Chapter 81 Aflame
SOMA
Someone shakes me awake. I blink sleepily, frowning as everything comes into focus. Jade waves, her excitement so heavy it clears the sleep out of my face. I hold the cover to my chest, trying to remember what day of the week it is, and if I’ve missed anything. But it’s Saturday.
“Good morning, my lady,” she says.
“Morning,” I reply. Sliding off the bed, I stumble to the vanity and frown at my reflection. “What’s going on?”
Jade stops behind me, doing well to stay hidden.
“Tristan is going off campus this morning to get a few items,” she says. I shake my head, trying to run a brush through my messy hair to appear busy. Tristan is the only one who’ll get her this excited. “I was wondering if you had any needs, so I’ll accompany him to the market to get them for you.”
A smile settles on my lips as I turn to her. Of course, she’s not worried about me, but about spending time alone with her mate. I rock forward, keeping my tone light.
“I didn’t realize we could leave the school premises.”
“Neither did I,” she says. “But Prince Tristan got special permission to do so. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll get it.”
“What if I need nothing?”
Jade laughs, looking around my room like the answers will present themselves. When she turns to me, she’s smiling.
“You must need something, my lady. I’m sure you do.”
“Just go with him,” I say.
“My lady…”
Brushing past her, I head to my closet and retrieve the premium card tucked in the pocket of my briefcase. I have had no use for it since I arrived here. Jade is still standing beside the vanity. I cross the gap and press it into her palm.
“Have fun,” I tell her. She stares at it, her teeth cutting into her bottom lip. “Buy whatever you want, especially a dress for the ball. You wouldn’t want to look out of place beside your Prince Charming, would you?”
She exhales softly. “My lady. This is too much.”
“If you think it’s too much, consider it a gift from me to you for passing the mid-semester exams with me.”
“What? I can’t possibly take the exams,” she protests.
Jade stares at the card longingly, as if considering the condition attached to it. I didn’t intend for her to write any exams with me, but now that she has mentioned it, another thought settles. I want more for her than this maid job, even if she doesn’t. She has so much potential for more.
It might take a while for Brynne to become king, and even when he does, there’s no guarantee he’ll change the status quo or elevate her position so her relationship with Tristan becomes acceptable. Education can be her way out.
“My lady, I’m not on the same level as you.”
“Fine,” I tell her. “I’ll set something easier for you.”
Something that allows me to gauge what’s best for her.
“And if you pass, I’ll get you something else.”
Her eyes narrow. “Something like what?”
“A phone?” I say the first thing that comes to mind. She sucks in a sharp breath, and that solidifies the decision for me. With a phone, she can easily reach Tristan or me. “I’ll get you a phone. But that’s only if I’m impressed.”
One minute she’s standing a foot away from me, the next moment, she’s throwing herself at me. I hug her tight, knowing I’ll do this and more for her because she’s fast becoming more than a friend to me. We pull apart and grin at each other.
“Let me clean up the room, and then I’ll go tell him.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll do it myself.” She tries to argue, but I cut in, “I want to read now, and I don’t want distractions. Go. Have fun with your prince and don’t worry about me.”
She pouts but nods. Staring at the card, she sighs and hugs me one last time. When the door shuts behind her, I fall back onto the bed. When my eyes close, I try to think of my own Prince Charming, but it’s Brynne’s face that pops into my mind. I jolt upright, slapping myself for daring to give that man any thought. I might never get a prince, but I can enjoy the new life I have here.
After cleaning and changing into new clothes, I skip to the front door. With Jade gone, I have the room to myself if I want to study, but I’m not too keen on staying alone in this large, empty space. Maybe I’ll stop by the library. My notes might be up to date, but that doesn’t mean my brain is.
I open the door and freeze when Brynne’s opens as well. He stands in the doorway, almost as shocked as I am. My eyes roll over him before I realize it’s what I’m doing.
The eyebags are gone, and his cheeks have regained their fullness and color. Our eyes meet, and my heart squeezes. He puts a foot forward, and I take one step back, then another until I’m inside my suite. Once the door shuts, I press my forehead to it, and one sweaty palm flattens against my chest.
For some reason, my heart pounds harder beneath my ribcage. I don’t know why, and I don’t like it.
Minutes pass, and I listen for the sound of Brynne’s footsteps. When I suspect he’s gone, I open the door and poke my head out. The hallway is empty. What if he’s downstairs?
Shaking that thought off, I head downstairs, my chest sagging with relief when he’s nowhere in sight. He must have left the house, or he’s back in his room. If so, I need to hurry and leave for the library soon.
Sienna arrives at the dining table as I’m stacking food on the plate I’ll take upstairs. It’s still early in the day, but she smells like she bathed in a tub full of expensive oil. Her hair shines, and so does her face. She’s glowing.
“Morning. Not eating here?” she asks.
“No?” I clear my throat. “No. I want privacy.”
“It’s just the two of us at home,” she tells me.
A tremor passes through me, and I sag into the nearest empty chair. I still don’t know what Lilith did or said to them in my absence. The last conversation over the phone with Lilith hasn’t given me any clues.
What did they tell her because she wasn’t worried? Brynne might have answers, but I’m not ready to face him. Maybe I’m avoiding him, but he’s cruel. This is for the best. Next time, he might try to set me aflame.