Chapter 17

We ran through the portal and into the hall's library.

I turned to the portal, ready to impale whoever else came through, but it poofed from existence.

Levi, Lacey, Abbie, Evelyn, Ash, and I looked at each other, all of us huffing as if we had run a marathon.

Then Lacey pressed a hand to her stomach and she dropped to the ground. Levi was fast and softened her fall before she hit her head on the floor.

We all rushed to her. My sword disappeared from my hand and I knelt beside Levi. I pulled Lacey's hand back, her fingers stained with blood. A big gash cut through her middle.

"Lacey?" I called out, my voice trembling. "You have to heal yourself."

"She can't," Levi said. "She can only heal others."

That was …

"Let's take her to the infirmary," Abbie said.

Lacey groaned as Levi picked her up, but she was out of it. We all followed her through the dizzying corridors until we entered what looked like a waiting room with couches and armchairs. Abbie gestured for Levi to walk past an archway, which opened to a large room with a dozen or so beds, all with curtains separating them.

Levi deposited Lacey on a bed in the far back, closest to a shelf-lined wall full of herbs and potions.

Abbie pulled the curtain around the bed. I wanted to follow them, but she looked at us ruefully and said, "You should take care of yourselves."

Then she disappeared behind the curtain.

I frowned. What did she mean? Then I looked down at myself and saw a few scratches on my arms and hands. Evelyn and Ash, who had come with us, were also hurt.

Evelyn pointed to a counter beside the archway. "I see some supplies there."

We walked to the counter and cleaned up our wounds in silence, but listening to the grunts and groans from Lacey, while Abbie did what she could to help her.

Could Abbie heal Lacey? I knew her gift was herbs and potions, and I truly hoped that was enough.

I closed my eyes and focused on the bond. It was faint for me, fainter than I thought it was for Levi, but when I reached for it, I could feel his despair, his pain, his fear.

He was scared for his sister, and he hated that he could do nothing for her.

A hand clutched my chest. I wanted to go there and hug him, hold his hand, tell him it would all be okay.

Because it would, right?

It had to.

I turned to the back of the room, intent on being with him, when Maggie rushed through the archway. She pointed her finger at us without even looking and said, "Stay there," and disappeared behind the curtain with the others.

I stared at the plain curtain for a moment. Had the sisters communicated telepathically? Could they do that? Otherwise, how did Maggie know we were here?

A few seconds later, Gwen and Britt were there too, but the two of them didn't join the others.

"Do you need any help?" Gwen asked, taking the healing paste from me.

"Hm, unless I have a wound on my back, I think I'm good," I said.

Still, Gwen applied more of the paste to my cuts and bruises, while Britt handed something for Evelyn and Ash to drink. "It's to help with healing," Britt said. "And pain."

Evelyn sniffed it. Right. When I first met her, Evelyn ran an apothecary. "Valerian root, turmeric. What else is in here?"

"Our magic," Britt said. She handed me my potion.

"And you are?" Ash asked, taking the vial from Evelyn.

"Oh, you don't know," I said, realizing Evelyn and Ash hadn't been here before and didn't know the sisters. "This is Gwen and Britt, and the other girl is Maggie. They are Abbie's sisters, and heirs to the Grand Eternity Hall."

Evelyn's eyes widened. "Oh, that's where we are?"

I nodded as I drank the potion. Instantly, I felt the potion tingling and spreading over my body, soothing.

A sudden, loud cry came from the back of the room, and we were all startled.

"It would be better if we went to the sitting room," Gwen said, ushering us out. "Or maybe the library."

"That's a place I would like to see," Ash said.

We followed Gwen and Britt to the library. On the way, Ash drank a big swallow from the healing potion, then offered it to Evelyn, who took one too.

The library was empty, no sign of Trent and Belinda, or even the animals.

Gwen and Britt pointed out the tree, the newly redone dome, the stained-glass window, and the different collections hidden among the endless shelves.

I stopped at the table where the books about magic absorption and dragons still lay. I reached deep within me and felt my magic stirring in my chest, slowly filling my veins.

I lifted my hand and light magic enveloped it.

Despite everything, I smiled.

"Oh my, you got your magic back!" Gwen said, her eyes wide. She smiled and walked back to me. "That's amazing!"

Britt nodded. "Impressive."

I almost rolled my eyes at the teenager. She was probably a handful to her older sisters.

I let that feeling sink in for a second and my chest contracted with pride, relief, and joy. "I'll be honest, I hoped this day would come, but it was a tiny, tiny sliver of hope."

Evelyn hugged me. "I'm happy for you."

Ash put a hand on my shoulder. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." I looked at her and Ash. "Thanks for helping me with this."

