Chapter 3
Aurelia
Iprowl in my room, from end to end, all night.
A pair of Savage’s track pants and Lyle’s T-shirt cover my body and I don’t want to shower because that’ll wash their scents off me.
One of Scythe’s business shirts is clutched to my chest so that every time I inhale, I get a lungful of their combined scents.
It’s the only thing that calms my rage and the blind urge to charge into the night, towards The Collector’s property and wrench my soul-pieces back.
My new leg aches dully at first, but as the first rays of dawn pierce the window, I blink in frustration against the lightning bolts charging down my thigh.
The need to rest is powerful, but the emotions roiling through me like a summer storm are more so. My eyelids grow heavy, the pit in my stomach yawns open, and I shake out my hands to try to rid them of their new tremor.
My eagle form comes so easily to me in times like this.
My feathers feel like armour as they cover my skin, my beak like a spear, instead of useless soft, human lips.
My legs are a lot shorter, the talons so much more powerful than feet.
If I cocoon myself tight enough, perch myself just so on the window ledge, I might be able to catch some sleep.
I awaken with a start, shaking my head out of the deep reverie with an annoyed chitter. The high sun beats on my face, and I reflexively crane my neck to check on my mates—
Of course, I am alone.
Spreading my wings out in anger, I quickly scan the academy grounds for anything unusual before sweeping to the floor. The empty room, the cold bed, the lack of any mumbling from Savage or any grunting from Xander. The absence of any deep voices or the colossal powers of my mates…
I had gotten used to how much space they take. How much their presences, alone or combined, brushed up against me in gentle reassurance. I hop my way to the door, nudge it open with my beak, and stalk out with narrowed eyes.
“Going somewhere?”
The eagle-shriek from my throat is sudden as I turn around in alarm.
Sabrina’s fingers, busy crocheting with blue wool, never cease their movement as she stares at me from beneath the hood of her black jumper. “You’re more tired than you realise if you missed that I was here.”
With a long-suffering groan, I shift into human form, falling back onto my ass and stretching out my sore leg. The backs of my eyes burn as the fatigue clutches at my muscles with brutal fingers.
“I don’t want to sleep, Sabrina.”
“Yeah? And I don’t want to be awake, but here we are.”
I cast her a dark look.
“And you can’t even say anything to that because at least your mates are alive.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and hang my head back against the raw burn of pain.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” Sabrina mutters.
“It’s fine.”
“None of this is fine. But it’s going to look a whole lot worse if you don’t sleep.”
“They put you here because they know I can’t say no to you, didn’t they?”
“Yup. Me and these two.”
An excited squeak makes my eyes fly open to see a blue fluffy bullet shooting towards my face before Henry smacks himself into my cheek, squeaking and chittering and rubbing all sides of himself against me.
“Oh, thank fuck.” I cuddle the excited nimpin against my face, rubbing my thumb over the top of his head. Eugene clucks out of the shadows beside Sabrina’s couch, and I grimace weakly at him. “Come here.”
He hurries over and settles himself against my new leg, looking up at me through his bedazzled goggles.
“What are we gonna do?” I whisper to them.
“We’re gonna eat, then sleep,” Sabrina murmurs, bringing out a brown paper bag. “I’m going to microwave this juicy chickie burger someone left us. If you don’t want to shower to get rid of that blood on you, at least wash the dust off your face and then get into your pack bed.”
I open my mouth to protest, but she points a finger at me.
“They’re alive, Aurelia Boneweaver. And you’re gonna get them back, but with a full stomach and your full brains on board.
I won’t have you sleep deprived in some sort of Boneweaver psychosis.
Don’t—” She cuts her hand through the air.
“I’ve heard the guards gossiping about how you went cold at Drakos House.
We’re not going psycho today. If you’re going to go apeshit crazy, I want you to be sane when you do it. Got it?”
“Fuck you, Sabrina,” I mutter, rolling onto hands and knees.
“And fuck the world,” my leopard friend drawls. “But thank the Wild Goddess for microwaves.”
Sabrina, to my great dismay, returns from the microwave to supervise the washing of my face and holds the bed sheets open as I climb in like an elderly lady, creaking and sore.
She hands me the burger, and I force it and a glass of apple juice down with a sour expression.
She, Eugene and Henry proceed to climb into bed with me and I don’t have the energy to protest.
