Shimmering Chaos (Enchanted Chaos 2)

“Nothing he didn’t deserve,” Foster bites out. “Not after what he did to you … And locking you in that fucking room …” An uneven exhale eases from his lips. Then, with his free hand, he brushes his finger lightly across my bottom lip, his face a portrait of pain. With each stroke of his finger, I swear the imprint of Brody’s lips against mine fades.

“Did …? Did Easton tell you what darkness said to me in that room?” I can barely utter the words, too distracted by how calm his touch is making me feel. “About knowing what I am and the condition I’m in?”

He nods, tracing his fingers along my hairline and pushing my hair back from my eyes. “I sent a message to my parents about it. I’m not sure if the darkness in that room can actually escape and contact the elemental god of darkness or if it was just trying to screw with you, but they’re going to try to find out. Until then, we’re going to lay low and stay at the house, okay?”

“But what did darkness mean when it said, the condition I’m in?”

“I’m not sure. But my best guess is you being locked in that room and that it was draining your powers from you.”

I take a subtle breath as I attempt to process everything he just told me. How my lips hurt Brody. How my powers seeped into the Everettson brothers.

I’m such a risk. Why would anyone ever want to be around me? Not that the Everettsons have a choice in the matter, I guess. Well, unless their parents decide to kick my ass to the curb.

“So, no more school for now?” I attempt to focus on something else instead of my sudden burst of self-loathing.

He nods. “Not until my mom finds out more about the room of darkness.”

“What if they do find out it warned the god of darkness?” Not that I’m saddened by the fact that I get a few days off from having to go to that school again. In fact, I’m grateful I don’t have to go back yet.

Honestly, I wish I never had to return.

“We’ll figure that out when the time comes. If nothing else, we can attend another school. We just need to make sure you’re well-protected and that darkness doesn’t know where you are. Here, you’re pretty damn safe. There’re enough protection spells around our house.”

“That’s good.” I work to bottle back the fear creeping through me, but a bit oozes through, making the light bulbs flicker on and off. “So, there’re more schools for elementals on earth?”

His gaze flits from the flickering light bulbs to me. “They’re a ways away, but yeah.” He draws a path with his fingertip down the side of my face to my jawline, his eyes crammed with puzzling guilt. “I’m so sorry for letting that happen to you. What happened to you while you were in that room was probably awful, and I … I wish … I’m so sorry. I promised you’d be safe, and I failed you.”

“You didn’t fail me.” I’m taken aback by the guilt in his voice. “Stuff like that happened to me all the time in my normal school. Well, not that I was ever locked in a room of darkness, but one time, some guys locked me in the janitor’s closet. But I’m sure they would’ve locked me in a room of darkness if we had one at our school.”

“What happened today should’ve never happened. And what happened in your past should’ve never happened either. You never should’ve had to go through any of what you did … Brody …” His fingers twitch and his whole body tightens. “He only did it to get back at me. If I’d just been nice when I turned Sofie down, none of this would’ve happened.”

“I’m not so sure about that. I briefly met Sofie and her friend, who apparently saw me holding your hand at school—that’s what she was upset about. And besides, if you had to reject her several times, she should’ve taken the hint long before she did.”

“Maybe.” He studies me, tracing his fingers along my hairline then my jaw. “What all did they do to you? Brody and his lackeys … I know you said Brody kissed you, but …” He swallows, the ground shaking with whatever he’s feeling inside.

I shrug, but a foul taste burns at my tongue. “Brody made his friend drop my body temperature to a hypothermic level, and then his other friend blasted me with darkness. After that, I blacked out and woke up in that room. Brody was there, and he … well, he tried to kiss me, and then bit my lip when I bit his tongue.” My voice quivers, and I swiftly clear my throat. “But, yeah, anyway, he didn’t get very far before he passed out.” But, did he even pass out? I never did see him afterward …

Remorse pours from Foster’s lightning-blue gaze. “I’m so fucking sorry, but I promise, that if we return to the academy, you won’t have to worry about Brody or his friends again. From now on, you’re going to feel safe.”

The way he says I’ll never have to worry about being hurt by Brody again leaves me wondering if he hasn’t told me the full story. That maybe…

“Did I …? Did my kiss kill Brody?” I blurt out.

Foster swiftly shakes his head. “No, he just passed out. I swear.”

Relief trickles through me, but rapidly dissipates. “Did you kill him?”

“As much as I wanted to, no, I didn’t. When he woke up, I did get a few good punches in and blasted water through his body. Then someone broke up the fight. And since Brody was already on probation, he got kicked out of school.” He sweeps his knuckles across my cheek, watching in fascination as my eyelashes flutter. “Him and his friends who locked you in that room are never allowed on school grounds again.”

“What about Sofie?”

“With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to handle Sofie if you need to. Her powers are weak.”

“I don’t even know how to use my powers properly. Today more than proves that.”

“What happened today wasn’t your fault. And you’ll learn how to control your powers in time. My brothers and I will make sure of that. In fact, we should probably start as soon as possible.” He lowers his hand from his cheek, revealing a gnarly bruise forming on his skin.

“Holy shit, did Brody do that to you?”