He doesn't hold my attention for long though, because whispers ring in my ears. Rolling my head, I shield my face from the sun that bleeds through the window as I'm overwhelmed with the memories of last night.
The grounding.
All four of them were touching my skin at once, and I shattered with ease.
It shouldn't have been that easy.
I shouldn't want more.
And yet I do, despite the past and all the things I still don’t have answers to.
Shaking my head, ridding the thoughts from my mind, I focus on taking stock of myself instead.
The raging inferno that consumed my veins last night now simmers softly, making it clear that the grounding has had an impact. Apparently, that’s all that was needed. It’s a positive outcome from a terrifying time, but even so, tension seeps into my bones, like it’s permanently ingrained.
Narrowing my eyes, I find the source of the sound, and my gaze darts towards Archer's desk, where Sax sits hunched over the wood and Baron hovers beside him.
I'm easily distracted, taking in the pair of them side by side.
I’m overwhelmed by the stark differences mixed with uncanny similarities that stand out between the pair. Despite their completely opposite hairstyles, one cropped, one long and twisted into a telltale knot at the top of his head, they are a mirror copy of one another.
Even though their eyes are different colors, one brown, one green, the way they crinkle at the corners is a complete replica.
Their statures are no different, and the way they both twist their lips just a fraction is a carbon copy.
Taking a deep breath, I will myself to focus, but, staring at the desk, my mind drifts once more to last night and the memory that plays in the fog of seeing Archer rife with pain.
My eyelids shutter, and I refocus once again on the brothers, refusing to let such travesty and despair claw through me once again.
“How do you feel?” Sax murmurs, staring up at his brother, who shrugs.
“It doesn't matter how I feel, only her,” Baron grunts, making my heart stutter.
“It's a shift for all of us, Baron, and it's important we check in with one another,” Sax insists, making Baron's nostrils flare just a little as he refuses to return his brother's stare.
“Well, my eyes are no longer orange,” he mutters, reminding me of the glowing visual I had last night; of their eyes matching mine.
“For now,” Sax mumbles with a heavy exhale. “We need to keep a close eye on her, or––”
“She's going to feel like she can't breathe if we don't give her space,” Baron interjects, and Sax sighs again.
“If what you are saying is right, and this book is telling the truth, orange is the least of our worries.”
Baron curses under his breath, reaching for the open leather-bound book between them before yanking it toward him. I watch his Adam's apple bob before he peers over his shoulder, seeking me out in the quiet of the room, only to startle when he sees my eyes open.
“Ivy,” he rasps, and I clear my throat.
“What are you reading?” I ask, and he stands.
“It’s information on grounding and phoenixes,” he answers honestly, waving me off, and I sit up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I sway from the fast movement, and Baron takes a step toward. “You need to wake up first,” he murmurs, not moving any closer, and I shake my head.
“Show me,” I murmur, nodding to the pages behind him, and he clears his throat as he retracts his step.
“It's written in code, and I’m trying to decipher it,” he admits, and Sax drags the leather away from his brother to turn it toward me.
I squint at the text, overwhelmed by the jumbled letters and symbols.
“What does it say?” I ask, and Baron's tongue sweeps out, running across his bottom lip, but it’s Sax who answers.
