Chapter 27 ALARIC'S JEALOUSY

Chapter 27 ALARIC'S JEALOUSY
CHAPTER 27: ALARIC'S JEALOUSY

Alaric is waiting when I step out of the arena.

He's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his face is carved from stone. His red eyes track me as I walk toward him.

"We need to talk," he says.

Not a request. A demand.

I glance back at Morgana who's still inside with Sofia. "Can it wait?"

"No."

Something in his tone makes my stomach tighten. I follow him through the corridors without speaking. We end up in the library in a corner so far back I didn't know it existed.

He sits. I sit across from him.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

He stares at me for a long moment. His jaw works like he's chewing on words he doesn't want to say.

"You're spending a lot of time with Morgana."

I blink. "We're bonded. I don't exactly have a choice."

"You always have a choice." His voice is quiet but there's something sharp underneath. "And you're choosing her over us."

My chest tightens. "That's not fair. You know I care about all of you."

"Do I?" His eyes flash. "Because from where I'm sitting it looks like you've replaced us with the girl who tried to kill you."

The words hit harder than they should.

"Alaric that's not what's happening."

"Isn't it?" He leans forward. "You train with her. You eat with her. You spend hours locked in a room with her while the rest of us wait outside like we don't matter."

"You matter."

"Then prove it."

I open my mouth but nothing comes out because I don't know what to say. How do I prove something that should be obvious?

Alaric stands abruptly. "Forget it. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Wait don't just walk away."

But he's already moving. He disappears between the shelves before I can follow.

I sit there staring at the empty chair.

My hands are shaking.

Through the bond with the boys I can feel his anger. His hurt. It bleeds into me until I can't tell if the ache in my chest is mine or his.

Sofia finds me ten minutes later still sitting in the same spot.

"You okay?" she asks.

"No."

She sits beside me. "What happened?"

"Alaric thinks I'm choosing Morgana over them."

"Are you?"

I look at her. "What?"

"I'm just asking." She holds up her hands. "You've been spending a lot of time with her."

"Because I have to. We're bonded and she's the only one who understands what it feels like to have the Hollow King in her head."

"I get that but maybe the boys need to hear it too." Sofia nudges my shoulder. "They're scared Thalira. They've been tied to you for lifetimes and now you're tied to someone else. That's gotta mess with them."

I press my hands to my face. "I don't know how to do this. I can't split myself into pieces."

"You don't have to. You just have to talk to them."

"I tried. Alaric walked away."

"Then go after him."

I look at her. "What if he doesn't want to talk?"

"Too bad." She stands and pulls me up. "You're going after him anyway."

I find him on the rooftop an hour later.

He's standing at the edge looking out at the academy grounds. The moon is full and it makes his pale skin glow like marble.

"Alaric," I say softly.

He doesn't turn.

I walk closer until I'm standing beside him. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For making you feel like you don't matter."

He's quiet for a moment. Then he says "I've waited lifetimes for you Thalira."

His voice cracks on the last word.

"And now that you're here I feel like I'm losing you."

My throat tightens. "You're not losing me."

"It feels like I am." He finally looks at me and there's so much pain in his eyes it makes my chest ache. "Every time you choose to be with her instead of us it feels like you're slipping further away."

"I'm not choosing her over you."

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to survive." My voice breaks. "I have two days before the Hollow King takes control of me and Morgana. Two days to figure out how to stop him. I can't afford to waste time worrying about who feels left out."

The words come out harsher than I meant them to.

Alaric flinches.

"I didn't mean it like that," I say quickly.

"Yes you did." But his voice is softer now. "And you're right. You're fighting for your life and I'm over here acting like a jealous child."

"You're not a child."

"I'm acting like one." He runs a hand through his hair. "I just miss you. The version of you that wasn't bonded to someone else. The one who looked at me like I was the only person in the room."

I step closer and take his hand. It's cold like always but I don't let go.

"You're not the only person in the room," I say. "But you're one of the most important people in my life. That hasn't changed."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He studies my face like he's searching for a lie. When he doesn't find one something in his expression softens.

"I'm sorry," he says. "For being difficult. For making this harder than it needs to be."

"You're allowed to have feelings Alaric."

"Feelings are inconvenient."

I almost laugh. "Tell me about it."

He pulls me closer until there's barely any space between us. His arms wrap around me and I feel his chin rest on top of my head.

"I don't want to lose you," he whispers.

"You won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

We stand like that for a while. Just holding each other. The wind is cold but Alaric is colder and somehow that makes it better.

"Can I ask you something?" he says eventually.

"Yeah."

"Do you love her?"

I pull back to look at him. "What?"

"Morgana. Do you love her?"

"No." The word comes out fast. "It's not like that. The bond makes me feel what she feels but that doesn't mean I love her."

"Then what do you feel?"

I think about it. "Protective I guess. She's scared and alone and I know what that's like. I don't want her to feel that way anymore."

Alaric nods slowly. "And us? What do you feel for us?"

My heart stutters. "That's not fair."

"Why not?"

"Because you're asking me to define something I don't understand yet."

His thumb brushes my cheek. "Try."

I swallow hard. "I feel safe with you. All of you. Like no matter how bad things get you'll be there. And I feel this pull like we're connected in a way I can't explain. It's not just the bond. It's something deeper."

"Love?"

"Maybe." I look down. "I don't know. Is it possible to love four people at once?"

"In our world?" He tilts my chin up so I'm looking at him again. "Yes."

The way he says it makes my breath catch.

"Alaric—"

He kisses me.

It's soft at first. Gentle. Like he's asking permission.

Then it deepens and I forget how to breathe.

His hands are in my hair. Mine are fisted in his shirt. Everything else fades away until it's just us and the moon and this moment that feels stolen from time itself.

