Chapter 34 Elodie #2
“I won’t,” I interject, pressing my palms into the hardwood floor beside me, and to my surprise, he steps back, giving me enough space to rise to my feet, despite my disobedience.
I plant my hands on my hips as I narrow my eyes, the magic thrumming through my veins growing more erratic with my overwhelming emotions.
“The Sanctum is gone, and you’re going with it.
Whatever desire for control you’ve had is gone.
Especially any that involved me at your side. ”
Despite my harsh tone, he smiles back at me, and there’s nothing fake about this one.
“Have you ever been in an environment you knew you didn’t belong in?”
“I don’t care for your sob story,” I retort, and he huffs.
“There was nothing sad about it; it was simply motivating. I’ve always known that I was better than my parents, better than the life they paved for me.
I didn’t care for starting a rebellion, and I had no interest in being one of their little minions in The Obsidian Circle.
I didn’t stand for what they stood for. That was always more Kael’s thing.
” He slowly paces back and forth in front of me, making it clear that he doesn’t see me as a threat, and I’m more than happy to be underestimated.
Unfortunately, I can’t deny that his story has piqued my curiosity.
“Kael is nothing like them,” I snap, and he hums while I peer around the familiar space of his office, a place I had hoped to never return to.
“Do you know how they came up with the name? The Obsidian Circle, I mean.” He blinks at me expectantly, and I shake my head.
“An obsidian circle is meant to be a powerful protective tool, forged from volcanic glass, with the ability to absorb negative energy, promote emotional balance, and block psychic attacks.” He stares at me as I absorb his words, but I don’t respond since it doesn’t sound like he’s actually getting to the point.
It’s no surprise that he takes my silence as encouragement to continue.
“That’s what they wanted to embody, a collective of members intent on ensuring negative energy couldn’t take root, that encouraged those nearby to be calm and collected, within themselves and with one another, while ensuring their minds were not only clear, but protected from attack. ”
“That’s a great story and all, but… I’m missing the point,” I grumble as he turns his back to me, staring past his desk and chair to look through the window that offers nothing but a bleak glimpse into his sad little world.
“The point, Little Weapon, is that my parents wanted to block what they liked to call psychic attacks, except, it wasn’t only their thoughts they were concerned about, it was their powers. Now, who might they have been plotting against?”
Understanding washes over me. “Scythes.”
“Ding. Ding. Ding. Fuck, you’re smart, hot, and ferocious. I’m never going to tire of you,” he breathes, turning his attention back to me with desire burning in his eyes.
“And how does any of that information apply to Kael?” I ask, redirecting us to the point we started with, and he shrugs.
“He was happy to go along with whatever our parents said. I, however, found a new appreciation for supernaturals that could do… more.”
I sigh, slightly disappointed, although somewhat relieved that there’s no other hidden agenda for my vampire in question.
“And you decided to use those supernaturals to your advantage,” I clarify, and he shrugs.
“Somebody had to,” he replies without missing a beat, and I scoff.
“And that somebody was you.”
“Why not?” he questions, and I shake my head at the lack of an answer on my tongue.
I don’t know what I was expecting. Some grand understanding as to why he’s such a maniacal dick? But it seems there’s no explanation for his insanity.
Yet one thing plays on my mind.
“And why was I different?”
“Different?” he asks, and I nod.
“I wasn’t the first scythe to cross your path. If anything, what I’ve pieced together is the fact that you played a large role in ensuring I unlocked my magic.” My words hang in the air, each second stretching around us as his grin grows.
“It was your mother’s devotion.”
My eyebrows crinkle as I blink at him. “Devotion?” I repeat, and he nods.
“The way she sacrificed so much for the love of her life, a shadow fae. It was frowned upon, but love trumps all, right? Then, when they came into my possession, she did so without question to protect you, staying loyally at your father’s side.”
Disgust churns in my stomach as he mutters about them coming into his possession, and I want to rage at him, but as my chest heaves, I can’t find the fire inside of me to charge toward him. It’s as if something is holding me back.
“So you wanted me to give you that level of devotion?” I clarify, my toes curling in my shoes as he nods.
“And you will, Little Weapon,” he promises, and the air grows thick around us.
