Descent (The Immortal Chronicles Book 1)
Page 16
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she says to him as she hugs him crying. I smile at him as he embraces her gently. I guess in the time he spent with us, he realised just how much she needed this. I nod at him and look around me. I think I might miss this place, just a tiny bit.
“What happens now? When do we leave? Why do we get to go?” I ask him.
“Come on Ads, you know I can’t tell you all of that. Just know, I’m taking you home, like now, so grab anything you want or need, Kaden will have anything left here brought to you, probably by me, later. You too, Rose.”
I’m already dressed, so I grab the leather jacket I’ve been wearing while I’ve been here and I’m ready. Rose grabs some shoes from my closet and a long white cloak before announcing she’s ready.
“Let’s go.”
Michael soars above us, and I see the Academy in the distance out the window of the car. I’ve never been in one of these before, well not while conscious. I understand why people in the old world were crazy about them. We’ve been travelling for about four days now, and my butt hasn’t fallen asleep once on this chair. Rose is in the back seat; she’s practically bouncing back there at the prospect of being free.
I look at Celeste who is driving us home. Her and Michael have taken turns between flying and driving. Considering no-one is meant to know about them and their wings, they’ve not exactly hidden them on the way back. Michael said it was so they had better sight to scout the road ahead, that the roads aren’t always safe, especially for humans. Who would attack us is beyond me. Surely the shades are the biggest threat out here, and they’re under Kaden’s command. I didn’t bother asking, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer.
I don’t know how I feel about being back here. Obviously I’m happy to be home, but is this really home anymore? Especially now I know that everyone lied to me, and with Michael up there, they’re going to know I know. The anxiety claws at me, not knowing what happened to Tyler, if he’s even still here. They might not even know he had anything to do with it. I have no idea what to expect, and it feels like it’s been so long. Three months is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but to me it’s felt like an eternity. The Academy will probably be prepping for graduation, everyone about to start their new lives, and I have no idea what I’ll even do. My life long goal has been the guard, and Xander crushed that dream when he rejected me from the guard. I haven’t even had chance to think about that until now. So much has taken precedent. Holy crap, what am I going to do!
I take a few deep breaths to calm myself, as we near the Academy gates I can see Xander and Dimitri, along with other Vampyrs… I mean Fallen… I mean… Oh I don’t even know! They’re stood in line, with Xander in the middle, Dimitri to his right and a huge, dark skinned man to his left. They look ready for battle, like the warriors that they are. Do they know it’s us? We draw to a stop about twenty feet from Xander and Michael lands in front of the car, his wings spread to full span. They match his amazing electric blue hair, they’re blue tipped with green, they’re so freaking awesome! He stays down on one knee with his head tilted to the floor for a minute, before standing, leaving his wings on show. He turns to me and winks, with a reassuring smile, motioning for me to get out.
“Are you ready Rose? Cause this is it.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready for anything in my entire life!” she squeals excitedly. I look to Celeste who nods and opens her door at the same time I open mine. I wait for Rose to exit the car before moving around Michael’s wings, which have been hiding us from sight.
“Addie? Is that you?” I hear D call over, I know he can see it’s me, and I haven’t changed that much. Sure my hairs a little longer, and I’m not as lean as I was as I’ve not been able to train, but I’m not that different. He starts to approach us, but Xander stops him.
“Michael, Celeste. What are you doing here?” Xander asks. He barely raises his voice, knowing that they’ll be able to hear even if he whispers.
“We’ve come to return our friend home Xander,” Michael replies, “I thought you of all people would be happy to see her.”
“Well thank you for bringing her home, who is your other friend?”
“Are you freaking kidding me?!” I shout. “I’ve been gone for three god damn months. You have no idea where I’ve been, what has happened, and yet you talk about me as if I’m not standing here. I don’t fucking think so.” I turn to Celeste and Michael, “Thank you both so much for getting me home safely.”
Celeste nods to me and gets back in the car, while Michael swoops me up in a hug.
