Page 125 of Axis of Fire

“I’m fine,” I muttered.

“I just got overwhelmed.”

Once we reached the couch, I practically collapsed onto it.

“There’s… a lot I need to explain,” I said quietly.

“But I’d rather wait for Gwendolyn and Mike. I don’t think I can survive telling this story twice.”

Dwayne dropped onto the couch beside me.

“Illariana Rose Arden.”

The familiar voice made me turn instantly.

Emerald eyes met mine.

Gwendolyn stood in the doorway, glaring at me with open irritation, while Mike remained beside her with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I didn’t even get the chance to call you,” Dwayne said, leaning around me.

“How’d you know she was already here?”

“The entrance cameras picked her up,” Mike answered.

“Where the hell have you been for four days?” Gwendolyn snapped, looking ready to set me on fire with her stare.

“Do you even realize how worried we were?”

“Well,” Dwayne drawled lazily, shoving his hands into his pockets, “Mom and Dad here are being a little dramatic.”

Instantly, two death glares shifted toward him.

“Oh, come on,” he sighed.

“She’s alive. She’s here. What’s the point of lecturing her now?”

“Besides,” I cut in before Gwendolyn could answer, “I had a serious reason for disappearing without warning anyone.”

As I gestured toward the chairs, inviting them to sit down, I noticed my hand trembling slightly.

Apparently my body still hadn’t recovered from the adrenaline.

But one question kept pressing harder and harder against the back of my mind:

Why wasn’t my magic reacting?

******

I told them everything, holding nothing back.

Ignoring the disapproving looks Airis kept sending my way.

I didn’t care what he thought.

I didn’t want to keep anything from them.

They deserved the truth.