Page 32 of Chasing the Night

Chapter Twelve

Roll with the Blows

Ender

I’d forgotten her awkwardness. Her innocence. It was palpable in that brief second before she shot out the door. The sight of it in her eyes shook me. I was terrified for her, and yet I knew in my soul, I’d not be able to stop it. Not even a whisper of warning. Atticus would shatter her with her own strengths until all that was left was weakness. The resigned spirit of something that’s life had been flipped upside down. Their entire reality redefined in a way that even they would never truly fathom.

My jaw clenched, and I reached for the pipe only to find its contents scattered about the floorboards.

“Fuck me,” I groaned before snatching a shirt from the hanger like it had offended me. I stuffed an arm in the sleeve and was preparing to do the same with the other side when the door flew open. It connected with the wall unapologetically and Atticus entered. He looked at me in a way that I could only define as murderous.

It froze me in place and demanded my spine straighten.

Rather than fly toward me as I had expected, he filed between the table and sofa. Uncle Icarus, Demetri, and Messiah followed. In the span of a breath, my chamber had become standing room only and stuffier than the depths of Lake Last.

Uncle Icarus looked particularly tense. His eyes scanned the floor as if he intended to take inventory of each and every Nirvana flake.

“Look, I haven’t time for either of you. All this stalling and mum. Out with it!” Atticus snapped. His face was a brilliant shade of red, and his eyes bulged. He looked every bit the predator that he was.

Icarus swallowed hard before meeting his brother’s eye. “The girl…”

“The girl. Had. A fucking. Name,” Messiah growled. His outburst had everyone at arms, it was so unlike him. His chest heaved, and his glare glossed until he was gritting his teeth and shaking his head.

“Reverie chose to jump overboard before we could reach the Torch of the Sea,” Uncle Icarus hauntedly whispered.

I’d never met a silence so thick. It spanned so long and intense, I almost swore I could hear the sand falling through the hourglass. My blood turned to ice. I was staring at Icarus, but I wasn’t really seeing him. Not after the meaning of his words really sank in.

“Fuck her and curse her name!” Atticus bellowed. He jumped up from the sofa and flipped the table, leaving me no choice but to half climb the wall or risk being struck by it. I ended up standing on top of the damn thing while he raved on.

“This is on all of you. All. Of. You.” He left, nearly splintering the door in the processes.

Uncle Icarus sat staring at the bricks for a while before he, too, got up and made his way back downstairs.

“Are we done here?” Demetri snorted, rising from the sofa.

Before I could react, Messiah snatched ahold of him and hurled him out the door. I raced after him, chasing the sick thud he made against each step on the way down.

I stooped over Demetri, checking for a pulse, while Messiah stepped over my brother’s tangled legs and continued on his way as if nothing had happened.

“Bastard,” Demetri groaned, carefully collecting himself. His shoulder slumped oddly, and he was holding his arm in a guarded position.

“My sentiments exactly. Who do you think has to patch you up now?” I sighed, leveling a look at him that left no question to whom I was assigning the blame.

“What the fuck…” Demetri mumbled, trying his best to act outraged that I might side with the truth.

Chalice

Something told me black was my color today, so it was what I wore from head to toe—a long form-fitting gown that rested off my shoulders. I had twisted my hair up like Isabella wore hers. Then I sat. For an hour that slowly stretched into two. When the servants brought up my lunch, and Ender still hadn’t arrived, I began to grow suspicious. Of course, suspicion brewed into frustration rather quickly.

I gave up on waiting and made my way toward the parlor. The house was quiet, and the servants seemed disheartened. I followed the heavy feeling toward the dining area instead. A quick peek revealed Ender and Icarus deep into their drink. Atticus stood as stiff as a statue staring into the fire as if it had all of life’s answers. Perhaps it did, but I didn’t give a fuck.

All I wanted was a chance to get the fuck out.…

I turned tail and quickly but discreetly made my way toward the front entrance. No one lingered in the corners. The guards avoided eye contact at all cost, and not even one made a move to question or halt my escape. I wished I had my staff, but it was all the way back in my room, and besides, it would have only made me stand out more.

Fuck that. I could taste freedom.

The door opened without a sound and I slipped out without a backwards glance. I knew better than to take the paved walkway; Messiah would see from his bedchamber window. Nope, I hugged the wall, cursing the pointy heeled shoes when they sank into the soil with each step. I did a tap dance of sorts once I found the street and left a clumpy mess in my wake.