AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s wrong?” Eldon asks, leaving me to gape at him for a second as I process his question.
“What?” I finally manage, folding my arms over my chest as my eyebrows furrow.
“It’s written all over your face,” Brax grunts, pointing at me like that will help clue me in on what my face looks like. If it’s clear, though, I may as well get straight to the worry on my mind.
“Something is wrong with Ari. I don’t know what, but the fact that I haven’t seen him since Erikel’s attack at the ball is concerning. He’s usually quick to react when he senses my panic.”
“He’s your familiar, Raven. You know him better than any of us,” Creed states, rising to his feet.
“He did appear at the outpost when she was in danger. Fuck, he saved us all at the time,” Zane confirms. “And when she went to Haven Court, he was here almost instantly once she returned. So distance can’t be the issue.”
I nod along with everything he says as Eldon cuts the remaining distance between us. His hands grab my waist, squeezing in comfort as I tip my face up to meet his gaze.
“What are you thinking?”
“Honestly, I think he’s either back in with the other creatures, trapped in the forest, or worse,” I mutter, scared of the words I know are on the tip of my tongue.
“What could be worse?” Brax asks, and a shiver runs down my spine.
“That he doesn’t think we’re in danger with Erikel.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely worse,” Creed agrees, standing beside Eldon in front of me. “Which means we’re going to the forest to check, aren’t we.” It’s not a question; he already knows the answer. I can see it in his eyes, but I still nod in confirmation.
“Fine,” Zane declares with a sigh. “But I want it to be known that I was two sets away from sneaking back inside and plowing you into the mattress, Dove.” He appears on Eldon’s other side with a pout on his lips, and I laugh.
“That can be my reward later,” I say with a smirk, my core clenching at the promise as Zane presses a kiss to my cheek.
“I like the sound of that.”
Eldon holdson to my hand tightly as we step through Brax’s gateway. I’m sure Zane isn’t the only one who would happily stay back at the house, tangled in the sheets for the entire weekend. As much as I would like that too—fuck, I would like it a lot—my fear for Ari comes first.
Ever since we met, he’s put me first; I owe him that.
Nothing else seems out of the ordinary as the rest of the Bishops join us, so we silently make our way toward the tree line like last time.
“Does anybody else find it crazy that, from here, the forest looks completely empty, but we’ve been in there. We know what lies beyond the trees and shrubs; you just can’t see them,” Zane rambles, his eyebrows rising as wonder lifts the tone of his voice.
“It’s crazy that we thought the academy keeping them locked up here was the worst of our worries,” Creed retorts, making me scoff as Eldon’s hand flexes around mine.
“Can you hear him?” Brax asks, and we all refocus on the reason why we’re here.
Shaking my head, I sigh. “No, I’ve tried to reach out to him, but he said that would only be possible when my magic strengthened. I was hoping since I was aware of the mirror magic that it would be possible, but apparently not,” I admit, defeat clinging to me like a second skin.
“Why don’t you try again now? Just in case it was a proximity thing,” Eldon suggests, and we come to a stop. Nibbling at my bottom lip, I nod slowly, trying to find the strength to try again.
“Ari?”I close my eyes, trying to hear anything at all, but nothing comes.“Ari?”I attempt again, hoping and praying, butonly silence greets me. Heaving a heavy sigh, I turn to the others with a shake of my head.
“It’s okay, Dove. If Ari said it would happen, it will. It’s just going to take time.” Zane smiles, attempting to reassure me, and I take it, trying not to let myself get too down about it.
Turning to face the tree line, I call out his name again, only this time, I say it out loud. “Ari?”
A breeze flutters out of nowhere, rustling the leaves on the trees.
“It’s not safe.”
“Ari?”
“It’s. Not. Safe.”
