I edged back into the wall as I watched Lincoln collect his files from the table and then stride towards the door, Mia in step behind him. It struck me how in charge he appeared, and even though his face looked so familiar, barely aged, he seemed somehow older.
He was going to walk right by us. Slowly, trying not to arouse any attention, I turned towards Gray to shield myself even more. But I flinched mid-turn when, from behind, a hand, blazing hot, wrapped tightly around my upper arm. A voice I knew better than my own spoke quietly into my ear from the other side of the silk hood.
‘Would you think me such a fool that you could be here, in this city, this building, this room and me not know about it?’
I swallowed, frozen. I couldn’t turn to face him. I couldn’t lift my head. Even my soul was stunned.
Lincoln didn’t seem to be bothered by our proximity, nor by my failure to respond. His grip only tightened to the point of almost painful. But it wasn’t, it was just … strong and maybe something else. My breath caught.
‘Lincoln!’ Josephine’s sharp voice carried out across the room. ‘I’ll ask you to remove your hand from my guest.’
I felt Lincoln’s body go rigid behind me. He dropped his hand from my arm and spun. I turned too, keeping my hood down to cover my identity from the rest of the room. From beneath, I watched what I could.
‘You brought her here?’ he asked, his voice disbelieving.
I watched Josephine’s patent black high heels move closer as she strode towards us. ‘An invitation was extended,’ she answered smoothly.
I could see Steph’s feet now too, as she moved towards us. I looked up a little to see her face, a picture of concern as she put the pieces together. She knew it was me.
‘And three guesses who she brought with her,’ Lincoln said, his words barely audible.
‘Do you think she has no right? As I understand from the many stories I’ve heard, she saved Spencer’s life once before.’
Lincoln looked down and half laughed, but there was no humour in the action. ‘Yes. Well, whose life hasn’t she saved?’
He spun back towards me. I dropped my head, reeling, and froze in place as his words hit me.
‘Do what you must to satisfy whatever curiosity brought you here. Stay out of my way. I have people who rely on me and I don’t have the luxury of being able to turn my back on them.’ And with that final barbed comment he stepped out of the room, Mia following silently.
Josephine, noticing I still hadn’t lifted my head, cleared her throat. ‘Zoe and Salvatore, will you please make the necessary arrangements to escort our guest to the infirmary first thing in the morning? If you’ll excuse me for now, I have to confer with the Assembly. Rainer and Hakon, could you please join me?’
I wanted to argue with Josephine, insist on visiting Chloe now, but speaking required more control than I had at the moment.
I could sense Rainer’s reluctance to leave the room. She wanted to be sure it was me beneath the cloak. She’d been my mentor and we’d grown close when I’d been here last. But I couldn’t show her. It was taking everything I had to hold still.
Once they had cleared the room and it was just Salvatore, Zoe and Steph left, Gray nudged my arm. ‘That’s your girl there, isn’t it?’
When I failed to respond, he just nodded as if he understood. He pulled back his hood and spoke to Zoe and Salvatore. ‘Couldn’t show me somewhere I could clean up a little, could you? We had a long flight.’
‘Of course. We’ll show you to the guest bathrooms,’ Salvatore said, in perfect English, grabbing Zoe’s arm and dragging her to the door. Zoe stared at me the whole time, mouth agape.
I remained still.
When the door finally closed, I let out my breath and took a deeper one to replace it. And then my legs gave out.
Steph caught me, falling to the ground with me as I breathed in the lingering honey and absorbed the remains of the first touches of sun I’d felt in two years.
I was strong. I was a warrior. A weapon.
But seeing him, feeling his presence, crushed my heart all over again.
CHaPteR eIgHt
‘Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.’
Kahlil Gibran
‘Breathe, Vi,’ Steph whispered in my ear.
I couldn’t believe it. A few minutes in the same room as him had caused a complete wrecking effect on me. While he had remained just fine.
‘It’s okay. You’re allowed to care,’ Steph continued to soothe.
But that was just the thing. I wasn’t allowed. I’d given up my rights to him. And he’d seemed so … indifferent. And different. He was stronger but also harder. He was a leader now. No doubt a good one, but I couldn’t help but wonder – was he a kind one? The leader I’d always imagined he would be?