Page 49 of Glass and Bone
“Are you saying you don’t feel the same?” He reaches forward and gently cups my face in his hands, pulling me away from the door. “You can’t tell me that this doesn’t feel right.” His hands are warm, the sweet scent of grass and spring air filling my nose as I inhale. It does feel right. It feels perfect. It feels like home. But my home is with Tobias.
“Theo, please, I barely know you.” I whisper, refusing to make eye contact. I keep my gaze cast down onto his bare chest, his tunic open at the top like always. He can’t act like this, so close to his brother, yet I’m not pushing him away either.
“I love you. I know it’s absurd. I know we barely know each other.” I try to turn away, but he holds my face still. “The moment you ran into me in the woods, I knew you would be my downfall. I knew I was going to love you one way or another. You were a fighter, covered in blood that wasn’t yours. You were a complete surprise, a gift from the gods themselves.”
“Theo, stop.” I whisper, pleading. “I’m marrying Tobias.” He shakes his head. My hands grip his wrists, trying to pull him off.
“No it doesn’t have to be that way.” His voice is panicked, like he’s trying so desperately to hold onto everything he has.
“Yes, it does. I have to marry what fits my station. I’m sorry. This isn’t my choice. I have to marry Tobias. Please let go of me.” I beg, pulling at his hands. He has to let me go. I can’t get in between them. I can’t do this.
“Fuck Tobias. You should have always been mine.” He growls before slamming his face into mine.
He forces my lips to part as he deepens the kiss. His hands holding my face in place, and I let him. I allow his lips to guide mine as I feel the raw, burning passion pouring from us both. This is the kiss of two people in love. No agenda. No pain. Just love and longing and desire. I can’t feel this way, but I find myself melting into his chest. He’s different from Tobias. He’s hesitant, gentle, but Tobias is protective and sure of himself. He pulls back slightly, and his eyes meet mine. Pure adoration. He leans down again and presses a soft and gentle kiss on my lips.
“Don’t tell me this isn’t real.” He pleads with me. “Come with me.” My eyes fall. “Let’s run away, Nora.” I shake my head.
“It doesn’t matter what I feel, Theo. I choose Tobias.” I whisper, choking against a sob, before stepping out of his grasp and right into something hard.
A rough hand pushes me out of the way and into the wall before flying through the air and hitting Theo directly in the face.
“Tobias!” I scream as Theo collapses to the ground. Tobias jumps on top of him, holding him down before punching him straight in the nose again and again. Theo isn’t fighting back; he’s just taking it. Laughing as blood fills his mouth.
“Tobias, stop!” I scream as I grab at his arms, trying to pull him off. His arm swings out and smacks into my face. Sharp, burning pain replaces his hand as I fall to the ground. My eyes begin to water, and I reach up to wipe away the tears, only to see blood coming from my nose. I look over at Theo, his eyes watching me furiously. Tobias grabs him by the shoulders and slams him onto the ground again before standing.
“Don’t you ever fucking touch her again!” He spits at his brother before walking over to me.
“Oh god, Ela. I’m so sorry.” His face is filled with panic as he walks over to me.
“Tobias, please.” I whimper as he leans down. He grabs my arms and pulls me to my feet and into his arms. “Tobias, please. It was nothing.” I turn and look back at Theo, who is laying still on the ground, his eyes fixated on mine. Fear. All I see is fear, before we turn the corner, and my view is blocked.
Tobias’s face is set in stone when we get to the room. He sets me down, but I slip in my heels and land hard on the marble floors. I look up at him as he paces around the room. I stay still as I watch, afraid to move. His eyebrows are furrowed and he’s mumbling under his breath while quickly walking back and forth. He hit me. He actually hit me,andhis brother. I don’t blame his anger as he saw Theo and I kissing, buthe hit me.
“Tobias?” I whisper. He stops abruptly before slowly turning towards me. His face softens as he walks over to me and kneels down. He reaches towards me, and I flinch. Hurt flashes across his face but is quickly replaced with anger. He brushes a finger under my nose, wiping the blood off my face. My heart is racing as my eyes fixate on his. What is he going to do with me? “Tobias?” I whisper again.
“I am so sorry, Ela. I’m so sorry.” He pulls me up and onto his lap, his breathing labored as he sobs. The floodgates are open and he’s letting everything out. I hesitate for only a moment before I wrap my arms around him. He’s a sad and broken boy, just like me.
“It’s alright, it was an accident.” I whisper into his hair. It was just an accident.
“I didn’t mean to hit you, you got in the way.” He chokes. “It was an accident.” He sits up and grabs my face. His cheeks are tear stained, his eyes red. “You have to believe me.”
“I believe you, Tobias.” I wipe away at the tears streaming down his face and his lips softly find mine.
It was an accident.
He didn’t mean to hit me.
He apologized.
He needs you, Elaenor. Don’t give up on him.I recite to myself. He pulls back and rests his forehead against mine.
“This has been an absolutely horrible day.” He laughs softly before lifting his head back up. His saddened eyes stare at my nose and he lifts his hand to wipe away the blood again.
“It’ll get better.” I say with a soft smile that I know doesn’t reach my eyes. It has to get better.
“Are you alright, please tell me you’re alright?” His eyes search mine and I nod.
“I’ll be okay, Tobias. You didn’t mean to.”
