Chapter 16 Thorne
THORNE
Iwatch Elodie’s face drop as she blinks down at her cell phone. Her throat bobs with uncertainty as she glances around the room, and it sets my nerve endings on fire.
Something’s wrong, and I need to know what.
Swiping a hand down my face, I try to fight the agitation inside. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that look on her face before. It’s always been concerning, but now it feels like I can’t breathe if I don’t erase it.
I part my lips, ready to find out what’s going on, but I’m drowned out by the shrill sound of Cordelia from The Sanctum addressing the room.
“That’s right. Today, we get to embark on another trial. Rest assured, although we’ve had some difficulties with the last two, we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure this experience will run smoothly.”
I internally scoff at their crap. I know we will be safe because I’ve ensured it. As long as they keep the game in The Vale instead of making one of their little mini worlds that feel like I’m in some kind of hallucination, then we’ll all be fine.
“After much consideration, we have ensured that today’s trial will take place right here in The Vale.
Isn’t that exciting?” Anya adds as if reading my thoughts, and my muscles ease with the slight relief it offers, but it’s short-lived when my gaze returns to Elodie, only to find her still frozen in place, blinking at her cell phone.
I can’t decide if she looks like she’s made of ice or glass, as if one gentle nudge against her shoulders could shatter her into a million pieces or burn you with her chill. She’s usually calm and relaxed when Rion has a hand on her, but even that doesn’t break through her senses right now.
Pursing my lips, I consider my options as Rikard begins to speak. “Today, we will be delivering the Soul Searching Trial. It’s one of my personal favorites, and luckily for you all, it doesn’t involve any beasts or layers of danger as other trials have.”
I glance at him from the corner of my eye, and I don’t miss the slight air of disappointment in the slump of Cordelia’s shoulders at the acknowledgment of a danger-free trial.
It sounds easy enough based on that factor alone, so instead of paying them any more attention, I reach my leg under the table and tap my foot against Elodie’s. The sudden jolt snaps her gaze to mine as her eyebrows crinkle.
“What’s going on?” I murmur, watching as her brows furrow deeper and her mouth sets in a thin line. I’m sure she’s going to wave me off and make me push harder, but to my surprise, she exhales slowly, letting her shoulders drop as she turns her cell phone in my direction.
Unknown: Are you ready to come home now, Little Weapon? Just say the word, and I can put an end to it all.
That motherfucker.
He’s used that nickname before in my presence. I wanted to slaughter him then, even more so now. I should have killed him. I should have risked my life and torn his little world to pieces, but the fear of harming Elodie was too great.
“Block the number,” I grind out, my nostrils flaring with frustration as she shrugs.
“What’s the point? He’ll only use a different one,” she mumbles, a hint of defeat lowering her gaze, but she quickly shakes it off as she forces herself to sit straight.
Fuck.
This woman is something else.
Watching her strengthen her resolve, just like that, is too much to handle on a typical day, but it feels different today.
“What’s wrong?” Rion asks, sensing the air shifting around him as Ocean silently looks between the two of us, but it’s Kael who looms a step behind my Echo that pisses me off.
“You’re not wanted here, Kael,” I snap, my voice strained as I glare at the vampire in question.
He looks like shit, but it’s his own doing, and until he realizes that, it’s not my problem. He glares right back like I’m the shithead. “Wanted or not, I might be needed.”
Rion turns to him, anger vibrating from him so hard I can feel it from across the table. “It doesn’t matter. You chose your side when you allowed him to take her,” he bites as the entire room grows quiet.
Unfazed, the wolf adjusts himself in his seat, keeping his hand firmly clamped on Elodie’s thigh as he blinks at The Sanctum members, who have stopped whatever it is they were saying to stare at us too.
“Is there an issue, Rion?” Saken grunts, cocking a brow, and he shrugs.
“Not now there isn’t,” he replies with a gleaming smile, and even I struggle to contain myself at his smugness, but it’s made easier by the fact that Kael doesn’t move away. If anything, he stands taller and more defiant.
“I’m so sorry we were rudely interrupted. May we get back to the reason we’re all here?” Anya sneers, flicking her red hair over her shoulder with a level of superiority I don’t have the care to deal with today, but Rion doesn’t seem fazed at all.
