Page 57 of A Storm in Every Heart
I know before I’ve finished speaking that she’s not here. My heart skips a beat as I scan the empty space, my gaze zeroing in on the green glass bottle sitting alone on the windowsill. A sense of unease settles over me.
Deep breath in…
Deep breath out…
If Odessa isn’t in her room, there aren’t many other places she might be. She could be by the lake or having breakfast with Alix. I shut the door and head downstairs.
When I enter the kitchen, I find it already full. Daemon sits hunched over a plate of fried eggs. Alix is beside him, animatedly discussing something with Jett across the table. Fox, silent as ever, leans against the counter, cradling a steaming mug of herbal tea in one large hand. Even Aurelia is here, sitting on the counter in Fox’s shadow and kicking her feet as they dangle above the floor.
Everyone is here except the one person I care about finding.
Daemon glances up at me, his eyes narrowed. “Morning,” he mutters darkly.
“Where’s Odessa?” I ask without preamble.
Jett grins widely. “Shouldn’t you know?”
“Shut up,” Daemon and I snap at the same time.
Jett rolls his eyes and takes a large bite of his breakfast, his sarcastic reply coming out garbled around his food. “If you’d ‘shut up’ last night, then I wouldn’t have anything to comment on, would I?”
I pointedly turn away from him and focus on Daemon. “Just tell me where she is.”
My best friend’s brow furrows, and he shifts uncomfortably in his seat, glancing away as if searching for an escape. “Don’t fucking drag me into this. I don’t care what you do with Dessa, but I don’t want to know anything about it.”
Alix turns in her chair to face me, blocking Daemon from view. “We haven’t seen her. We thought she was with you…and maybe she changed her mind about leaving?” she raises a hopeful eyebrow.
I frown. Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it. Somehow, the idea that Odessa might still leave after last night completely fledmy mind. Like it was so inconceivable, it didn’t even warrant thought.
I’m a fucking idiot.
“Where’s the emissary?” I ask.
“They already left,” Aurelia says lightly.
I look at her so fast that my neck cracks. “What?”
Aurelia hops down from the counter and crosses her arms over her chest. “She left this morning when it was barely light out. I helped her carry her things down.”
“Why the hell would you do that?” Daemon barks.
Aurelia nonchalantly shrugs and inspects her nails, seemingly unaffected by his harsh tone. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s not my job to hold anyone hostage.”
“Wait, so they’re already gone?” Alix exclaims, jumping to her feet. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You didn’t ask,” Aurelia says brightly. “And I told her I wouldn’t tell…but I’m a romantic. Sue me.”
I blink rapidly at her—I never have any idea what Aurelia is talking about, and I don’t have the energy to sort it out now. Not when I can feel the beginnings of panic thundering through my chest.
“How did she convince the emissary to leave without saying a formal goodbye?” Alix demands of the room at large.
Daemon’s eyes widen. “She could have just asked him.”
“Compelled him, you mean?” Fox grumbles, entering the conversation for the first time.
“Right, but she rarely does that.” Daemon glances at me with a slight accusation in his expression. “At least, she didn’t before now. What the fuck did you?—”
“Stop it,” Alix cuts him off firmly. “Dessa wouldn’t just leave without saying anything…right? There wouldn’t be any point; she was leaving today anyway. Jett was going to go with her.”
