Page 140 of Cursed Heirs

It was the best feeling when his eyes lit up.

“Fuck, you’re the sweetest, baby bird,” he said, leaning in and kissing my cheek. “I love you for this.”

“I love you too, brother.”

I kissed him back, then went to Xavier and he took them and positioned them on the tables the way he wanted, all antsy about things going in the perfect place.

He was as nervous about tonight as we all were, worried about Alena’s reaction to everything lately.

We just didn’t know what would set her off, or what she needed to help make her feel better, because she wasn’t talking about anything. Just a few murmurs and smiles and nods, and shakes of her head were all we were getting from her. It would be fine if that was what she needed, or if she’d told us she needed space from us all, or something. But she hadn’t. And the way she was handling things just wasn’t working, and it seemed to be making her worse.

Hopefully, tonight could begin to alter that.

Footsteps sounded, coming in heavy and hot.

And then I heard Alena’s voice.

She didnotsound happy.

“Orpheus! What is the meaning of this? I was fine under the supervision of half your army, while I was sitting in the quad reading. I didn’t need you to summon me here! Yeah, I know those were eyes you had on me!”

She rounded the corner and stepped through his illusion.

And her breath caught in her throat.

That anger that had been coming off her died a quick death and she actually smiled, her eyes wide with surprise at the same time.

“Wow, this is… I didn’t expect this.”

Orpheus stepped forward. “You were upset I left you with others, huh?”

“What? No. That’s not what I said.”

“It’s what you meant. I know you smashed that table in the quad with your angelic strength after you got my text message saying that I couldn’t make it out there to you.”

A sheepish expression played on her face. “I fixed it with my magic.”

“And that’s why I let it go.Andwhy I was able to finish this surprise out here with the boys.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry. Just talk to me. If that’s what you’re feeling, let me know. We could have avoided the smashed table and your upset.”

“I know, I just… I can’t… if I voice it… if I get into my feelings, all the rest might come out.”

“And if it does, we’ll be here.”

“I don’twantit to come out!” she yelled in another outburst because of the black magic sickness. “I don’t want it to be real!”

“But itwas.It was, Alena. And the more you try to shove it down and pretend it wasn’t, the more it’s going to hurt when you are triggered.” He stepped forward. “We’re not going to force you to talk about it, because that’s absolutely your choice, but you do need to try to start processing it. With that black magic running through your veins, it’s unfortunately playing on unresolved pain and—”

“I think I do want to talk about it.”

“You do?”

“I mean, you’re right, with the black magic, it’s… it’s impacting my impulse control and it’s using what happened as fuel.” She clutched at her head. “There’s so much pressure inside. Something needs to give. I need to release it somehow, in some way, and I think talking about it might be it.” She looked out at the three of us. “But I don’t want to bring out the demon in Xavier, the fiery phoenix temper in Talon, or the Dark Prince side of you when I get into what happened what he… what he did to me.”

“You won’t. We’ll remain calm, I swear it to you.” He glared out at me and Xavier as he uttered pointedly, “It’s the least we can do.”

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