Chapter Ivy
Ivy
Ivy’s heartbeat was a frantic flutter as she approached Veldmoor’s front door.
She steeled herself for what was to come but was stymied by a peculiar sensation that overcame her.
With every step, she felt herself being pulled both backward towards Killian, and forward towards Leseldh.
She felt as though she might be torn in two.
Her efforts to brace herself came crumbling down as she stepped inside the mansion.
She peered in the doorways of the rooms on the lower level on her way to the staircase, finding them empty.
When she reached the upper floor’s landing, she found Voresta and Finare standing in the hall outside Leseldh’s study, both staring in her direction.
She couldn’t see Leseldh, but she knew he was inside the study.
She looked to Finare first, who bore a wary expression on his features.
Voresta’s face was lined with irritation, and—was it betrayal?
Guilt? She tried to adopt a neutral expression as she looked between her Broodmates, terrified that they would learn the full extent of her deception tonight by her facial features alone.
Finare and Voresta peeled back to allow her to move into the study doorway. As she passed Finare, she saw his nostrils flare slightly. She gave his hand a gentle brush with her own, and his gaze softened imperceptibly. She found Leseldh seated at his desk.
His eyes were a bright gold that she’d only seen a few times. Her fear was absolute, but she did her best not to let it show as she prepared for the onslaught.
“Where have you been, my love?” Leseldh’s tone was frightening in its calmness.
“It was the Hunter,” she spoke in a low voice, doing her best to sound distressed. Leseldh rose from his chair and rounded the table to make his way towards her.
“What happened?”
“I went for a feed, and he came into the room while I was waiting. I couldn’t escape.” She allowed her fear to show in her voice, but it was her fear of Leseldh, not of Killian.
Leseldh opened his arms to her as he approached, and she had no choice but to slide into his embrace.
She breathed in his scent of sandalwood and malt but found it jarringly different to Killian’s wood and vanilla scent that had encompassed her just a short time ago.
She fought with everything she had not to shudder against him.
“Did he take you somewhere?” Leseldh’s tone contained an edge of disbelief—her pulse spiked as she hurried to plug the gaps due to the passage of time.
“He dragged me from the club. His car was parked nearby, and he drove me out of the city.”
“Where did he take you?”
“I don’t know. South.”
“South? Towards Narnesse? That’s Werewolf territory.” Voresta’s outburst caused her to jerk her head in his direction.
“I guess that’s one place we never thought to look.” Finare looked to Voresta, his words seeming to suppress Voresta’s temper.
“How did you make it back?”
“He let me go.”
“Impossible,” Voresta cut in once more. Disbelief was written on his features.
“He said something about how I made him think of his sister. He freaked out, and he let me go.” Ivy scraped together the shreds of her story and hoped that her performance would be the glue that would hold it all in place.
Voresta’s brow furrowed, and he looked like his head was about to explode with fury.
“Are you hurt?” The softness of Leseldh’s tone drew her eyes back to his, and she realised they were receding to their caramel tone. He believes me, she almost cried out loud, as a torrent of relief rushed through her.
“No.”
Leseldh lifted a hand to Ivy’s jaw, turning her head from side to side as if to inspect her for any marks.
Terror zinged through her body as she imagined him spotting a mark given to her by Killian.
But Leseldh merely returned her head to the centre so that he could gaze upon her once more.
It appeared that his rage had released its hold on him for now.
“The Hunter has reached a point of desperation when it comes to you, Ivy. I think it is best that you remain within Veldmoor until your Ascension. Once your Fledgling Era has ended, he can no longer harm you.” The announcement that Ivy had been dreading was made, and although she’d been prepared to hear it, her heart still sank.
The disappointment on her face was genuine.
“Get some rest, my love.” Leseldh pressed a light kiss to Ivy’s forehead before releasing her. She slipped from the study without another word before making her way to her bedroom.