Chapter 24 #2
Once I feel stable enough to walk alone, he rushes into my closet, his movements quick as I hear drawers slamming closed.
He emerges moments later, holding my cloak and a pair of fuzzy socks.
With a gentle touch that is at odds with who he is, he drapes the cloak around my shoulders, fastening the three buttons before dropping to his knees before me.
He grips my ankle, allowing me to steady myself on his shoulder as he slips on the socks for me, his fingers brushing against my skin with a delicate touch. I might enjoy this moment more if I wasn’t in so much pain. I’m not sure Anders, the arrogant, dark prince, would kneel before anyone.
“I need shoes,” I sniffle, trying to regain some dignity. He shakes his head decisively.
“No, I’m carrying you,” he states firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.
“What? No—” I start to protest, but he scoops me effortlessly into his arms before I can finish. The sudden motion takes me by surprise, eliciting a release of unexpected tears as I instinctively wrap my arms around his neck.
“Did I hurt you?” he asks, searching my face.
I shake my head, my heart swelling with gratitude and something more.
I let my head rest against his shoulder, surrendering to the moment.
For a fleeting instant, I inhale deeply, breathing him in.
His scent and familiarity feel like a balm to my soul.
I allow myself to pretend, just for a moment, that he’s mine and this is normal, to forget everything else, and to just allow myself to be held.
I must have drifted off because when I open my eyes again, I find myself in a bed at the healer’s Center.
Anders is sitting in a chair beside me, his hand wrapped in mine, sleeping with his head resting on a pillow at the edge of the bed.
Above us, the two moons are halfway across the sky. It’s late.
I shift in the bed and realize, for the first time, that there’s no pain.
I sigh in relief, letting my head fall to the side to take him in.
What is it between us that keeps forcing us together?
And why is he still here? He could have dropped me off and returned to the dorms to eat and sleep.
I’m not the only one who has to fly tomorrow, and guilt settles in my stomach, making me uneasy.
“Anders,” I whisper, brushing my thumb across the back of his hand. He stirs but doesn’t wake. I try again, and this time, his head shoots up from the pillow. Pillow creases line his face, and he looks so tired. “Go back to the dorms. Get some sleep.”
He stands, scrubbing his hands down his face before forcing one hand to tame his hair. He sits on the edge of the bed, retaking my hand, and I blush when he does. What I said or did in pain was one thing, but now…
“Really?” he asks, chuckling, a slight grin pulling at his lips. “Let’s get you back. They said you were free to go when you woke up. Also, they won’t be sending you away next time you come.”
Something flickers in his expression, but he doesn’t explain further as he helps me into a sitting position. He stands, wrapping my cloak around me, and it suddenly hits me that he carried me the whole way.
Gods…why?
“I can walk,” I blurt out. He snorts and crosses his arms over his chest, the simple move making his chest seem like a wall of muscle and emphasizing just how capable his arms are of holding me.
“You don’t have shoes. I’m not letting you walk across campus in socks.”
“Well, I do remember asking you for shoes, which you didn’t grab, so excuse me, but this is your fault. I’ll walk.” I stand, testing my legs and twisting to find there’s nothing left of the pain.
I take a few steps toward the door when Anders scoops me into his arms. I let out a yelp as he cradles me to his chest.
“Put me down, you big oaf!” I squawk, slapping his chest. He chuckles darkly in response and squeezes me tighter. I’m aware of every point of contact. This is humiliating, and gods, I passed out the last time. “Anders, I can walk.”
“I know, but then I’d have to listen to you complain for the next week about you hurting your feet on rocks and then blaming me. So I think I’ll just skip that fun and carry you,” he says.
I groan and cross my arms like a child throwing a tantrum. The idea of wrapping my arms around his neck and being close to him feels overwhelming, especially now that I’m thinking clearly.
“Gods, Raea,” he groans. “Just say thank you and move on.”
The door slides open as we approach, and he steps out into the dark night. It’s freezing out here, and I find myself leaning just a little more into him. He’s so warm and comforting. It's difficult not to wrap myself around him.
“Thank you,” I mutter.
“See? Was it that hard?” he teases as we cross over the bridge back to our side of campus. The boards clack beneath his steady feet. Feeling a bit guilty that he’s carrying dead weight right now, I relent and wrap my arms around his neck.
“Painful,” I reply, relaxing a bit into him.
I can’t help but notice that his arms aren’t trembling under my weight—they feel steady and strong like I weigh nothing to him. Beneath his dress shirt, I can feel how broad and strong he really is. Thank the gods it’s dark outside because my cheeks flush.
“I’m sorry for keeping you up,” I say quietly. He just shakes his head, looking down at me.
“Anytime, Princess,” he replies.
Something passes between us, and I’m not ready for it, so I look away, laying my head on his shoulder. We continue in silence, and when we return to Taeolyn, even though I’m safe to walk now, he insists on carrying me all the way up to the fifth floor, only setting me down when we reach my door.
“Good night,” I whisper, stepping back until my back is pressed against my door. He follows, bringing our bodies flush again, and he tilts my chin up so that I’m forced to meet his gaze.
“Sleep well, Soraea.” The way he says my name feels like a caress, lighting up my nerve endings.
