Chapter 308

Nora dipped her head in understanding, “that’s fine – we haven’t found the violins yet,” Chelsea said. “But I told-” Chelsea put her hand up – palm out – quickly, Nora jumped back as though she were about to be strike, not to far but her back now pushed against the chest of her mate, “Sorry, I wasn’t-” Nora, until I know who I can trust, I don’t want you to tell anyone about the violins or your history with them, do you understand? Chelsea asked, Nora answered with a shocked nod, “As soon as you’re ready.” “Goodnight,” Chelsea murmured. Stopping at Ava’s room on our floor, she sighed, “My dad used to tell me that my bad isn’t any less or more bad than someone else’s.” “Not quantifiable.” – “Exactly, but after what I saw in Rainy’s head, what I’ve been seeing and not just in hers either, the kids as well. I’m not sure he was right anymore, and to witness her stand up to him, stare him down the way she did…” she pulled us out of Ava’s room. Logan makes it his life to save people like her, but if I can’t protect them when they finally get freedom… it’s going to be short lived. Everyone deserves all what I said, to have their rights, to be free, safe and happy but if I don’t make things right in anyway I can – it won’t make an ounce of difference, same torment, different location. Scooping her up, her chest to my front, Chelsea quickly wound her legs around my torso, her eyes wet, welling and filled to the brim, “How about a bath?” I asked her, already walking us to the bathroom, kicking the door shut. Placing her on the bathroom sink I turned the water on, dropping in the lavender scented bath salts she liked, undressing after – Chelsea doing the same. Sinking into the water, her back against my chest, hair in a bun, leaning on my shoulder, I could feel myself hardening against her back, but I finally relaxed when she did. Resting easily with me, “You don’t have to change who you are Chelsea, you don’t have to be like me to get things done. I don’t want you to become like me,” I whispered hoping she understood, the responsibility and burden of taking a life wasn’t something that should be taken carelessly. “The Mother said that you’re a good person,” she answered, “although… I have always doubted that her good and my good were on the same page, or even the same book. I’m not becoming like you but I do need to speak and behave in a way that gets results. I won’t go killing everyone that isn’t doing what I want them to do but I will let them know that there is a side,” she twirled her finger in the water. My hand softly grazes her front, up, light as a feather and then down until my hand is submerged in hot water, “Yes, but you run the risk of people using that play against you… showing you loyalty only to pull the wool over your eyes,” I said my lips teasing her ear, after what I just witnessed I knew nothing would come from this. “Then it’s a good thing I have you to make sure that doesn’t happen Gabriel,” her voice breathy, “Especially with Jax-” she added in a pant, stilling my hand. “You’ve noticed that too?” “Please I’ve been on that since day one when I went to that house, he wants to be one of the people I choose for the absorption-” she stops abruptly, Anya – Norine – Elder Bellamy whatever her name was… she had the rings Gabriel, Chelsea said pulling away, turning her body to mine, eyes wide, matching mines I would have to guess. “How?” She left a letter, while you went to go handle the Hellmanns, I opened the violins and there was the key, on the back. I took it and went to our safe and you remember that weird black chest that was in the larger one? Well I placed the key on it, and it did some weird magic thing, she stopped sending me a picture of what happened, anyways there it was… the four rings as well as the music needed to release the stored magic. There was also a letter explaining what happened and then she mentioned that a seer told her that she would have five children, her shoulders deflated as she got it all out. “Is that why you asked Nora?” She nodded, biting her lip, yeah, she said it has to be played by her heirs or descendants, and that I should find the rightful owners for the rings as well what to do during the process… choosing at least 20 people, I nodded. “Who have you considered?”