Page 95 of Torn Ivy
“She is Life,” Cathy says. “She doesn’t have the capacity to kill you.”
“Ah, okay, that makes sense,” I say with a nod and then slump to the ground. “Anyone else exhausted?”
“Like you won’t believe,” Tate says, sitting next to me. “I could sleep for a week.”
I heave a sigh that could move mountains. “I wish we could. But this isn’t over. Whatever Life’s got planned, we are only really scratching the surface of what’s to come.”
“I think we can take five,” Bram says, sitting with Torin as Cathy pats my head and disappears inside, leaving us to it. “We earned it. Wedeserveit.”
“What are the implications of your rewinding time?” I ask seriously.
“No idea, but it will be fun to find out,” he replies.
“Will it?” Torin snaps. “Your idea of fun is… not fun.”
We laugh lightly, and I stand up. “Let’s get back to my house. See how long we can rest before that shit stuck to the fan starts to fly off in all directions.”
“Pleasant image,” Tate says, rising and wrapping his arms around me.
In a split second, we are in my bedroom, with the others hastily following. “Sorry, guys. But I need to sleep. Playtime later.” I yawn, and Tate picks me up and carries me to the bed. He lays me down and tucks me in, fully clothed, but I don’t give a shit. My eyes close, and I’m out.
46
TORIN
“Where doyou think your mother fits into all this?” Tate asks quietly as we hang out in Ivy’s room, waiting for her to wake up. Bram crashed as well after the spell he performed, which, quite frankly, was beyond anything I thought I would witness in my lifetime. He is no longer simply a Dark Fae Prince. He is more now. Even if he doesn’t realise it. He opened up that can of worms… uhm,snakes, and now he has to deal with the fallout.
I roll my eyes at Tate’s question. “Fuck only knows. I’m guessing she is Life’s lackey. I mean, in a way, it makes sense. She is a vampire, yes, powerful and old and semi-immortal. There are things that can still kill vamps. She is paranoid and obsessed with eternity. Perhaps, she struck a bargain with Life to become a true immortal? It’s a guess.”
“Pretty good one,” he says with a twist of his lips. “I wish we knew what was going to happen next.”
“Same.” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “But if there’s one thing I’ve learned through all this, it’s that we can’t predict a damn thing when it comes to cosmic forces and chaos incarnate.”
Tate nods, his gaze drifting to Ivy’s sleeping form. “Do you think she’s okay? Really okay? She lived a thousand lives, she said it herself. This body seems too small for her now.”
I consider Tate’s question carefully. “Honestly? I’m not sure. Ivy’s been through more than we can comprehend. She may seem okay on the surface, but who knows what’s going on beneath?”
“Should we be worried?” Tate asks, his brow furrowed with concern.
I sigh. “We should always be worried when it comes to Ivy. But she’s strong. If anyone can handle this, it’s her.” I sound more confident than I feel, but he seems to buy it.
We lapse into silence, both lost in our own thoughts. The weight of everything that’s happened—the ritual, the fractured reality, rewinding time itself—feels oppressive.
“What do you think Life’s next move is?” Tate asks after a while.
I shake my head. “No idea. But whatever it is, I doubt it’s good for any of us. We need to be prepared for anything and everything.”
“How do we prepare for a cosmic force that wants to reset reality?”
“By sticking together,” I say firmly. “We’re stronger as a unit. That’s what got us through this far.”
Tate nods, then yawns widely. “Maybe we should get some rest, too. Who knows when we’ll get another chance?”
I agree, settling into a comfortable chair while Tate curls up next to Ivy on the bed. But I can’t sleep. I’m still wired from the reverse ritual. It was some whacked-out shit, but it left me restless with questions that are enormous and difficult to understand.
I sit in the darkened room, watching over Ivy, Tate, and Bram as they sleep. My mind is racing, and I am unable to find peaceafter everything we’ve been through. The weight of cosmic forces and impending doom presses down on me.
A soft noise draws my attention. Ivy stirs, her eyes fluttering open. She blinks groggily, taking in her surroundings.
