“OK, no problem, my clever girl. One step at a time.” Alexis doesn’t release his hold on me, and I can feel the perspirationfrom our bodies mingle. “Next, is floating these guys over the wall. Can you bring some more?”
Coming slightly out of the magic trance, I look to see Donovan,Maximus, Cosmo and Wes watching us. Wes and I meet eyes for a second, then he looks away.
I swallow the lump in my throat and square my shoulders. “Let’s try.”
This time Alexis needs a free hand to cast. He still holds me, but I miss the solid embrace of being fully locked against his body. “Here we go, pulu.”
Within seconds, the four men are hovering a few inches above the ground.
They fall silent for a beat, then Wes curses. “What the fuck is this? Get the fuck off me.”
Fighting my instinct to comfort him, I keep concentrating on the energy, the Lumina, that I’m feeding the spell.
“You’re doing great.” Alexis’s praise keeps me focused, until Wes cusses again. Stupidly, I look up and meet his glare. So cold.
For a second I lose concentration.
All four guys drop several feet.
“Fuck, dud!” Cosmo snaps. “Get it together.”
“What the fuck, let me go, you fuckers,” Wes almost screams.
Gotta focus. The clock is ticking.
Gritting my teeth, I push more Lumina into the spell.
It takes a lot of effort, but finally Alexis and I have them over the wall and down onto the other side.
As soon as Alexis tells me they are on the ground, I collapse in sobs.
“I know, pulu,” Alexis murmurs into my hair. “But everything will be alright.”
How can he say that? There is so much that is far from alright.
“Why doesn’t Wes know me? He acts like he hates me.”
Alexis’s arms squeeze around me even tighter. “I’ve no answers about Wes, but we’ll find them. We’ll work together and find them.”
He kisses my hair and I melt into him, exhausted.
“Theo?”
“Yes?”
“I hate to say this, but can you put the wards back up?”
Shit. The alert! Reforming the barrier drains my energy faster than an electric scooter trying to climb a hill. I end up cradled in Alexis’s arms as I work. Eventually, I sag back into his body. “Done.”
Ludo steps out of the shadows looking worried. —Nymph, you must get to safety, then rest—
I am exhausted but it feels like there is still so much to do.
Alexis and Ludo exchange a glance. “Go back to your dorm, Theo. Tell Bilderblast you’ve had the flu. I’ll do the same at the staff apartments.”
“And the guys?” My voice cracks.
He shrugs. “They’ll figure it out. We’ve done our part. What I’m worried about is you. Ludo, can you see her back? Fuck, I hate to leave you but the last thing we need is me losing my job. It seems ridiculous but I need to make a lesson plan for tomorrow and all that bullshit.”
