The little red flicker of flame whizzes around the room again, but it’s the sight of three more unfamiliar men that catches me off guard. Leading the group stands a beast of a guy, with deep green eyes, hair tied back in a messy bun, and an aura that threatens to shatter the room in two.
A step behind him is a guy who looks similar, yet different. His hair is cropped, his brown eyes filled with worry, while he stands open and relaxed, but almost as though he’s teetering on the edge, ready to dart across the room at any second.
Behind him comes an air of intensity that threatens to set me alight. His dark hair is in disarray, and his hazel eyes are wide and wild as they rake over me again and again and again.
“Angel,” he rasps, taking a step toward me, but before he can make it any further, the hot blond releases my hand, spinning on the spot to stop him from coming any closer.
“She doesn’t remember,” he mutters, stealing the last of the oxygen as my fingers curl into the sheets beside me.
The air ripples with emotions I can’t piece together as I struggle to breathe under the intensity of their stares.
“Ivy?” the guy with cropped hair mutters, dragging my attention to him. He remains planted in place, but his mouth tilts into a half smile as he stares deep into my eyes, glazing over my soul. “It’s okay. We’re going to figure this out.”
His words are supposed to be soothing, but there’s a hint of dejection to his tone, as if he doesn’t believe himself.
I shake my head slowly from side to side. “I don’t recognize anyone here,” I admit with a strangled breath at the exact same time another face appears in the doorway. “Hewy,” I croak, and he eliminates the distance between us in a flash.
One second, I’m struggling to keep my world together, the next, it falls apart in my brother’s arms as he sways me gently from side to side.
Tears track down my face, unknown emotions getting the better of me, but he holds me together through it all. He doesn’t move until my hold softens, and even then, he grips me for a few extra seconds before he leans back, brushing my hair off my face.
He’s sad. I can see it in the crinkles at the corners of his eyes, but I know it from the way his attempt at a smile wobbles for asplit second. “Vee,” he breathes, enveloping me in his presence, and I absorb every inch of his strength.
“Hugo,” I whisper, fixating on him instead of attempting to glance around the crowded room. “What’s going on?”
He squeezes my shoulder. “That’s what we’re going to figure out, okay?”
I nod, but my certainty is lacking. “Who are they?” My voice is even quieter, but the sharp inhale confirms they heard me.
My brother grimaces, but before he can answer, a flash of red darts between us, coming to a stop an inch from Hugo’s shoulder. The flame smiles, taking a deep breath before they blink at me with wide eyes and more emotion than I can fathom.
“Ivy, I’m Ember. I’m your sprite here at Neverbound Academy.”
I rear back, her words catching me off guard as my brother sighs. “One thing at a time, Ember,” he grumbles, and she gasps.
“What do you think I’m doing?”
“Overloading her.”
“I am not,” she snaps back, staring off with my brother, who pinches the bridge of his nose, inhaling slowly, but it does nothing to calm the distress he’s clearly battling.
“I’m at Neverbound Academy?” I ask, and the room falls still, as if everyone has the answers but no one wants to share them. Not even the little red flame, Ember.
Hugo scrubs the back of his neck nervously as movement from the door catches my attention.
Another guy steps into the room, this one older than the others, with a clipboard in hand and a white jacket sitting neatly on his shoulders.
“Miss Hayworth, it’s good to see you’re finally with us. My name is Dr. Holland. I work at the medical center here at Neverbound Academy, specializing in neurology. I’m eager to answer any questions you may have, but can I do a quick checkof your vitals first?” he asks, the calmest person in the room, and I nod.
My brother reluctantly takes a step back as Dr. Holland replaces him, sweeping a small light across my eyes, pressing his fingertips against my wrist, before leaning back to jot a few notes on his tablet.
“Perfect, Miss Hayworth. Now, can you tell me the last thing you remember?” He stares at me expectantly, but all I can do is shake my head.
“My mind is blank. I can’t recall,” I admit, and he smiles.
“That’s to be expected. Take a moment. It’s important we understand where you’re at so we know how to proceed,” he explains, and I gulp, not liking the sound of that at all. Not when I’ve got a room full of people looking at me. “Close your eyes. Pretend we’re not here,” he adds, his voice soft and encouraging, and I do just that.
White-knuckling the sheets, I think so hard my head hurts, until something pops to mind and I pry my eyelids open. “I remember my twentieth birthday party a few weeks ago. Hugo snuck me out of the house to meet Lucky.” My gaze latches onto my brother. “It was the best present ever.”
