He doesn’t add noise to drown out the beating, but he does something to mute it, returning the room to silence.
I relax in waves, unclenching my hands and letting my limbs sink into the mattress one at a time. I tuck my face against Ciprian’s shoulder and find his hand beneath the blanket and link it with mine. I’m not sure if he can mute the echo for himself too or if he’s experiencing both realities at once. Either way, I won’t leave him alone with it.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He squeezes my hand and props his chin on top of my head but doesn’t risk responding out loud. Neither of us want to wake the others. Celine and Malach have enough bad memories to avoid, and they both need sleep. I’m so focused on them, it takes me a while to realize we aren’t the only ones awake.
Riven’s breathing is shallow and irregular—he’s definitely on guard.
For three minutes and thirteen seconds, none of us speak. Then Ciprian sighs, and his cheekbones return to normal. “It’s over,” he whispers.
I’m beyond relieved. Besides covering my ears, closing my eyes, and trying not to breathe through my nose, I don’t know how to keep my promise to Celine. We can’t control the echoes, but at least we have a line of defense. What I sensed, Ciprian was able to hide before it hurt Celine. It’s nice to be able to protect her even in a small way.
Riven is the wild card. I’m curious what he thinks about all this.
He’s a valuable ally; I can accept that easily. I didn’t spend a decade creating a successful business gathering and selling information only to become blind to the benefits ofan alliance with him. But he’s more than a source. He’s sharing Celine’s bed with us, witnessing her most painful, intimate memories, and somehow becoming part of this mess right alongside the rest of us.
I haven’t forgiven him for the monster realm, but I understand what it’s like to be bound by a contract. My brand of ethics wouldn’t hold up to human standards. I’m aware of that, but I stick to them. I think Riven does the same.
If he wants to prove himself worthy of Celine, I’ll allow it.
I’ll play nice until the moment he fucks up. And he better hope for everyone’s sake that he never does, because one new mistake will bring all the old ones crashing down on him. And per my count, he still has a lot to make up for.
I would warn him, but he already knows. It’s clear from the cautious way he orbits us.
Riven is in, for now, and I’ll fully accept him when he earns it.
The lights come on gradually.
I open my eyes. Ciprian and Luca are still next to me, but the other side of the bed is empty. A second of careful listening tells me the other three are in the bathroom, their voices reaching us faintly.
“I still want to know how the lights work,” Ciprian says.
Luca groans and stretches his arms over his head. “Ask after.”
Neither of us need clarification. Celine and her father will face off today, and something tells me it won’t be a quick or easy confrontation. There’s too much at stake for both of them.
Luca rolls out of bed. Ciprian and I trail behind. I watch Ciprian from the corner of my eye, surreptitiously searching for any signs of fatigue. He can use his magic whenever and however he wants, but after seeing him push too hard in the monsterrealm, I can’t help but worry. He’s not a tool. He’s mine, and I don’t want to watch him hurt himself.
“I’m okay, Ali,” he murmurs. “I only used what you gave me, and I slept the rest of the night like a baby.”My fear.I hate acknowledging it, but knowing he was able to put it to good use soothes the sting.
Luca glances over his shoulder at us and narrows his eyes. I press a finger to my lips. “There was another echo last night,” I whisper. “Ciprian covered it with a nightmare so it wouldn’t wake anyone else.”
I won’t share specifics now, and I don’t intend to later. That memory was private, and now that I’ve seen the kinds of things Celine was worried about, I understand her desire for privacy.
Luca nods in understanding and nudges me with his shoulder before attempting to smooth Ciprian’s wild hair. “You look like a cactus.”
“Leave it,” Ciprian drawls. “Strutting around with bed head communicates confidence, don’t you think? A subtle ‘fuck you’ to the establishment. That might be helpful here.”
Luca snorts. “Only a rich kid would think messy hair was a form of rebellion.”
They tease each other, exchanging good-natured digs as we approach the bathroom. Six people will be a tight fit, but I’m too tense to be separated from Celine right now.
I knock, and the door slides open immediately, disappearing inside a sleek slot in the wall. “Sorry.” I hold my hands up as all three of them turn to look. “I was trying to knock, and the door ran away.”
Celine smirks. “I let you in.” She points at a pearly disk mounted on the wall. “Press that if you want the door to open.” She runs her finger along the top curve of the disk, and the glow gets brighter. “It controls the lights, too.” She repeats the samemove on the bottom curve. I jump as steam fills the room, and she laughs.
“Sauna mode? That’s amazing.” Ciprian steps around me and claps his hands. “How do I summon a toothbrush?”
