Page 94 of Beautiful Exile

Everything in me froze. “Marry Bradley?”

More silence.

“El…”

“I feel like I’m scared to move,” she croaked.

Fuck.

“Do you want me to come to New York?” I asked. I fucking hated that city, but I’d do it for Ellie. I’d have to convince Arden to come with me because I sure as hell wasn’t leaving her here.

“No,” Ellie answered quickly. In my mind, I could see her shaking her head, that mix of blond and brown swirling around her face. “I need to figure this out on my own. I just…I just needed to hear your voice for a second.”

“I’m right here. Always. You should come stay for a while. Cope wouldn’t mind.”

Another pause.

“Maybe. I need to sort out my head first.”

“El?”

“Yeah?” she whispered.

“Fuck everyone. Even me. Don’t think about what anyone else wants but you. This isyourlife. Don’t wake up twenty years from now and realize you wasted it living for other people. Find out what you want.”

I heard short, harsh pants of breath and knew she was crying.My hand tightened around the phone. I wished I had a wall to put my fist through.

Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. Way closer this time. The thunder that followed felt like it was practically on top of me.

“You need to go,” Ellie rasped. “Sounds like you’re in a storm.”

“El—”

“I’ll check in soon. Love you, ConCon.”

She hung up before I could say another word. I pulled the phone away from my face and stared at the screen. An ache took root in my chest. I couldn’t make the next choices for my sister. I just hoped she was strong enough to do what made her happy.

My gaze lifted, pulled toward the house, toward Arden. Sometimes, it felt like my entire body was attuned to her, subtly shifting in her direction at all times. A magnetic pull because of all she was.

But as I stared at the house, I realized something was off. The light by the door that was perpetually on wasn’t now. And no lights glowed from inside.

I turned quickly, taking in the studio. While I’d turned off the overhead lights, I hadn’t missed the two night-lights plugged into outlets on either side of the room. They weren’t on now.

My mind raced, first fearing the worst and then realizing the storm must’ve knocked out the power. I was moving before I could stop myself, running toward Arden’s house. The deputy must’ve seen me because he climbed out of his vehicle, his hand going to his gun. “Everything okay?”

I waved him off. “Power’s out. Just want to make sure everything is okay in the house.” I wasn’t about to betray Arden’s secret that the dark held all her monsters.

He seemed a little wary but nodded, climbing back into his car just as the rain started. It pelted against me in angry bursts until I reached the front door. Punching in the code, I hauled it open.

“Arden?” I called into the dark.

There was nothing. No answer. No light. Not a single sign of life.

Fear kicked up, clawing in ragged sweeps across my flesh. “Arden?It’s Linc.” I flicked on the flashlight on my phone, and that’s when I heard it.

A sound.

I froze. “Arden?”

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