Page 125 of Caelum

Though I wanted to be wholly upfront with him, there was no point. He wouldn’t believe me. None of them would.

Until they experienced it for themselves.

“It seems to be that way,” I answered instead.

“Well, that’s not too bad. I mean, if it was like another Hell Hound or a Succubus, then we’d be in the shit,” Frazer asserted, sending me a smile I assumed was supposed to be comforting.

It didn’t work.

I didn’t say that though, because the eighth soul wasn’t like any of the others. It truly was unique, and I didn’t know everything it was capable of either. There was no point in spreading fear on the subject when that soul had never given me reason to be scared.

Concerned? Sure. But scared, no.

“Caelum doesn’t like unusual.” The words, not surprisingly, came from Dre. “Whether or not this eighth soul is dormant or a figment of her imagination, the fact she has three mates tells us she’s different, that something about her is weird. Which makes me believe this eighth soul is the very reason why you three are her Chosen.” He wasn’t trying to be a jerk, and I appreciated that for once, even if he did make me feel like some kind of nincompoop. Then, he made my heart sink through my chest when he said, “She can’t stay here.”

And the others about broke that sunken heart when they nodded, their features set in grim, stressed, and tense lines, as they agreed with him.

“We need to make sure she appears normal until we can figure out a way to get her off the island,” Frazer rasped, running a hand through his hair, disheveling the short locks in a way that made me wish I could stroke them back into some semblance of order.

I supposed, as my Chosen, I did have the right to do that, but I couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Not yet, at any rate.

And his words, well, I wasn’t sure if they filled me with dread or happiness.

I’d known from the start I’d have to find a way off Caelum. Preferably before graduation, before I had to walk through the gates once more. But knowing and doing were two separate entities.

But were they going to come with me?

I was afraid to admit how much I wanted them to.

“They’re keeping a tight lock on her because of the extra studies,” Dre pointed out. “They’re monitoring her. Making sure her late arrival at the Academy isn’t going to have an adverse effect on her.” When a surprised squeak escaped me, he grunted, “They weren’t doing it out of the kindness of their heart, sweetheart. They’re making sure you don’t turn Ghoul on their watch.”

“Enough,” Reed spat, glowering at Dre, and I noticed he looked bigger than before. Not like that should have been possible, but his biceps bulged harder, his veins pulsing all over his torso which, thanks to his shirtless state, was completely visible now.

“We’ll figure out a way,” Frazer said softly, calmly. “Reed, it’s okay, brother. We’ll keep her safe.”

I watched as my Chosen’s nostrils flared, his teeth still gritted as he glowered at Dre. Then, he cut a look at Frazer and nodded before making a concerted effort to calm down. I watched his color change as he began an unusual breathing routine that had his chest bellowing, but appeared to bring him some kind of peace.

“How?” Eren’s voice broke into the uneasy quiet. “How can we? We’re stuck on here until they let us out, and we can’t sneak her off the island when we’re on a mission. We go straight into battle zones. She’ll be in danger.”

Samuel licked his lips. “We have funds that surpass Caelum’s. Money is no object.”

A muscle in Stefan’s jaw ticked. “Money doesn’t solve everything.”

“Never said it did,” Samuel grated out, and he moved his hand, flicked his fingers in a way that had one of his knuckles popping. “But it certainly fucking helps.” To Frazer, he added, “We can get a boat. Have them come to shore without a motor then sneak off the island that way.”

My eyes widened. “We could do that?”

Samuel stared at me, and I was surprised to see there was a softness to his expression as he looked at me. The last time I’d spoken to him had ended up with me trying to break his nose. The gentleness was unexpected but appreciated.

He nodded. “We could. If Frazer thinks that’s the best route.”

After my last run-in with him, a run-in that saw me attack him, I’d feared he was another Dre, and that was the last thing I needed. Dealing with one Dre was bad enough. Almost like running headfirst into a brick wall a thousand times and hoping the last time would be like running into abank of clouds instead. That Samuel was capable of kindness gave me hope.

“It’s an option,” Frazer acknowledged, making me glance at him.

From his sternness, and the way he was staring at the ground, I knew he was thinking hard and fast about the other options available to us.

And yes, their words showed me we were an ‘us.’ I couldn’t help but be relieved by that.

---