Page 67 of The Scars Within
I sniffled, trying to stifle the pathetic snot that always came with my tears. Fear gripped me as I heard footsteps approaching, but I knew I was safe when that familiar voice reached my ears.
“Scar?” Shayde quickened his pace, closing the distance between us. He wrapped his arms around me as I hid my face. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
My only response was a string of muffled words tangled with my sniffling.
“Shh,” he soothed, gently stroking the back of my head. His citrusy bergamot scent swept over me like a protection shield.
The realization hit me like a cold shock—we’d both be in deep shit if we were caught down here. I don’t know much about his parents, but I know they aren’t employed at Mageia. I pulled back, meeting his gaze. “You have to get out of here, Shayde,” I pressed as I wiped a tear from my cheek. “I’m going to find my aunt’s chambers.”
“I’m not leaving you like this,” he said, lowering his forehead to mine. “Let’s go, I’ll come with you.”
“Can you promise me that you won’t run away from what you’re about to hear?” I quietly asked him.
He smiled, revealing a dimple. “Pinky.”
He kissed my forehead tenderly; his lips lingered on my skin before he looked at me again. I looked up into his warm, brown eyes. Resentment for myself grew as Shayde looked down at me, ready to fight my battles by my side. I quite literally almost let my self-preservation fall off the rooftop this weekend while he was gone.
Thinking I could find more of myself by getting a little lost was a stupid, careless mistake. My reaction to the confrontation with my father proves that I am not strong enough to survive in the danger zone. And I will never rebuild myself if I lean on an unstable foundation. I can’t handle the risk of my feet falling out from under me. I’ve listened to myheart, which has never been complete and should never guide my actions until it is.
No matter how good it felt to do so.
No matter howrightit felt.
No matter howfreeingit was.
I have to remind myself that at the end of the day, the only person I can count on is myself. Andmyselfneeds to play it safe.
Shayde pressed his lips to mine, and I let him. I told myself that this was safe, and I savored the taste of him. His tongue pressed against my lips, and I opened for him as I angled my head to give him more access.
Every movement, every touch in that kiss, felt like a claiming.
At some point, I’d wrapped my fingers around the collar of his tunic without even realizing it. I eased myself back onto my heels and slowly released him as I remembered where we were. We really need to get out of here. Clearing my throat, I felt something silky between my fingers as I wrung my hands together. Looking down, I saw a small purple petal, torn and delicate. I gently rubbed it between my thumb and forefinger before letting it fall to the ground.
Looking up at Shayde, I noticed his gaze was fixed on the solid wall behind us. The hallway stretched out on both sides, but this unadorned, solid section of wall—bare of decor or sconces—was the hidden passageway. I cleared my throat and gently turned Shayde’s face back to mine, whispering, “I need you to also promise me you won’t tell anyone what I’m about to do.”
Confusion flickered across his face, but he nodded slowly. I moved toward the wall, wiping my sweaty palms on my breeches. I did one last quick scan of the hallway to ensure no one was approaching, then focused on the task at hand.
I counted the rectangular stones until I found the thirteenth one from the bottom. Steeling myself, I reached forward with my right hand. Pressing my pointer finger onto the mortar, I traced a path to the right, spanning the length of three stones. Then down two, left two, and upone—only halfway—where I pressed my knuckles firmly into the seam between the two stones I landed on, two knuckles on each.
I held my knuckles in place, counting silently to three. Suddenly, an arched doorway materialized before us.
The feeling of my skin pressed into a stone wall that dissolved into thin air startled me. Shayde’s hands steadied me when I jumped backward into his chest. His boots clicking echoed through the newly appeared hallway before us as he entered.
“Wow,” he drawled as he looked all around.
“Yeah,” I breathed incredulously.
I grabbed his hand and led him through the arched doorway.
We made it to Cora’s living quarters without being seen—thank the elements. The professors must be busy preparing for the upcoming week. I heard her voice through the wooden door and, without thinking, walked right in. I knew she wouldn’t mind.
Cora’s quarters were darker than I expected, with an antechamber, a sitting room, and two doors that likely led to her sleeping and bathing chambers. Shayde and I passed through the antechamber, following the sound of her voice as it echoed around the corner. She was chanting something unintelligible while standing at a potion station.
I knocked on the stone wall to announce our presence, and she jumped at the sound, quickly glancing over her shoulder. In one swift motion, she slammed the spellbook shut and covered a small cauldron with a lid.
Then, before I could react, her arms were wrapped around me. “My dear niece, what is wrong?”
“I haven’t even said anything yet, Aunt Cora.”
