38. Ivy
Chapter 38
Ivy
Mom is in a complete mess of distress and despair.
She’s sitting in the chair in the corner of my bedroom. She didn’t want to go back to hers. Memories of Levgen haunt us both like a bad dream that you can’t wake up from.
It’s strange to think that just hours ago he was alive and still the stepfather I loved. Now he’s dead and we know he was the real monster in the dark.
Fresh tears stream down Mom’s cheeks when she sees me.
I walk up to her and hand her a steaming cup of chamomile tea.
I went downstairs to make it for her. In light of what happened tonight my efforts are futile, but it’s something. I had to do something to make her feel better no matter how small, or pointless.
She uses the cup to warm her hands although it’s not cold in here.
Tired eyes stare back at me when her gaze climbs up to meet mine. “Is everyone still here?”
“Yes, but I think they’re nearly done.”
Thorne is downstairs with Caspian and Lucian. They contacted a cleanup team who are removing the bodies. Including Levgen’s.
“Thorne booked us into a guest house near campus.” If it weren’t so late, Mom and I would have left already. Being surrounded by death, disappointment, and grief is making it harder to leave the nightmare behind.
“Please thank Thorne for me. Thank him for everything. God knows what would have happened if he hadn’t come by….” She starts crying again, breaking down like she did before.
I take the cup from her and set it on the dresser so she doesn’t burn herself, then I sit next to her and put my arm around her shoulders.
“Mom.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. There’s so much to take in and I don’t know if I’ll ever be strong again.”
“You will.”
“I don’t know how to feel.”
“You’re in shock.” I’m in shock too, yet I’m surprisingly holding it together. But I think that’s because I know Mom needs me. We can’t both fall apart.
“I’m in the deepest shock. Levgen ruined our lives. Your father has been in prison this whole time because of him and I had to give up everything to save us.” Her breath catches as she dries her tears. “I should have believed you. I should have believed you, but I never wanted to hear anything that could put us in danger.”
“I understand. What Levgen did was just… despicable. Dad thinks we’re dead.” Tears pull at my eyes and I can’t control the few that slide down my cheeks.
Mom sees me crying and takes my hand. “I have to fix this.”
“I think we can now.”
She pulls me in for a hug and holds me. We stay like that until a knock sounds at the door.
I get up to answer it and find Thorne standing on the other side.
Sympathy fills his eyes when he looks at Mom who has her head in her hands, weeping.
I step out of the room so Thorne and I can speak in private.
“She’s in a bad way.” I release a haggard breath that feels like it’s been fighting to break free of the compression in my lungs.
“I’m so sorry for everything.”
“I’m sorry for you too. I’m still linked to someone who hurt you deeply.” I bring my hands together. “It was bad enough when I felt like your enemy’s daughter, but when we realized that my father was set up I felt better. Only to realize now that my stepfather was the orchestrator of this disaster.”
“That’s on him. Not you. Never you.”
“Thank you for thinking like that.”
“Of course. Ivy, you are a victim. Just like me. You hear me?”
I nod. “Thank you for everything.”
“You are welcome.”
“How did you find out all that stuff? There was a lot there. It was everything.”
“Before the shooting I got a message from an unknown number warning me away from searching for the scar-faced man. I had someone look into it to find out who it came from. As soon as they were able to identify Levgen they found everything else.”
“I’m glad you were still looking after he told you to hand him everything.”
“Honestly I’d stopped because I didn’t want to put you in danger, but I wanted to know who sent me the message.”
“I can’t believe it was really him.”
“Monsters are often the people you know who hide behind the mask of kindness and love. You would never imagine that Levgen was responsible for any of this because he loved you. He loved you and your mother in a sick, selfish way.”
I nod, agreeing. “What happens now?”
“I’m heading back to campus. There’s some stuff I need to do for your father.”
My heart lifts as if carried up by wings. “My father?”
“Yeah. I think he’s been in prison long enough. I don’t want him to wait a minute longer.”
I move into him, hugging him hard. “Oh Thorne. Thank you so much.”
“It’s over now… Annika .” He says my name as if he’s trying it out for the first time. “It’s over. You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
I look up at him. “Thanks to you.”
Four days later Mom, Thorne, and I wait outside the Knights’ central office.
My father was flown here from the Hallows two days ago.
Dad spent the last two days being processed, whatever that means. No one has ever made it back from the Hallows alive, so I guess it had something to do with that.
We weren’t allowed to see him until today. It’s like waiting for someone to come out of a courthouse.
Any minute now my father should walk through those sliding doors as a free man.
It will be the first time he’ll see us in almost a decade.
Mom links her arm with mine. She looks brighter than days ago but still drained. I have every emotion still running through me
The two of us stare directly at the doors as if we’re scared he’ll come out and we’ll miss him.
We’ve been watching officials go in and out for the half hour that we’ve stood here waiting.
All sorts of crazy things are running through my mind and I keep worrying that something will go wrong.
This is too good to be true, so something may happen and we won’t see him. What if they send him back?
As if sensing my thoughts Thorne takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.
The doors slide open, and I wait with my breath swelling in my chest, hoping that this time it will be my father.
And it is.
Dad walks out dressed in the same black clothes he would have worn at the Hallows. But he’s carrying a duffel bag.
Unlike the picture I saw of him weeks ago, his hair has grown back. It’s still cropped but at least it’s not shaved. And he has a patch covering his lost eye.
When he sees us he stops and stares, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Go,” Thorne mutters, and we do.
Mom and I run toward my father, who pulls us into his arms.
The last time the three of us were together like this we were at the helm of danger, fleeing for our lives. Now we have a fresh start.
Dad cups my face and smiles down at me. “Annika,” he whispers, pressing his forehead to mine. “It’s really you?”
It sounds so good to hear his voice. “Yes Papa, it’s me.”
He touches my cheek and I no longer feel like the lost little girl.
Dad focuses on Mom next and tries to speak, but he’s so caught up in emotion it breaks him. It breaks her, too.
While they hug I look at Thorne and find him staring at us.
I owe him everything.
He did this for me. He gave me my father back.
I feel sad that I can’t bring his family back too.
But I promise to give him all my love.