11. ~Orpheus~

11

~Orpheus~

My baby bird was struggling.

With Xavier away in therapy and Alena ghosting us, aside from a few brief texts a couple of days ago, he was really feeling the chasm between the four of us.

He wasn’t even secure in the fact that he still had me, because he was afraid I was going to go dark , as he so bluntly put it.

Unfortunately, my display of darkness and my apparent loss of control against Isabella had only fueled those fears for him.

The truth was that it had been premeditated.

I hadn’t lost control.

Although, I had to admit, the satisfaction of bringing that scum to her knees had been incredible.

But I’d done it to lessen Callum’s influence over things, to take back control. I’d known that the faculty would effectively ground me and confine me to my room for some time and have eyes on me for a time after the fact. It had been exactly what I’d wanted, so that I would temporarily be proven useless to him, unable to make a move and take Obsidian in the direction that he wanted. It wasn’t time to move yet, but he’d wanted me to do just that, and he’d used his threats to try to push me into employing his rash strategy.

He wanted to make an impact on the supernatural world, to be seen as a hero, and as somebody who saw all, who saw better than Exemplar , believing the entire organization to be ineffective. He wanted them to look to him to take the lead, to employ his way of doing things.

And he’d been using me to do it.

Of course, I’d gotten what I’d wanted as well—the freedom and protection to enable myself, Talon, Xavier and the students to explore and hone our powers and abilities.

But now that had been achieved, his participation and role was nothing but a hindrance to me.

Worse—a threat.

And I wouldn’t stand for that.

I’d been holding him off by giving him a piece of me sexually, but that had grown unappealing in more ways than one.

There wasn’t much time left in this holding pattern, though.

Soon the faculty would lift their punishment.

It wasn’t like I could fake acting out again, or I would face a complete lockdown that would involve them muting my abilities with those abhorrent power muting cuffs that they employed in extreme circumstances.

The Dark Fae Prince losing his fucking mind and losing control would certainly qualify.

Explaining all of that to Talon would be futile, though, because I did still believe that the way to defeat Constantine Vale was to fight fire with fire—to delve into the darkest of magics.

That battle had proven as much.

So for now I was showing Tal as much stability as possible.

Completing my assignments, keeping my head down, working on my magical map. Unbeknownst to anyone, I actually had people searching the locations I’d identified. My contacts and assets in the Dark Fae Realm that even my father didn’t know I’d put in place. They were beings in lower positions in the Kingdom, a key qualifier for me because it meant they went unnoticed, unlike if I’d gone with members of my father’s High Court. They were guards, clerks, and aides. While they were overlooked and definitely not seen as power players, they were all in positions to be privy to key information and intelligence. They were how I’d kept abreast of things happening in the Kingdom while I’d been away and my father and I had been estranged for a time.

I just wished I’d been able to obtain all the pieces of the puzzle regarding the map, but the Commander who I’d been slated to meet with was mobilized right now to defend the DFR should Constantine and his army attack, as they were doing throughout the rest of the supernatural world.

Things were in a state of emergency, meaning that key figures weren’t reachable.

I hadn’t been able to connect with Abigail Rose over my concerns for Alena’s state of mind and the infection I’d felt from Constantine plaguing her. The one time when I’d actually wanted to reach out to the woman, the one time where it was imperative, and I’d been blocked.

I shoved my hand through my hair as I stood on the turrets waiting on Talon to arrive.

It was my first night free of my confinement and I’d suggested that we spend the first couple of hours flying, something that was a type of therapy for us both, something that helped to center us and brought us contentment.

As I waited, I fired off another text to Alena.

Thirty-five and counting . All unanswered.

Orpheus: I’m out of confinement. Come flying with us?

Flames filled my vision and I looked out to see Talon come in hot, in full phoenix transformation, the firebird in all its magnificent glory.

He landed on the turret just a few feet from me, in full animal form, letting out a bird call.

I smiled, understanding, as he’d taught me how to speak Phoenix.

“Bring it on, Ore,” he was saying.

I unfurled my wings, then lunged at him.

He jerked backward with his phoenix speed and I soared up into the air at rapid speed, giving chase.

I heard his bird laugh, grateful that I could hear some semblance of happiness from him with it being so rare at the moment.

He dove down low through the trees and I chased him, the two of us laughing, the sounds echoing out into the night.

Vegetation rushed by, Talon’s phoenix fire lighting the way as we soared and dove, spun and wove through the obstacles of the trees, adrenaline and the thrill of the flight taking us both over in the most freeing way.

And then indigo-flames erupted from down below on the ground, just as we were about to dive down low again.

I blinked and saw none other than Elliot Sabre standing there right in our path.

“Talon,” I called.

He gave a nod, then transformed back to his human state in mid-air, leaving just his fiery wings, until he touched down on the grass before Elliot and hid them away.

