Worthless.
I shouldn't care, but there's a part of me on the brink of igniting destruction at the truth.
It's like he slipped into my mind, turned it over until he found what he wanted, and used my kryptonite against me until I was nothing but a fumbling mess.
“Ivy,” Archer breathes, standing a few feet away. “Tell me what you need.” I shake my head, unable to form words, and he gulps. “Do you need me to call the others, or do you just want it to be the two of us. Or, shit, do you need me to leave?”
“Don't leave,” I rasp, my voice croaky in my throat.
He stares at me helplessly, too scared to move any closer, like I’m a ticking time bomb and he can see how long is left, making him desperate for a solution.
I try to clear my throat, but fail miserably. “Call them,” I murmur, and he nods, reaching into his pocket to pull out his small device.
He taps away on it a moment before his eyes draw to mine. “Before I hit send, Ivy, I need you to know that your eyes are…” His inability to finish his sentence leaves me uneasy as he gulps,swirling his finger near his eye. “They’re ringed in orange,” he states, and I gape at him in disbelief.
Viola warned us of that, but…
“What does that even mean?” I manage, and he shakes his head.
“I don't know, but if I were to make a guess, I would assume it’s your magic.”
“My phoenix,” I state, and he nods. “Okay,” I breathe, watching as he hits send before slipping his device away.
“Who is next door, specifically?” he asks, and I scoff.
“Don't act like you don't know.”
He nods, guilt in his eyes. “Do you?—”
“Please don't let them see me like this,” I breathe.
He exhales, nodding as he steps toward the door. “Did you see Dorian?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“It's okay, just don't go anywhere.” He reaches for the door handle, and I yelp, an indiscernible sound forming from my lips that makes him glance over his shoulder at me.
“Don't leave,” I panic, certain that if I'm left alone, I’ll shrink into my emotions and self-combust.
There will be nothing left of this entire world, all Five Kingdoms included, everything reduced to ash.
He turns his back to the door, lifting his hands once again. “It's okay, I'll wait right here until the others arrive.”
As if sensing his promise, a knock comes from behind him, and Archer waits for another nod from me before he opens it. Sax steps over the threshold first, panic in his eyes as he takes me in. There’s an immediate sense of desperation that seems to stiffen his muscles as he considers approaching me, but when Archer plants a hand on his chest, he takes a step back, keeping his distance as he fully enters the room. I hold my breath, watching as he moves to take a seat on the bed.
Baron enters next, his hair loose, falling around his face, and I sink further into the wall behind me. His eyes narrow as he assesses me, keeping his mouth shut as he leans against the wall next to the door, foot propped up behind him.
Teddy rounds off the group, rushing to a halt in front of me, his eyes penetrating mine, making it clear that the orange hue Archer mentioned is still there.
“Nobody touch her. Don’t even speak,” Archer orders, not waiting for a response before he darts from the room.
They track my every move as what feels like a lifetime passes, while I stand with my back plastered against the wall, staring off with my hated mates. Really, it’s probably only a few moments that pass before he returns, clicking the door shut behind him with ease.
Taking a deep breath, he dares to approach me. “Let's work on your breathing, Ivy,” Archer says, and I shake my head.
“It's not working,” I admit as a single tear trickles down my cheek, and my heart aches, making desperation claw through me. “Help me, please,” I breathe, and Sax clears his throat.
“We don't know what to do,” he states, and I hate the truth in his tone, but we both know that's not the case.
“Somebody please explain the orange eyes,” I rasp, and Baron drags a hand down his face.