"You helped so many of our friends," Evelyn said with a small smile. "It was time someone helped you." Her shoulders sagged. "I'm sad that we needed to flee so fast. It's the first time Kaz has let me see the dragons, and I wanted to spend time with them."

"We can bother Kaz until he lets you see the dragons again," Ash said.

"I'm sorry about that," I said. Everything had been going so well, I had forgotten to take the potion, and as soon as I was out in the open, the angels found me. "It was my fault the angels cut our time short."

"At least they arrived after the spell was done," Ash said.

Evelyn nodded. "True. If they had interrupted it, I doubt the little dragons would have let us try again."

"I was going to wait until we hear from Abbie, but I can't take it," Britt said. "Tell us what happened."

"Please," Gwen added.

So, we did.

We told them everything from the moment we got to the island, to when they came to us at the infirmary.

"Do you know how she's doing?" I asked the witches.

"She's going to be okay," Maggie's voice startled me. I turned and saw her entering the library and walking toward us. "Abbie was able to channel Lacey's healing magic. She's weak, and still hurting, but she'll be fine. We gave her a sedative to truly rest, so she'll be out for a while."

"That's good news." I let out a long breath, then realized she was alone. "Where's Levi and Abbie?"

"Abbie is still hovering over Lacey," Maggie said. "And Levi was with her." I bit the inside of my cheek. "Go. I think he needs you."

I nodded and turned to Evelyn and Ash. "Will I see you later?"

"Maybe?" Evelyn said, glancing at Ash.

"They will be here." Maggie took over, sounding like a mini-Abbie, which was so unlike her. "Why don't I give you a quick tour of the Grand Eternity Hall, and then we'll stop by the dining room. I bet everyone is starving."

Gwen leaned closer to them and whispered, "The dining room is the best room in this entire place."

I chuckled. "It probably is."

With that, Maggie guided them farther into the library and I dashed to the infirmary. I had just come from there, but I was sure I would get lost again in the hundreds of endless hallways, especially because I wasn't thinking right. Because if I had been thinking, I wouldn't go to Levi, not with this desperation, this need to see him. I tried telling myself this was the bond and I should resist it, but how could I? I still could feel his fear, and now it had mixed up with exhaustion.

I entered the infirmary, expecting to find him with Lacey, but he was sitting on one of the couches in the waiting room, his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands.

My heart tugged.

He looked up, his blue eyes dull. "Hey." I didn't think. I went to him, pushed his chest back, and crawled onto his lap him, straddling him on the couch, and wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He let out a soft scoff. "Careful, sweetheart, or I'll think you care."

"Just blame the bond," I said, trying to play it lightly, but I felt him tensing under me. I squeezed him harder, though I was sure he barely felt anything. "How are you?"

Finally, his arms wound around my waist and he buried his head in the crook of my neck. "Better now."

"What can I do for you?"

"You're already doing it," he said, his voice muffled against my skin.

We stayed like that for a little while, until I felt his fear lessen a little, but his exhaustion was increasing.

I was about to suggest he go to his bedroom to sleep when Abbie walked out of the infirmary.

Levi jumped up, holding me by my waist and setting me down beside him. "And?"

"She's fine, Levi. I told you before," Abbie said. "And she's stable. Let her rest for now."

Levi groaned.

"I'll make him behave," I said.

Abbie offered me a tired smile. Then, she patted the bag, which was still slung across her torso. "I have a powerful and unstable crystal to lock away." Right. The crystal with foreign magic. I had already forgotten about it. "I'll come back in a couple of hours to check on her."

I nodded and Abbie walked out without another glance at us.

Levi fell back on the couch and I stood there, not sure what to do next.

With a growl, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. "Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?"

I adjusted my legs and arms around him. "I was here."

"Hm." He held me tighter. "I could feel you were confused, probably thinking about leaving."

"Aren't you? Confused I mean?"

He pulled back and looked at me. "Right now, all I want is to stay like this. If it's the bond, I don't care."

"Levi, about that …"

He tensed again. "What?"

"We can talk about it later." I started pulling away from him. "I can feel you're tired. Why don't you go rest and later?—"

"No." He held my arm and kept me on his lap. "Tell me now."

Shit. "It's just … I promised to find a way to break the bond after I got my magic back."

"And that is done."

"I know your head is focused on Lacey's health now, but I can start researching. I bet the sisters will help me."

"What about your plan? To go to Elysium?"

"Yeah, I mean, that's the plan, but I've been in this mess for five years already, what is a few more days? Besides, I think it would be better for us to have this bond cut when I go."

"Why? Are you planning on dying there?"

I flinched. "Of course I'm not, but what if it happens? Or if I get hurt? I don't want you hurting too."

"I'm a big boy, sweetheart. I can take it."

I frowned. "Levi?—"

"I know going to Elysium and finding out what is happening is important to you, Ariella. The bond can wait."

