Chapter 16
RION
Fear clings to me as I wait, perched at the side of the water. Whatever the fancy name was that Ocean gave it earlier is gone from my mind. It’s filled with numbers as I count the seconds, each one seeming to push me farther away from Elodie instead of bringing us closer.
It’s a fickle emotion, fear. One I don’t care for. But as I sit here allowing time to pass, it weighs heavily on my chest. It’s like a loaded cannon ready to take aim, the fuse slowly fizzling before it's ready to explode, except the only target in sight is me.
Taking a chance, I peer over my shoulder. I don't like the look on Thorne’s face, but it's Ocean's worrying eyebrows that finish me off as I glance at her too.
“We need to get in there. Now,” I grunt, and Thorne shakes his head.
“Give her time, Rion. She can do this,” he insists as I grind my molars together.
“Are you forgetting the part where she said she can't swim?”
“Are you forgetting the part where Ocean used her magic to help her?” he retorts, pissing me off as I snap my gaze back to the girl in question.
“Did that thing come with an expiration date?” I grunt, and Ocean rubs her lips together nervously.
“I’m not sure,” she admits, and I feel the fuse burn that much closer.
“I’m done.” Standing, I tilt over the edge of the water, ready to plunge into the darkness as I silently berate myself. I should have gone with her to begin with, but Thorne's magical idea about letting her be independent and do this on her own stopped me.
No more.
With one final deep breath, I’m on the verge of jumping, but falter as a light peers from below, projecting toward me with lightning speed, and I blast back.
The world moves around me, not by choice, and I quickly come hurtling back down, my back scraping along the ground. Disoriented, I blink up at the sky, fighting against the fact that the wind has been sucker punched right out of me.
My chest heaves with every breath as I try to gather myself, the fear and panic for Elodie trying to prevail as the soft glow warming the morning sky does little to help.
Despite the lack of oxygen rattling in my chest, I blindly manage to stagger to my feet, swaying slightly at the sudden change in height.
Again.
Blinking through my blotchy vision, I find Ocean a few steps to my right, staring down at her grazed hands as her hair whips around her face, while Thorne hovers to my left, crouched with his hands turned into tight fists as he continues to hold on to the magic in The Vale.
But still, no Elodie.
I take off at a charge, my movements lethargic and weighted as I stumble, but despite what I might actually look like, I channel my inner superhero, not letting anything get between me and my Petal.
I consider shifting into my wolf to make it quicker, but I know the water will be easier in my human form.
As my pulse still rings in my ears, I plunge into the water, my muscles tight and tense, but I push through, delving deeper and deeper.
My vision is a lot less blotchy, but it does nothing to unravel the knot of worry in my stomach when I don’t immediately spy my girl. Frustration only makes it harder as I move as fast as I can, darting in any direction, until my gaze locks on to the bottom.
There, nestled in an air of stillness, lies my Petal. Her back is flush with the ground, while her arms and legs float above her.
I move harder, faster, desperate to eliminate the distance between us before capturing her in my arms and darting for the surface. Everything is a blur as I move with all my might, and I catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, but I can't bring myself to look again.
Her eyelids are closed, nestled softly against the peaks of her cheekbones. Seeing her does nothing to quell the uncertainty inside of me. This girl’s luck with water hasn’t been going too well so far.
Two for two, and the H2O is winning.
Breaking through the surface of the water, I suck in a deep breath, followed by another as I try to manhandle Elodie onto the side.
Thankfully, Ocean is there waiting, helping me shift Elodie onto the ground. I launch myself up off the edge, water clinging to me like a second skin, but I pay no mind as I drop to my knees before my Petal.
I can sense Thorne a few steps away, still controlling the magic back in The Vale, doing exactly what I could not. Moments like this make the world fall into a sense of black and white.
There's no reasoning with this side of me or my wolf. My sole purpose is to protect her, regardless of the responsibilities we still hold.
Hovering over her, I brush her wet hair back off her face.
Her heartbeat is a soft whisper ricocheting in my ears as I lace my fingers together and prepare myself to do whatever it takes to bring her back to me.
But before I can do a single thing, her eyes ping open on their own and she starts to splutter.
Water gushes from her mouth as she struggles to breathe, and Ocean immediately kicks into action.