“Of course, I can’t wait,” he beams, earning a withering glare from the woman in question.
I’m sure she’s going to say something back, but Toman interjects before she has a chance.
“As we were saying, the rules of the Soul Searching Trial are simple. Each participating student will be tagged with a bracelet and placed randomly in The Vale. Your quest is to follow the soul in the bracelet to find the other half. You will complete this challenge in pairs, you and the other half of your soul, of course, and in doing so, you will advance through to the next round, whenever that might be. Be mindful, though, this trial is time-conscious since it’s so simple.
You have ninety minutes; otherwise, you will find yourself withdrawn from the trial.
And as this is a pairs adventure, your success or failure does not reflect on your entire institute.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be part of an institute that succeeds without me. Would you?”
Murmurs filter through the dining hall, some students nodding in agreement while others look a little wary. I just want this shit to be over with.
“The bracelets will be your talisman. You’ll know when you’re close to your other half. So, without further ado, we shall have everyone form two lines, females to the left, and males to the right,” Rikard orders, and in one whoosh, everyone seated rises to their feet.
I watch across the table as Elodie stands, Rion at her side, his hand drifting from her thigh to her back, but it’s Kael’s presence that gets under my skin. He doesn’t even back up a step. Instead, he leans in closer, whispering something in her ear that makes her eyes widen and her throat bob.
I shoulder through the sea of students walking in the opposite direction so I can get to her.
The defensiveness I feel on behalf of this woman is something else. I don’t know where it’s suddenly coming from. I’ve been able to keep my thoughts and feelings for her to myself this entire time, but now it’s as though I don’t have any control over it.
The second I reach her side, Kael’s gone, and I can’t decide whether that infuriates me more or not. My gaze snags on Rion, who smirks knowingly, and that pisses me off more.
“Ninety minutes. Let’s not fuck this up,” I grunt, my voice harsh as my hands curl into fists at my sides. I don’t know where that came from, or why I needed to say it, but before I can make even more of a fool of myself, I turn on my heels and charge toward the lines forming.
Keeping my head down, I can feel the growing tension in my neck as goosebumps prick along my forearms. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me, but it’s not made any easier with the prophecy swirling around continuously in my mind.
They will rise with fire in their bones and ruin in their wake, step the shadows that you reap and give more than you shall take. Blood shall bind you, love shall break you. Only in the face of death shall the path be clear; the world mourns with the final tear.
One by one, the line inches closer to The Sanctum, still standing before the tree.
I manage to tilt my head up just enough to see each student have a bracelet secured around their wrist before they disappear entirely from sight. I hate this kind of magic, especially if I’m not the one in control of it.
Daring to glance from the corner of my eye, I spot Elodie to my left. She’s further up the line than I am, reminding me of the imbalance between women and men here. Enraptured, I watch as she approaches Toman, his facial expression dipping as she nears, and I want to scrub it from his face.
If she sees, she doesn’t acknowledge it as she offers out her hand.
My heart races as the thick gold chain is draped around her wrist, a large amethyst stone at the center, before Toman cinches it tight and she’s gone. Just like that.
Still waiting for my turn, I slip my cell phone from my pocket and send out a text.
Thorne: Are you safe?
I stare at the screen, one gray tick confirming it has sent, but the second one doesn’t appear as an indication that Elodie’s device has at least received it.
Dragging a hand down my face, I sigh in frustration as I near Saken, a gold bracelet held between his finger and thumb as he looks at me expectantly. I stop beside him, offering out my wrist willingly, and he purses his lips at me.
“I see you’ve been making unauthorized trips away from The Vale,” he murmurs, giving me a pointed look.
Tilting my head at him, I match his stare with one of my own. “That was the agreement, or are you forgetting?” I ask, and his nostrils flare with irritation.
“And there seems to be a shift in The Vale’s magic. Would you happen to know anything about that?” he pushes, trying to call me out, but I shrug.
“No idea. But I can’t say I’m disappointed. The effectiveness of your protection is questionable most days, and with the constant rebellion attacks, something needed to happen.”
“We allowed for those attacks to help build everyone’s strength,” he retorts, a vein protruding at his temple as frustration gets the better of him, and I fight not to roll my eyes.