I dropped down beside him, putting mine away too and regarding our unexpected visitor curiously.

Worriedly was more like it, given that he’d entered the Academy during a lockdown and the fact that he was here while Exemplar was in a state of emergency and he was absolutely needed there as the most powerful sorcerer in the world.

He stood there, his shimmering indigo robe flowing about him and revealing his battle garb beneath—a pair of worn leather pants and heavy silver armor strapped to his torso.

He was really something. I’d rarely seen him in the flesh, so it was a lot to behold.

Talon’s fingers snapping in my face had me blinking out of my admiration.

“Ore,” he scolded, not amused in the least.

He was still sore and sensitive about the regrettable Callum Cornwell situation.

Elliot stepped forward, his expression grave, so much upset rolling off him that it had me tensing.

“My son tried to take his own life.”

Talon choked.

I cursed under my breath.

“I was at the Exemplar compound at the time, but Dante was with him and able to prevent it in time as he attempted to burn himself by sunlight.”

“Fuck me,” I uttered.

“I understand that you four have formed a closeknit bond. Rather than keeping him from that in a bid to protect him and you, I believe he needs to be immersed in it now.” And then the almighty sorcerer actually admitted, “I need your help.” He went one further as a loving and deeply concerned father, “Please.”

“Of course. Whatever we can do,” Tal told him, urgency emanating from him.

“I’ve acquired permission from Dean Bronson to take you with me to Xavier, if you are in agreement.”

As Tal agreed immediately, the two of them looked to me for the same when I didn’t say anything.

“Ore?” Tal pushed.

I sighed, then told Elliot, “Support won’t be enough for him. I have an idea of how to help him, but you won’t like my method. Wilhelm certainly won’t.”

“We are at last resorts now, open to any methods.”

“We need to get Alena,” Tal said. “I know he broke up with her, but he can’t have meant it. It’s just what he’s going through. He’s in love with her.” He looked out at the forest and I heard him whisper on the wind, “He’s not the only one.”

I jolted at his confession.

He hadn’t told me that was where he was at when it came to Alena.

Xavier was obvious, but Talon took time to recognize and accept his emotions.

So, I was the only one who wasn’t quite there yet?

Being the most decisive usually, that was quite a thing.

Loving someone—admitting to doing so—required letting go in a way that unnerved me. So, I was obviously still holding onto control there.

The thing was, I had to continue to do so with the war raging all around us, with that psychopath out there and on the loose.

“We’re not on good terms at the moment,” I told Elliot. “There could be some resistance.”

“Nah, Ore. Not with it being about X’s wellbeing. She’ll put all that aside.”

Normally, I’d agree with that when it came to Alena. She was reasonable through and through. But we weren’t dealing with the norm anymore. “I told you that Constantine is inside her head. That shifts things, including her regular reactions and responses.”

“Constantine is inside the head of Alena Rose?” Elliot spoke, his eyes wide, his shock clear. And a whole lot of worry.

I nodded. “I’ve been trying to reach Abigail and failing.”

“I’m here now. I’ll notify her. I can’t allow Alena near Xavier if she’s been compromised by Constantine Vale. We’ll go to her and I’ll have her sent to her mother’s side.”

Tal grabbed my arm. “Abigail will take her from us.”

“Not to worry,” Elliot assured us. “With the connection between the four of you, no one could take you from one another. Besides, Abi is on board with your relationship.”

“She’s… what?”

“As surprising as it is, I speak the truth about her stance.”

“Wow, well, that’s one weight off.”

One minor one.

Motherfuck.

“Let’s do this,” I said. Eyeing Tal, I warned, “Brace yourself. She won’t take well to being sent for treatment.”

“I’m not down with the involuntary nature of it, but she needs the help, so it has to be this way.”

I laid my hand on his, nodding. “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

Elliot gave me a chin lift, then I teleported to Alena’s chambers with Talon.

We rematerialized right outside her door, Elliot joining us a mere second later.

I rapped on it, calling out, “Alena! Elliot Sabre is here concerning Xavier!”

No answer.

I tried again.

Talon pressed his ear to the door and called on his senses.

Frowning, he reported, “She’s not in there.”

“All right, then we’ll do a locator spell,” I said, turning to get right to it.

“Wait,” Elliot said, holding up his hand. “Something is amiss.”

His eyes narrowed and he hissed, “It’s strong.”

In the next moment, he was blasting open the door.

He rushed inside with us right behind him.

A sudden sickly feeling enveloped me and I grimaced, taking a staggering step back.

“Black magic,” I realized aloud.

“Yes,” Elliot confirmed, his indigo fire aflame. “The signature belongs to Constantine.”

He concentrated, then reported, “He convinced her to step outside the ward.” His gaze flicked to us, as he told us gravely, “He has her.”