Chapter 44 Pinky Promise #2
I swallow my nerves to speak, though I refuse to meet any of their eyes. “I’m okay. Come sit with us?”
Maven lowers into her seat, and her hand smacks my knee, patting me, like a pup who’s performed a trick.
I think I’m going to be sick.
I grab my tea and chug. If I’m already poisoned, I might as well make use of the tea. It staves the cottony sensation of my tongue on the roof of my mouth.
The trio are quiet as they pull out their chairs, Ori taking the head seat at the other end of the table. Jessa and Harley take up the two empty seats on either side of him. Harley leans into my space, immediately grabbing my free hand.
I’m still sitting on the other one.
His lips find my cheek, pressing his love into my freckles, and his fingers weave through mine, squeezing his worry between our palms.
“Are you okay?” Harley asks, low, so only I can hear. “When I got out of the shower and couldn’t find you, I freaked. And then your text came through. We were so confused, but then Ori—”
“Whispering at the table isn’t polite,” Maven tuts.
“What is this about, Maven?” Ori slams a hand on the table, rattling the dishes. “You’ve already attacked and threatened my Champion, which is against the rules of the tourney.”
“I make the rules,” Maven says. “And I’m adjusting them to an anything-goes policy. Right, Enz?” Enzo nods. “Now everyone, drink up.”
“What did she do to you?” Harley whispers, eyes shining at me from behind his glasses. He pays no attention to Maven and Ori’s glare-off.
“Just play along, okay?” I say, between clenched teeth. “Drink the tea.”
Harley glances at his cup, nose twitching. He tentatively reaches out. Jessa follows suit.
I’m surprised at how quiet she is right now, but there’s a calculated tilt to her head, and her predatory eyes scan over the remaining guards as if she’s running scenarios on how to incapacitate all of them.
Then I glance at Ori, whose stubborn nature needs a push, and nod. He frowns, but sips at my insistence.
They all smack their lips in confusion.
“Bitterberry?” Harley questions suddenly, panic rising in his tone. He looks at my drained cup. “Did you drink this too?”
“Yes—”
“Alice—”
“—but we made a deal. She has a remedy and—”
Ori smashes his glass onto the table, standing. Ceramic shatters. Liquid splashes. It knocks a candlestick over, and the flame catches on the runner. Enzo quickly jumps up, blotting out the flame with his bare hand.
“If you want to kill me, do it with pride in battle. Not with tricks and poison,” Ori spits.
“I don’t want to kill you,” Maven drawls.
“I want to watch you watch your precious Champion walk out of here, and then realize, as we’re burning down the portal, that you lost her.
Again.” She sighs dreamily, with her chin perched on her palm.
“And then I want to boss you around until you break. Just for fun.”
Ori’s mouth opens to protest, but his face contorts in pain. He falls into his seat, clutching at his chest. Jessa and Harley convulse in pain too, necks straining as if they’re holding back screams of agony. Harley’s hand crushes mine with his grip.
“What’s happening to them?” I ask, frantic. “I thought you said this was slow acting!”
“For humans. Shifters react differently to the tea than we do,” Maven says, casually. “Something about their beast. It paralyzes them at first. They’ll be able to speak, but they won’t be able to follow you. If we wait an hour or so, then they’ll stop breathing, but we should be done by then.”
I jolt from my seat, letting go of Harley as my chair falls to the grass. “You’re a real cunt, you know that?”
“So vulgar,” Maven scolds.
“Alice?” Harley asks, far too quiet. “What deal did you make?”
I kneel next to Harley; the man who was a kind stranger only a few months ago now one of the most important people in my life. One of the only people in my life.
“You’ll still have them, okay?” I say softly.
I’ve never seen heartbreak in someone’s eyes other than my own before.
His fingers twitch next to mine on the arm rest, and I lace our hands together one final time. It’s a bruising grip, and I hope he leaves his fingerprints in black and blue. I want something of him to take home.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I stand, pressing a gentle kiss to Harley’s forehead. “I have to go now. I—I don’t want you hurting more, okay?”
As painful as it is, I release him and cross to the other side of the table. I squeeze Jessa’s shoulder and plant a kiss to her crown. “Thank you, for everything,” I murmur against it.
“Trouble…” she chokes out as I back away.
I sidle up to Maven and hold out my hand for the antidote. She smirks, pulling the chain from her neck.
“Nice doing business with you,” Maven says, dropping it into my open palm. “See you never.”
I scoff, grabbing my phone from the table, and make towards the red oak, ignoring the heated pinpricks my lovers’ gazes.
I stop by Ori last.
Leaning in close to his ear, I whisper, “Take care of them, okay?”
“Alice—”
I press a kiss to his stubbled cheek, and shudders rack his body as I add, “And take care of yourself. Do not let that bitch break you.”
Closing my eyes, I straighten to my full height, and walk away.
A guard pours a thick, black liquid around the base of the tree as I approach. Another holds a lit torch, ready to set the foliage ablaze the second I’m gone.
“Alice!” Ori’s call of agony rocks through me, falters my stride. “Do not step through that portal!”
I glance back. I shouldn’t have.
Devastation. On all three faces.
I try to smile. I try to give them something not so teary-eyed and snot-faced to remember, I really do. But I don’t think I succeed.
“I made a pinky promise,” I choke out. And I hope Ori understands. I hope he explains it to the others. I hope they forgive me. “Goodbye.”
The second time I leave Ori, it’s a lot like the first.
My choice. My promises. My feet running back to an old blue Victorian. My figurative blade running over our throats.
The difference? I’m leaving the potential of a great love behind, not chasing after it. And I said goodbye. Not see you later. Not be right back.
Goodbye.
At least I got to say it this time.
Maybe that’s a good thing.