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Jace scoffs like it’s obvious. “He’s not a huge dick like you.”
“How did you know?” Lucien raises a brow, his head slightly tilted.
“Know what?” asks Jace.And I can already see it coming.
“That’s it'shuge.” A savage smirk forms on Lucien’s face, so amused by his own words, as Jace sighs, shaking his head, realizing he fell for such an obvious thing.
A small laugh leaves my lips at the two as a husky chuckle rings out beside me. I turn to see a soft smile on Cole's face as he watches Lucien and Jace bicker.
Just as I’m enjoying the warm atmosphere and relief of tension, the sharp pain from earlier returns with a vengeance. I bend forward, clutching my waist as the pain cleaves its way through my body, like a blade sliding through my veins, stealing my breath from me and clouding my sight.
The physical pain is too much to bear. I double over in agony when a hand grips me as I fall forward, trying to steady me. Another two pairs of hands join in to hold me from my sides.
Voices around me fade in and out as a dizzying nausea takes over from the searing pain, black spots threatening to take me whole. I curl further into myself, trying to calm my racing heart and ragged breathing.
The room tilts in my vision, but my body stays steady.The warm hands holding me up, their soft touches slowly bringing me back and grounding me. The pain ebbs away, and nausea and dizziness slowly ease.
I take a deep breath, gripping the arm that’s wrapped around me. The voices are now clearer. I can make out Jace to my right and feel his hands on me, rubbing circles on my back, an anxious tone to his voice. “What's wrong with her?”
“I don’t know,” grits out Lucien, frustration andworrybleeding through each clipped word.Hishands are the ones holding me up, and that had caught me from falling.
The last pair of hands on me must then belong to Cole. One large hand brushes down my left arm with the lightest of touches. He whispers in my ear over and over, “Just breathe, Rhys.” “Take your time.”And,“We’re with you.”
I exhale a shaky breath and open my eyes, steadying myself with their help as I stand up. Meeting each of their worried gazes, I give them a gentle smile, or the best I can muster, grateful for their help.
“What wasthat?” demands Lucien, his arms still embracing me, his grip slightly tightening around me as I try to move. I furrow my brows toward him, confused by the anger in his voice.
“I don't know.” I really didn’t. Could it be after-effects from the Records? Or the power I took from the Library just now? Or what came out of me?
“Sit. You look pale.” Cole places his hand on my shoulder as he scans the Library for anything to use as a seat. He makes a slight grimace before looking back at me.
“Maybe you pushed yourself too much and exhausted your power,” muses Jace as he rubs my back. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”
I nod. It makes sense.I had never used power like that before. Maybe it was the drawback of doing too much at once. Taking so much magic from the Library into myself and then pouring all of that, as well as my own power, out in one large blast. I guess I’m lucky to still be conscious.
“Anyway, don't scare me like that. Next time you want to disintegrate a guy, tell me, and I’ll do it for you…” Jace bites his lip in thought.
“Okay, maybe I can't dothat…but I’d rip them to shreds for you. Sharp teeth, baby.” He proudly flashes his elongated fangs and winks at me.
“Yes…we’ve all seen their work.” Lucien sighs, his eyes narrowed toward my neck.
Jace looks at me and chuckles, his hand brushing loose strands behind my ear as he gazes warmly at me.
“The wolf is right…” Cole sighs, looking at Jace as he flashes his teeth again. “About us helping.” Cole's face is completely serious as he stares at me.
“Cole—” I start, before seeing a figure, bloody, and limping into the room.
Ilyric clutches his side, blood pouring from his wounds there, cuts and bruises covering his face, blood seeping from the leg he limps in with.
My legs move on their own as I rush over to him, working through the dizziness and black spots that threaten to take me again. I’m beside him in seconds, my body aching and dizzy as I place my hand on his shoulder to help when suddenly he slaps it away.
The glare he gives me is filled with more vitriol hate and disgust than I’ve ever seen before.And in my life, I’ve seen many,but none that struck me as deeply as this one now.
“Were you a part of this?!” he spits out, his eyes like daggers, each word cold and clipped. I flinch back, shock and confusion rolling through me with his question.
A part of what?
The others make it over to us just as he shouts, “Of courseyou were. How could younotknow?!” I hear Jace’s growl behind me as Cole shifts to my side. Lucien shakes his head, muttering, "Fool,"while looking toward Ilyric.