“My assassin twins are guarding the staircase,” she says, pulling up her hoodie around her nose, likely to block out the scent of my mates. “Beak keeps asking for you, but Marduk said to leave you alone because you may be in the mood to tear someone apart.”
I frown as I curl my limbs up towards my chest, feeling Henry taking up his usual position at my crown, burrowing himself into my hair as he enjoys. Before I can reply, I’m asleep again.
When I wake up for the second time, it’s not Sabrina in bed with me, but Stacey, playing a cooking game on her phone, muttering under her breath.
“Oh, are we up?” she asks, leaning over to peer at me with her almond-shaped eyes.
I roll over and rub my face, kicking the sheets back. “I feel less tired,” I mutter, pushing myself up and scanning the room. Stacey’s backpack lies against the door, and her two nimpins chirp at me in greeting. “But I need to get up now.”
“Yeah, Minnie said you’d say that!” Stacey leaps out of bed, her blonde plaits swinging wildly. “And you smell a bit funky, by the way. It’s better if you shower and then go to the meeting.”
“What meeting?” I say sharply, downing the glass of the water on my bedside table and testing my leg.
It’s found its strength, but I’m going to have to watch it today and I send healing down to it to smooth away any excessive inflammation.
If I need to fight, I need to be in my best physical condition.
“Yeah, something’s gone down,” Stacey says, picking up Eugene and striding into the attached bathroom. I hurry after her, goosebumps erupting all over my naked skin as Henry levitates alongside me. “Beak’ll tell you.”
Ten minutes later, I’m showered, with my teeth aggressively cleaned and my hair brushed, dressed in leggings and a tank top, stepping out of the hidden staircase to the lower part of the animus dorms. Sure enough, the pale, dark-haired twins are on guard, daring anyone to look their way, which no one does because they’re cold, hard beasts.
They escort Stacey, Eugene, Henry and me to the Rec room on the ground floor.
When I arrive, Marduk, Minnie and Beak are standing around a table, talking softly. Minnie has her pink sparkly folder in hand.
Beak’s face brightens. “Aurelia.”
Stacey and the twins leave us, quietly shutting the door with a definitive clunk. “What’s going on?” I ask suspiciously.
The smile slides off Beak’s tanned face as his expression becomes serious. “There are a few things you need to know.” He pulls out a seat at the table.
Carefully, I sit down, placing Eugene on the table before glancing at Minnie and her mate. Minnie is the only one who gives me a reassuring nod. Henry buries himself in my hair once again, and his old reassurance settles my heart. Just a little.
There’s a knock at the door before it opens to reveal Yeti, leading in a middle-aged man in a suit with long brown hair. He smells like a jaguar and I recognise him, but I don’t know where from.
Strangely, he stops on the opposite side of the table and bows to me before sitting down. “Lady Boneweaver, my name is Rufus. I help Mr Kharkorous with the administration side of his enterprises.” He gives me a soft smile. “You might have seen me at the Jewel of the Jungle.”
“Of course,” I say quickly. That particular night had been a whirlwind, and there had been many new faces. “How…can I help you?”
Something about his demeanour turns grave as he opens the business folder. “A few months ago, Mr Kharkorous made some adjustments to the ownership of his multiple corporate entities…in the case of his death or return to sea.”
My stomach drops. Like, completely out of my body. This was when Scythe had intended to return to sea in a permanent way. Of course, it would make sense that he’d prepped for the business side of things.
“Scythe is not at sea,” I hiss. “Nor is he dead.”
Rufus’ head snaps up. “Of course, my lady. However, he was quite explicit with me about the succession of his estate. Both he and Xander Drakos were the existing directors of his enterprises, but he listed an additional name.”
Ignoring the fact that Savage is not listed as director, my heart leaps into my throat as Rufus levels me a look. “That name is yours.”
I stare at Rufus. The jaguar clasps his hands over his papers and lowers his eyes respectfully. “As neither director is available, Kharkorous Enterprises is left to you.”
My throat is suddenly dry. Scythe has given me his empire.
The room swims a little. The floor trembles. The wooden table vibrates. Minnie reaches over and squeezes my hand. Beak says in a low voice from next to me, “You’re not alone in this, Lia.” Slowly, the room quietens, my power settling down as I slither back into a sense of calm.