Chapter 49
Elowen
A month later.
I drag my stiff body down to the dining room, hoping to put some food in my stomach. Every muscle aches, sore from all the dancing I’ve done these past few days. After all, it was Avi’s wedding. I could be dying, but I wouldn’t miss the chance to dance my soul out.
She’s gone now, off to Iceland for her honeymoon.
The elders all left yesterday, right after she did.
I’ll stay here a few more days. Rosie and Bruno are loving their time here, and after finding out Lyn was shot—and none of us knew—I feel compelled to stay close to her.
She’s recovered, but a near-death experience like that... it’s traumatizing.
I slump into the chair beside Lyn.
“Where’s Leo? And my babies?” I ask.
“Matleon got a call. Your babies are in the forest.”
After giving me near cardiac arrests this past month with their squabbling, Bruno and Rosie have finally started getting along.
I’ve been in San Diego with them for ten days now, and they’ve fallen in love with the wild area here.
They spend every morning and evening out there now.
Sure, it means bathing them twice a day and shouting into a megaphone to call them back for meals, but it’s worth it. As long as they’re happy.
“I don’t feel like eating,” I mutter, spooning a small portion onto my plate anyway.
Lyn chuckles. “After dancing like a woman possessed for three days, it’s hard not to end up like this.”
I laugh. The slight movement pulls at my sore stomach muscles, which makes me laugh even harder at the absurd state of my body.
“This is a horrible feeling.”
“We have to leave for DC.” Leo’s voice comes from the doorway.
We both look at him. His jaw is clenched hard. His face is pale.
“What’s wrong?” Lyn asks, rising from her chair.
“Uncle was in a plane crash.”
A gasp escapes both Lyn and me. I feel lightheaded instantly.
“Is he— is he…” I can’t finish. Tears choke my throat.
“He didn’t survive. They found the body.” The words leave Leo in a ragged whisper. His eyes are red-rimmed.
I cover my mouth with both hands. The impact of his words registers slowly. I shake my head, tears streaming, and then I’m holding my head, wailing.
Leo comes to me. I cling to him; he strokes my hair. Lyn settles down beside me and pulls me close.
I don’t know how long I cry—only that eventually, there are no tears left.
Leo helps me up, and we leave the dining room. On our way out, he instructs his butler to care for Rosie and Bruno.
On the jet, the tears start again as we near DC. The thought of seeing Uncle’s dead body is agonizing. Memories from childhood rush in, suffocating me. I cry even harder for Avi and Aunt—imagining their pain.
We land at the airstrip near Dad’s mansion. A car takes us the rest of the way.
We walk inside. No one’s there, except Dad.
I run to him and hug him tightly.
He rubs my back.
I forget to breathe between sobs. He pulls back and holds my face, wiping tears that won’t stop.
“Where are Aunt and Mom?” Leo asks.
“Abi lost consciousness from the shock. Persephone is with her at the hospital.”
“Take us there,” I manage to say.
He shakes his head. “Lyn and you stay here. You’re not in any condition to see anyone.”
Lyn wraps an arm around my shoulder, keeping me upright as Dad and Leo leave.
Once they’re gone, Lyn leads me to her and Leo’s room. Her expression is calm, pitying; she hasn’t cried once.
The funeral is set for evening. Avi and Zo have arrived. Aunt is stable but has been crying nonstop. Avi seems better—she must be in shock. She cries, but only in small, sporadic bursts.
Grandpa and Grandma are calm, too. Everyone is so calm. It feels strange. Is this how they cope?
After we return from the cemetery, everyone retreats to their rooms. No matter how they show it, the truth is everyone loved Uncle. Everyone is heartbroken. No one has the energy to console another person drowning in the same pain.
I enter my room—and pause.
He’s sitting on my bed.
Salvario
She runs to me and climbs onto my lap, hugging me tightly. Her sobs start the moment I hold her. She’s been crying since morning without pause.
I hate seeing her like this. I hate myself for being the reason for her grief.
“Uncle is dead, Salvario.” The words come out in a broken whisper, choked with tears.
