Page 51 of Dark Bonds

“Oh, Frankie,” she murmurs, pulling me into a hug. “You did so well. I’m so proud of you. You’re learning faster than any of the others and adapting so beautifully. Soon, you’ll be indispensable to me. Isn’t that what you want?”

I stiffen at first, the contact overwhelming after the evening’s tension, but then I feel myself melting into her embrace, starved for affection. Her fingers comb through my hair, and I press my face into her shoulder, breathing in her familiar scent.

“Thank you,” I whisper, and I’m not sure if I’m thanking her for the praise or for protecting me from Mr. Jameson’s touch. Maybe both. The distinction blurs, much like the line between gratitude and dependence.

Later, as I lie in bed, the house settles around me with creaks and sighs. My mind whirls with a storm of conflicting thoughts and emotions. Part of me knows this isn’t right, and that Valerie is the source of my pain, not my salvation, but that voice grows fainter each day, drowned out by the desperate need to believe that someone cares about me.

I close my eyes, but sleep eludes me. My mind races, analyzing every interaction and spoken word. Is there a pattern to Valerie’s behavior? A weakness I could exploit? Or am I fooling myself by seeing escape routes where there are none?

The more I think, the more the lines blur between captor and protector, between fear and twisted comfort.

Chapter 16

Frankie

I come to slowly,feeling groggy and off-balance, but there’s something else too—this weird energy buzzing under my skin and shadows that seem to flicker at the corner of my eye. I’m different now, changed by what happened on the island, and every time I close my eyes, the past burns its way up from the depths of my mind where I buried it.

My eyelids flutter open, and I find myself cradled in Matteo’s arms as he carries me through a familiar doorway.

I bury my nose in his chest, breathing in his cinnamon and clove scent.

“She’s awake,” Matteo says, his voice a mix of relief and concern.

I blink, trying to orient myself. We’re in the Grotto, the bar where I work. How did we get here from the island? I can barely remember the evacuation. All I can think about is that massive eredar beast and the crazy shield thing I made out of nowhere.

“You were staying behind,” I grumble into Matteo’s chest.

“And you fainted,” he retorts.

“Welcome back to your home away from home,” Tori says, appearing at Matteo’s side. “How are you feeling, Frankie?”

“Like I got hit by a truck,” I mutter, my voice hoarse. “And like there’s a storm brewing under my skin. What happened after… after the shield?”

Leo materializes, a steaming mug in hand. “Looks like someone’s in desperate need of a pick-me-up. Don’t worry, I’ve got just the thing to espresso your recovery.”

Despite my exhaustion, I can’t help but roll my eyes at his pun. “Leo, I swear?—”

“Hey, no need to be so bitter.” He grins, handing me the mug. “I brew you’d feel better after some coffee.”

Matteo gently sets me down in a booth, and I wrap my hands around the warm mug, inhaling the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. As the fog in my mind begins to clear, memories of the eredar beast flood back. I suppress a shudder, but I can’t quite quell the strange excitement that accompanies the fear.

What am I becoming?

“The island—” I start, but Bishop cuts me off, his voice steady and measured despite the pandemonium around us.

“Evacuated,” he says, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the tension in the air. “Everyone’s safe for now, but we need to focus on the long-term implications of what happened.”

Dorian leans against the booth, his intense gaze fixed on me. Looks like my fainting had him following behind as well, everyone but Bishop.

Why does that bother me more than it should?

“That thing was after you for a reason, Frankie. There’s something connecting you two, something hidden in the shadows.” His words send a shiver down my spine, resonating with the new power I feel coursing through me.

Before I can respond, a hush falls over the crowded bar. Professor Blackwood climbs onto a table, commanding everyone’s attention. He looks disheveled, but his voice rings outclear and authoritative. His eyes briefly land on me, and a shiver rolls down my spine. He still freaks me the hell out.

“Students of Shadow Locke, I know you’re all shaken by today’s events. I’m here to inform you that the shadow guardians are currently clearing the island. You’ll be able to return to your dorms soon.”

A collective sigh of relief ripples through the crowd, but Blackwood raises a hand for silence.

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