It's real life.
I have to make sure I choose the balance correctly, so I take from the witch, not Rion.
Not my wolf.
Uncertainty wars inside of me when I don't instantly see a response to confirm I'm doing the right thing, but the strain of the magic leaves my vision blotchy, forcing me to clench my eyes closed.
“Please, please help him. Please keep him safe. Please do not let any more harm come to him,” I whisper, my cheeks damp as I plead with all of the hope I can muster. It's only when I feel a hand on my shoulder that my head snaps back and my gaze latches onto Ocean’s as she smiles at me.
“Elodie, stop now.” I shake my head, my throat tight with a lump I can't dislodge. “Elodie, look,” she insists, pointing toward Rion.
When I follow her line of sight, it's to find him in his human form, looking up at me with a lazy smile and a whimsical glint in his eyes.
Holy fuck. I did it.
Taking a deep breath and grounding myself in the earth beneath me, I yank my hands back from both of them, not bothering to check on the witch as I wrap my arms around my wolf and bury my face into his neck. The moment doesn't last long, though, as a grunt from Thorne reminds me thathe's protecting us, and it's taking all of his strength.
“Are you okay to move? We need to go. Thorne’s draining himself, and you’re… well, you’re lacking clothing now,” I rattle off, and Rion nods, unfazed by his exposed skin.
I offer him my hand, and he takes it, leaping to his feet with no actual help from me.
Glancing at Thorne, I nod, encouraging him to release his magic.
“When I drop it, we run,” he orders, and I nod, braced and ready. “Now!” he hollers, and the four of us take off at his command.
My feet pound against the path as Institute Thirteen draws nearer, but before we reach the top of the steps, a yelp from behind makes me pause.
Thorne falters, and I manage to catch myself before I crash into him, but it’s Rion’s curse that worries me most. As I turn to see the commotion, I find Ocean in the grasp of the one person I wish I didn't have to see right now.
Walker.
This is the second time he's wrapped my best friend up like this.
My heart hammers in my chest as I spy the feral students frozen a few steps away. We’re a damnbreath away from safety, and it’s ripped away from us once again.
Thorne shifts to my left and Rion moves to my right, the three of us glaring at him as he keeps an arm banded around her chest.
“We both know I'm not going to hurt her,” he says, eyes fixed on me, and I scoff.
“Then let her go!” I yell.
“When we have an audience, you're mistaken,” he states, and I frown in confusion, unsure what he's referring to, but as I glance off in the distance, I understand exactly what he means.
Another crowd has formed, one held back by their commander, Jude.
“Put the fucking barrier back up,” Walker snarls, and before I can even look to Thorne to tell him not to use his strength, the familiar blue hue protects us again, only this time, there’s another intruder inside our barriers. “They can see but not hear, correct?” he grunts, peering at Thorne, who grunts in response. Relieved, Walker quickly returns his attention to me. “What did I teach you, Elodie?” he states, and I huff, folding my arms over my chest as I glare at him.
“Not to trust anybody,” I snap back, and he shakes his head.
“The saying, repeat it,” he insists, and my eyebrows furrow as understanding slowly washes over me. I know what he's referring to.
“Power is forged in ruin,” I mutter, and he nods.
“That's right. Now, you want power; it's about time you forged it,” he snaps, and I sigh.
“You're not making any sense,” I bluster, tensions high as adrenaline courses through my veins.
I just need him to let go of my friend.
