Page 83 of Savage Sacrifice
“And you said that Belladora bringing back my memories didn’t bring back my magic. Besides, I don’t have any sand.”
He waves me off like acknowledging the fact doesn’t cut deep. “Your coven?” he repeats, and I exhale in frustration.
“There’s me, four wolves, and a vampire,” I grumble, hating how simple it sounds, but he doesn’t deserve the intricate details between us all that brought us to where we are now. It’s sacred, special, and I refuse to let anyone tarnish it.
Just as my own thoughts predict, he scoffs, making my nostrils flare with anger, but before I can give him a piece of my mind, he speaks. “A vampire. Grizzly bastards, am I right?”
I gape at him for a moment, needing the time to let his words sink in before a soft snicker parts my lips. “That’s one way to put it,” I admit, unable to stop the smile curling my lips as I think about Blaze.
Octantis sighs, the sound so soft I almost don’t hear it, as he glances off into the distance. ”It shocks me when I think about the fact that I miss our vampire.”
My eyebrows gather in confusion as I stare at him. “What do you mean?” I ask, but he quickly waves me off. I don’t miss the downcast look in his eyes as he pushes up off the desk, looking everywhere but at me. “Wait, Jonah was here, and you must see Belladora, why don’t you see your vampire?”
The disappointment in his gaze makes my chest tighten, but as he parts his lips, the bell rings, followed swiftly by a sea of students entering the room.
Instead of answers, I get a half assed smile. “Saved by the bell.”
The entire classis a blur as his words play on repeat in my mind. But in typical Octantis style, the second the next bell rings to draw the class to an end, he’s gone.
I slump in my seat, disappointed as I wipe a hand down my face. I didn’t even get to ask about seeing Belladora. Irritation flares through my veins. That was the whole point of coming here today, and I’ve messed it up already.
Drowning in despair, I lurch from my seat, trying to shake off the negativity before I succumb to it. If I’m going to play my part in figuring it out, then I have to remain positive, focused, and determined, because I want my family back.
I’m swallowed by the sea of students as I head for the exit, only to step outside and immediately miss the comfort of the A/C, which beckons me to head back in. I push past it, blowing my hair off my face as I head toward the coffee shop.
Halfway across campus, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, making me pause midstep. With my breath lodged in my throat, I glance around me, but other than the few groups of students gathered under trees, against buildings, and strolling across the grounds, there’s nothing that makes my skittishness feel valid.
Taking a deep breath, I roll my shoulders back and shake it off, and as I hurry toward the coffee shop, the feeling doesn’t quite evaporate, but it eases enough for me to brush it off.
The second I step inside, the delicious smell of coffee and sweet treats fills the air. It’s been my new addiction since the first time we came here after class. Ben is adamant it must be our favorite spot on campus, and I don’t have the heart to correct him, so I play along, happy for it to be our hot spot. For now at least.
I spy my friend by the far window to the left with two coffees already on the table. Weaving through the crowded space, I all but fall into my seat when I get to him, sighing contently before bringing the rich, milky goodness to my lips. A groan parts my lips, but as I offer Ben a tight smile, his brows furrow.
“Are you okay? You look a bit down,” he states, seeing right through the façade I was hoping to hide beneath.
“Thank you for the drink,” I murmur, hoping to avoid his intense stare, but he simply cocks a brow at me, waiting for an answer.
My shoulders slump as I try to wave him off. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Like what?” He braces his elbows on the table, refusing to give up, and I shrug.
“Honestly, it’s all cluttered. I can’t even figure it out,” I admit, and he offers me a soft smile.
“That’s insane. I mean, I don’t remember what anything was like before the accident, but now, I swear I feel… light and carefree. I want that for you too, Polaris. If there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word.”
A genuine smile touches my lips, formed from a combination of his offer to help and the fact that he doesn’t carry the weight of our past with him. Maybe it’s a good thing for him. Maybe this truly is the fresh start he deserves.
Rubbing my lips together, I re-focus, considering the fact that there’s more than one thing on my new to-do list, and if I can’t figure out seeing Belladora right now, maybe I need to consider the other angle I have to work.
Settling my gaze on his, I take a deep breath. “I need to find my parents.”
As soon as I mutter the words, my chest tightens for multiple reasons. One, I don’t think I’m ever going to care to see them or even begin to attempt to unpack how I feel about what they did, and how the consequences of their actions hurt me so much. And two, the day they showed up is the day Belladora wiped Bianca and Ben’s memories. I don’t even know how much of that day he remembers, or if I’ve committed an ultimate sin in bringing something up from that day.
“Are you sure? I don’t remember you being too happy the last time they showed up,” he states, leaning back in his seat as he eyes me, and I shrug again.
“I wasn’t. Everything that day feels like a blur. I don’t even really remember it, but I think I want answers.” I hate that the words on my tongue don’t feel like the lie I want them to be.
He scoffs. “I must have been feeling all of the emotions for you, too, because I don’t remember much either. I do rememberyou leaving, though, and they both sat crying on the sofa before I told them to leave,” he states, and I blink at him in surprise.