“I’m sorry, Princess.” I truly am. I didn’t want to do this, but I had no other choice.
I hold her tight, rubbing her back as she sobs.
“Just two days ago, he was dancing with us. And now he’s gone.”
I lift her and lay her down on the bed. I remove her black sandals, lie beside her, and pull her into my chest.
“You know, when I was little, he used to carry Avi on one shoulder and me on the other. He’d let us mess with his hair when we wanted to make braids.” She sobs.
I keep stroking her hair, letting her say whatever she needs. I don’t know what else to do to stop the tears.
“He always had the best jokes. He made us laugh. He was the best uncle in the world. Why did this happen to him?” She goes breathless, choked on her cries and words.
I pull back and pat her cheek. Her skin is burning hot. The sobs won’t stop, she’s struggling for air.
I sit up fast, blood roaring in my veins, pulse spiking. I yank her upright.
“Take a long breath, Princess.”
She tries, but the sobbing won’t let her.
“Fuck.”
I force my fingers into her mouth—her teeth are clenched too tight. Her eyes roll back.
I pull her lower jaw down with one hand, prying her teeth apart with the other. The moment her teeth part, she gasps. Her body slumps against me.
My panic spikes.
“Elowen.” I whisper her name, urgent, desperate.
“Elowen.”
She doesn’t answer. Her eyes are shut. I release her jaw, her teeth clack shut. But she’s breathing through her nose.
I pat her cheek.
“Open your eyes, Princess,” I plead.
I lay her down and grab the water bottle from the nightstand. I splash some on her face.
She flinches. Her eyes open. She looks at me.
I cup her face with my wet palm.
“Are you okay?” Desperation drips through my voice.
She hums and hugs me. I hold her, stroking her hair, her back.
“You scared me.”
She doesn’t answer. Her breathing evens out.
I clench my jaw. Anger boils inside me. Guilt and self-hatred coil tighter.
Elowen
I hear Avi and Lyn calling my name. Slowly, I force my eyes open.
Avi looks at Lyn. They both look as if yesterday never happened, like it’s just another day.
“I’m telling her,” Avi says.
Lyn nods.
“What?” The word scrapes up my dry throat.
She helps me sit up and points toward the bathroom. I understand.
I climb out of bed. My legs feel weak, unsteady. It’s like I have a fever. I press a hand to my forehead. It’s burning.
They lead me inside the bathroom and close the door behind us.
“Dad is fine,” Avi says.
My eyes widen. “What are you talking about?”
She nods. “Everything was staged. To catch the mastermind behind the crash. Someone wants to kill Dad.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Now I understand why everyone was so calm. It feels like I was the only one kept in the dark.
Avi and Lyn exchange a look.
“Actually,” Lyn begins, “there’s a chance it’s the man who kidnapped you.”
I shake my head at once. “That’s not possible. He told me himself—he gave up on his revenge.”
“The men don’t believe that. That’s why they asked us not to tell you.” Avi pauses. “And you still can’t tell anyone we told you this.”
“And please don’t tell your kidnapper either,” Lyn adds.
I frown.
She holds up a placating hand. “I know you trust him. But no one else does. Let him prove it through the investigation. Then you can tell him whatever you want.”
“Okay. But why can’t we have this conversation outside?”
“Whoever did this hacked the entire network. He can hear everything through our phones and other devices.”
I sit on the sink counter, lightheaded.
“When will we know who’s behind this?”
“Zoan is working on it. Hopefully soon.” Avi sits beside me.
“Where’s Uncle?”
“He’s in Canada.”
“How did he survive the crash? In the news footage, it looked horrible.”
“He jumped with his parachute right before impact.”
I press my fingers to my forehead.
“I’m furious at everyone for not telling me. But I’m so relieved he’s okay.”
Avi wraps an arm around my shoulder.
“I’m sorry. Lyn and I wanted to tell you yesterday, but Zoan and Leo said no. They still don’t know we told you. So pretend you know nothing.”
I hum in agreement.