Gerard’s eyes found hers again, and she stiffened. She didn’t like the way he was studying her with an almost flirtatious grin that she did not reciprocate. He seemed to think it over before finally nodding.
Relief barely had time to register before Gerard added, “But your assignment’s changing, Malvin. You’re on kitchen duty tomorrow.”
“What?” Malvin asked, sitting up straighter. “Who’s taking my place in the garden?”
“I am,” he said smoothly, then gave her a wink before pivoting and walking away.
The hope for a peaceful day outdoors now seemed tainted, overshadowed by Gerard’s ever looming presence. She caught Malvin’s puzzled gaze and gave him a faint smile, though the dread residing in her core refused to fade.
Chapter 25
Elora
Elora knelt in the garden, her fingers threading through the soft, dark soil as she removed a cluster of weeds that were adamant about staying put. The day was bright and warm, its rays dancing over her skin, causing droplets of sweat to trickle down her back. As much as she hated the summer sun–especially in such a fitted dress with scratchy fabric–she would tolerate it just so she could be outside.
She let herself forget everything, the Institute’s confines, the endless cycle of Thorn’s experiments, the heavy chains of her captivity. Her eyes fluttered shut, basking in the sunshine. Here, in the quiet whisper of the wind and the gentle rustle of leaves, she almost pretended she was free.
The sun’s warmth vanished abruptly, and a shadow fell across her face. Elora opened her eyes, blinking against the sudden darkness. Her gaze traveled up, meeting the familiar, unsettling grin of Gerard.
“You look like you were about to drift off into a dream.” He crouched down in front of her. “You must miss being outside, don’t you? All that time spent in the forest, learning alchemy. I bet it feelslike ages ago.” It had only been a month since she’d been made a ward, but he was right, it did feel like it had been forever.
Elora narrowed her eyes at him.Where is this going?Despite herself, she found her gaze drifting toward the outer boundary of the courtyard, at the point where the line of trees met the horizon. The woods. The dark, dense line of forest that bordered the Institute grounds, like a barrier between her and everything she had lost.
“I do miss it,” she mumbled impulsively, her voice tinged with a sadness she hadn’t meant to reveal.
His eyes followed her line of sight to the forest beyond the iron gates of the battlements. “I thought so,” he said, almost taking on a sympathetic tone. “It’s hard, isn’t it? Being trapped here, so close yet so far from the things you love. I bet you dream of running through those trees again, of feeling that freedom.”
Elora tore her gaze away from the forest. “You seem awfully interested in what I miss, Gerard.” She shoved her hands back into the dirt, sifting through weeds. “But I’ve got work to do.”
“You know.” He leaned closer to her, lowering his voice so no one else could hear. “If you miss the woods that much, I can take you there.”
She blinked, surprised. “What?”
Gerard shrugged, looking again at the tree line. “I can take you into the forest. Let you experience a moment of peace. Nobody has to know.” He said it lightly, but the way he watched her, the intensity in his eyes, caused goosebumps to prickle her arms.
The offer was tempting, more tempting than she wanted to admit. To leave the suffocating walls of the Institute, even if just for a short while, to step beneath the canopy of leaves and feel the earth of the forest floor beneath her feet. It felt like a glimpse of freedom, a small escape she’d been craving for so long.
But her suspicion flared almost immediately, dousing that flicker of hope. Nothing was free here. “What’s the catch?”
Gerard’s smile didn’t falter. He spread his hands wide, an exaggerated gesture of innocence. “I just want your company.”
She folded her arms against her chest. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
Instead of answering, he stood up and started walking toward the woods; the sun glinting off his auburn hair, making his head look like it was on fire. He peered back at her, one eyebrow raised as if daring her to follow. “Come on, Elora,” he shouted back. “Don’t you want to experience the forest again? Or would you rather stay here and pull weeds all day?”
It was a bad idea; she knew that much. She sensed the strings attached, even if she couldn’t see them yet.
But he’d been decent with her so far, hadn’t he? A little rough, a little teasing, but not cruel. And she’d witnessed how the other female wards reacted to him, laughing, blushing, hanging on his every word. They adored him, treated him like he was their favorite guard. He couldn’t bethatbad, could he?
Elora took a deep breath, then got to her feet, brushing the dirt off her hands. “Fine,” she muttered, more to herself than to him, as she hurried to catch up. She kept her eyes on his back, trying to disregard the gnawing pit of unease in her stomach as they left the courtyard behind.
Once Elora found herself in the woods, her anxieties melted away like morning mist. The canopy of leaves above her shaded her skin from the sun’s harsh rays. She’d nearly forgotten the fragrance of damp earth and wet grass, the crisp, sweet scent of pine. The sound of birds fluttering and chirping above made her chest swell with nostalgia.
The path was familiar under her soles, the rhythm of her steps pulling her into a trance-like state. She broke through the tree line and entered the small clearing that had once been her sanctuary. The place where she and Arria had spent countless afternoons lying in the tall grass, hiding from the world.
But now, standing here, all she saw was the ghost of that day, the day of the trials. On her last visit, she remembered the heavy silence of mourning filling the place. Elora still pictured her classmates gathered around her, their faces solemn.
It hadn’t been comforting at the time; she’d wanted to be alone. But now, thinking back, her heart ached for them, for that fleeting moment of solidarity and kindness. She’d almost give anything to go back to that moment and let Rian comfort her.
