Page 31 of Unshaken

“Our little ghost has been hiding from us, sunshine. I think she needs to come over to the dark side so we can keep an eye on her,” Trys says from behind me.

“I couldn’t agree more, but she doesn’t want this the way you two do. I respect that. I mean, her coven doesn’t even marry, it’s not in her nature to consider being bonded to someone at all.” I shrug. “I spent years arguing against an arranged marriage with my parents, and it seems that fate chose for me anyway. Honestly, it feels the same.”

“You wound me, sunshine.” Trys sucks in a sharp breath, as if he’s been stabbed by my words. I turn and start walking backwards to face them.

“I don’t mean it like that. I’m saying I understand we’ve all been raised with certain rules and coven standards that govern our thoughts and the path we walk in this life,” I tell them both, trusting they won’t let me trip or fall as I gaze up at the two of them.

“You’re it for us, kitten. Tell me where to sign my name in blood on the dotted line.” Ty smiles, and it’s so rare, but when he does, it lights up his entire face. Beautiful.

“It’s always about blood to you, isn’t it?” I tilt my head, trying to understand my dark and broody twin better.

“Always.” His smile fades, and I want to ask more but I turn as we arrive at Esme’s. Her little house looks like every other house on this side of the Quad, the lights are off inside. I wish I knew her schedule well enough to know her routine.

“I’ll go and knock. Can you two stay here? I don’t want to scare her,” I tell them as I open her gate and run up the steps.

“Us. Scary? Never,” Trys whispers to Ty and I can’t help but laugh.

I knock a few times and wait, feeling the chill as the sun begins to set. “It's Micah, Esme, I am just checking on you,” I say to the door. I knock once more, eventually I turn to Ty and Trys with a shrug of defeat. I stand there for a moment longer, placing my hand on the door, wishing I could just tell her that it’s OK. I don’t want her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. That we can be friends with this Tether. That’s not rejection, just acceptance. Yes, that’s what I will tell her. I turn and run down the steps, feeling mildly better.

A long howl pierces the air. Followed by another and another. Then . . . it’s a chorus of them.

The sharp pain in my chest takes the air from my lungs, and I collapse to my knees in panic. All I feel is fear, so much fear. The sound of footsteps has me looking up to Ty and Trys through my tears.

“The wolves are hunting,” Trys says as he lifts me to my feet. For some insane reason my brain isn’t catching on to what he means as I try to catch my breath. I look to Ty, who’s managed to pull another knife from somewhere as if he is gearing up for battle.

“Someone’s being hunted, kitten, and I think it might be—”

Ty’s word are cut off as someone screams, a light feminine scream, shrieking and terrified.

My heart pounds in my chest as I look at them in alarm. I know without a doubt in my mind that it’s Esme.

Twenty

ESME

My eyes feel heavy. My head rolls forward as I struggle to lift it. There’s an entire symphony orchestra pounding away inside my head. Light flashes behind my eyelids and I try to keep my breathing even as I begin to force them open. I wince from the bright blaze of a huge bonfire before me. My head snaps back in panic, hitting something hard behind me. I go to rub the tender spot, only to find my arms are bound behind my back. My brain slowly registers where I am in full technicolor. Sweat drips down my brow from the heat of the fire. My hair has become a white limp mess and fallen into my face, shielding me from whoever has taken me. I realize my uniform is ripped, as if I was dragged all the way out here to the middle of the Willow Woods. My breathing picks up, my heart pounds in my ears as I try to remember what happened to me. How did I end up here, the last thing I remember—

I slam the book closed. None of them have given me any real solutions to my problems. I don’t want to reject Micah, even though I am sure by now she thinks I have. I’ve wanted to talk to her all week. I’ve been a coward, too afraid to just approach her. Yet, I have followed her like a stalker, hiding away.

I realize since my arrival here at the beginning of term I’ve been hiding, not wanting to make waves in fear of being challenged, and possibly even dying. Yeah, I am a coward. It’s not like she asked much of me. She gave me an out, and I took it. Now I can hardly sleep without wanting to tell her I’m sorry. I should at least try. My only solace in my research is that we could do this and eventually be friends for life if that’s what it turns into. I still have doubts about my own sexuality, so I’m not sure what I want.

Someone steps into view suddenly, and I look up to see Rodyn Larrieux leaning against a shelf of books in front of me. I curse myself for not being able to sense someone had even entered the special access room. Why didn’t my sight alert me?

“Well, looks like you and I are screwed. More you than me,” Rodyn says as he takes a few steps towards the table I was sitting at. He picks up one of the books and I can only guess he is here for the same reason I am. Answers.

“What do you mean?” I ask him, trying to keep my voice from shaking out of fear. I am so tired of being afraid and I wish that I was braver, more confident. I want to hold my head up high in front of him. He’s no better than me.

“I mean, that there is no way out of our little Tethering problem, and I, for one, don’t plan on being bound for life to Micah Jones. She a fucking leech, using our powers to magnify her own.” I can feel the anger in Rodyn’s words as he begins to pace between the table and bookshelves.

“I don’t think it works that way—”

“How do you know?” he yells, making me flinch and I push back in my seat, meaning to get up, and his eyes track my movements. Sharp. Predatorial. I swallow, my nerves are getting the better of me as I think of a way out of my current predicament.

“You rejected her,” I say in a whisper. If I am calm, maybe he will calm down as well.

“I want nothing to do with her. I thought I could—I could.” He blows out a breath and runs his hands over his head and down his face in frustration. His eyes find mine, and something changes. A slight shift in his demeanor that sends alarm bells ringing in my ears. Thanks for nothing sight.

“There is only one solution to our problem.” Rodyn snaps his fingers, it’s almost comical as I see the lightbulb hovering over his head. “You want or need to hide from her.” I gasp at that because how does he know—

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