“Don’t be nosy,” he says, making my eyes snap back to him.
“I wasn’t. Just trying not to throw up at the sight,” I reply disdainfully. “Considering you live at the Academy and are barely here, the state of this room is… appalling.”
“Listen, Granny, sorry my room isn’t up to your standards. Keep snooping, and you might find a bottle of piss, too.”
I stiffen, horror filling me. I’m not sure if he’s joking or not.
“Eww… Just help me.” It’s taking a lot to act nonchalant right now.
“I’m not helping because you won’t succeed. And I’m a nice guy, but even I’ll get really mad if you keep on annoying me,” he says, blowing out a string of smoke that takes on the form of another skull into the air.
“The thing is, I can bring her back,” I say quietly.
I haven’t told him that before because I had doubts. He sighs, now sitting up and swinging his long legs onto the floor. “Look, Helios has her, and as much as I wouldn’t mind doing this shit, Hades will want something from you. She’s already paying the price for her father’s return. I don’t think you’ll be able to pay yours. And hate me for it, I don’t really care, but your mom’s gone through a lot of shit. I don’t think she could lose you without going off the rails.”
Mama…
“Nothing will happen to me,” I say, walking over to him and stopping a few feet away. “I promise I know what I’m doing. I know you might not see me as smart, but I assure you, I have thought this out ever so carefully.”
“And when you fuck up, I’ll tell you, I really won’t care.”
“I didn’t expect you to care. If you want, I have already prepared a contract, with the agreement that the consequences are on me,” I reply, reaching into my pocket and taking out a square. “This is only the draft, but do take a look at it.”
I’m well-versed in contracts, which reminds me… I need Leo to sign the design NDA.
He raises an eyebrow, swiping the paper from my hand as he looks over it.
“I, Aldona, of House di Bianco Galdur, hereby, bla bla bla, that I am giving Theo Westwood no other option but to agree to what I have asked. Bla bla bla… the consequences will be borne solely by me and no one else. He is in no position to deny, bla bla bla… and doesn’t work for me.” He scoffs, taking out his lighter and setting the paper ablaze.
My eyes widen as I watch the paper get swallowed by flames, my jaw clenching. Never have I felt so angry at someone of no importance.
“Then, Alessandra will continue this conversation by any means necessary.” I turn, tossing my hair over my shoulder.
“Sure thing. You know where the door is. Sorry, I’m too lazy to open it for ya!” he mocks.
I pause my fingers inches from the doorknob.
He is mistaking my silence for weakness…
I will get my revenge on you, Westwood.
I remember what happened when I first found out his truth…
AFTER THE MISSION TO THE DEIMOS TEMPLE
I frown as I look around. I’m high up in the Academy. I climb through a window and step onto the flat roof. This is where the Westwood Quints often come, and I’m here for answers. The other day, out there in the blinding sunlight in the hot desert sands, I thought I saw something around Theo. It wasn’t clear, but it was something…
I look at the marks chalked on the floor. I’ll find the answer to whatever that is. Did the enemy do something to him before Ahren and Jayce went back for him?
I begin chanting a spell. It has to be prepared before he steps into the pentagram. I chant louder, feeling the power pull deeper inside of me, and I focus on drawing more from my surroundings. A light blazes through the room before the candles are snuffed out, and I am plunged into darkness.
I smile at the glowing embers of the crystal shards that sit in the centre of the pentagram. Barely noticeable as the glow fades away. If there is anything on him, he’ll be chained here until I free him, and if it was just a trick of the light, which I know it wasn’t, then it’s still better to be safe than sorry.
Moments become minutes, and before I know it, an hourhas passed, but just when I begin to wonder if he’ll even come, I hear the sound of light steps and move into the shadows, a spell masking my presence.
And here he is. The familiar chunky boot appears first, followed by a long denim-clad leg and then the other leg before he slides out and drops both feet to the ground.
Come on… one more step.