“Thank you for everything Mikey. I don’t know what I’d have done without you,” I whisper to him as I hug him back.
“Anytime baby doll. Don’t you be a stranger you hear? You ever need me and I’ll be there. I’ll make sure you can get in touch with me,” he says fiercely before letting me go. I wipe away the tears that threaten to spill down my face. He hugs Rose then heads to the car, and I blow him a kiss as he climbs in. He starts the car, reverses out and then drives away. When I can’t see them anymore, I turn back to face Xander and his merry band of warriors.
“So Mr Bane, have I passed your test yet? Are you going to allow me back into the Academy? Are you going to explain to me about why you’ve all been lying to me, lying to all of the human race about what you really are? Oh and my friend here is Rose Frostheart, you might recognise her name.”
I see faces pale at my words, especially the mention of who Rose is, but they remain warriors through it all, barely letting it show.
“Did you say Frostheart? As in the Royal Fae family from the Isles?”
Rose is still partially hidden by me, hiding from the sight in front of her, and I don’t blame her. She thought this would be a welcoming party, not a witch hunt.
“You’re damn straight. Now will you move out of my god damn way and let us in, so I can make sure she’s okay? She’s been through enough without you freaking brutes giving her an interrogation before she even arrives.”
Each of them fall to one knee and bow their heads, and I stand there amazed. Well, it turns out Fae royalty get, well, the royal treatment. Xander lifts his head and looks behind me.
“Apologies your highness, it has been so very long since I saw you, I did not recognise you. I understood you to be dead, please forgive my mistake, and forgive our behaviour.”
Rose steps beside me, still clinging to my arm.
“You are forgiven Xander Bane, as are the rest of what I assume are your Elite. Please stand, I have not been knelt to in such a long time. You are probably right to have assumed me dead. I have been missing from Fae court for far too long, I feared my family would think the worst. I can see now I was right.” She sighs and squeezes my hand, and I know she can’t handle much more of this right now.
“Xander,” I say, “Let us in, we’ve been travelling for days, you can’t leave us out here. Just let us go back to my room and rest, and we can go through everything tomorrow. Please.”
Dimitri stalks forward and wraps me up in a hug, lifting me from the floor.
“D… I still need to breathe,” I wheeze out.
“Sorry Ads. I missed you. I was so worried; I should have known better. Ignore him, he’s just pissed he didn’t find you first. Let’s get you both inside. Rose, we have quarters for the Royals that stay with us, we can put you up there, while Addie goes back to her dorm room.
“Not a chance D. You have no idea what we’ve gone through, what she’s gone through. She can’t sleep alone. She’s with me or I’m with her, that’s the deal.”
“Okay Addie, we’ll put you both in the Royal quarters for now. Saves the scrutiny for you too, let’s go.” He walks back towards Xander, and the Elite are now at ease. Some walk ahead of us through the gates, the rest taking up behind us.
They lead us up to the rooms that we’ll call home for however long they decide we’ll be here, before leaving us alone for a few hours. I’m helping Rose get settled
in when Dimitri knocks on the door.
“Hey Ads, you got a minute?” he asks, smiling at me. I really missed him, and no matter how angry I am at him that doesn’t diminish the relief of seeing him. I get up and run to him and wrap my arms around him. He’s shocked, I can feel it, but he relaxes after a second and hugs me back, placing his chin on top of my head.
“I’m glad your back,” he says to me quietly.
“Me too D, me too. I was beginning to think I’d never see you guys again.”
“I’d never have let that happen Addie, and neither would Xander. He’s been a riot since you were taken.” He rolls his eyes, making me laugh. “Anyway, we need to speak to you before the Eight arrive. Can you come now?”
I look at Rose and she nods and smiles at me.
“I’ll be fine Addie I swear, go. They need to find out what happened.” I walk over to her and give her a small hug, before following Dimitri out of the room and into the guards’ quarters. I knew the Elite were staying here. I guess this is where they’ve been hiding. He leads me into a room with a long table, which the Elite are sat around with Xander at the head of the table, a seat to his right free, I assume that is for Dimitri. I look around the rest, some I recognise, others I don’t. Dimitri leads me to the seat at the tail of the table. I sit down and the silence of the room washes over me as I watch D take his seat.
