32. Ivy #2
I take a sip of my water, placing the glass down when a shadow passes over me. Peering over my shoulder, I’m surprised to see my brother staring down at me with his eyebrows pinched.
“Your presence has been requested.”
“That doesn't sound good,” I mutter, feeling Archer stiffen beside me, and my brother grimaces.
“It doesn't feel it either, but I've got you,” he promises.
I worry my bottom lip for a moment before extending my hand and letting him pull me to my feet.
With his hand at my back, he leads me through the filled ballroom.
Nerves threaten to get the better of me, but as we bypass the Land Protectors’ table, I spy my best friend, smiling wide as we wave giddily to one another.
She taps her watch, reminding me of the plans for another girl's night, just the two of us later tonight, and I nod eagerly.
The brief moment of peace is quickly obliterated as Hugo guides me out of the ballroom and down a hallway.
Nausea threatens to get the better of me.
Hugo offers me a tight smile as he stops beside a door. He doesn't bother to knock before he slips inside, pulling me along with him.
It's dark, a striking resemblance to my father's poker room, all dimly lit, smoke filling the air, and alcohol on the tips of everybody's tongues.
The leaders of the four other kingdoms sit around the table in the middle of the room with Viola.
“I think it's time to invoke the Kingdom's Champion and put this to rest once and for all,” Mallen, the leader of the first kingdom, states.
Before I can even consider asking my brother what that means, the Fourth Kingdom leader retrieves an old scripture, rolling it out as silence descends on the room.
“Inciting the rights of the Kingdom's Champion. We—”
“We are not at war with The Fates,” Professor Viola interjects.
“But we are,” Polasara retorts, and our professor shakes her head.
“You have already used the Kingdom's Champion to gain control of your own kingdoms,” Viola reiterates, and Deandra slams her fist down on the table, but before she can speak, the leader of the Second Kingdom beats her to it.
“And what if I want control of it all?”
“Leonardo, you want the world to be Water Protectors only. What about everybody else?”
He shrugs at Viola’s question, malice crossing his lips as he smiles, and I still when his gaze meets mine.
“I’d make room for her,” he muses, swiping his tongue along his bottom lip. “Hello, Ivy.”
I gape at him, but I don't dare speak a word as I feel the magic simmering through the air.
It sets my phoenix on high alert, and I take a few subtle breaths to calm the rising nerves inside of me.
The leader of the Third Kingdom clears her throat, standing, cigarette in hand, as she glares across the room. “The point is—”
Leonardo's eyes dart to the interruption, his hand coiling in the air as the woman claps her hands over her throat, choking and spluttering as her cigarette is long forgotten and tears spill from her eyes.
My heart races in fear for her life, but before anything can be done, it stops.
She splutters, falling back into her seat with a gasp.
“I wasn't done,” Leonardo gripes, his eyes returning to mine, and I falter.
Movement in the shadows makes my heart race, but when I glance to the sides, it's only to find my hated mates are here.
Fear sears through me.
No harm can come to them.
Not because of him.
Not because of me.
Hugo takes a step, blocking me from Leonardo's view, and my heart races even faster, fear of putting him in harm's way morphing with the distress inside that’s already brewing.
“Get her out of here,” he mutters, and the door opens behind me.
I'm maneuvered out into the hallway, my feet barely touching the floor, before I’m rushed down the hall.
I can't catch my breath, but thankfully spot a ladies’ room down to the right.
“I need a moment,” I mutter, slamming to a halt before I shove the door open and stagger inside.
The reprieve I seek lasts no more than half a second before I'm greeted with another familiar face.
One that cuts me to my core.
My father stands before me.
“Predictable,” he grunts, a wicked lilt to the corner of his mouth, and the magic inside of me storms, coursing through my veins like never before.
I make the mistake of glancing in the mirror, a familiar flash of orange ringing true in my eyes, and I take a backward step. Panic has me desperate to run, but he blocks my move before I can get far.
Anger rises inside of me.
The tips of my fingers are ready to blaze when the door slams open from behind my father, and my mates rush in with an air of arrogance I’ve only ever seen my father wield.
He claps his hands. “Excellent, an audience,” he states, glaring at me with malicious intent. “You're leaving with me,” he declares, and I shake my head slowly.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“What are you going to do? Stay here with them?” he says with a scoff. “They're only going to use you the same,” he bites, anger dark in his eyes. “That's why they changed their minds. Isn't it, boys?”
I freeze on the outside, but on the inside, I’m ready to burst. Watching the facial expressions of each of my mates cuts deep as Archer takes a step forward, hand raised, but there’s no surrender this time.
“Ivy, listen to me,” he starts, but my father cuts him off.
“It's too late for your excuses. I'll cut to the chase and tell her the truth,” he declares.
“Ivy,” Sax calls, and I gulp, glancing at him from the corner of my eyes, but all he does is gape at me.
“Tell her,” Teddy yells, his voice cloudy with panic. “Fucking tell her!”
“Are her eyes… glowing again?” Baron mutters, and my muscles clench tighter.
“That’s not… orange.”
“I’m in charge here,” my father states, his words cutting like ice, and my eyes roll as heat threatens to tear through me.
My phoenix wants to burn as bright as I can.
My father’s eyes meet mine. “They knew you were a phoenix all along, Ivy, but more than that, they knew connecting their magic to yours would enhance them.”
Orange eyes stare back at me, guilt twisted in each of them.
“Ivy, that's why we rejected you,” Baron promises. “We wanted none of this for you,” he insists, and I choke on my breath.
It’s more than I can take, more than I can process, and my phoenix takes over.
All I can do is succumb to the heat.
Sucking in a breath, flames burst across my skin, but there’s no containing it as the blaze blasts in every direction.
I’m nothing but a bystander as I fall back, and my world goes up in flames.