Overwhelm settles over me, making it impossible to breathe.
“I believe there was also a visitor yesterday?” she clarifies as I press my lips in a thin line. Hugo’s eyes find mine, and it's only because of my connection with my brother that I find the words to speak.
“My mother.” His eyebrows rise in surprise as he takes a step toward me, but I shake my head, signaling I'm fine. “She didn't say much, apart from clarifying that she is a phoenix herself.”
“And how did she do that?” Professor Carbon asks, intensifying the scrutiny I feel around me.
“Well, at first she referred to things that were phoenix-related.”
“That doesn't mean she is a phoenix,” Francesca snaps, and Sax scoffs from beside me.
“No, but it was probably the part where sheshiftedintoa phoenixand bolted through the window.”
Whispers flicker around the room as Viola takes the letters from my brother's hand and lays them down on the table.
“I believe it's time we confirm the plans to go ahead with the ball.”
The taste of urgency is thick in the air, one that leaves me unsettled, and I don't stand alone as the commotion around the table grows louder.
“Are we forgetting what happened the last time?” Silas grunts, drawing my attention to his presence as his hands curl into fists.
“Why are you so bothered about Hugo's mate who died?” Bonnie mutters, and Silas snarls.
“Because she was my sister!”
My chest hollows out as I gape from Silas to my brother and back again.
Silas snarls at anyone staring his way, but my brother just hangs his head in pain.
Tension thickens in the air as I start to understand the true threat a ball would pose.
“What do we specifically intend to gain from hosting this ball?” I ask, and Francesca slams her fist down on the table.
“Shut your fucking mouth. We've heard enough about you, and enough from you. Let the grown-ups here deal with the situation while you get passed from one mate to another, whore.”
I lurch to my feet, palms flat on the table, as anger vibrates through me.
It's accelerating, almost like it’s separate from me as my chest heaves every breath and I struggle to contain myself.
“Watchyourmouth,” I snap, my voice husky, like the words aren’t coming from me, but from my magic… from my Phoenix.
“Ivy…” Teddy breathes, and I shake my head, snarling at the sound of Francesca snickering.
“It’s not my fault four poor souls were assigned to be your mates,” she bites. “This room is for kingdom business, not everything to do with Ivy fucking Hayworth. Maybe you might be able to read about it in the whore’s book of conduct. I wouldn't know. I don't have it.”
My limbs burn as my eyes narrow on her. “You'll do well to remember that I have four mates because that's what my magic requires to settle, and if it doesn’t…” I falter, and she laughs, still unable to lift her eyes to mine.
“I hope it burns you alive, knowing you can't die,” she spits, rising to her feet. “I hope it burns you again and again—” Her words cut off as my hated mates dart to their feet, Hugo too, but it’s Sax’s snarl as he shifts into his tiger beside me that pauses everybody.
Viola claps her hands, gaining the attention of everyone in the room before she swirls her finger.
“The ball will go ahead. Everybody out now.”
All but swaying on my feet, I try to steady myself and follow her command, but before I can take a single step, she stops in front of me, my mates holding at my sides as she locks eyes with each of us, tiger included.
“You need to figure out how to ground her, and you need to do it now, before her eyes turn orange. There’s no coming back from that.”
28
