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“How do you know that?” I ask, still feverishly wiping away tears.
Raine pulls me into his chest and strokes my head, brushing my hair to the side and pressing kisses along my temple. “Because I’ve already watched it many times. I wish we’d gone in the stairwell together. But I’m happy you’ll have more time than me,” he whispers ominously. I want him to explain it all to me, but I recall that he is unable.
He holds me until I stop crying, and once our minds are a bit less weary, we whisper about what we think the sex ed class will entail until we fall asleep.
I wake up to Elias’s white hair and cold steel eyes staring down at me. He doesn’t say anything but nods toward the door. I carefully get up from the bed. Raine’s soft breaths tell me he’s still fast asleep. Thank gods, the last thing I want to deal with is them bickering.
Elias shuts the door behind us and doesn’t bother looking at me as he starts toward the Nova homeroom. I wait until we’re at the bottom of the staircase before I dare speak.
“What time is it?” I yawn and try to shake the grogginess that pulls at my mind.
He ignores me as if I hadn’t spoken. I deflate and follow him silently across the homeroom and up the eastern stairwell that leads to his quarters. He has a bit of a limp that he didn’t have earlier. I figure he’ll ignore me if I ask, so I don’t. The stairs spiral up a pillar for two floors before passing an ebony door. When he doesn’t stop and enter, I figure it must be Arthur’s study.
We continue up another story before reaching the top of the staircase and a white door. Elias shifts to his side and finally looks at me.
“Why was he in your room, Terra?” He levels a glare and I give it right back.
“Fuck you.”
He bares his teeth and shakes his head before opening his door and motioning for me to enter. My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dark. He turns on a small lamp sitting at the corner of an old desk and his entire room becomes visible. An impressive shelf of books lines the far wall, a reading nook is tucked in the center of it. A lancet window overlooks the back side of Alkrose and the forest beyond. His bed rests on the ground, draped in black sheets, unmade. The floor is strewn with papers and half-burned candles sit in puddles of black wax atop his desk. He’s as messy as I am.
Elias lights his fireplace. It burns evenly just like the one in my room.
“Is this really your room? I pictured you being an uptight clean freak.” I smile at him.
Elias collects some of the notes on his desk and piles them carelessly. “Unfortunately,” he mutters and takes a seat. He removes his cloak and drapes it over the back of his chair. “You’re much better at control than your brother. I’m concerned his Shadow might be a problem.” I still; if Elias is worried that can’t be good.
“Why?” I sit in the window nook, facing him, and grab one of the dusty books on the cushion. Amser pulls in my veins to be close to him. It’s unbearable to refuse it, but I manage.
Elias leans against his hand, legs crossed and disheveled strands of hair falling over his forehead. He looks like a god. “His Shadow is malicious and ill-willed. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of Shadows are a little aggressive and bloodthirsty, but his is different.”
My brows pull together and I set the book down. “He mentioned earlier to me that it was whispering terrible things to him. He looked really confused and lost in himself.” I recall his weary eyes and my heart sinks a little more. “Is that why you brought me here?”
He nods. “My meeting with Cein didn’t go well.” His gaze remains pinned on the floor. I quirk a brow with concern. “He’s furious with the delay I caused. Apparently I was summoned to escort Edgar myself at Za’Afiel, but obviously I was locked in a bunker worrying about you.” I shrink a bit, feeling guilty, but at the same time not—Elias is the bad guy here, not Raine. “Edgar’s restoration went poorly because of my absence so I need to get him back on track. He needs to be controlled.”
I stare at Elias for a few seconds. “You want my help?”
He nods.
“Elias, I’m not going to?—”
“It’s in everyone’s best interest. If we don’t get him tamed, I’ll have no choice but to—” He cuts himself off and gnashes his teeth, looking away sharply.
“You’ll have to what?” I say quietly, dread building in my chest.
“I’ll have to execute him.”
I stand and fist my hands at my sides. “No.”
He unfolds his legs and leans forward in his chair, resting his arms on his thighs and clasping his hands together between them. He looks up at me beneath dark lashes. “If we can’t get him tamed, then I promise you, I will.”
My lower lip trembles and my eyes flick to his right ankle as blood catches my attention. It trickles down the small stretch of skin visible at his ankle. He follows my gaze and shifts so his black pant leg covers it back up. He’s hurt. Why hasn’t it healed already?
“I’ll help you then… I just got Edgar back. I can’t lose him again.” I shut my eyes and think of how different he looks now, so damaged and cold. The world has ruined him.
And that’s not his fault. It’s not his fault that the darkness swallowed him whole and infected his mind like poison. Even now, I know he fights the demon inside of him with everything he has, but how long can a soul fight before it tires? The Shadows don’t grow weary. They consume at a constant rate.
Elias grins, pain ebbing in his gaze. “Good. Now, you should get some sleep.” He shifts in his chair and starts organizing his papers and books again.
