Chapter 53 A new friend
SOMA
The next morning, someone shakes me awake.
Jade. Her lips move, but I don’t hear a thing. I don’t want to rise. I don’t want to move. I don’t want to do anything. My body still feels too heavy, and my chest too tight, like I’m still trapped in that room with Brynne. Even when he’s far away from me, he still haunts me.
“I’m not attending classes today,” I say when her words sink in. She tries to argue, but I roll to face the wall. “No one will miss me, anyway.”
“My lady…” Jade’s voice wobbles.
She seems more worried than last night, but she asks no questions as she fusses over the blanket. If Brynne hadn’t fixed my foot, I could have used it as an excuse. But he healed one part of me only to break another.
Looking over my shoulder, I tell her, “I’m fine. Dancing lessons were brutal yesterday. I’ll just take the day off.”
“Okay. I’ll fetch your breakfast.”
Without waiting for my reply, she slips out of the room. I mean to wait, but sleep drags me down again. When I wake up, I’m not alone. Jade isn’t the only one in my room.
Helga sits at the edge of my bed, her face creased with worry. She’s in a dress. It’s odd to see her in something different from our usual uniform.
“Hey,” Helga says. “What happened? You look awful.”
Before I can answer, my stomach growls, and Jade scoots out of the room like she’s been waiting for that noise. Helga laughs, redirecting her gaze to me.
“What happened?” Helga asks. She flattens the back of her hand over my forehead. “You’re warm. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Yesterday was… hectic.”
Her eyes narrow, but I don’t offer the truth because I don’t know how to explain myself when I took part. The door opens, interrupting whatever she wants to say.
Jade saunters in with a tray containing a steaming bowl. Helga drags a low table closer to the bed so she can set it down.
“Soup,” Jade announces, her voice too cheerful.
Helga helps me to sit up and places the tray on her lap. Ignoring Jade’s protests, she lifts a spoonful to her lips, blows air over it, and directs the spoon to my mouth.
“Come on. Eat. Jade says you’ve not eaten anything.”
Jade flushes and looks away. When her eyes finally return to me, they are wide with relief as I swallow the soup. It’s spicy and delicious, but I have no appetite.
An unfamiliar warmth explodes in my chest. Mason used to care for me when I got sick, but this is different. Our options were limited then, and he never spoon-fed me.
Is this really what it feels like to have a friend or someone close to a sister? I try to refuse the next spoon, but Helga is relentless.
“Open your mouth, my lady. Don’t let it get cold.”
Despite the oddity of the situation, I say, “Call me Dee.”
“Fine, Dee. Open.”
The exasperation in her voice, plus her concentration, has my lips finally parting to take in another bite. She pushes spoon after spoon toward me until the bowl is empty.
After that, she tugs me to my feet and nudges me toward the bathroom. “It’s past 7. You should clean up.”
Now, I understand why she’s not in her uniform. Wait, 7 p.m.? No, I can’t lock myself here forever. Brynne might have stolen my first kiss and orgasms, but I don’t have to let him ruin the rest of my life, especially my education.
That thought fuels me to freshen up, and Helga is waiting with a smile when I step out. She tucks me back into bed and climbs in beside me. That warmth stirs in my chest. I hug her from the side, my head dropping to her shoulder.
We fall into a comfortable silence until I whisper, “How did you get into Shadowspire?”
Helga chuckles. “I’m a descendant of one of the founding fathers.”
“Wow.” I look up, and she winks. “So you have magic.”
She snorts. “I wish. Our bloodline has long been tainted.” Her jaw drops to my head, and she mutters, “Some days will be good, and some will be bad. But strong people don’t give up. I know you’re stronger than this, my lady. Don’t let anything get to you.”
Nothing about me feels strong right now, but I close my eyes and cling to her.
When we pull back, I whisper, “Dee.”
“What?” she asks, confused.
“Dee,” I reecho. It’s what Mason called me, and he was my only friend. “Call me Dee.”
She chuckles. “Alright, Dee.”
We laugh, and the weight in my chest slowly melts. Brynne might have unknowingly helped me gain a new friend.