Page 58 of The Light Within

Elliot shifted restlessly on the balls of his feet, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. This was the last thing they all needed, especially Julien.

He’d have to intervene, to calm Julien down. He’d—

Cinn grabbed Julien’s shoulders, swiftly twisting him so they faced each other. “Hey,” Cinn said, pressing a hand—covered in small, bleeding lacerations that really ought to be looked at sometime soon—against Julien’s cheek. “Let’s leave it. It’s not worth getting worked up over.”

Julien’s jaw clenched. “But—”

“Nope.” Cinn’s other hand snaked around Julien’s waist, drawing him closer.

Elliot held his breath. Half of him almost expected Julien to throw Cinn off, turn back to Eleanor, and continue to give her a piece of his mind.

Then Cinn’s bloody hand tangled in the mess of Julien’s hair, brushing it out of the way to lean in and whisper something softly to him. Julien melted into him, and soon they formed a bubble of just the two of them while they all looked on from the outside. Julien and Cinn against the world.

A traitorous hot, thick lump formed in Elliot’s throat as his heart tied itself in a knot.Look at them,he forced himself to think.Look how easily Cinn talked Julien down off the ledge. Look how perfect they are together.

You’re happy for them. You are.

Elliot didn’t realise Darcy had moved behind Eleanor to stand next to him until her small hand slipped into his and squeezed. He squeezed it back without looking at her.

Eleanor cleared her throat. “Clearly, it’s been a long and difficult day for everyone,” she managed, sucking her lips into her teeth until they disappeared. “Quickly recount to me what happened here, then we can all be on our way. We can debrief fully after the holidays.”

Eleanor directed the question at Elliot, evidently acknowledging Julien was a lost cause.

Elliot licked his lips. If they’d never found Eleanor’s secret files, this would be so much easier.

A deep frown fragmented Eleanor’s forehead. “Well? By the time Salvatore Gallo had arrived with the small number of gendarmerie he could pull together, the hurricane was barely a breeze, and the umbraphages had vanished of their own will? Unless you’re about to tell me that Julien…”

Eleanor redirected her gaze to pierce Julien meaningfully with her beady glare. Elliot knew what she was asking him—did Julien tap into his enigmatic motes? As far as Elliot knew, Julien’s mother had confided in her, back when she and Julien were attempting to figure out his inexplicable abilities together.

Elliot was sure Eleanor would be delighted if Julien announced that he was the solution to their biggest problem.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

“They simply vanished,” Julien said, smiling at her.

Eleanor sighed, pressing two fingers to her temple. For once, she almost looked her age. Elliot forced himself to squash down the tiniest shred of remorse.

But Eleanor was the closest thing Julien had to a parent he actually had a relationship with, and she’d been deceiving him for months. Was possibly involved in killing his sister, even. So Elliot’s sympathy for the moment was short-lived.

Atskfrom Eleanor, then a single shake of her head before she spun on her heel and stormed off, swallowed instantly into the crowd.

“Are you okay?” Cinn hadn’t released Julien, the two of them still interlocked. A complete unit. The connection between them undeniable, two halves of a whole.

“Absolutely fine,” Julien said, sounding almost delirious.

Cinn looked over Julien’s shoulder to Elliot. “What about you, mate? Are you alright? Sorry we left you on the bridge.”

Elliot shrugged. “Don’t worry about me.”I was absolutely fine, not on the verge of a breakdown at all.

Cinn untangled one arm from Julien and reached out for Elliot. When Elliot didn’t immediately move closer, Cinn leaned over and tugged on his coat sleeve, pulling him into the embrace. Julien sagged against him, his weight pressing onto Elliot’s shoulder with a groan. Cinn, still holding Julien, seemed to wait for Elliot to meet his gaze, offering a subtle, deliberate smile when he did.

The tension that had been gripping Elliot’s chest like an iron vice finally began to ease. Elliot mirrored Cinn’s smile with a grin of his own, warmth flooding through him. If he believed in lucky stars, he’d be thanking them a thousand times over for bringing Cinn into his life. Into all of their lives.

“Fuck, Eleanor was just a real piece of work,” said Elliot, before he started crying or something.

“A complete bitch,” declared Darcy, earning the three shocked heads snapping towards her.

Elliot made a hooting noise, filling the air with laughter. “Are you finally over your girl crush on her?”

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