear of giving up.
Instead, I take a deep breath and thrust my hands forward. My breath catches in my throat as my magic takes hold, and I close my eyes so I can't see him struggle against my abilities.
My head feels heavy as my mouth aches and my pulse thunders.
Stop now, Elodie. Stop.
I’m in control. I’m in control.