Chapter 54 Missing (I)
SOMA
Brynne is avoiding me. Or maybe I’m the one avoiding him, but I haven’t seen him even once since Monday. It’s Thursday, and I hope the rest of my week goes without him showing up. The pranks have diminished. Jade still follows me to some classes, but she’s also learning to read and write.
Classes end later than usual today, and my head buzzes with words I don’t fully understand. Jade gathers her things and slides them into a tote bag with a little hum. For someone who’d been so reluctant at first, she now enjoys accompanying me. Maybe she can join me in more classes since I haven’t made new friends besides Helga. Most of my classmates are too scared, and the others flock around Maeve and Sheila.
All done, she stretches out her arms and yawns. It’s only the two of us left in the class. Etiquette lesson is next. It sounds like a simple class, but it’s not. Even sitting, standing, and holding cutlery are significant skills that require their own lessons.
“I think I’m done for the day,” she says. “I’ll head to the dorm. But I’ll be back before you return from your class.”
“No, go to the house instead. I left a book in my room. You can use it to practice your reading.”
Her eyes go wide. “Really?”
“Yes,” I mutter. I got it from the library. There are many helpful books, even for beginners, there. As long as she remains diligent, I’ll never let her run out of study material. On my feet, I pull her up, smiling at her excitement. “You said you wanted to read without help. The book is bulky, but it should help.”
Jade flushes. If we had been in the room, she might have hugged me. “Thank you, my lady. I can’t wait to read full sentences and write my name.”
There’s enough hope in her voice to make me laugh. We walk to the door and head to our different destinations. After etiquette lessons, I head to the cafeteria to practice my cutlery skills. Helga joins me there for lunch and walks me to my next class.
The rest of my day goes by in a blur, and when I finally leave the class, it’s way past closing hour. It’s the book’s fault. As soon as I started reading, I lost track of time.
My steps drag a little on the way back. The campus is quiet, and the wind bites. To keep my mind off the environment, I recite what I have newly learned.
There were six founding fathers, and four of them had elemental magic. The other two had unique powers that the books didn’t mention. They only labeled them strong. When new alliances were established after all the wars, and it was time to select an Alpha who’d rule what’s now known as Shadowspire, they let the people vote. It was a democracy back then with an Alpha, a Beta, and a Gamma. Nothing like kings.
The post of an Alpha was earned, not inherited.
It’s too bad the princes weren’t born in that era. Or no one would have voted that arrogant, entitled Brynne as the next Alpha.
A small sigh escapes my lips when I reach the front door. I push it open and enter, eager to drop into my bed.
But the relief and warmth fade when I spot Brynne. He’s on the living room floor, back propped against the couch, with his laptop balanced on his knees.
Why’s he here?
His head tilts slightly when he types, and his hair falls forward in messy strands that catch the light.
Right now, he looks relaxed, almost human, and nothing like the prince who pinned me against a mirror days ago. The sight sends an unwanted stir between my thighs, and a treacherous flicker that tightens my chest. I crush it quickly.
Brynne doesn’t look up when I walk past the couch, and I say nothing either. I take the stairs two at a time, heading straight for my suite. As soon as I step into the living area, the tiredness takes a backseat. Jade is not here, nor was she in the living room. I assumed she fled because Brynne was downstairs.
But when I enter my room, it’s also empty. The bed is made, and the book I left on the dresser is closed. Her tote bag is nowhere to be seen. Maybe she returned to her dorm for something and got carried away. I shake off the unease and freshen up before going down for dinner.
Brynne is still downstairs, but he doesn’t bother me. I eat in silence, pushing rice around my plate. The quiet feels heavier without Jade’s company to fill the gap.
Minutes later, I return upstairs, half-expecting to find her seated on the couch in the living area. But she’s not there.
Worry flutters again, but I dismiss it. She’s always been at my beck and call since she resumed. Maybe she wanted some time for herself. She has earned a break. Still, when I lie down to sleep, the silence presses too close.
The first thing I notice when I wake up on Friday morning is her absence. I sit up. Something’s wrong.