When we finally break apart we're both breathing hard.

"I've wanted to do that for a very long time," he says.

"How long?"

"Fifty years give or take."

I laugh. It comes out shaky. "That's a long time to wait."

"You were worth the wait."

He leans in to kiss me again but a voice cuts through the air.

"Am I interrupting something?"

We both turn.

Morgana is standing in the doorway to the roof. Her arms are crossed and her expression is unreadable.

"How long have you been there?" I ask.

"Long enough." She walks closer. "We have a problem."

Alaric's body tenses. "What kind of problem?"

"The seeds." She presses a hand to her chest. "They're growing faster. I can feel them spreading."

My stomach drops. "How much faster?"

"We don't have two days anymore." Her voice shakes. "We have hours. Maybe less."

Alaric curses under his breath.

"We need to do the ritual now," I say.

"It's not ready," Morgana argues. "Corvus said we need until midnight to gather everything."

"Then we make it ready." I start toward the door. "Come on."

But before we can move the air around us shifts.

It gets heavy. Oppressive.

The temperature drops so fast I can see my breath.

Alaric moves in front of me instantly. "Something's here."

A shadow peels away from the wall behind Morgana.

It takes shape. Tall. Broad. Eyes glowing red.

The Hollow King steps out of the darkness.

Not a vision this time. Not a dream.

He's here. Physically present.

Morgana stumbles backward with terror written across her face.

The Hollow King smiles at me. "Hello daughter. Did you really think you could hide from me?"

Alaric's fangs snap down. "Get behind me Thalira."

But the Hollow King waves his hand and Alaric is thrown backward. He hits the wall so hard the stone cracks.

"Alaric!" I scream.

The Hollow King moves toward me. Each step makes the ground tremble.

"The ritual won't save you," he says. "The Oracle lied. There's no removing the seeds. They're already part of you."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" He stops in front of me. "Feel them. Feel how deep they've grown."

I press a hand to my chest and my blood turns cold.

He's right. The seed has roots now. Spreading through my body like veins of ice.

"In less than an hour they'll reach your heart," he says. "And when they do you'll be mine. Both of you."

Morgana makes a broken sound behind him.

"Unless," he continues.

"Unless what?" I demand.

He reaches out and touches my face. His hand is freezing.

"Unless you surrender now. Give yourself to me willingly and I'll spare your friends. The boys. The girl. Even Morgana."

"Don't listen to him," Alaric groans from where he's slumped against the wall.

The Hollow King ignores him. "What do you say daughter? Will you sacrifice yourself to save them?"

I stare into his red eyes. Feel the weight of his power pressing down on me.

"I have a better idea," I say.

"Oh?"

I grab his wrist. "I'll take you down with me."

And I freeze time.

Everything stops.

The wind. The sounds. Even the Hollow King's breath.

But he's stronger than anything I've ever tried to freeze before. I can feel him fighting it. Feel the ice cracking under the pressure of his will.

"Clever," he says. His voice is slowed but not stopped. "But not clever enough."

He breaks through.

Time snaps back and the force of it throws me to the ground.

The Hollow King looms over me. "You can't fight me child. I made you. Your power is mine."

He raises his hand and I know this is it. This is how I die for the fifth time.

But then Morgana screams.

Shadows explode from her body. More than I've ever seen her create. They slam into the Hollow King and drive him back.

"Run!" she shouts at me.

But I can't move. Can't breathe.

Because through the bond I feel what's happening to her.

She's burning herself out. Using every ounce of magic she has left to hold him back.

It's killing her.

"Morgana stop!" I shout.

She looks at me and smiles. It's sad and tired and final.

"I told you," she says. "We save each other."

Then her eyes roll back and she collapses.

The shadows vanish.

The Hollow King straightens with fury twisting his features.

"Foolish girl."

He reaches for her body.

That's when all four boys burst onto the roof.

Kieran in full wolf form. Cassian wreathed in flames. Zev's dream magic rippling the air. And Alaric moving faster than my eyes can track.

They attack as one.

The Hollow King fights back but four against one is too much even for him.

"This isn't over," he snarls. "The seeds will complete their work. And when they do you'll be mine whether you want it or not."

He dissolves into smoke.

Gone.

I crawl to Morgana. She's not breathing.

"No no no," I whisper. "Morgana wake up."

Cassian drops beside me. He presses his hands to her chest and fire flows into her. Trying to restart her heart.

Nothing happens.

"Come on," he mutters. "Come on."

Still nothing.

Through the bond I feel her slipping away.

And I realize with horror that if she dies the seed in her will die too.

But the one in me will remain.

The Hollow King planned this. Forced her to sacrifice herself so only I would be left.

Only I would become his vessel.

"No," I say. "You don't get to do this."

I press my hand over Cassian's.

And I push every ounce of my time magic into her.

Not to freeze her. To rewind her.

Back before she burned out. Before she collapsed. Before she used everything she had.

The world blurs. Time bends.

And Morgana gasps.

Her eyes fly open. She coughs and rolls onto her side.

"What did you do?" she chokes out.

"Saved your life." I collapse beside her. "You're welcome."

Kieran shifts back to human form. "We need to move. He'll come back."

"Not before sunrise," Zev says. "The wards will hold until then."

Alaric helps me stand. "Can you walk?"

"Barely."

He lifts me anyway. Cassian does the same with Morgana.

We stumble off the roof and down into the academy.

But as we reach the hallway I feel it.

The seed in my chest pulses once. Hard.

Then it sends out another root.

This one wraps around my heart.

I gasp and clutch my chest.

"Thalira?" Alaric's voice is distant.

"It's spreading," I manage to say.

Morgana's eyes widened. "Mine too."