14. Sax
SAX
S taring through the flickering flames of the bonfire, I watch as my fated mate hightails it from the party. The sound of the wood crackling as the heat makes it splinter is her parting sound as everybody whispers about her exit.
There’s thunder in every step she takes, while I remain rooted to the spot, nestled deep in my fold out chair. Except the desire to spend the night staring up at the clear sky is gone now.
She’s taken it with her.
There’s a storm inside me. It stirs up dormant feelings that refuse to settle.
It’s like a volcano, erupting within, driven by a heat that demands release.
But instead of lava, there’s only her. I should have known everything regarding my fated mate would be intense when she was announced as a Fire Protector.
Pursing my lips, I wrap my fingers around the arm of the deck chair and sit up taller, watching her trudge up the pathway along the cliff’s edge as I recall the short time she’s been here tonight.
It felt like any other party as I watched the sunset and the stars emerge from hiding, bathed in the moon’s glow above. Everything shifted when she arrived. I sensed her presence first, caught her scent second, and became mesmerized by the vision she is once my eyes dared to find her.
Watching her was like tracking the stars.
No, it’s better.
She shimmers in a way that I can’t even comprehend.
I’ve never really been a fan of the water, either. Not until she came to a stop beside it. For the first time, I felt the hypnotic lure of the water lapping at the shoreline, the moonlight glistening along the top, each making her stand taller, brighter.
I almost didn’t come, and what a shame that would have been.
Despite my best efforts, I’m drawn to her. I can’t deny it. Not to myself at least.
Everything was perfect until Silas appeared.
My gaze snaps to him for a brief second, dissecting him as he laughs with his friends off in the distance as if nothing happened, like he’s not part of the reason she’s no longer here.
The other reason is standing a few feet away, his face almost a replica of mine. It’s a shame his actions aren’t too.
Baron is many things, but mostly, he’s an overbearing asshole. He’s entitled to be angry at Silas’s antics, but the end result shouldn’t have been Ivy leaving. She’d only just arrived. Not just at the party, but at the academy too, and she deserves to experience the fun that comes with being here.
My gaze narrows on my brother, who stands with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his back to the cliffside, intent on blocking her from his memory.
His ability to interact with others has always been limited.
He’s like our father, through and through, one-hundred percent grouchy and insanely exhausting. Well, Dad , not Pops.
Ivy isn’t the only woman I know to be fated to more than one mate; our mother was too.
Greta, Finnick, and Garside Linton. A trio of balance.
I love it, I love them, but Baron has always been confused by the dynamic.
I guess it doesn’t help that we’re twins.
He probably feels like he’ll never have anything to himself, but I don’t make the rules; The Fates do.
Thankfully, when Aster and Cami, our younger twin sisters, came along, Baron softened a little.
What I need is for him to soften toward Ivy, or this dynamic will stay like this forever.
I sigh, wiping a hand down my face.
If it stays like this forever, I’ll have to blame myself too.
We never should have muttered that single word two years ago. It still burns my tongue whenever I think about it.
The frustration that ripples through me no longer belongs solely to my brother, but to the four of us. I tilt my head, passing my gaze over the three others as anger begins to build inside of me.
Archer’s face is still locked on his cell phone, and Teddy is embracing the attention from the girls hanging off his every word, while Baron continues to stare out at the water. One thing remains the same between each of them: they don’t care about Ivy right now.
Launching to my feet, I can’t control myself. An angry green mist clouds my vision as I storm toward my brother, nudging him with my shoulder as I come to an abrupt stop at his side. I sense his tension the second I make contact, but to my surprise, he doesn’t immediately lash out in response.
His jaw ticks as his nostrils flare. “Don’t fuck with me right now, Sax,” he grunts, wiping a hand down his face, and I scoff.
“Or what? Are you going to send me off to my dorm too?”
He rolls his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I don’t?” I clarify, and he huffs. “How about you explain it to me then, because from where I was sitting, it looked clear enough.”
“Whatever you two are grumbling about, keep it down or take it somewhere else. You’re starting to gain an audience,” Archer grunts, appearing on the other side of my brother, and I snicker.
He’s got to be kidding.
“It’s a shame you couldn’t jump in and tell this asshole that fact earlier when he was ripping into Ivy,” I sneer, emotions churning inside as I voice my issues. Archer blinks at me, clearly surprised, but it doesn’t seem to change his stance since he just shrugs.
Baron drags a hand down his face. “Sax,” he grunts in the way only he can, and I huff in frustration.
“Whatever is about to come out of your mouth, don’t waste your time,” I interject before I have to listen to his bullshit.
There are times when I can take my brother’s crap, and there are times when I can’t.
Tonight is the latter, it seems. “You can have your opinion, you’re entitled to it, but if you continue to smother her, you’re only going to increase the wedge between us,” I grunt, turning, desperate for some space away from him, but before I can make it too far, he grabs my arm, halting me in my tracks.
“We all made the wedge between us when we rejected her. There’s no coming back from that, brother. You should probably get over yourself and remember that,” he retorts, releasing me just as quickly as he grabbed me.
