I blinked awake, disoriented. Somehow, I had slumped against Eris’s chest, my head resting on his shoulder. His arm had moved from the back of the couch to wrap around me, holding me secure against him. On my other side, Aiden had shifted closer, his hand resting lightly on my thigh.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, straightening up and running a hand over my face. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
Eris’s arm was slow to withdraw from around me. “You pushed yourself hard in training today.”
I stood, stretching my arms above my head, aware that my top rode up further with the movement. Four sets of eyes tracked the motion, following the serpent tattoos that wound their way up my ribs.
Percy stood, stretching too. “We should all get some rest. Early training tomorrow.”
“Thanks for the movie,” I said to Draco as I passed him. “Next time I’ll try to stay awake.”
He smiled, making something in my belly flip. “Next time we’ll pick something even more horrifying.”
“It’s a plan.” I laughed, and made my way to my room, aware of four sets of eyes pinned on my back.
The nightmare startedlike they always did, with darkness closing in, the smell of the bane’s acrid presence, that metallic taste that filled my mouth when dark matter tore through reality. But this time was worse. I was alone in the Abyss, and the fissures were opening across my skin, starlight pouring out as I screamed. No one came to help me this time. No one heard me.
I jolted awake with a gasp, my heart hammering. Sweat drenched my skin, making my shirt cling to my body. I gulped air, trying to orient myself in the darkness.
“Jupiter?” A deep voice came from the corner of the room.
I jerked upright, my magic instinctively flaring at my fingertips, illuminating the space with silver light. Draco sat in the chair by the window, shirtless, his pale skin almost luminousin the glow of my magic. His eyes were faintly purple, his magic was active, though barely.
“What the hell?” I gasped, still trying to catch my breath. “What are you doing in here?”
He leaned forward, muscular forearms resting on his knees. “You were having a nightmare. I felt it and couldn’t sleep.”
I ran a shaky hand through my hair, finding it damp with sweat. “So you decided to just sit in my room and watch me sleep? That’s not creepy at all.”
He smirked. “And I was worried. Your fear was really intense.”
The silver light from my magic dimmed as my panic subsided, but I could still see him clearly in the moonlight filtering through the open window. The lean muscles of his chest and shoulders, the tattoos that snaked down his toned arms.
“I have nightmares a lot,” I admitted, shifting to sit up straighter. As I moved, I felt the cool air on my legs and suddenly realized I’d kicked off the blankets during my thrashing. I was wearing nothing but black underwear and my crop top from earlier.
Draco’s eyes dropped to my exposed legs, then quickly back up to my face. But not quickly enough. In the dim light, I saw his pupils dilate, the purple glow intensifying slightly around his irises. Through our bond, I felt a flash of heat that he couldn’t quite suppress.
“I should go,” he said, his voice rougher than before. He started to rise from the chair.
“No,” I said, surprising myself as much as him. “Stay.”
He hesitated, half-standing. “Jupiter...”
“Come here,” I said, moving over in the bed and pulling back the covers beside me. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”
The war of emotions on his face would have been comical under different circumstances. Desire, uncertainty, concern, allbattling for dominance. I could feel his struggle, wanting to respect boundaries but desperately wanting to cross them too.
“Are you sure?” he asked, still not moving.
“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure.” I patted the space beside me. “Just come lie down. Please, you’re making me nervous.”
I glanced over to the corner of the room where Noodle was fast asleep in his open carrying case, having been pouting there when I wouldn’t give him an extra mouse for dinner.
Draco approached slowly, as if giving me time to change my mind. When he reached the edge of the bed, he paused again, looking down at me with those glowing eyes. “The others will feel this.”
“Let them,” I whispered, not entirely sure why I was being so bold. Maybe it was the lingering fear from the nightmare, or maybe it was the way he’d been looking at me all week.
He slid under the covers beside me, careful to maintain a few inches of space between us. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, and smell the faint scent of his skin. He smelled like clean soap and a hint of mint.
