When the last knot came free, Ivy sighed. She’d been eerily quiet since coming in here and revealing the rest of Dante’s abuse. I knew if she wanted to talk about it, she would. But I also knew she was likely giving us a chance to comprehend it. Maybe she was worried about our reactions. Or maybe she was too tired to care.
“You know, don’t you?” Ivy asked, her voice soft yet tense. “I don’t have to spell out what…what’s happening?”
I stiffened, looking from Elias to her. But she was staring at the shifter, her face only just visible in the mirror across from us. I wished I could reach into our bond to understand what she was thinking, because I couldn’t read her at all. When had she gotten so good at masking her feelings? What else had Dante done to make her capable of hiding even from me?
Elias sighed, uncrossed his arms, and pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against. The bear shifter in the corner of the room tensed, all the muscles in his body coiling tight in preparation for an attack. He tracked Elias with his eyes, though he did nothing else.
The wolf moved to the other side of the tub and knelt, eyes softening on her. “We’re getting a potion prepared for you. To…stop what Dante did.”
Ivy’s shoulders rose in sharp breath. “How did you know?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Elias replied, gaze flickeringto mine. There was no good way to explain what happened to Adrian, especially without him here. “At least, not right now. But we’re going to stop it, and then…”
“And then we wait,” she said, hands moving to her stomach. “I figured you would be more excited.”
“I’m only excited if you are,” he said, voice darkening. “What he did—and Sable hiding it from us—that wasn’t what any of us wanted. And I know it’s not what you want.”
Through the reflection, I noticed tears brimming her eyes. But she released a shaky breath. “I think I’m ready to get out now.”
Elias and I only shared a look as we rose, meeting her at the stairs leading into the tub. Facing her fully, I could see it all; the bruises circling her arms from the hands of his soldiers, healed welts on her wrists from tight shackles. Her ankles were swollen and red, feet bruised and cut. And yet, she stepped out of the tub without a word, without showing how much pain I knew she had to be in.
There was a surprising amount of things already stocked in the bathroom. Towels in one of the cupboards. Brushes and combs, as well as soaps, conditioners, and anything Ivy might need. Orion had, at some point, taken the time to stock the place with what he could find—which included Ivy’s coconut scented shampoo.
I never realised how much comfort I could take from a hair product.
Leaving Ivy with Elias, I grabbed a towel, one so large I knew it would wrap around her comfortably. The air inside the bathroom might have been warm from the steam of the bath, but the rest of the manor was cold. I made a note to check if there was any way to heat the place, though I doubted Orion expected us to be here when the weather turned cold. He likely thought this place wouldn’t be used for at least another year.
But winter had been closing in on the mortal world, and it was here in Avalon.
I wrapped the towel around Ivy’s body, eyes straying to her stomach. To others, it wasn’t noticeable. But I knew my mate’sbody, understood every part of her better than I knew myself. She used to be all gentle slopes. Where she used to be soft, there was now a barely perceptible swell.
“Are you sure you’ll be able to stop it?” Ivy asked, looking between us. “You can stop them from coming early?”
I gave her a stiff nod, heart pounding. “Yes,” I replied. “We think so.”
“Cyrus says he can make a counter potion,” Elias replied, voice gruff.
Ivy tensed, lips pulling in a sneer. “Cyrus?”
Elias and I shared another look. “Yes,” I replied slowly. “What’s wrong?”
Her heart raced, her breathing fast. Even without the bond, I could sense her panic—her fear. All I wanted to do was sweep her into my arms, take her to bed, and hold her until she fell asleep. But she took a step away from us, towel wrapped firmly around herself.
“He used to work for Dante.” Her eyes flickered between us, a pink flush darkening her cheeks. “But you know that.”
This time, Elias nodded. “He did. But he’s out of Dante’s control. Has been for years. He knew exactly what Dante did to you, and how to reverse it.”
Ivy just stared at him for a long moment before blinking hard. “He put you in a cage.”
Elias had moved to take a step towards her, but he stopped, eyes wide. “How?—?”
“I guess we all learned things,” she murmured, dropping his stare. “I need the potion soon, or I’ll give birth before the next lunar eclipse. I might already be a couple months along just from it being sped up.”
And that didn’t account for how long she’d already been pregnant before Sable put the spell on her. Likely only a couple of days, so barely perceptible. Perhaps only just conceived. But we wouldn’t know until we got her to a healer who specialised in pregnancy and birth.
Ivy turned towards the bedroom, a soft breath falling from her lips. As she did, the bear shifter rose. They’d called himThor, though every time the name was used, I’d noticed the male flinch. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’d given him a different name, one that hadn’t always been his. My Sire had tried to give me a new name, one of his own liking, but I’d never allowed it to stick.
“You should have a bath,” Ivy said softly. “You’ll feel better after. Trust me.”
