CHAPTER 9
Aelys
My head is aching like crazy. I start to hear a voice, but I don't understand what it's saying. I slowly open my eyes and a groan of pain escapes my throat. Throat that hurts excruciatingly.
“Aelys!”
I can't recognize that voice; my brain is foggy, I have no memory of what happened. I remember the train, our arrival at the Academy, the whispers coming from the silver cup, the altercation with that blond boy outside the dormitories, and then nothing. Only nothingness.
“Hey, you're okay, come on, open your pretty eyes for me, honey.”
I hadn't realized I'd closed them. I do as the person asks, and my vision clears after a few seconds and a few blinks. Familiar blue eyes meet my vision, and I try to speak. My voice is hoarse, and the effort makes me wince in pain.
“Tom?”
A sigh of relief escapes his lips and his arms wrap around me in a hug. My head against his chest, I feel myself relax at the sound of his heartbeat and his scent of pepper and mahogany. He makes me feel safe.
“What happened?” I whisper because my throat hurts too much to force my voice to be louder.
His grip tightens before he exhales and releases his hold again.
“I'm going to kill him.” He just answers in a harsh voice, full of rage.
“Tom…”
“After the interaction with Payne, Mattheo took you back to your dorm and broke his promise not to hurt you.”
I frown as I force myself to recall the events. The memories begin to flood back to me, and I snuggle closer to Tom. He runs his fingers through my hair and kisses my head.
“It's okay, honey, you're safe.”
I nod and close my eyes, letting him comfort me. His hand lightly brushes my throat, and I hold my breath, shivering under his touch.
“He fucking left a mark on you.” He growls, his anger seeming to grow again.
I feel tears threatening to fall, but I hold them back. I don't want to appear weak. Suddenly, I hear the door open, and I stiffen. I'm not ready to see him.
“Oh my- Aelys, you're awake!”
I relax at Nancy's voice, I soon feel her arms join Tom's. They both embrace me tightly, whispering reassuring words in my ear. We stay like that for a moment before Nancy speaks again.
“Okay, now you're going to explain to me why you have to share a room with Rigast, and apparently his bed since there's only one in this room, but also why he dared raise his fucking hand on you!”
So I tell her everything. That I must marry him, that I must give him an heir to please the Dark Mage, my task, how he treats me. I hide nothing from her. When I finish my tirade, she is furious. Tom lets go of me and she takes me in her arms while he gets up and begins to pace the room angrily.
“I told him not to fucking touch you. I promised to kill him if he did. I intend to keep that promise.” Tom speaks through gritted teeth, his fists clenched.
I stand up and approach him, wrapping my hand around one of his balled hands. He immediately relaxes his grip and intertwines our fingers. His blue eyes meet mine and soften. My traitorous heart, however, is fired up.
“You can't do this, Tom. Your father would hurt you…”
“I don’t give a fuck, Aelys,” he shakes his head, lips pursed. “I promised you you’d be safe and I let him hurt you. I can’t let him get away with this.”
I glance at Nancy, silently begging her to help me, and she raises an eyebrow. She smiles and stands up, coming to stand next to me.
“She's right, Tom. It would be stupid to kill him,” he opens his mouth, ready to protest, but she raises a finger, telling him to shut up, and he does so, rolling his eyes.
“But that doesn't mean we can't make him pay.
First of all, I know you have to marry that asshole and you're going to try to be the perfect wife so you don't get killed, but you're not going to let him treat you like shit anymore. You have to stand up for yourself, baby.”
I nod slowly. I've let him humiliate me from the start, and I'm sick of it. Hell, he almost killed me earlier just because he was angry!
“You're right, being a good wife doesn't mean I have to let him treat me like trash.”
“That's the spirit, darling!” She squeals happily, clapping her hands. “Don't worry, I'll help you awaken your inner bitch.”
“Wait, you want her to become like you?” Tom raises an eyebrow skeptically, his muscular arms crossing over his chest.
She nods while rolling her eyes, nudging him playfully.
“First lesson tonight. There's a party in the faction common room, like every year. You're going to show him what you're made of. It'll piss him off.”
“He's not going to be jealous, Nance,” I roll my eyes. “I'm just a surrogate mother to him, he doesn't care about me, remember.”
“He still won't like it,” Tom insists. “He may not love you, but you're still supposed to be his. My brother doesn't like to share what he owns and we all know he considers you a possession.”
He's right. In Mattheo's eyes, I belong to him. He made that clear the other day. Having other guys' eyes on me will definitely drive him crazy. After all, Enzo flirted earlier and told him to fuck off, and he's his friend.
“Okay, so all eyes on me, I get it,” I nod. “So what? What do I do if a boy flirts with me?” I frown.
“If you think he's cute, flirt back.” My cousin shrugs, as if it's obvious. Then she turns to Tom and gives him a warning look. “But you'll have to behave yourself too, Tommy boy. You won't be allowed to kick their ass.”
My eyebrows raise in disbelief. Why would he do that? Tom rolls his eyes and clenches his jaw before nodding. That seems to satisfy my cousin.
“Do you have any sexy dresses?” She turns to me. She sighs as I shake my head. “Well, come on, let's go to my dorm. You will just have to borrow one of mine.”
We leave my dorm, and Tom waves at us as he heads toward his room. Nancy and I leave building G and go to building F, as I'd guessed, then enter dorm number '58'. She closes the door behind us, and I glance sadly at the empty bed in her room.
I wish I were her roommate, not Mattheo's. She gives me a light squeeze on my shoulder and a small smile before rushing to her closet. She starts pulling out dresses so I can try them on before choosing the right one.
“I'll do your makeup afterward. Your usual makeup won't do tonight, darling. I know you like it light, but you'll love the change. I promise.”
I nod and sit on her bed, waiting for her to give me the green light to try on the dresses. Her words to Tom continue to swirl around in my mind, I start playing with my fingers, wondering whether or not to ask her.
“What's wrong, honey?” She asks softly.
“It's just... Why did you say Tom had to behave so well tonight?” I bite my lower lip nervously as I look down and she giggles, amused.
She comes to sit next to me on the bed and takes my hands in hers.
“He likes you, baby.”
“No, that's not true.” I answer immediately, my brows furrowed in confusion.
“Yes, it is. Otherwise, why would he have threatened his own brother not to hurt you? There's also the fact that he's holding your hand as if he's afraid you'll disappear if he lets go. Or how he looks at you as if you're the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. He likes you, Aelys.”
I don't know what to say. Is she right? Sure, he always intertwines our fingers whenever he holds my hand, but that's what friends do.
Right?
“Look, pay attention to him tonight, okay? If he doesn't look at you like all the other boys will, I'll admit I was wrong. Okay?”
I nod, sure she's wrong. After all, my fiancé's brother can't possibly have feelings for me other than friendship.
Right?