“Put her on her side. Quickly!” she yelps, and we both move, rolling her until she's comfortably on her side.
Panic still storms inside of me as Elodie continues to splutter water like a never-ending faucet.
“It's okay, Elodie. We're here. You're safe. We're here,” I repeat over and over again as her suffering subsides and she finally exhales.
Glassy eyes find mine. “Am I dead?” she breathes, eyelids at half mast, and I grin, relief almost flooring me.
“The only way you'd be looking at this handsome wolf right now would be if we made it to Heaven, Petal, and something tells me that's not in the cards for us,” I muse, watching as the corners of her mouth turn up in amusement before she stills.
“The dove,” she whispers, her eyes struggling to remain open, and I frown, shaking my head.
“What do you mean?” Ocean asks, and Elodie's eyes pry open.
It's only then that I realize her hand is curled into a fist, but instead of watching her fingers unravel, my attention is laser-focused on her face.
She's too distracted by what's in her hand to see my reaction, and I gulp.
“Petal,” I breathe, but she's too locked in on the golden disc in her hand.
“Holy crap,” she breathes in awe and wonder.
“Petal,” I repeat, and her gaze finally cuts to mine.
“What's going on?” she asks, and I chance a glance at Ocean first. She subtly shakes her head, confirming she sees it too, but this is my explanation.
I ghost my hand down the side of her face.
“Your eyes,” I breathe, and her jaw falls slack.
“What about them?”
“They're both the same,” I manage past the lump in my throat, and her eyebrows crinkle in confusion.
“Are they both blue again?” she asks, and I clear my throat, but nothing shifts.
“Well, yes, technically, but they both have the same red ring.”
Understanding falls heavily over us as her gaze falls and emotions churn in the air.
“It's okay, Echo,” Thorne finally chimes in, the strain in his voice undeniable. A glance in his direction, and it’s clear he’s struggling. He’s fallen to his knees, the cords in his arms straining as his eyes appear to have gone pitch black.
Sensing the urgency starting to thicken around us, Elodie shakes her head as she pushes herself up to a sitting position. “That's a problem for another time. Right now, I need to figure out where this goes.”
“Where it goes?” Thorne asks, his voice raspier.
“The back of this looks like some kind of weird key,” she explains, turning it to show him, but I grab her wrist, pausing the movement as black markings on the middle finger of her left hand catch my eye.
“Uh, I feel like this is new,” I mutter, blinking in more confusion as I tilt her hand to show the others.
“Holy fuck,” Ocean whispers in disbelief, and I'm glad I’m not the only one caught off guard by this.
Elodie blinks at the markings with wonder as Thorne clears his throat.
“I’ve seen a matching pattern to that disc. I know where it needs to go,” he states, regaining everyone's attention. “And those markings on your fingers only confirm it,” he mutters.
“And where's that?” I ask, certain that we must be drawing closer to the end of this downward trail by now.
“Right back where we started,” Thorne grunts, his jaw ticking.
“The basement of Institute One?” Ocean blurts, and he shakes his head.
“No. You’ve never been there exactly, but the building itself you’re familiar with… the attic of Institute Thirteen.”
I can't decide if I'm happy or sad to be back in The Vale.
At least we know what to expect, especially in our own institute. I just hope there are no damn pools of water up there as well. That’s the last thing we need to close out the night.
Thankfully, Ocean blesses Elodie and me with her magic, wringing the water from our limbs and clothes so we don't have to waste time with another outfit change. We are not in the mood to decompress for a moment, as we were earlier.
We're ready to double down on whatever comes next.
Thorne is quiet, but much more himself as we step through the doors of Institute Thirteen, which is why I let him keep Elodie at his side.
Sharing flares jealousy inside me, but it’s healthy.
It makes me want to ensure I’m always giving Elodie everything she needs and deserves, but in this moment, they need each other more.
Ocean taking the stairs two at a time beside me isn’t the worst, I guess. She drives me insane, like the sister I never had nor ever wanted, but she’s also in the contest for being Elodie’s biggest protector. I respect the hell out of her for that.
Rounding the second flight of stairs, we stall, almost crashing into Professor Morton. Her hair is slicked back in a bun, the familiar brown and cream tones swallowing her up in whatever outfit this is, but it’s the pointed look and air of disapproval that irritates me.