I’m not the only one to notice it this time.
Jude’s hand lifts to his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing against his touch. His eyebrows furrow as his gaze darts around the room, widening in an instant as a crackle of thunder bites through the air.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Jude Forrester.” My mother appears in a puff of air beside me, a snarl curling her lips as she hisses at the man before me.
I startle at her appearance, a hint of awe tingling in my chest as I stare at her, realizing she’s not alone.
One by one, more people appear, as if from thin air, each one snarling and snapping at the lunatic before me. It takes a second, but understanding quickly takes weight inside of me as more and more people appear, each a familiar face from the time I spent within the confines of Jude’s cell.
The anger in the room grows more palpable with every second until Thorne appears, Rion and Ocean right at his side, but unlike everyone else, their attention doesn’t turn to Jude, it spins to me.
A silent and thorough gaze over me from head to toe confirms I’m okay, and with a nod, Thorne cracks his neck from side to side as the number of bodies in the room continues to grow.
Kael stands between me and his brother, eyes fixed on me, and flanking his sides are his parents, facing the opposite direction.
My view of the enemy is obscured, and as much as I love the man standing in my way, I’m hellbent on watching his demise that I know is coming. Placing my hand on Kael’s arm, I take a step, placing me at his side, and he reluctantly sighs, letting me see.
Everyone circles him, yet he doesn’t falter, standing taller as he settles his attention on his mother and father, anger burning in his eyes as his shoulders tense. The second his gaze flicks to me, his eyes soften, and it makes me uneasy as silence deepens the atmosphere.
My pulse rings in my ears as I clench my hands at my sides, bracing for what, I’m not sure, but it comes quickly as he darts for me. I move on instinct as Kael tries to shield me, bumping him to the side as my hands slam against Jude’s chest.
I suck in a breath, the release of magic overwhelming as Jude’s head tilts back, his eyes rolling up into his skull.
I anticipate the delight to flicker in his eyes, but it doesn’t come as he drops to his knees, cheeks hollowing out.
I’m sure there’s a curl to his lips. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were.
“You can’t drain me,” he breathes, each word long and raspy as I sense him fight against the draw of my power, and I grin, eyes wide and alert as I snarl at him.
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
Channeling my mother’s words of guidance, I ground my feet into the floor and yank my hands back, stumbling at the lack of contact, but a familiar scent envelops me as arms wrap around my waist.
“It’s time, Elodie,” Kael whispers, his lips brushing against my ear as he speaks. “It’s time to use the other item we stole from Professor Grimm’s storage cabinet,” he adds, reaching into his pocket to place the delicate metal against my palm.
“We just need the attendance of one final guest,” Kael’s mother adds, staring down at Jude with a blank expression as Rikard appears with a man in cuffs beside him.
Professor Grimm.
A dirty cloth is tied around his mouth, accentuating his fear as his entire body trembles.
His petrified stare lands on the item in my hand, his pupils blowing as understanding washes over him.
“Any last words?” I breathe, and Jude groans.
“I—”
“I didn’t mean you. I meant those you have brought pain to,” I snarl, glancing around the room, but no one parts their lips, each person content on simply bearing witness to his downfall.
“Little Weapon,” he mumbles, swaying as he tries to rise to his feet, his teeth elongated as he rolls his shoulders, and I smile, staring deep into his eyes as I press my lips against the Emberlock in my grasp.
It was so close to its target the first time it was in my hands.
It will find its mark tonight.
I vow it.
My eyelids close, but the vision of Jude and Professor Grimm remains, only I envision fear flickering in their eyes, the swirling fire burning the distance between us, setting alight the tormentors that have caused immeasurable damage.
The Emberlock warms in my hands, a panicked shriek fizzling through the air as the scent of burning hair fills my nose, heat thickening the air this time as the floor rumbles beneath my feet.
Death is undeniable as the world crumbles around me, another realm of control shattering at my actions, and I’ve never been more content in my life.
A hand lands on my shoulder, another on my waist, and a third on the back of my neck as the press of their foreheads rest against mine, combining me with the three men I know are my forever.
Loyalty knows no bounds, and wherever I may land, I know I will never be alone again.