Page 53 of The Last Aether

Phoenix’s jaw tightened. “Yes. He’s been dealt with, and Acker has been brought up to speed.”

Atlas rubbed at the tense muscles along my shoulders. “More of the royal guard has been dispatched to patrol the campus.”

“A lot of good that will do since we don’t know who we can trust,” Kai mumbled.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I think you had the right idea. Let’s eat before we get into this. Please?”

Atlas pressed a kiss to my neck. “Get ready and we’ll meet you downstairs.”

“Thanks.”

The moment the guys left the bathroom, I breathed a sigh of relief. Too much alpha male energy in a small space. I turned back to the sink and focused on my morning routine. By the time I stepped out into Atlas’s room, he was already gone. He must’ve grabbed an extra toothbrush elsewhere, sensing I needed a moment to get my head on straight.

I hurried to dress in a new uniform, hoping this one wouldn’t be torn to shreds by a crazed assassin and my own post-assassin freak-out. I caught sight of my schoolbag someone must have retrieved from the forest for me. Slinging it over my shoulder, I started for the hall.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was engulfed in a hug. The hint of salt air filled my senses.

“Missed you,” Kai said, nuzzling my neck.

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of me. “I was away from you for all of ten minutes.”

“And I hated every second of it.”

“Give the girl some air, would you?” Phoenix said, rolling his eyes.

Kai arched a brow. “Don’t think I missed you checking your watch half a dozen times.”

Heat rose to Phoenix’s cheeks. “I didn’t want us to be late.”

“Sure,” Atlas shot back.

The door opened, and my gaze moved to the figure entering the dorm. Riven looked like hell. Dark circles rimmed his eyes. His clothes were rumpled. And his hair was standing up every which way.

The entryway was filled with stony silence until Riven spoke. “Can I talk to you, Aura?”

“No,” Phoenix barked.

I laid a hand on Phoenix’s arm. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Kai growled.

I shook my head at him and then turned my focus back to Riven. “Say whatever you need to. I don’t have secrets from Phoenix, Kai, and Atlas.”

Riven nodded as he swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I’ve made a million mistakes thinking I was protecting you. But you were right. I took away your choices. That stops now. Whatever you want to know, I’m an open book. Whatever you need, I’m here.”

His glacier eyes burned with intensity. “I want this bond, Aura. I know you probably think I don’t. But I do. I need it. More than my next breath.”

I gaped at him. “You have a girlfriend.”

Why that was the thing my mind went to after everything that had been revealed yesterday, I wasn’t sure. Maybe it was simply the ridiculousness of the fact that Riven was saying he wanted me but was still involved with another girl.

Riven’s eyes flared. “Shit. Aura. I’m not—we’re not—” He took a shaky breath. “Eva and I have never truly been together. Not like that. We’re friends who knew our parents would go easier on us if we pretended to date. I care about her, I always will. But not like that.”

“But I’ve seen you two together. There’s an intimacy with you two.” I hated the way hope lit in my chest. Even while despising Riven for what he had put me through, there was still a part of me that longed for him in the next breath.

“She’s like a sister or another soldier you’ve been to battle with. We’ve watched each other’s backs practically since the day we were born. There’s bound to be a closeness there.”

I worried the spot on the inside of my cheek as pressure built behind my eyes. “I don’t know if I can believe you.” That hurt more than anything, that I felt like I couldn’t trust Riven, that I couldn’t trust myself.