"But … are you sure? I thought you wanted this gone."

He stared at me for a long time, his jaw ticking. "I do. I want it gone, but the bond has been there for about a month. You've been waiting to get your wings back for five years, your magic for one. Get this over with, then we'll worry about the bond." His jaw relaxed and his lopsided grin took over. "Besides, aren't we having fun?"

I scoffed. "You and your dirty mind."

He leaned into me, one of his hands closed around my nape, the other slipped under my pants and reached for my ass. I gasped and he whispered in my ear, "Sweetheart, you have a mind just as dirty as mine."

I turned my face to his and he captured my mouth, his kiss hard and harsh as always.

Levi broke the kiss and stood up, holding me against him. He moved both his hands to cup my ass, and I locked my ankles behind his back while he walked out of the infirmary and into the room across the corridor.

It was a large parlor restroom, with a foyer area with a chaise lounge and a golden framed standing mirror. A little farther was the counter with dual sinks and ornate golden faucets, and beyond that, a closed golden door for the toilet area.

Levi pushed me against the wall and glued his body over mine.

"I thought you were tired," I said, knowing his exhaustion had taken a backseat to the lust that had burst from the both of us.

"So tired," he joked right before pressing his mouth on mine again.

I kissed him back for ten seconds, then I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him back.

He let me and looked at me with puzzled eyes. I spun us around, pushed him against the wall, and reached for his pants. He leaned into me, trying to capture my mouth again, but I knelt in front of him.

His eyes went wide for two seconds, then a half smirk spread over his lips.

I pulled his pants down, enough to free his erection.

By the light, he was huge.

I closed my hand around the shaft and licked the tip slowly. A hiss came from Levi and he leaned against the wall, as if he needed the support to stay standing.

Hm, I had barely started and he was already like this?

I liked it.

I closed my mouth around the tip and sucked.

Levi let out a string of curses.

I smiled as I took him fully in—a feat, considering how big he was. I started moving, my mouth and hand in sync, working him up.

"So fucking good," he whispered as he knotted one of his hands in my hair and guided me to take him even deeper.

I let him, but after a few strokes, I took control again, going faster and sucking harder. Levi's body shook and he cursed again.

Then he hooked his arms around my shoulders and pulled me up. His eyes shone with raw desire. "That was amazing, sweetheart, but that's not how we're going to finish this."

With a naughty grin, he held my gaze as he took off his shirt and pants completely. He jerked his chin, and I shook my head and did the same. Then he spun us around, pressing my back against the wall again. None too gentle, he grabbed my leg, brought it up around him, and slid inside me.

He groaned, I moaned, and then he was moving.

With another groan, he closed his mouth around mine and kissed me, the rhythm of his lips matching the rhythm of his hips—fast and deep.

I had learned by now, there was no other way with him.

And I was fine with that.

So damn fine.

I held on to his wide shoulders and brought my other leg up, knotting my ankles behind his back. At this angle, he went deeper and it was so damn delicious.

"Fuck," he muttered against my mouth.

He braced a hand on the wall, the other closed around my waist, as he pumped inside me, taking as much pleasure as he was giving. I should be used to it by now, no? To how good this felt, to how hot, exciting, and delicious having sex with him was.

I felt it deep in my veins, in my core, and I had an inkling that a lot of this could be the bond. I had always heard that when you cared for someone, sex was even better. I cared for Levi. I mean, I didn't wish him anything bad, but I bet the bond increased this feeling tenfold, confusing me.

I played dumb because I didn't care.

As long as he kept having mind-blowing sex with me, I didn't care one bit.

Then suddenly, Levi let out a groan, pulled back, dropped my legs down. I was about to complain when he spun me around, so I had my hands on the wall and my back to him.

He grabbed my waist and slid inside me from behind. He hissed and I gasped. He went deep and hard and fast from the get-go, and it was so, so good. This angle, this position, it was different and somehow, even better.

I braced against the wall, arched my back, and tilted my hips up a little.

"Hell," he muttered as he went even deeper.

One of his hands snaked up and cupped my breast as he pumped into me, sending tendrils of fire and pleasure through every inch of me.

By the light, how could this be so damn good?

He leaned over me and ran his tongue over my spine, making me shiver from head to toe.

"You're delicious," he said, his voice hoarse.

He was too, and I wanted to tell him, but then he slid his other hand around my hips, down my belly, and to my core. He flicked my clit and I moaned as my legs almost buckled under me.

"Keep going," I said, breathless.

Levi obliged and even increased the pressure of his fingers on my clit—and I broke down with a cry. He wrapped an arm around my waist, leaned over me, thrust hard three more times, and let out a groan when he came.

After a few seconds, the tremors in his body slowed and he pressed me fully against the wall, his body glued to my back.

"Delicious as usual, sweetheart," he whispered in my ear.