Page 20 of #Resort Love
“I know that your little boyfriend and father rejected you,” Arianna said, taking a step closer. “I know that you were fired from your job,” Arianna paused, giving me a cruel smirk. “I also know that you can’t even control your magic. Tell me, how is little Liam and your poor father doing?” Puffing out her bottom lip, Arianna made a teasingly sad face before twisting to her table and laughing.
My nails dug into my palms, heat flooded my veins as I watched them laugh, but their voices didn’t reach my ears. Swearing, my chest heaved, and I lunged. I lunged at Arianna, ready to do something, anything that I could. Rip out her perfect hair, tackle her to the ground, fight, kick, scratch—anything to take her down. But Samian’s hands gripped tightaround my arms, stopping me before I could even move a step forward.
As if in response, my power started coiling underneath my skin, preparing to strike. Pulling me away from Arianna, Samian pushed me toward the entrance of the dining hall, not stopping until the door closed behind us, cutting off the laughter that followed.
I stood there, silently staring at the floor, my eyes burning. Glancing back to the dining hall, Samian exhaled, swearing softly under his breath. “Sybil, look at me,” he said, turning me to face him. “Arianna is mean and vindictive. She’s a bully and her words mean nothing. Don’t listen to her and don’t give them any part of you, do you understand?”
His voice was severe, but there was a tone hidden in his words that seemed to beg for me not to lose myself. Looking down at my feet, I swallowed thickly. Unable to say a word, I gave him a small nod.
Arianna’s words were sharp, and they cut me to my core. Liam rejected me without giving me a chance to prove that I could control my magic, and that hurt settled deep inside me. I couldn’t even do anything about it. I couldn’t change his mind, and I couldn’t defend myself against Arianna. She was right about me not belonging here, but I didn’t belong in Mide with Liam either.
My breath grew tight and my chest ached. There was a gaping hole in my heart where Liam’s love had resided, and I missed him. I missed the comfort of knowing he was by my side, that I could go to him with the good and the bad and he that would stand by me through it all. Except when it came to this blight in my veins.
Clearing my throat, I blinked away the burning in my eyes and looked back at Samian. Giving him another quick nod,Samian reached out, giving my shoulder a warming squeeze. “Come, let’s go to the medical ward. I’ll have the servants send food to the library for us while we run your blood tests. We can eat while we go over our study plans.”
We entered the medical wing,the smell of sanitized rooms burning my nose, reminding me of the hospitals back home. Except this place was a large, open space with shelves lining the walls filled with herbs and different concoctions. There were three hallways with doors leading to separate rooms. Chairs and chaises were lined in the middle for people to sit, waiting to be seen.
A small slender woman with a long braid of chocolate-colored hair made her way to us. Her ivory skin was accented with a hint of rose on her high cheekbones. Her cold grey eyes met Samian’s, narrowing when he gave her a low, playful bow. I blinked, shock coloring my face as I stared at Willow, my closest friend from college, or at least her twin.
“Nice to see you, Aster,” Samian smiled, only straightening when Aster was a step away. “Ambrose wanted Sybil to get some blood work done. Do you have time?”
Aster lifted her pert nose in the air, studying me. “So, this is the new girl?” She clucked. “She doesn’t seem like much. Come,” she said as she twisted, already walking to the furthest door in the center hallway, “follow me.”
I rolled my eyes, cutting my sharp gaze to Samian, who laughed, his eyes twinkling in the bright light, though he kept them glued to Aster. Motioning for me to follow, Samian led the way to the room Aster had entered.
“Sit there,” Aster demanded, gesturing to a chair in the corner of the room as soon as I stepped into the room.
“So, how is everything going?” Samian purred, leaning against Aster’s desk.
Ignoring him, Aster turned to me with a small cloth that smelled strongly of alcohol. Samian laughed softly, his smile growing wider at Aster’s aloofness toward him. Aster’s lips thinned while she pulled my arm to her, checking for veins. Samian glided across the room, sliding into the chair beside me.
I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow when Samian gave me a quick wink. “I heard today was going to be a beautiful day. Sunshine, warm breezes, little white flowers in full bloom,” he grinned at Aster, eagerly waiting for her next move.
With a click of her tongue, Aster turned away, pulling a cart beside her. A thick silence blanketed the room, which only seemed to egg Samian on.
Aster pulled out a needle and some vials while Samian continued his one-sided small talk. “Onecouldsay that today is the perfect weather for a walk or a picnic. Don’t you agree, Sybil?”
Flicking my eyes between the two, I fought off a smile. “Sure,” I huffed, earning me an icy glare from Aster, and I cringed.
Aster stabbed the needle in my arm, and I sucked in a sharp breath, watching the snide smile that graced those rosy lips. I paled, the pain radiating down my arm. Samian coughed, trying to hide his laughter. This woman was not someone to trifle with.
After taking two vials of blood, Aster walked back to her desk, clearing her throat. “It should take an hour or two for the results to come back,” she said, not looking up while she labeledthe vials. Pausing, she put them down, giving Samian a sidelong glance. “Should I inform you or Ambrose when they are ready?”
“Me. Inform me first when the results are ready,” he said, his voice was suddenly tight.
An awkward silence wrapped around us as they held each other’s stare. I eyed them suspiciously as the silence stretched between them. Another moment passed before Aster nodded and turned back to her desk. Samian took a sharp breath and opened the door, gesturing for me to wait outside while he talked with Aster. Alone.
I narrowed my eyes on him, but hopped up from the chair and made my way out of the medical wing, leaning against the cold marbled wall in the hall.
Minutes slowly passed by until Samian walked out, his hands running through his hair. “Sorry about that,” he said, taking a quick glance back to the medical wing. His face wore that cold mask of indifference he had when we first met, and I couldn’t help the disappointment that squeezed on my heart. “We can head to the library now.”
Pushing that discontent away, I followed Samian and thought of his interaction with Aster, the playfulness that glimmered in his eyes. Forcing down the touch of envy I felt, a grin slowly crept up. “So, you and Aster, huh?” I asked, hiding my smile.
Samian whipped his head to me, a hint of pink touching his cheeks. “What makes you think that?”
“I know I’ve only known you for a day, but I don’t see you as the playful kind of guy with just anyone.”
Frowning, Samian looked ahead, his growing pinching together. “I wouldn’t say I’m not the playful type. I do edge on the side of seriousness, especially the past few years.” His tone dipped, making me wonder what happened to cause thesolemnness in his voice. “However, there are some people that bring me out of my thoughts long enough that I can be the playful male I once was.” His words were thoughtful, though a bit distant.
