When I touched one of them, resting my arm against Siret’s as I curled back onto the ground, it disappeared completely. I stored the information away, turning it over and over in my mind.
I didn’t want to tell them on the off-chance that they used it against me, but the need to say something was becoming increasingly more and more urgent as we fought through the trees back into Blesswood. It went completely against my nature not to push out of Coen’s arms and stalk away from them. I wanted to find Emmy and get my lecture out of the way before delivering myself to the healer, if dwellers were even allowed to see the Blesswood healers. But I couldn’t, because I knew, on some level, that the pain of being away from them would cripple me.
Which definitely was not normal. That went beyond the bond formed between people who saved each other’s lives. That had everything to do with Rau and his creepy smoke-ball of light. Still, Coen apparently knew me well enough to know that the normal me would soon demand to be set on her feet, and so he let me down. I ignored the small pinch in my chest and started to stride ahead of them. It didn’t last long, because my dweller legs were super short. They had overtaken me in about three clicks and then I was jogging to keep up with them.
We passed into the back building of Blesswood, the Abcurses barging past other sols as though they owned the whole property, and me hurrying to dodge the stunned people who turned to watch them go. I didn’t know where they were going, so it surprised me when they burst right into the dining hall. It was completely empty, but the kitchens were bustling with activity, so it must have been close to dinner time. They sat around their table and I hovered behind, absolutely despising this new dynamic where I was just forced to follow them around like a lost little cub.
Siret noticed me still standing there and moved over a seat, holding out the chair between him and Aros. I shook my head. He reached over to me, gripping my forearm and dragging me into the chair. I landed heavily, a sighing grumble sounding in the back of my throat. I needed to convince one of them to take me to a healer. Something needed to be done about this forced co-dependency.
“You going to enrol me in classes, too?” I asked Siret, my tone dry and slightly annoyed.
He smirked, turning on me. “What? You don’t want to be one of us, dirt-dweller?”
I scowled, narrowing my eyes at him. “No.” Yes.
He shook his head at me. “Make up your mind.”
“I said no.”
“You also said yes.”
“No, I didn’t!”
Aros leaned over, his breath against my cheek. “You did,” he confirmed. “But it’s okay. You’re one of us now. We said we’d protect you if you stole us the cup, and now we will. You becoming an Abcurse is the only way that’s going to happen.”
“What?” I turned on him, and then on the others. None of them looked shocked. Maybe they had discussed it while I slept. “Are you going to adopt me?” I screeched.
Coen leapt out of his chair, looking disgusted. A few mouths dropped open.
“What?” choked Siret.
“Am I supposed to be your sister?” I was still speaking in that voice that was part-screech. “Are your parents going to adopt me? Are you going to marry me? Isn’t that illegal? No, wait, it’s just procreation between sols and dwellers that’s illegal. I remember now, Emmy told me.” I was clearly rambling at this point, but I couldn’t stop myself. “So I guess … technically, marriage is legal … but I don’t want to get married! I’m too young to get married! I still need to learn how to cook! And … and I—”
“Calm down.” Yael’s voice washed over me, stealing the bubble of words from my mouth. “Sit down.”
I looked down at my chair. I hadn’t even realised that I’d jumped out of it. Had it been when Coen jumped out of his? Maybe I had reflexively copied him. Which was weird. I sank back down.
“Take a deep breath, Willa,” Yael continued, the smallest of smiles spreading across his face. “There’s no way in hell that you’re going to be related to us.” He paused, meeting Coen’s stare. Coen had arched a brow at him. He turned back to me, his expression darkening. “Because you’re a dweller,” he needlessly added. “But you are going to stick with us from now on, and we will protect you. We will send the message to this academy that anyone messing with you is messing with us.”
I nodded, my eyes falling to the table. That could work. It would also help with the pain I felt whenever they weren’t near me, but what would happen when classes ended for the sun-cycle and everyone went back to their dorms? I would still need to be near them. The realisation hit me with a heavy, sickening clarity.
Shit. Shit! I can’t sleep alone!
“Why not?” Siret blinked at me, forcing me to reel in my thoughts.
“What?” Either I had lost my damned mind, or I kept accidently saying my thoughts out loud.
“Why can’t you sleep alone?”