Chapter 21
Thorne
What the hell was she wearing?
I took Elira’s arm and led her out of the room.
“Thorne…”
“Not here.” I said shortly.
We walked together down the hallways. I walked in front, taking her the direction of the Shade tower. She pulled me to a gentle stop.
“No. He moved me.” She sighed, looking tired.
“What do you mean, he moved you?”
She just shook her head and guided me through the keep towards her new room. Her skirts swished against the floor with each step.
When we got there, the others were already waiting. Leo ran to her side immediately and embraced her tightly, while Slade took a step, like he wanted to. Phoenix just sat by her fireplace, still looking worn out.
“I’m sorry,” Leo said, pulling back but keeping a hand on her shoulder. His voice was tight, almost frantic. “We thought we’d be back before dinner. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, though the exhaustion in her voice was impossible to miss.
“Thanks to Thorne’s little party favour, it finished early.”
Leo gave me a look that was half gratitude, half question.
I didn’t answer it.
Instead, I turned my glare on Slade and Leo.
“Why the hell was she dining with the king alone in the first place?” I snapped. “And why is she dressed like that?”
My gaze flicked back to Elira — the rich silk, the shimmer of crystals under the firelight — and irritation surged through me.
She glanced down at the midnight blue gown, her mouth twisting in annoyance.
“Because he told me to. What was I supposed to say?” She brushed the heavy fabric roughly with her hands. “You don’t like it?” she added, a wry, tired drawl in her voice.
Like hell I didn’t.
She looked like a damn goddess.
And it was messing with my head.
“I prefer you in fighting leathers.” I shot back.
“Me too,” muttered Leo under his breath. Slade elbowed him.
Elira looked up at me. “So, what the hell happened out there? I take it you found the base.”
“We did,” Phoenix answered. “But by the time we got there, it was mostly deserted.”
“So where did the wolves come from?”
“Guarding party. Ambushed us on our way in.”
She looked quickly at Phoenix, concern flashing in her eyes despite herself.
“Were you hurt?”
He sent her a soft smile. “No. I’m pretty sturdy. Thorne took a blow to the head, though.” He gestured vaguely toward the bruise forming around my ear.
She stared for a moment, then gave me a grim little smile.
“Guess that’s why he’s even grumpier than usual.”
I just glared at her. “What can I say? You bring out the best in me,” I shot back.
She rolled her eyes and shifted where she sat. I caught the way she grimaced at the weight of her skirts.
“Problem, little shadow?” I asked.
“No,” she growled under her breath. She shifted again, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s this stupid dress. It's just... irritating.”
“It looks…” Phoenix started, then faltered.
“Ridiculous?” she offered, her voice sharp. “Extravagant? Stupid?” She clutched at the silk, flushing with frustration. “I know I look like an idiot.”
“I wasn’t going to say that” Phoenix said quietly.
“Then what?” she demanded, defensive as a cornered cat. “Not suitable for a little street rat like me?”
“I was going to say beautiful,” Phoenix finished.
She glared at him like he’d insulted her. “Don’t make fun of me,” she snapped.
“I wasn’t…” Phoenix began, visibly flustered.
“Don’t hold back on our account,” Leo chimed in with a grin, lounging lazily across her bed. “Take it off whenever you want.”
She winced and looked away.
“What?” I said, stepping forward to tilt her chin up so I could see her face. She snatched herself out of my grip.
“Nothing,” she grumbled.
“Elira.”
“I don’t know how, okay?” she burst out, cheeks colouring deeper. “Everly practically sewed me into this damn thing. I don’t even know how to get it off without help.”
The room went still, the tension so thick you could cut it. I stepped back immediately, every muscle locked tight.
“Ah.”
“Don’t worry, boss man,” she snapped, eyes flashing. “I wasn’t about to ask you anyway.”
“I’ll do it,” Leo volunteered immediately.
“No,” Phoenix, Slade, and I all said at once.
Phoenix cleared his throat, ears red. “I can call someone—”
“No. It's fine. I'll figure it out myself.” She shifted again, wincing.
I could feel the growl building in my throat. This stubborn, infuriating girl.
“You know you don’t have to do everything alone, right?” I said tightly.
“Coming from you?” she growled. “That's rich.”
“Elira…” Phoenix tried again, softer. “Just... pick someone. It won’t kill you to ask for help.”
She leaned back, studying all of us with a wicked little spark in her eye.
“So... you want me to pick one of you to help undress me?” she said sweetly.
Slade suddenly found the wall fascinating.
Phoenix stared very hard at the floor.
Leo just smirked, clearly enjoying the hell out of it.
I met her gaze, steady. “Go on, then. Pick someone.” I goaded her.
“You think I won’t?” she challenged.
“I think you’re all talk, little shadow. Time to step up.” I said, low.
That devious smirk curved her mouth.
“Fine. I will.” She straightened, pointing at each of us with exaggerated care.
“Eenie, meenie, miney... mo.” Her finger landed squarely on me.
I stiffened. “Why me?”
She grinned, wicked and unrepentant. “Because out of all of you, you’ll hate it the most.”
Leo burst out laughing. I shot him a look that could have flayed skin. He just doubled over, wheezing, completely unbothered.
“Fine.” I clipped out, dragging her arm into the nearby bathroom.
“Thorne…” Phoenix started, cautious.
I snapped my head toward him. “You heard her. She picked me.”
