Page 66 of The Last Aether

I let out the first full breath since I’d walked through these doors. He wasn’t kicking me out. Not yet anyway.

King Terra muttered something about bureaucracy and started for the door.

King Zephyr glared at the headmaster. “I’ll be fact-checking that report.”

“You are welcome to,” Headmaster Acker replied.

King Zephyr turned and his gaze froze me to the spot. That terrifying coldness was back. The kind with no soul. He strode towards me, the guys at my side stiffening. Air swirled around me, carrying with it words only I could hear.

“You look just like her. I wonder if you’ll scream like her too.”

37

The air swirling around me was gone a moment later, King Zephyr going with it. But his words had embedded themselves in my mind. So deep I didn’t think I’d ever get them out.

“Aura?” Worry creased Riven’s brow. “Did he do something?”

I shook my head, unable to repeat those awful words.

Riven studied me carefully, not seeming to believe me.

He shouldn’t have. Voices swirled around me, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I was too lost in the world of what-ifs and searching for memories. I didn’t say a thing as Atlas guided me out of the office. Didn’t make a sound as we walked back to the royal dorm.

The guys started for the kitchen, but I made my way up the stairs. There were countless rooms in the house, but none of them felt like mine. I avoided the guys’ rooms and wove my way to another hall that housed guest rooms.

I picked one at random, stepping inside and closing the door softly behind me. Leaning against the door, I struggled to breathe normally. Each beat of my heart intensified the ache in my chest.

The walls felt as if they were getting tighter and tighter. I hurried towards the French doors, needing fresh air, a breeze, anything. I flung them open and stumbled out onto the balcony.

My legs shook and I collapsed to the ground. My lungs burned as I struggled to get air into them in wheezing pants. My breaths were so loud, I didn’t hear the person enter the room. Wasn’t aware of their presence until they had crouched down next to me.

Kai moved on instinct, scooping me up and depositing me on his lap. “You’re safe, Aura. I’ve got you.”

A sob struggled to break free, but that wouldn’t come either. It was as if everything inside me was locked down in panic.

“Breathe with me.” Kai lifted my hand to his chest so I could feel the rise and fall.

I struggled to find his rhythm. It came in fits and starts. I would get it for a moment and then lose it again. But finally, the steady ebb and flow settled in.

When I was finally breathing evenly, I collapsed against his chest.

Kai stroked a hand through my hair. “That’s it.”

I tipped my head back so that I could see his face. “How did you know?”

“Know that you were upset?”

I shook my head. “How to get me breathing again.” Usually, I had to struggle with the panic for a hell of a lot longer than that.

Kai’s fingers stilled in my hair before picking up his ministrations again. “I’ve been there.”

My gaze bored into him in question.

He let out a huff of breath. “I had a lot of nightmares after Eleanor tried to kill me. Sometimes they led to panic attacks. My dad helped me with that breathing technique. It always helped to see someone else’s rhythm. I’m not sure why.”

I pressed my palm to his chest. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” If she hadn’t already been dead, I might’ve had to pull a Phoenix and hunt her down. It was bad enough that she’d tried to kill Kai but then to torture him in unconsciousness?

“It’s better now. I’ve learned to deal with it when memories come up. And the guys know how to help if I ever have a bad one.”