Page 45 of Of Bone and Ash

“Did what to me?” I ask, leaning further back. My hand moves to my neck, and my fingers dance over the sore skin there. Like a wave, the memories of the man in the red cloak come crashing back into me, making me freeze. Shoving out of Teos’ arms, I run across my room to the small connecting bathroom, my mind whirling with everything that happened.

“Bella!” Teos grunts, scrambling off the bed and following me into the small room. I hear Adam and Neva hot on his heels as I stop in front of the big mirror hanging above the vanity and reach out to flick on the light to illuminate the dark room.

Dark purple bruises circle my neck, banding in an odd pattern that looks like some morbid necklace. “That fucker,” I grind out, bracing my hands on the vanity and leaning closer to the mirror, moving my head from side to side, trying to get a better look at my neck when Teos starts to curse behind me, his hazel eyes no longer their warm color. In their place are raging pools of bright yellow and orange colors, resembling the flames of his phoenix as he reaches out with a shaky hand and gently pushes down the collar of my shirt, exposing the back of my neck and shoulders.

I hear Neva suck in a shocked breath and look at Adam as a whooshed breath tears from his lips and he pales. Frowning, I turn to look at my back in the mirror, making Teos shift with me so he can keep a hold of my sleep shirt. The sight that greets me is not a pretty one. The entire span of my shoulders is covered in bruises, marring my skin and disappearing under my shirt. From the pain in my back, I’m assuming they cover the majority of the space there as well.

“I should’ve killed him,” I mutter, gaze still locked on the mirror as Teos practically vibrates with rage next to me.

“Killed who?” Adam asks as Neva tilts her head to the side, staring at my back with a look of anger I’m surprised to see. I’ve met the girl once, so I’m not sure why she looks so mad about my injuries.

“Was there someone in your room?” she asks as Teos shakes his head.

“No, I’ve been keeping watch all night,” he grinds out, making me shoot a glare at him over my shoulders.

“Obviously not very well since we came in without you seeing us,” Neva points out, crossing her arms and looking smug as Adam eyes her and Teos warily.

“Wait,” I grumble, yanking my shirt out of Teos’ fingers and turning on them. “Why are you two here?” I ask in confusion.

“You weren't at class this morning, and I was worried after I didn't see you leave that weird blue shield last night. So I came here to see if you were okay. I was just about to knock on your door when we heard you scream, so I teleported in and unlocked the door for Neva,” Adam explains, worriedly scanning my face as I nod. Yeah, okay that all makes sense.

“And you?” I ask, turning to Teos, who purses his lips and glares down at me.

“Window,” he grinds out, and I scowl.

“Of course you came through the window. I'm pretty sure I locked it after the conversation we had last night,” I say more to myself than to him as I turn and leave the bathroom, sidestepping Neva and Adam as I walk back into my room.

“You were screaming. I happened to be nearby,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders, and I scoff.

“Yeah. Sure, I totally believe that,” I mutter, walking to my closet and mindlessly grabbing some clothes to yank on. I don’t have time for a shower. I need to go talk to Atlas about what happened and see if he can shed any light on this situation.

“I did see him on the field this morning with the rest of the rugby team,” Adam randomly pipes in, making Neva scowl at him.

“Are you going to tell us what the hell happened or just run around the room and get dressed like it's totally normal for you to be hurt like this? You didn't have those last night, Bella. Who did this? I want a name,” Teos says, walking around the room with me as I toss my clean clothes on the bed and grab my hair, braiding it and tying it off with a hair tie I found on my dresser.

“Option two,” I say after a long pause, not wanting to discuss anything until I know what the hell is going on. My body aches, the pain more annoying than helpful as I resist the urge to grimace when I bend down and yank on a pair of socks.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Teos snaps, bending down to look me in the eye as I put on my other sock.

“And you aren’t supposed to be here,” I shoot back at him, standing back up and moving from my room to the front door.

“Where are you going? You haven't told me what the hell just happened!” I step out into the hallway, waiting for Teos to follow before I turn and glare at him.

“Leave me alone,” I snap before stepping back into my apartment and slamming the door in his handsome face.

“You do realize that he’s just going to come back in the window, right?” Neva comments, amusement filling her tone as she leans a hip on my bedroom door frame. Teos immediately starts pounding on the door, yelling my name, and I can't help the smile that crosses my face. I thought getting him out of my room long enough for me to get dressed without an audience was going to be difficult.

“Or break the door down,” Adam says with a wince, his head popping up above Neva’s as he watches the door behind me with hesitant eyes. Teos pounds on the door again, and I swear the door bends inward a little from the force.

“Not if I’m gone by then,” I mutter, rushing back into the room and gesturing for Adam to beat it so I can get dressed. “Besides, I wasn't really trying to get rid of him. I just wanted to get dressed, and he was attached to my hip,” I explain before shutting my door and getting dressed as fast as possible.

“Are you going to tell us why you weren’t breathing a few moments ago, or is that why we’re panic dressing?” Neva asks, her voice muffled through the door as I yank on clean underwear, a pair of flowy black slacks, and the black cashmere sweater my brother gifted me for Christmas.

“I need to go talk to one of the professors about it. I don't have the answers,” I call out to them. Not that I would tell them if I did. I’ve only met Neva once, and as much as I like Adam, he’s still a new friend. I need to get to know them before they get to know personal things about me.

“Sweet. Which prof? I’ll check the schedule and make sure he’s not in a class,” Neva asks as Adam mutters something I can’t quite make out.

“Hawkins,” I yell back, toeing on a comfortable pair of three-inch heels. There’s a brief pause, and then Neva laughs.

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