Chapter 30 #2
“You need to slow your breathing,” she instructed.
“I can’t breathe,” I told her.
“That’s only what it feels like,” she reassured. “I have a nervous cousin, she passed out at her own birthday party last year,” she told me so casually, like I wasn’t struggling to get any air into my lungs.
“I can’t,” I said and unzipped the quarter zip of my sweater, pulling at the fabric.
“There is no need to rip your clothing off,” she put her hands on both of my shoulders and pushed them back, “You’re too tense, try to relax and copy my breathing, this will pass fairly quickly,” she reassured and began doing big dramatic breaths in and slow exhales.
I did my best to copy her, and within a minute, I could feel my hands again, and I was able to breathe.
“Thank you,” I said.
“It’s not a problem,” she said as she sat in the chair opposite me and poured herself a cup of coffee.
I anxiously looked at the tray of food, checking that the letter was still hidden.
“Now, tell me what you could have possibly done in your very short return to upset Selene? She stormed right past me,” she asked.
I was silent, I had already said the words too many times, and each time almost killed me.
“Okay, then. Tell me what happened to you. Where were you taken? How were you rescued? You have to answer these questions, Percy. You can’t simply remain silent forever and hyperventilating over breakfast for the rest of your life,” she said.
“I was taken to House Halvorsen, where The New Foundation has a military base on Lord Arvid Halvorsen’s personal estate,” I told her.
“So, the rumours are true, House Halvorsen has been up to something. How did you come to be here, Percy?” she asked, and took a sip of her coffee.
“There was an attack,” I said, and the image of Kat’s shocked face just before she fell to the ground flashed behind my eyelids, Ana’s hands covered in blood, Valen laughing as the boat owner sat dying beside him, and I shook the images from my mind.
When I looked back at Heidi, she was silent, her eyes wide in shock.
“What?” I asked.
“Valen?” she asked.
“How? Stay out of my mind!” I shouted at her, realising she had seen my thoughts.
Heidi shook her head as if shaking off her shock.
“It wasn’t intentional. You know that ordinarily your thoughts are not easily accessible. But in times of distress, even those with natural defences are easier to read,” she explained.
“I thought you were rescued, Percy?” she asked.
“I was,” I lied, so entirely unconvincing.
“Right, of course, and you just happened to go on a boat trip with a ghost,” she said and sipped her coffee, “Mmm-Hmm, very believable.”
“Heidi,” I warned.
“Percy,” she said back mockingly and then sighed and set her cup down. “What is going on with you? Does Selene know about Valen?” she asked.
“No. And you can’t tell her,” I said.
“It’s a pretty big secret to keep,” she replied.
“Please, Heidi, Selene can’t know about any of it,” I begged.
Heidi didn’t reply, only pursed her lips.
“She’ll find out eventually. You’ve got to know that. He isn’t the type to hide away, not out of his own volition. And why by the love of Hermes was he with you on a boat?” she asked, her eyebrows rising, knitting in confusion.
“When is the opening ceremony for the Royal Conference?” I asked instead.
“Don’t try to change the subject, Percy, I can’t be that easily distracted, regardless of what others may think of me,” she replied.
“Please, I need to know,” I pleaded. I needed to know how much time I had before someone else was dead because of me.
“Tomorrow afternoon,” she answered.
“Tomorrow!” I said.
“What’s so interesting about the opening —” she stopped herself and smiled, and gave me an approving wink, “I’m not going to get distracted, not when there is a murderous madman once thought dead and on the loose, but you almost got me,” she said.
“Heidi, please, don’t say anything to Selene, it will make everything worse,” I begged.
“Make what worse? You are home now,” she asked.
“I… I can’t say,” I answered.
“Percy, that’s quite unreasonable,” she said.
“And so is snooping around inside my head and seeing things that you shouldn’t,” I shouted, standing from my chair.
Heidi stood too.
“I can see that you are very distressed, and I want to help you, but I cannot do so when you are so dysregulated. I will not be shouted at,” Heidi told me.
“Then leave!” I shouted and pointed to the door.
“Very well,” she agreed and walked towards the door.
I panicked. “No, wait, Heidi, please don’t say anything to Selene,” I begged, trying to stop her from leaving, but she had already reached for and opened the door by the time I grabbed her elbow.
“Let go of me, Percy,” she said calmly, but I could tell she was annoyed.
“Please don’t say anything,” I begged.
But she didn’t say anything, only pulled her arms away from me and left.
I tried to follow, but Theo, the newest guard I had spoken with in Ardens, held me back and guided me back over the threshold of the door into the room again.
“I’m sorry, but I’m under strict orders. You cannot leave,” he told me.
I was distraught as he was pulling the door closed.
“I’m happy that you are alive,” he said just before the door closed again.