Chapter 50
Skye
I appeared in the hallway back at home with a shiver. Zephyr had the damn air conditioner on again. I could hear the crowd in the café on the other side of the door and I decided not to go through. I didn’t need any regulars asking where I’d been. I just needed some shoes, then I could go.
I slipped into my room, ducking down and reaching under the bed toward the short bin of my mom’s things.
A thump sounded from downstairs, startling me enough that I bumped my head on the bed frame.
With a growl, I pulled the bin out, then rubbed my head.
I thumped my foot on the carpet, hoping Levi could hear it.
I was beginning to think he was throwing shit to get our attention, and that would be bad if someone like Stevens happened to be here.
I pulled out my mom’s silver sandals, grinning when they flashed in the sunlight spilling through my window. Just as I pushed the bin back under the bed and stuffed the shoes into a bag, another thump sounded, this time a little louder.
What the fuck was he doing?
I teleported down to the basement, surprised to see several of our ceramic cups broken on the ground. Levi looked surprised to see me, his eyebrows to his hairline and his arms braced at his sides.
“What the fuck?” I blurted out. “Those are mom’s cups!”
Levi clenched his jaw, then dropped his gaze. “It’s my fingers.”
“No, it’s not,” I said, using my affinity to gather the pieces into a grocery bag. “Your fingers don’t make you throw shit across the room. What’s your problem?”
He didn’t reply, though his eyes weren’t completely downturned. I tied off the grocery bag, deciding I’d glue the cups back together and make them decorations in the cafe, and then Levi spoke.
“Why do you have her shoes?”
I took a deep breath. “I’m going somewhere.”
“In those shoes? Where?”
“A gala,” I ground out. “With my Links. I’m connected to a Prince, remember?”
Levi’s lips parted, then he closed his eyes. “Why did you tell me that?”
I scoffed. This was the most we’d spoken since I’d come back after the attack on the academy, and this is what he chose to say to me? After wrecking my mom’s shit?
I gripped the bag and the shoes in one hand, then strode for the stairs. My hand hit the bannister when he spoke again.
“Skye.”
I froze.
Levi hadn’t said my name since I’d come back from the attack on the academy. When I turned, I nearly jolted. He was actually looking at me, his dark eyes imploring me in a way I’d never seen before.
“What?” I whispered, a little afraid of what he’d say.
“Don’t go.”
I scoffed before I could temper my response. I was already pissed at him, and I already hated being down here. The years of silence had done damage to me I couldn’t repair, not even now that Levi was getting back to normal.
After a beat of silence, I turned to leave, deciding it was best to not even argue with him. He’d been ignoring me for years on and off, only speaking to insult me, and he expected me to just…do what he said?
Fuck that.
I headed up the stairs.
“Skye,” his voice cracked. “Listen to me for once. Don’t go.”
I turned slowly, clenching my jaw as I faced him. Levi still wouldn’t look at me, keeping his gaze downturned even as I approached him.
I felt disconnected from my body for a second. Anger was building inside me. My hair was floating in the air, and Levi blinked several times as the edges of his sheets raised into the air.
Fine. We were doing this.
“And why would I listen to you?” I asked coldly.
Levi’s eyes widened, darting up to me for just a second before going back to the bed. He took a couple deep breaths, then he scowled at the sheets.
“Fine. Do what you want. You always did anyway.”
I surged forward until my thighs pressed against the mattress. Levi winced, but I stayed firm even as guilt churned my stomach. My hand twitched like I wanted to slap him, but I really didn’t want to make a habit of slapping men who pissed me off.
Levi continued to scowl.
“Look at me.” I demanded, proud my voice didn’t crack.
He didn’t.
I leaned over as far as I could without touching him. I finally caught his gaze as I contorted over the bed, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
I looked at him, then. I really looked at him.
He was older than I remembered. His face was worn like he’d spent the last decade slaving away to keep his family afloat, even though that’s not what he’d done at all.
It wasn’t his fault, but the way he was treating me wasn’t just unfair. It was cruel.
“I know I may look like her, but I am not Iris.” I whispered. “You do not tell me what to do. And you will not speak to me this way again. I have sacrificed my life to keep you alive. Stop making me regret it.”
And then I teleported.
I barely recognized the figure looking back at me in the mirror.
Flawless skin, blushed and contoured cheeks, smokey winged eyeliner.
