Page 44 of #Resort Love
Chapter 25
Sybil
Waking up, the sun burned my swollen eyes. Wincing, I looked over, finding the place where Ambrose had slept now empty. On the pillow, a note with my name written across in delicate handwriting lay waiting for me. I breathed, pulling my hand against my too tight chest. After what happened yesterday with Arianna and Ambrose, I felt sick. No matter how upset I was about losing control of my magic, I shouldn’t have let Ambrose stay.
I turned on my back, looking up at the ceiling.
Later.
I would read his note later.
Swallowing, I squeezed my eyes shut, my stomach turning with a sudden wave of panic. Fresh tears burned my aching eyes, and I thought back to Arianna lying unconscious on the ground, blood pouring from her body. And Ezra, the look on his face, so much like Liam’s. He was afraid of me—of what I could do.
I pressed the palms of my hands against my eyes, chokingback a sob. I failed. I failed Liam. I broke my promise and proved my father right. I was only going to hurt more people if I continued this way.
I turned over to my side, bringing my knees to my chest, curling myself into a ball. My chest heaved and I gulped down air between my cries, making myself as small as I felt. Pulling the blanket over my head, I wrapped it tight around me, making a tiny cocoon like I did as a child when the world felt like it was going to hell around me, except this time, it really was. In the safe confines of my shroud, my tears finally slowed but still fell. I spiraled deeper into the despair that gripped me tight before exhaustion pulled me into a fitful slumber.
The soundof my door swinging open startled me from my sleep. Gasping, I jerked up, pushing myself back into the headboard, my magic prickling in my hands, ready to erupt.
I blinked when Samian rushed into my bedroom, freezing at the door. His face was pale, and his eyes filled with concern. My heart pounded when he cursed and rushed over to me. I wasn’t ready for this. I wasn’t ready to face him—to hear how much I had disappointed him, how I failed again.
Stretching his arms toward me, I strangled out a breath, icy panic taking over and I jerked away from him. Samian paused, his face falling. His arms dropped, unsure of what to do. His throat bobbed and he looked away from me, but a too-calm silence fell over the room when his eyes narrowed on the note I had forgotten about on my pillow. My stomach twisted, my heart raced when he picked up the note, opening it to read what was written inside.
His face was blank—utterly unreadable. His body wentrigid; his eyes locked on the note. His magic was the only way I could sense the fury he was feeling. The ground, even the walls, seemed to shake as that quiet rage slowly took over him.
Crumpling the note, Samian cut his sharp gaze to mine and released a furious breath. “He offered you the bargain again.” It wasn’t a question. His voice trembled in effort to hold back his outrage.
I couldn’t answer him. I wasn’tableto answer him. My body shuddered and I couldn’t tell if it was from my fear of Samian’s wrath or the fear of what my answer would be if he asked me what I chose to do.
“Answer me,” Samian said too quietly.
I shivered, blinking back the burn in my eyes. I swallowed and watched the way Samian tracked the bob of my throat. I nodded then, too afraid to speak the words out loud.
“You will not take that bargain,” Samian growled through clenched teeth, his eyes glinting with rage. “Do you understand me? You willnotagree to it. Tell me you will not agree to it, Sybil.”
The picture of Arianna’s body and Ezra’s terror flashed through my mind, and I winced. “What choice do I have?” I cried, my hands curling into tight fists. “You heard what happened. You know what I did! How can you say that when you know it will happen again?” My voice cracked.
“You have every choice,” he roared, making me shrink into myself as he stepped closer to me. “You have every choice, Sybil,” he said once more, his voice softening. “Please don’t agree to this.”
His eyes bore into mine, pleading with me—begging me—to agree. “What about Arianna?” I whispered, my chest tightening.
Samian snarled, low and vicious. “She’s fine. I saw her last night happilyprancingaround the palace. She’s no more hurtthan you are. In fact, I’d say she’s feeling a lot better than you are now.”
No, that—that couldn’t be. She was badly hurt. She was…
“You’re wrong,” I whispered. “Ambrose told me last night. She’s still unconscious and wouldn’t wake for another day or so.”
“He lied to you,” Samian said flatly. “He’sbeenlying to you. Arianna is just fine, I promise you that.”
“No, that can’t be true. That’s not true. He wouldn’t lie to me. He just wants to help me.” Whether that was through the bargain or helping me with my magic, he had done nothing but help me—encourage me.
“Help you?” Samian’s laugh was cruel as he stepped away from me, roughly running a hand through his hair. “Ambrose doesn’t want to help you,” he spat, turning back to face me. There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes that sparked a storm in me that I hadn’t felt since coming to this realm. “I’m the one trying to help you, Sybil. Ambrose just wants to use you—use your power. Open your eyes before it is too late.”
I scoffed. “You? Helping me?” I hissed, every word laced with venom. “How have you helped me, Samian? The last time I checked, Ambrose was the one that helped me with my magic—my control. He was the one that showed me around the palace and the city to make me feel more comfortable in my newhome. All you’ve done is just tell me to fucking breathe.” My words grew louder, my heart pounded, and my hands started prickling from my power begging to be released.
Samian glowered at me, his eyes bright. The muscle in his jaw feathered, his hands clenched into tight fists, his breathing quickening. We glared at each other; the room seemed to quake from our ire. Finally, Samian let out a sharp breath and turned away, the fight in him vanishing.
He walked to the bedroom door, pausing once he reached the threshold. “Rest today,” he said, his voice tight, refusing to look my way. “Tomorrow you will be going with Arianna and Ezra to Lowbrook, a village on the outskirts of the city. Ambrose wants you there on their patrol to learn more about our realm.”
