Page 51 of Dark Souls

“I’m right here. No need to shout. My head is already pounding,” I groaned, lifting my hand to nurse my hangover. Calli stepped forwards, over the shards of glass on the floor and handed me a small vial of orange liquid.

“Hangover cure.” She smiled as I took it and necked it in one go like a shot.

“What happened to the door? Are you okay? Did someone break in? Why didn’t you call for us?” My mum was in full worry mode as she started inspecting the cabin door and the broken window before scanning the room on high alert.

I winced as the potion started to do its magic on the ebbing pain in my head until it was pretty much gone completely. I exhaled with my eyes closed, bracing myself for what was about to come, but there was no way I could tell her the truth because a really stupid part of me still had hope. Hope that Rue was right, and we’d be able to fix this with our mate. But my family would lose their minds if they knew what he’d done, and it was a headache I wasn’t willing to deal.

“I forgot my keys and locked myself out. I’m sorry. I’ll pay Miles for the door, don’t worry.”

Mum froze, her purple eyes narrowing with icicles that could freeze the arctic.Ah shit.

“You did this? You smashed a window because you forgot your keys? What the fuck, Ilaria!”

“Language, mother.” My attempt to mimic her favourite scolding of my potty mouth fell flat as her nostrils flared. It was hereditary, clearly.

“Why wouldn’t you just knock on one of our cabins? You don’t smash a window to get in like a criminal, Ilaria! What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was high, remember? Because you let me drink Calli’s concoction. I’ll apologise to Miles and pay for the damage, okay? You know Miles, he’ll just laugh it off anyway.”

“That is not the point. I can’t believe you’d do this! I didn’t raise you to be so disrespectful, no matter how high you are!”

“Mum, can we not do this now.” I huffed, turning to start throwing my stuff in my suitcase.

“I’m ringing Miles right now, and you can explain it to him.”

“Fine. Whatever. I said I was sorry, and I was going to tell him myself anyway.”

She growled, her wolf’s presence at the surface as she turned and stormed out of the cabin with her phone to her ear. I grabbed a new change of clothes and stood up straight to find my mum’s best friend watching me suspiciously with a naughty glint in her hazel eyes.

“Something you want to say, Calli?” I asked as she picked up a towel and threw it at me.

“Go and have a shower to rid yourself of that tousled, flushed ‘I got down and dirty last night’ look you have going on right now. My potion is good but it’s notthatgood.”

My eyes widened as I froze. Shit, was it really that obvious?

“Don’t worry. My lips are sealed. I am presuming you’d rather I kept your wild night to myself and your mum is too pissed about the door to have even got a good look at you yet. So, if you don’t want all the questions, jump in that shower asap.”

“Oh my god, thank you!” I exhaled in relief. She smiled mischievously as I grabbed the towel, clothes and make-up and walked back into the bathroom.

“Ilaria.” I paused in the doorway to look back at her. “You are like a second daughter to me so just promise me you are being safe, and I’m not going to regret keeping this quiet. Because I am guessing what happened to the door wasn’t because you forgot your keys.”

“I’m good, Calli. I’m not in danger or anything, I swear.”

She nodded as I attempted to close the door but called out, “At least tell me it was good?”

I sighed deeply. “Oh, you have no idea.”

“So, what exactly are we looking for?” I asked Grandma Maddy as we scanned the rows and rows of ancient books in the castle library. After I’d spent the afternoon grovelling to Miles and cleaning not just my cabin but all the ones we used last night as a punishment for the window I didn’t even break, I’d transported myself straight to the castle to hide away from my parents’ wrath. It didn’t last long though, because they’d already planned to come down here to start researching anything that might help my brothers in their battle against some mysterious evil force that was turning wolves into infected zombie beasts. My entire family were sitting at the huge table in the dining room, going through endless books for anything that might help them. To escape the tension in the room, I’d offered to help Grandma by scouring the aisles of the castle library.

“Anything that could give us a clue as to who or what could be behind this kind of power. It sounds so awful. I can’t imagine what the people from that realm are going through. And your poor brothers are feeling the pressure to figure this out before it’s too late. I wish we could find a way to just go and help them ourselves, but we are trying to respect your brother’s decision and Heroux’s customs too.” She yawned loudly, raising her hand to cover her mouth before she smiled at me. “I know, none of us have been getting much sleep from worrying about them. This is the first time this family has been apart for so long. It must be very hard for you too, darling. Being a triplet and as close as you three are.”

I ran my fingers across the spines as I nodded, feeling a little guilty. I’d been so distracted by Heathen, The Underground and now Red that my brothers’ absence hadn’t affected me as much as I knew it should have. Yes, I missed them like crazy. A piece of me was lost without them here, but at the same time, I felt a sense of freedom that I had never had before.

We’d always done everything together. We’d barely been apart growing up, and they meant everything to me. They were my comfort. My home. But it wasn’t until now I realised just how much I had leaned on them. If I was bored, Leif was there to cause mischief with. When I was frustrated or angry, Lorcan’s calm presence would soothe me and keep me sane. When I was sad, Leif would be the first to make me laugh. When I needed advice, Lorcan would be the first to listen to my problems. And when I was in trouble, they’d always have my back, no matter what.

“I miss them a lot,” I replied, pulling out a book on spells and flicking through it but barely paying attention to what was on the pages. “But I don’t know. I think it was time for us all to figure out things on our own. Lorcan was born to be a leader and a hero. And Leif, he just wants adventure. They are both on their own paths now, and I’m happy for them. And I’m not worried. I know they will be fine. They are Romano-Blacks. We can overcome anything.”

I wasn’t sure if I was saying that more for her sake or for mine. Because that’s what I needed to believe. Doubt and worry were only going to send me spiralling into panic and anxiety. Two emotions I did not cope well with from past experiences. Maybe that was why I was throwing myself into my surrounding distractions.

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