“Addie,” Xander says to me, his arms in front of him, hands joined beneath his chin, “Before we get started, let me officially introduce you my Elite. You already know D, next to him is Zero, Rome, Salene and over there is Gunner, Lex, Bray and Aliana.” They each nod or smile at me as they are introduced. “Some of them fought for you when you were taken, and we were all searching for you in the months that you were gone, so I thought it only fitting that everyone be present.”
They question me for what feels like hours, and I know this is nothing compared that what it will be like when the Eight arrive. I answer everything as best I can, with none of my questions being answered, like ‘Do you guys all have wings too?’ Xander watches me like precious cargo the entire time, like he’s worried if he looks away I’ll disappear again. I guess I do have a reputation for disappearing. When they seem satisfied, the Elite leave the room, leaving me here with just Xander. He walks over to me and perches on the table right in front of me.
“Are you really ok Addie?” he asks, brushing some hair off my face behind my ear. His touch is so soft, and he looks at me like I’m the moon and the stars. I reach up and touch his hand, this is the first time since we got back that I think he might actually like me. I mean, we ran together pretty much every day after the time I saw the Elite arriving, but we didn’t really talk, we just ran.
“I’m fine, I swear. I didn’t lie, they were actually surprisingly nice to me. Even Kaden.” I see him flinch at the name. “He said you guys had history, but he didn’t really elaborate on it much. Or on much else really, other than you know, the fact that you’re Fallen and have freaking wings!” Okay, so I totally didn’t mean to throw that bit in, I see him wince again.
“I know I’m not meant to know about it, but will you at least talk to me about it? Knowing about it, but not being able to talk about it is almost impossible, and I don’t want to get anyone into trouble by talking to people I’m not meant too, and since D won’t talk to me if you won’t, that leaves you.”
“Addie breath!” he laughs. “You’re adorable when you ramble on. Yes, I’ll speak to you about it, but you can’t let anyone else know that you know the truth. My Elite are the exception, they are loyal to me, and therefore loyal to you, but not everyone will be happy about you knowing. What did Kaden tell you?”
I get up and sit on the floor, he looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, but those seats really aren’t that comfortable. He follows my lead and sits, leaning against a wall. I go through the entire conversation that I had with Kaden, including when he revealed his wings to me. I leave out the bit about touching them; I get the feeling that that’s not something he’d want to hear.
“I’m amazed you took all of this so well Addie, you’ve been through so much, then to find out that what you thought you were fighting for from the beginning wasn’t the real truth, you’re surprisingly calm.”
“Oh, I’m not calm, but what good would it do me unleashing the hell that’s inside me on you? It sure as shit wouldn’t make you talk to me, that much I know.”
“I think I could forgive you almost anything Addie,” he whispers. I don’t know what to say to that, so I say nothing, and we sit here in a comfortable silence, digesting everything.
“So you and Kaden were close huh?” I ask, it’s been eating at me since I saw him flinch earlier. A nicer person wouldn’t bring it up, but I have an unquenchable need to know everything about him that I can.
“You could say that. Kaden is my brother.”
“Sorry, what? Your brother, as is actual brother? How is that even possible?” he chuckles at me and wraps his arm around my shoulders, bringing me close to him. I don’t think he even realises he’s doing it until I’m pressed against him. I let it happen and lean into him. Wow he smells good.
“The same way you or any other would have a brother or sister Addie. Before we fell, our lives, in general, were very much the same as humans. You know, other than the obvious differences. Our parents were both warriors, which is how we both rose to such high stations at such a young age.” I raise an eyebrow at him. Young? Ha! “Age is relative; it was young for Angels at least. Anyway, once we fell, and everything with the Fae happened, Kaden became bitter. The old Kaden was still there, buried deep inside him, but Cole, our old General, plagued his mind. He relied on the anger and betrayal Kaden felt, and turned him against the Fae. Against me.” His head drops, and I can tell the pain about this is not one that has healed.
