Chapter 12 #2
I let her calm down, and as the fear faded back into anger, she locked onto the two of us like a torpedo ready to launch.
She was getting much better at wrangling those emotions of hers.
I hated that I had to bring them out so often, but she truly was getting quicker at gaining control each time they were let loose.
“We can control water?” she asked, a sad attempt at avoidance.
“We can,” Cova confirmed, ever the teacher. “You could, too, if you bothered to try.”
I snorted. “Good fucking luck. I’ve cycled through it all: taunting, guilting, outright asking. She’s too scared.”
“I’m not scared,” she glowered, lip curled as if the very idea was dripping with audacity. What was audacious was her level of denial.
“Are too,” I jeered. Before we could get into a childish back-and-forth, Cova stepped between us.
He stared her down, a faction heir pressing his will against an insubordinate novice, until she was forced to look away. But he saw what I did: a stubborn girl refusing to let go of the hope that her nightmares weren’t real and that things would go back to the way they were.
The soft sound of whooshing water and drips of melting ice filled the heavy silence. Until Cova opened his mouth again and said what we all knew.
“You need the ocean,” he declared, and that simpering girl immediately morphed into a raging shark with all the teeth.
“What I need is for you to back off.” Her glare turned on me next. “Both of you.”
“No can do, babe.” I crossed my arms and widened my stance. “It's intervention time, and unfortunately for you—what Waterboy says goes.”
Cova didn’t let up. He glared down at her with his stern teachery expression until even I felt uncomfortable.
“You’re starving,” he emphasized. “Physically and spiritually. And if you don’t get into the water soon, you won’t last another day. Not like this.”
Rani physically jerked at the statement, and a low growl escaped me.
Fucking bond impulses. She needed to hear this, but I couldn’t help being overprotective.
Not when she sank into herself like that.
Fighting the need to wrap my arms around her and soothe the hurt was enough to have me shaking where I stood.
There was fire still left in her gaze when she met Cova’s accusing stare. “I’ve been trying—”
“No, you’re not,” he countered. “New sirens are drawn to water in all its forms: lake, rain, pool, bathtub. Everything. But especially the ocean, She calls to us. And if you’re not answering—” Rani flinched again “—then you must have a will of steel.” His voice softened. “And you must be in excruciating pain.”
It hurt her? I stepped closer and looked over my bond with a more critical eye, from nose to toes, but saw nothing that gave away her being in pain.
Nothing but the very obvious signs of her wasting away.
She got out of breath walking up to her room each night, and she definitely had no energy for training, but not once had she complained.
Why didn’t she say something? Why didn’t she let me help her? Or Kai, or Eryn. Anyone. My plan to ease her into things flew out the window.
“Okay, well, we’re obviously going to fix this right the fuck now,” I said, waving a hand for Cova to do… something. “What’s the plan, then? We just chuck her in the ocean and all is well?”
“Hey!” Rani shouted. “I’m right here, asshole.”
“Fully aware, my pouty pufferfish, but you had your chance to fix things. It’s my turn now.”
“That’s not how—”
“Ah ah,” I interrupted, one finger to her lips. It might have seemed playful, but I was anything but joking. “I said, My. Turn.”
Of course, I wasn’t going to throw her in the ocean. I wasn’t a heartless dick—I had so much heart and so much dick—but healing Rani was going to involve waking up a whole host of triggers, and pissing her off was the only way I knew to keep her from shutting down.
She turned her head and stomped up the two unfrozen steps, simultaneously knocking my finger from her lips and putting her slightly taller than me. It was cute, the attempt at intimidation, but it only served to make me hard. Bossy Rani was a huge turn-on.
“Good idea, babe. Why don't you keep going? All the way on up to your room. Take a little resty rest while we finish discussing the best way to help you.”
The gray in her eyes already stood out against her pale face, but now? Now her eyes were all I could see. They widened over flared nostrils. Her lips pursed, and what little health remained in her face gathered in her cheeks. She kinda looked like that pufferfish I just called her.
Fucking adorable. Before she could open her mouth and exhaust herself with more arguments, I moved in, resting a hand on the railing beside her hip.
“You already felt what it's like to have my hand on your ass,” I warned, voice low. “Fighting with me about your health and safety is a one-way ticket back over my shoulder, but without the pleasure this time.”
Cova awkwardly cleared his throat behind me. “It really would be better for you to rest, Rani.”
The sincerity in his tone was enough to drain the fight out of her, at least a little.
She still glared at me, though, before replying with a hard, “fine.” I expected more of a fight.
This girl was like a pit bull when she wanted something; she locked her jaw and refused to let go.
Even more of a sign that she needed what was about to happen.
With a heavy heart, I melted the rest of the staircase. Even with the resulting water rushing over her feet and giving her a rejuvenating boost, her body actually creaked as she forced it to exert enough energy to move her up one step at a time.
I watched her climb with slow, weak movements. Shit. We had to get her into some water, preferably saltwater, immediately. A joyful trip to the beach was out of the question.
She wasn’t just going to hold my hand and walk into the waves like the end of some Disney movie. No, I had to bring the beach to her; to somehow get the ocean inside . I had an idea; another crazy one Rani was going to hate, but it might just work without traumatizing her in the process.
“It’s time to bring the ocean to her,” I whispered to Cova. “Are you still in?”
“I fully reject any asinine scheme that’s about to come out of your mouth,” Rani snarled. She stopped halfway up the stairs, chest heaving and out of breath, with her feisty little fists on her hips. “You can’t just buddy up and suddenly decide what’s best for me.”
Did she even hear herself? She was dying .
I was one hundred percent in charge now.
I glanced over at Cova, one brow lifted.
He nodded his support, and Rani practically screeched.
Turning back to face her, I fought hard to keep the shock from my face.
Just that trip up one flight of stairs was enough to completely drain what minor energy she had left.
Oh, her mouth worked just fine, but there was no hiding the sweat on her brow or the sound of her labored breathing. I needed that saltwater now . A vitality potion wouldn’t hurt either. They only took twenty minutes to brew, and that was the perfect amount of time to set everything up.
I turned so I could speak directly into Cova’s ear. Rani’s brows furrowed, unable to hear us as I instructed him on how to jimmy the lock on her bathroom window to get it open.
Sea breezes and old houses made for some rusted hinges. The siren heir boasted about his powers enough that he should be strong enough to do this. If not… well, he was never going to hear the end of it.
The old grandfather clock in the living room chimed the noon hour.
This was going to take the rest of the day, at least. I knew she didn’t want to die, but my bond was stubborn and afraid.
That combination meant a wicked storm was coming my way, and it would take all my compassion and patience to weather it.
But first, I needed to brew that potion.
“Cova will help you to your room, babe.” She flipped me off but allowed Cova to grip her elbow and steer her away. “I’m going to whip up a quick potion that you’ll be pleased to know will give you enough energy to punch me in the face if you so choose.”
I caught her mumbled response just before her escort burst out with a roaring laugh. Fucker . Wanting to castrate me wasn’t funny.
“I heard that!” I called to her.
“You were supposed to!”
I snorted and disappeared into the kitchen to start a pot boiling.
At least she was still fighting. Our new bond was barely strong enough to give me anything but her most heightened emotions, though, it would tell me if we were too late.
And until that flame connecting us flickered out, I would do whatever was necessary to stoke it.
Beg, taunt, crawl on my hands and knees. Anything .
She was not going to die. Not if I had anything to say about it. I’d be damned if Rani Whitlock lost her life before she even had a chance to take it back for herself.