The breeze streamlines around me as I move. Anger bubbles in my veins, but I rein it in, swallowing down the desire to fight, opting to withdraw instead. My good intentions are short-lived, though, when a thought comes to mind.
My nostrils flare as I turn back to the party, most people unfazed by my presence, but my brother, Archer, and Teddy are all looking at me. With my hands curled at my sides, I make sure I ghost my gaze across the three of them.
“Hugo said she’s a force to be reckoned with. I’m sure we haven’t forgotten what else he said.” I don’t care to wait for a response as I trudge up the side of the cliff. My magic vibrates through me, threatening to make an appearance, but I bottle it up.
When I’m worked up, I must have control.
Besides, with Hugo’s words in my thoughts, it’s impossible.
If anyone knows Ivy, it’s her brother. He’s a mystery from start to finish, but when he speaks about her, there’s a difference in his voice that makes what he’s saying undeniable.
“My sister is a force to be reckoned with. She’s a vault. She’ll show you what she wants you to see, but anything vulnerable is off the table unless you earn it. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”
I either move fast or lose myself to my mind. Regardless, the beach is nothing more than a distant memory when I become alert enough to take in my surroundings. My gaze locks on the small building up ahead, tension seeping from my shoulders as a calmness washes over me.
My steps slow as I stuff my hands in my pockets and suck in a deep breath.
I don’t know what the hell came over me back there, but it’s clear Ivy is a touchy subject for me, even when it comes to my brothers.
I’ve spent my entire life with Baron, and the past two years with Archer and Teddy.
I thought we were solid, but it’s as if someone’s taken an important piece out from beneath me, leaving me off balance, and my gut tells me she is what I need.
Shaking my head, I approach my secret happy place.
The Greenhouse.
Most Land Protectors are drawn to the forest on the other side of the academy, but I’ve been addicted to The Greenhouse since the day I arrived.
Well, the day I arrived and my sprite, Clay, insisted on showing me.
I fell in love there and then, and I’m pretty sure it’s because he likes to forage in the wildflowers off to the left.
It’s his favorite spot in the world, but as I approach, I can’t see him.
Frowning, I pause, tilting my face to the sky once again as I exhale slowly before taking in my sanctuary.
The Greenhouse stands tall, despite almost being swallowed up in the academy’s grounds.
The glass stretches in every direction, opening the space up to the weather outside while housing a wide variety of pots and plants.
I love tending to everything, nurturing it, and watching it grow.
It all comes with a sense of pride, but it’s the sanctuary it offers that has me addicted.
I can come here when I’m happy, or sad, or anywhere in between. Like now, when I’m out of sorts.
A distant, light, male voice rings in my ears, and I grin.
Approaching The Greenhouse, a hint of confusion clouds my thoughts at the fact that I can hear Clay inside, but as I press my palm against the door, my steps falter once again.
He’s not alone.
A whisp of laughter dances through the air, swirling around me as my eyebrows gather.
Enticed, I slip through the door, but keep to the tall plants by the entryway as I listen.
“How is someone this beautiful in here right now?” Clay blurts, and I can picture his eyes all wide and gooey as he blinks at whoever it is.
“You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?”
I freeze.
I know that voice.
I could never forget that voice.
Ivy.
What the hell is she doing here?
Desperate to confirm it’s her with my eyes as well as my ears, I tiptoe around the edge of The Greenhouse until I spy my fated mate watching my sprite dance around in front of her in a green haze.
“Who are you?” Clay asks, and she smiles at him, all lighthearted and carefree; a stark difference from the girl who left the party a short while ago.
“I’m Ivy. Who are you?”
“Clay.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you Clay,” she breathes, a soft smile on her lips, and my sprite swirls in the air, all gleeful.
He’s not going to shut up about this for the rest of the night.
He’s smitten.
“What brings you here, Ivy?” he asks, holding his little arms out wide, encompassing the entirety of The Greenhouse, and Ivy casts her gaze around the space as she attempts to answer.
“I’m honestly not quite sure. I was just drawn to it,” she admits, folding her arms over her chest.
“Where did you come from?”
“Are you investigating me, Clay? Is that what this is?” The amusement is clear in her tone as her lips twitch.
“I’m curious. It’s not often anyone comes in here. It’s usually just my person and me,” he explains, and she nods, eyebrows raised as she digests his words.
“That sounds lonely.”
“Of course not, we have each other,” he retorts quickly, and the smile on her lips turns… sad.
I don’t like it.
“Are you okay?” Clay asks, inching so close he’s almost on her shoulder. “I’m sure it won’t be long until Sax is here, he?—”
“Sax?” she blurts, her entire demeanor changing as she takes a step back, and Clay frowns.
“Sax Linton is my person,” Clay confirms with a smile, and Ivy shakes her head. Whatever this moment was, it’s gone now with the simple mention of my name.
“I have to go.” She’s already moving toward the door, and I side-step deeper into The Greenhouse to avoid crossing paths.
“When do I get to see you again?” Clay hollers, fluttering after her, but she’s already darting out into the night air, taking a piece of me with her as a sense of resolution settles inside of me.
Whatever I thought this was, I was wrong.
Whatever I wanted this to be, it’s far from it.
The only thing to decide is whether whatever comes next is because I’ve succeeded or failed.