“It was a long time ago, but knowing that he was so good to you makes me believe that the Kaden I knew is still inside him somewhere. The Kaden that captured Rose, that’s the new Kaden. I feel responsible for him and every action he makes. He’s my little brother; I should have been there for him more. I should have done more.”
Without thinking about it, I dive into his lap, straddling him and hug him. I can feel his pain! It radiates of him in waves and it’s excruciating. I pull back from him, and his face is so close to mine, I can feel his breath on my face, his hair falling into his eyes and I’m mesmerised by him. I feel his hands circle my waist, slowly reaching lower to cup my ass, and he lifts me slightly, bringing my face closer to his, closing the distance between us.
The feeling of his lips on mine overwhelms me and I get lost in his kiss. He demands so much with his kiss, while being so gentle with me. I pull back to catch my breath, my breathing ragged, his matching mine. He stands, lifting me with him easily never breaking eye contact.
“More…” I breathe and he captures my lips again. I feel my back pushed against a wall, and my arms are pulled from him as he intertwines his fingers with mine, pinning me to the wall. I arch into him involuntarily and I swear I hear him growl. The noise sends waves south, every nerve ending on edge. I need more of him. I struggle to free my hands and he relents, releasing me. I run my hands up his back, feeling every tense muscle. The strength and power there excites me further, and I push deeper into his kiss, pushing my fingers through his soft and silky hair.
A cough interrupts us and it’s my turn to growl. Dammit! I look up and see Dimitri smirking at me from the door way. Holy shit. Xander still hasn’t moved, and from what I can feel, he’s not likely to anytime soon.
“What?” he barks, not even looking a Dimitri, his face buried in my neck.
“You’re needed outside. The rest of the Eight have just arrived.”
“They always did have impeccable timing,” he bites out, the sarcasm almost dripping from his words and I swallow the laugh the bubbles up. I can feel the heat in my face as I try to look at anything but Dimitri. “Fair enough, I’ll be down shortly.”
“To be continued?” I ask, and he moans.
“That, you can count on.”
***
It’s been a week since we got back to the Academy and I swear if I get asked one more question, I’m going to break someone. What part of ‘I have no idea’ don’t these people understand? I can only say it so many ways. No I don’t know why he took me. No I don’t know where I was. No I don’t know why he brought me back. I must sound like a dim-witted idiot, but I know nothing. Needless to say, there were fireworks. And lots of things were thrown, albeit not all by me. Though I let them have it in full about lying to me and everyone. Having not got a decent answer as to why no-one has ever been told, I decided to shelve it for another time.
After being cooped up for so long I’m itching to go running and train again, but Xander has had us on lockdown. Today, I’m going outside if he wants me to or not. Today is Graduation. Today I get to see Benny, and find out what happened after I left. I already know that no one has seen Tyler since the night I was taken, and no one seems to know what happened to him.
I get dressed in my training gear, all of my things were brought over to the Royal quarters from my room when we got here. I’m just thankful they didn’t throw it out. I’m so excited about getting to see Benny again. There’s no-one else left here anymore, from before. Before the whirlwind that is the recent part of my life. He knows me, he knew me before all of the crazy, and I didn’t realise how much I needed that until just now. I open the door and make sure there’s no-one about, before heading down the back stairs. At the bottom I look around and see no-one, so rush through the corridor and out of the door. I close it quietly behind me then lean on it taking a deep breath. Outside at last!
I stretch out and start across the green. The wind against my face and the burn in my calves never felt so good! I feel my body start to relax back into the rhythm, happy to be moving freely again and I just run until I can’t run anymore. I come to a stop and fall on the floor. I lie on my back and relish the burn of my lungs as I take in each breath. I look around and realise where I am and the breath leaves me. I’m at our tree. The one where I said goodbye. The one where Xander first held me. The rush of emotions is overwhelming. The mixture of it all, looking back on it. I need to get up and run again. I sit up and gather myself.