My right hand trembled as I finished applying my lipstick, and I eyed the matching gloss on the vanity.
Willow was so excited that I was dressing up tonight, she’d asked to come with me at least a dozen times, even after I’d explained this would not be a fun event for us. She’d pouted, then requested a ton of pictures even though she knew I wouldn’t do that, either.
I couldn’t believe I’d told Levi I regretted keeping him alive.
I had no idea where that comment had come from.
Part of me felt like it must’ve been a growing sense of selfishness. Of course I wanted to keep my dad alive, that was natural when I was a kid. But maybe as I got older, I’d realized my own life was put on hold. And now, for him to be healed? And treating me like shit?
It wasn’t my fucking fault my mom had stepped out on him.
And I wasn’t even sure if that’s what’d happened. Zephyr was old enough to remember when I was a baby, so he’d have remembered another guy being around.
I looked back up into the mirror, my hair floating in the air again. I breathed out slowly, staring at my hand while I flexed.
My affinity ran through my hand like normal, excited at the idea that we might have to squeeze someone tonight.
I tilted my head back, quickly dabbing at the tears that welled, not wanting to ruin my makeup. Whatever this emotion was, I needed to get over it now before we left.
There was a lot riding on tonight. I needed to be the perfect distraction.
And in this dress? I was.
The deep midnight blue brought out my eyes even more than usual.
It was a long, slip style that clung to my curves almost indecently.
The silky material shimmered in the light of the vanity, and I knew it’d flicker even in the dimmest of lighting.
My mom’s silver heels fit the look perfectly, even if they were only visible through the slit.
Rafe and Wyatt had argued over whether or not I should wear a tiara, and I’d been so freaked out, I’d calmly walked away.
I was doing a lot better at not running for my life every time I got a little uncomfortable.
And my leaving was a clear answer to the question.
There was no way I would wear a fucking tiara.
I was being brave when I declared we’d all be going to this event, but whoever I was that day had disappeared, and I’d promptly remembered I was an introvert who never wanted to be perceived, ever.
Agreeing to be a distraction at a large Royal event was actual nightmare fuel.
A soft knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts, and I glanced into the mirrored reflection to see Rafe stepping into the room, looking practically edible in a full tuxedo. He’d said he wasn’t dressing up, but now I realized he’d meant he wouldn’t be wearing his typical Royal garb.
Rafe froze in the doorway, his dark eyes tracing over my body so carefully I had to drop my gaze in shyness.
“You’re a vision,” he croaked. He cleared his throat, then strode forward. “I once saw a cunt wearing this color and some jewels to match, and I decided it would look much better on you.”
I choked on a laugh as Rafe pulled a velvet box from inside his coat.
My mouth went dry as he opened the box, and I got a glimpse of some large, deep blue sapphires inside. The blue was so dark, they almost appeared black.
I’d never seen stones that fucking big before.
Actually, I probably had seen stones like this on some documentary about the crown jewels. But they were actually here, not on a television show, and my brain just could not accept that.
“I’ve never seen a sapphire that dark,” I whispered.
“They’re not sapphires,” Rafe said, barely hiding his affronted tone. “These are diamonds, darling.”
My dry mouth went even drier. I took a quick sip of my water while Rafe fumbled with the box, and then I blinked several times as he held up an earring before handing it to me.
“Wh-who was the cunt?” I asked shakily. Rafe waited patiently for me to secure the first earring before he handed me the second.
Then he ran his fingers over my wrist, latching a matching tennis bracelet.
“Are these real?” I whispered.
“Very,” Rafe replied. We both stared at the shimmering stones for a beat too long before he spoke again. “Lucille Brandt.”
My mind screeched to a halt as I wondered why the fuck Rafe was mentioning the devil’s name in my house, and then I sucked in a breath.
“You’re dressing me up like Lucille Brandt?” I hissed.
Rafe snorted. “No, darling. I’m dressing you up better than Lucille Brandt.
There’s a very high chance she’ll be there tonight, and this is her favorite color.
You’ll be the focus of everyone’s attention, and she’ll be even more pissed when she sees how much better you wear this style.
It’s the perfect setup for a confrontation. ”
I blinked and my cheeks heated. That was…a good explanation. Part of me wanted to apologize, but Rafe never seemed to need my apologies.