I realize he wants to say more, but he holds my gaze for a heartbeat, and then he’s gone, already disappearing down the hall to his room.
Today, we’ve been excused from our usual classes for our Divisions test, and I can barely contain my excitement.
After returning from the Center last night, I crawled back into bed, and the moment my head hit the pillow, I fell into a deep sleep.
I suspect that the exhaustion was a result of all the energy I poured into coping with the pain.
I’m still unsure about what exactly Anders said to the healers that prompted them to come to my aid, but I am deeply grateful he arrived when he did.
As I settle into my seat for the briefing, Professor Brendn stands at the front of the room, leaning against his table and looking over the sea of excited students.
“You’ll be flying with your assigned seniors for this trip.
You’ll fly down, land on the launch pad, and two of you may exit the transport to retrieve a token.
After completing the entire course, you’ll fly back here.
The first transport to finish the course wins. Any questions?”
Kami, a junior from Staxver in Ateria, shoots her hand up.
“Yes, Lady Kamryn?” Professor Brendn addresses her, using her full name. Kami gives him an exasperated look, eyes narrowed slightly, before she continues.
“What happens if we encounter civilians?”
Professor Brendn’s expression turns serious.
“You know the rules, and so do the towers. Energy shields will activate the moment you land. Hoods up, use your Colony names. The towers will recognize the transports as flight school transports from an academy on Dionek. Only upper officials are privy to your real identities. Ensure that whoever is on comms reports any suspicious activity, and don’t forget to activate the live feed before takeoff.
Now, you all have your trackers, yes?” he asks, scanning the room.
Our Colony names are considered our alternate identities meant to keep us safe and hopefully unrecognized.
A low murmur of conversation spreads like wildfire through the classroom as we each pull out the jewelry trackers we’ve been given.
While our school trackers are embedded within us, these additional ones are necessary, especially since our school trackers weren’t designed for interplanetary travel.
I fidget with the gold band that sits uncomfortably on my pointer finger.
It feels heavy and clunky, the cool metal smooth against my skin as I unconsciously run my thumb back and forth along its surface.
I was told that last year, the professors accompanied the juniors instead of the seniors during these missions.
As I glance back a few rows, I catch sight of Anders, who is also nervously toying with his own ring.
His gaze remains on his hand, but I can’t help but notice the way his mouth curls into a smirk, a silent acknowledgment that he knows I’m watching him.
It’s a thing we apparently do now—dance around our true feelings and the truth of our magic, but hey, who am I to change?
I wish Anders were our assigned senior; I’d definitely feel safer if he were.
The tug I feel to always be around him is only getting stronger every day, and when I touch him, gods, it’s the only time I feel relief from the growing charge in the air.
Even the hum of Baedyn and the other planets feels stronger.
“For those of you who have checked out your weapons, please keep them in their holsters unless absolutely necessary. Transport teams, you may exit to the launch pads to begin your takeoff inspections. When your assigned senior arrives, you may load up. Your time begins when you radio in for takeoff.”
Students stand, and excitement fills the air as we shuffle to the aisles and down the steps. All fliers take this astral test in their junior year, which will be combined with our final grade.
Trysten catches up with Ciara, Tate, and me as we make our way to our transport. The shiny onyx body of the space transport glimmers in the early morning sun. I can’t believe I get to fly around the system today.
I’m not paying attention when I feel a surge of energy coursing through my entire body.
It’s so powerful that I let out a sharp gasp as my knees threaten to buckle beneath me.
I feel like a live wire sparking to life.
Irritation surges through me. He should know better than to touch me when I’m not paying attention.
“Don’t do that,” I hiss, keeping my voice low enough for his ears only. “Others will see.”
“Gods, calm down,” he responds, releasing his hold on me.
Even through the fabric that separates us, I can feel the lingering remnants of energy, dampened, but still strong enough to send a jolt of excitement shooting through me.
“I was going to warn you about Naelik. The volcanoes are active today. And when you get to Klea, steer clear of the big guy with the scar on his face. He will recognize you, and let’s just say he keeps questionable company.
Send Tate instead and tell him not to look him in the eye. ”
I catch a flicker of something akin to fear in his eyes, which displaces my irritation, replacing it with a warm, tingly sensation.
I hesitate, my instincts battling between maintaining my composure and reaching out for him.
Touching him wins out as I wrap my hands around his biceps.
As he steps closer, I feel a rush of warmth radiating from him as his hand briefly brushes my hip, as though he was considering holding me and thought better of it.
A small smile pulls at my lips, and I find myself swaying slightly, leaning into him as the world around us blurs.
After a few heartbeats, the sound of boots on metal snaps me back to reality, and our moment fades. The gravity of our surroundings rushes back to me with clarity. Students around us are watching, pretending to be busy, but I can feel their eyes on us.
“Thank you, Prince,” I respond, a smirk forming on my face as I shoot him a playful wink.
“Oh, and Anders,” I pause as I take a step back, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
“Don’t keep up.” I swiftly turn, whipping my head back toward my friends, and feel my hair hit him.
Behind me, I hear him chuckle softly, the tension dissolving between us.
I don’t acknowledge the strange tinge of fear I feel from walking away from him.