Chapter Fifty Four

Chapter Fifty Four
Jace's POV:

"Jhelani." I whispered her name and she snapped her head in my direction, looking stunned for a moment with her lips parted.

She was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and lost in her thoughts when I appeared into her room, tears rolling out and soaking into her pillow. Seeing her like that did something to me.

"J-jace...how did you get in here—" she said and then she paused, realization dawning on her face.

"Uh-huh," I nodded, grinning as I strode calmly to the bed and sat beside her. She quickly sat up.

"Why are you here?" She asked, wiping off her tears.

"I saw Damon stepping out some minutes ago. He looked wrecked. So I figured you two had quite the conversation there," I chuckled, shaking my head and recalling how down-to-earth Damon looked back then. "So I thought I'd come to see you. I hope you don't mind having me here, do you?"

"No-no," she shook her head, moving some locks from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "It's fine." She bit her lip.

"Thanks," I smiled softly then silence settled between us. Heavy but not uncomfortable. After some seconds, I broke the silence.

"Jhelani. I think I might have figured out some solution to this danger we're all afraid of. Something to assure us that no matter where you are, you'd always be protected. Although it might make people more conscious about our existence or rather...more aware of the fact that magic or spells or whatever exists in this Town but as long as you are safe then I don't mind if the secret leaks out." I said as I took her hand in mine. Shit my hands felt shaky. I could feel the fear of losing her In my veins and I didn't like that feeling one bit. I hoped she wouldn't notice it.

Her brows furrowed. “What are you planning, Jace?”

“Do you trust me?” I asked quietly. “Not just on the surface. I mean… do you really trust me?” I needed to be sure that she did. We've been apart for so long and even when we came together again, there's been so much going on and we didn't have even have enough time to bond so well.

She took some time, staring at me like she was trying to pry into my soul and gauge my thoughts to figure out why I was asking her that and I kept my gaze on the same level with hers. She gave in, a sigh leaving her lips.

"Jace, I do. I've always trusted you and I know that despite how you barely take anything serious, you wouldn't let anything bad happen to me. And that's enough reason for me to trust every step you take." The words rolled off her tongue quietly and I felt every one of it in my heart.

I smiled gently, caressing her hands with my thumb, then slowly pulling her closer into my arms. We hugged for a while, and I made sure to savor every second of the moment.

"Get your ass ready, Foxie. Don't freak out because it's not your first, okay?" I didn't wait for her to respond before we vanished into thin air. She didn't get enough time to let out a scream or anything like that when we appeared in a room, but this time, it wasn't just any room.

"Where is this place?" She asked, looking around, fright and panic in her eyes as they darted all over the place. Her knees buckled, and she stumbled on herself when she tried to move. Thanks to my quick reflex and sharp vision, I was able to catch on before she did.

Her green eyes were all wide and round, making me let out a chuckle. "Easy there, Fox Eyes. You might really want to take things slow and steady for now, yeah?"

She gulped down a bile. "I'm sorry. I just—this place is so...shit. Ahem, sorry. Sorry about that. I am just so... you know, overwhelmed. If that's the correct word." She cleared her throat, tucking her locks away from her face.

"Sure. But don't be scared. There's nothing too serious here in the basement," I glanced around at the rows of bottles and glowing flasks. "Except the unspecified potions that my mother kept here, here, and there. Any other stuff? You'd be perfectly fine. Just don't get too close to the potions." I added again, my voice edged with warning.

"Understood."

"Good girl." I said, then turned to the table next to me, pulling out the drawers as I scrambled for something.

"So," she began, meeting up from behind. "Why did you bring me here to your mother's um—workshop?" I laughed.

"Workshop? Is that what you're gonna call it now? Unbelievable." I said.

"I didn't mean to, but it's true. This looks exactly like what I've always grown up reading. Where witches perform their voodoo's and scary stuffs. I sure as hell hope there's no human bones or blood around here because witches that I've read about uses that shit for their potions and rituals."

I slammed the last drawer close, unable to find what I was searching for and then I turned to her, finally leaning on the table behind with my hands crossed over my chest.

"Aren't you a nurse? You should know or have an idea of what a place smells like if there are possibly anything concerning dead corpse or anything like that in a room, don't you think so?" I arched my brows.

She laughed nervously. "Yeah, right. Completely forgot that."

"No prob. But you're not totally wrong though. Most witches use human blood, hearts, and vital parts to make strong potions. It makes the potions much better and effective. But, my mom is different. She's not that type of witch. Not anymore. After she married my dad, an Alpha, she made sure to cut off most of those stuffs. Unfortunately, she couldn't cut off all even if she wanted to because it is part of who she is. So the potions here are just made out of the animals she had hunted in the woods." I shrugged.

She nodded slowly. "Okay...but you know animals have feelings too. They don't deserve any of this."

"Spare me all that bullshit, Jhelani," i almost rolled my eyes at her. "Those things do not have a soul. Only humans do. And wdym, why are you so concerned about them? It's not like you're a fan of keeping pets, not to talk of animals that has spent most of its lives surviving in the woods. They're not so innocent, you know."

"Yeah, whatever makes you feel better and sleep tight at night," she rolled her eyes like a pro, making me laugh. She's effortlessly adorable even when she's being damn annoying. I wonder how she does it but she's good at it.

I moved to the shelf that's filled with tons of old hand written books with dusty brown paper backs and then pulled out one of them. The one piece I recall correctly.

My mother probably would have written in where to find what I was searching for.

"And...I was right," I said, closing the book. "Under the floorboards it is."

"What's under the floorboards?"

"Take a few steps back, honey. You'd find out soon." I winked, and once she did, I crotched down, pulling up the floorboard and it creaked open.