I slammed the door behind us and pulled my blade free from my scabbard with a sharp metallic rasp.
For the first time, Elira looked nervous.
“Ok, psycho…” she muttered. She took a wary step back, hands instinctively lifting as if to ward me off. “Uh... what exactly are you planning to do with that?” she asked, her voice pitched a little higher than usual.
I narrowed my eyes at the dozens of tiny, hidden stitches threading the gown to her. “Relax, little shadow. I’m not going to gut you.” I said dryly.
I stepped forward, lifting a piece of the gown’s side seam between two fingers. “I’m cutting you out.”
She eyed the blade like it might bite her anyway. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
I leaned in close, just enough to watch her flush. “Maybe a little, if only to watch you squirm.”
She shivered, involuntarily. I shifted to hide the growing tent in my pants.
The blade slid carefully between the stitches, close enough that I could feel the warmth of her skin underneath. She fidgeted nervously, barely breathing.
“Hold still,” I muttered, focusing. “Unless you want me to slip.”
“I’ll slip you,” she grumbled under her breath.
I smirked despite myself, keeping my hand steady as I worked my way up the seam.
Every small, tense inhale she took made it worse. Made me worse.
Gods, this girl was going to kill me.
I kept working, methodically slicing through the threads, but the closer I got to her spine, the more tense the air between us became. I could feel her tremble under my grip.
My fingers brushed her bare shoulder as I tugged at a stubborn piece of fabric. She stiffened.
I froze, blade hovering. Her breath hitched almost imperceptibly.
Neither of us moved for a heartbeat too long.
“You’re trembling,” I said, low.
“I’m not.”
Defiant. Defensive. But her voice was breathless now, and we both knew it.
I worked faster, the scrape of my blade against stubborn seams loud in the cramped space.
The fabric gave way, sliding lower.
And then her back—
I froze.
Scars.
Some old. Some new, all of them brutal. Faint brands threaded between them, pulsing wrong against her skin like poisoned veins.
Elira must have forgotten for a moment — because when she felt the air on her bare back, she jerked, dragging the torn fabric up over herself.
I felt the shift in her — the way her body went rigid, cold.
“Thanks,” she clipped out, voice flat and hard.
“Elira.” Her name burned in my mouth. Rage boiled through me like wildfire.
She didn’t look at me. “You can leave now,” she snarled — low, desperate — like a wounded thing backing into a corner. "I can handle the rest."
“Elira," I ground out, my voice rough. "Who did that to you?”
A sharp knock rattled the door behind me.
Phoenix’s voice, cautious: “Everything okay in there?”
I swung the door open so hard it rebounded off the wall.
“Don’t, Thorne,” Elira said, her voice cracking. "Please."
I ignored her. “Her back is covered in scars," I said, barely holding the fury out of my voice. "Whip marks. Not all old ones either."
“What do you mean?” Phoenix surged forward, his expression turning grim.
Behind him, Slade bristled, murder flashing in his eyes.
Leo’s usual grin was wiped clean off his face. His jaw hung slack.
“Where?” Leo asked, sharper this time.
“Show them,” I said.
“No!” Elira’s voice broke like shattering glass.
“Elira—” I started, stepping toward her.
“I said no!” she cried out, backing away. "What business is it of yours what happened to me before? Do I demand all your secrets?"
The air went tight, thick with tension.
“Was it the Sentinels?” Slade asked, his voice deadly quiet, his knuckles cracking. “Tell me who. Describe them.”
“In detail.” Leo said, looking suspiciously thoughtful.
“Why?” she spat, chest heaving. “So you can kill them for me? I don’t need you to fight my battles for me!”
I stepped forward, barely seeing straight through the red haze of anger. “You stubborn, crazy girl! When is it going to sink into that tiny head of yours that you’re one of us now? We protect our own!"
“I will never be one of you!” she shouted back, voice cracking.
“It’s too late, little shadowmancer," I snarled. "Whether you like it or not, we’ve claimed you. You're ours now. So you will tell me your secrets—” I took another step, chest heaving, “—or I swear, I’ll rip the truth from the world myself if I have to.”
She didn’t flinch.
She stepped closer, head high, eyes burning.
"You force your way into my head again," she said, her voice low and shaking with fury, "and I will never — ever — forgive you."
The two of us were glaring at each other and breathing so hard, I didn’t even notice Phoenix stepping between us.
“Ok, guys, whoa. Let’s back up and take a breath.”
I stepped at her again, my hands reaching out like they wanted to clamp her little neck. She just met my gaze unflinching.
I growled, but I knew she would never back down. I forced myself back a step.
“I’d like to go to sleep now.” She bit out, her voice shaking.
“Ok, if its ok with you, Elle, one of us will stay with you tonight.” Leo said. “We’ll take shifts in case Vasquez is lurking.”
“I’m first.” Slade said briefly. He stepped over to the bed and sat down.
I looked at him in surprise. I didn’t expect him to volunteer.
She sank onto the edge of the bed like a marionette with its strings cut. “Fine,” she whispered, the fight draining out of her. “Whatever.”
“Elira!”
“Just go Thorne. Please. Leave me alone.” She whispered.
I wanted to shake her. I wanted her to yell at me. But she seemed so small. Phoenix touched my arm.
“Come on man, let’s go.” He said.
I looked at Slade, who nodded at me. “I’ve got this,” he said, “I’ll keep her safe.”
I sighed and left the room.