Rion clears his throat as he glances around the room before settling his eyes on me.
“You heard who that was, didn't you?” I nod. “You heard the voice of one of Jude's spies,” he clarifies, and I gulp, clearing my throat before I dare to say it.
“Professor Grimm.”
18
THORNE
After so many revelations in such a short space of time, my mind is warped, like an unsettling storm, and I know I'm yet to face the worst of it, since I'm sitting right in the eye.
I thought my world had been tipped upside down the day I came face to face with Elodie across the hall, but it seems she was only the beginning of an unraveling series of events. It seems everything I knew, or thought I did at least, is nothing more than another layer to The Sanctum’s lies.
Anger runs through me, but I keep it in, tamping it down with all the restraint I can muster as I stare at Elodie’s sleeping form.
Awkwardly standing In Rion's room, I can't bring myself to leave yet. I can't begin to fathom how muchtime has passed since we even tried to sneak into the basement of Institute One. Seconds have morphed into minutes, which have unraveled into hours, time zone hopping, and now my mind is restless.
I know with all certainty that sleep is the one place I yearn for, but it's going to be the hardest thing to come by.
Elodie pleaded with me to take a rest with her and Rion, but agreeing would have only caused everybody discomfort. I'm restless enough as it is, and I haven’t even tried to lie down yet.
I did, however, agree to stay until she was asleep, which didn't take as much time as I anticipated. I think the exhaustion of everything she's dealt with has finally laid claim to her.
I watch with jealousy as Rion continues to stroke his fingers through her hair, soothing her in a way I can't right now.
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I take a step back, and Rion's gaze quickly shifts to me. “Are you sure you don't want to join us?” he murmurs, making sure to keep his voice down so he doesn't disturb Elodie, and I shake my head.
“She's safe with you and I have things to do,” I explain, probably a little sharper than necessary as Ispin on the spot and hurry for the exit before I change my mind. I don’t miss the concern etched into his facial features, though. I just choose to ignore them.
Closing the door as quietly as I can, I lean against the wood and take in the lounge area, where Ocean lies fast asleep on the pull-out sofa.
It feels too still, almost eerie without Kael here, and with tonight's unraveling secrets, I feel like we’re in more jeopardy, more danger, more uncertainty.
Sleep doesn't seem like a good idea, but for my mind, it's the only place I'm going to gain answers. Before I head to my bedroom, I turn toward the dorm room door. Placing my hand against the wood, I make sure my magic is still intact, ensuring we’re safe while we sleep.
Now that we know Professor Grimm isn't who we thought he was, and Professor Morton knows what we have access to, extra precautions are necessary.
This is as satisfied as I'm going to be.
Taking a deep breath, I head to my room, not bothering to turn the light on as I close the door behind me. With the curtains closed, the room isdrenched in darkness, despite the time being late enough in the morning for the sun to be up.
The Vale can wait today.
We've got our own traumas to deal with first.
Blindly, I kick off my shoes, unzip my jeans, and tug my t-shirt over my head before slipping beneath my sheets. The cooling touch always helps when I'm ready to sleep with the intention of going to one place and one place only.
Exhaling slowly, I let my eyelids fall closed. Their weight is heavier than I anticipate, but it only plays in my favor as the world melts away and darkness consumes me. All too soon, my attention and mind are alert once more. Only, it's not the dorm room I have at Institute Thirteen that I'm greeted with, but the familiar lands of home.
The Shadow Realm.
Everything looks the same; the dried out moat, the derelict castle, the empty balcony, and the lifeless town. Yet now, with the knowledge I have, everything feels different.
Brushing a hand through my hair, I take a deep breath, looking up at the sun. It always amuses me how bright it is here, despite it being The Shadow Realm. I guess it comes with a misconception that everything is touched with shadows, but shadowsonly appear when the sun shines down. And here, it has a special kind of heat that fuels my soul.
Off to my right, in the opposite direction from the balcony I love to sit and think on, I spy the tower, the one I was trapped in as the rest of my people became nothing. Before I can think better of it, my feet carry me toward the stone building, my heart racing with every step until I'm standing before the arched door with my heart in my throat.
Reaching out a hand, I don't go for the handle. The idea of seeing inside is too raw, but I manage the courage to splay my fingers across the door.