Clearing her throat, she twists her lips. “I thought you students were more responsible than running through halls,” she mumbles, tipping her nose up in the air as she assesses each of us.
Nobody speaks. It's pointless.
The quicker we let her go, the sooner this will all be over.
She's like a damn ghost in this place, always showing up when she's least wanted and never when she's actually expected. I'm pretty sure the last time I saw her was the day Elodie arrived.
What does she even do here anyway?
When she continues to stare after everybody, Ocean breaks the silence, clearly reaching her limit before the rest of us.
“Is there anything else, Professor? We do have things to do, a life, you know how it is.”
Professor Morton cocks her brow, but her gaze quickly darts to Elodie, or more specifically, Elodie's hand. She reaches for her wrist, snapping it between her fingers before I get a chance to intercept, holding the inked finger up in the air with wide eyes and paling cheeks.
“You have it. You have the golden dove,” she breathes, teary-eyed as her attention darts between Elodie and the disc in her hand.
My back stiffens, along with everybody else, as we gape at her in concern.
“I don't know what you're talking about,” Elodie murmurs, her knuckles whitening around the hopeful key, and Professor Morton scoffs, her eyes darkening, but the tears remain unshed.
“Don't lie to me. Not when I can help ensure you get there unscathed.”
Thorne protectively inches closer, unraveling Morton’s hold on Elodie one finger at a time as he glares at her. “It's the attic. There's not much to be protected from,” he states, and Professor Morton purses her lips as she tilts her head at him.
“It doesn’t suit you to be so rude all the time, Prince. I'll lead the way,” she reiterates, folding her arms around herself as her gaze remains on the golden dove.
“How about you explain what you know?” Thorne tosses back, ignoring her jibe, but she ignores him, spinning on the spot and turning for the next flight of stairs.
The four of us glance at one another before we silently trudge after her.
Thorne reaches for Elodie’s hand, squeezing it gently before he races ahead, the rest of us quick on his heels.
“Are you a scythe then? Is that how you know about this?” Thorne asks as we make our way up the stairs, and she turns around, sending a withering look over her shoulder.
“What I am is none of your business, Thorne. It's what I care about that should matter.”
“And what is it you care about?” I grunt, an unsettling feeling still niggling down my spine until her gaze collides with mine.
“A better world,” she replies before coming to a stop and swinging her arm out wide, revealing a set of double doors.
There are no handles, just a missing spot right in the middle where the doors touch. Even from here, I can see what Thorne meant; the imprints on the back of the disc match the empty spot.
“So, as the intricacy of the dove etched into the disc might imply, I'd encourage you to take your time.
After all, you're saving more than just yourself here. But I'm also aware of the ticking time bomb that seems to be looming over The Vale,” she adds. “I’d like to not die for that. Please.” She nods, almost to herself more than anything, before she hurries back down the steps without another word.
The four of us glance at one another, trying to fathom what the hell just happened, but our attention quickly returns to the door. Elodie takes a step forward, holding the dove up, but she refrains from placing it against the wood for a few moments.
I want to take the weight away from her. She’s dealing with enough stress already. But I don’t manage a single step before Thorne shoots me down. I’m about ready to kick him in the dick.
Inner strength is a beautiful thing, and my Petal already has it in abundance. I don’t care for him pushing for her to take control and achieve more for herself. She doesn’t need the growth. She’s achieved more than most ever should.
My nostrils flare as I glare at him, ready to barge past him, when Ocean’s voice carries through the air.
“Are you okay?” Ocean asks, and Elodie nods without looking back.
“I think so,” she answers truthfully, and I rub mindlessly at my chest, trying to will the ache away.
As I’m ready to swoop in, Elodie takes a deep breath and presses the golden disc against the door.
Without wasting a single second, the entire door comes alive, glowing through intricate etchings into the wood.
They were naked to the eye mere moments ago.
Now, they dance in a sensual show before the resounding click of a lock thunders around us.
Nervously, Elodie pushes at the door, and it effortlessly falls open.
Only darkness greets us, but that doesn't stop my girl from finding her strength and stepping inside, no fear on display as my heart lurches in my chest.
The second she's fully inside, a soft glow rises, as if it comes to life at her presence, and the three of us race to follow after her, gaping in disbelief at the treasures that await us.