Page 10 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter nine

Xavier

B arely opening my eyes, I cling to the sheets of my bed, my room heavy with the presence of another body, the only light in the bleak space the moonlight filtering through the window.

Having barely made it to sleep moments ago, a chill breeze startled me awake, pulling me away from my night of miserable sleep.

Feeling warmth flood my chest, something foreign touches my soul, something other than the feeling of dread that has seemed to follow me nonstop for the past several months. Keeping my eyes pried open, I stay still, wondering how close I am to the nearest weapon.

I suppose my hands are more than capable of strangling whoever was foolish enough to creep into my space unannounced.

"You always were an overthinker," her voice whispers, every single violent thought I have kept pent up for the past several months melting away.

This isn't possible.

I must be dreaming.

"I forgot how much I loved watching you sleep."

Forcing my body upward, there's a moment of pause once I observe the space, taking several seconds to let my eyes adjust before landing on the figure in the window. Perfectly perched on the windowsill, her back leans into the farthest side of the window, her knees tucked into her chest. Wearing a thick, black cloak, one far too dense for the warm weather, her hair is pulled back from her drained face, her golden green eyes like pools of fire in the night. Watching me like a crow stalking its prey, a smile is the last thing to touch her lips. Touching her ring settled on my chest, I run through the scenario that I am dreaming once again, counting silently in my mind until all possibilities of being asleep have faded away.

She's really here.

Running through every single question I have wanted to ask her for the past several months, one burning desire eats away at me.

To feel her.

To really feel her.

"F-Forest?" I question, her face wincing as if the sound of her voice in my tone brings her great pain.

"Forest Flower-"

"You can't travel to the Precipice," she snaps, her voice cold, her hand clamped into a fist, the feeling of her Hold keeping me down more than enough to startle me.

Stuck in a seated position on our bed, I thrash around, doing my best to get some movement out of the constraining position.

"How the hell-"

"I saw Mason lurking," she sighs, slipping down from the window, her body shielded from prying eyes.

Walking and talking like Elyon, the woman before me is isolated, her thoughts entirely her own.

What the hell has he done to you?

"Nothing, he's done nothing," she sighs, taking a seat on the edge of our bed, her body only a few inches away from my constrained hands. "I told you nine months ago your purpose to me, and now I'm telling you-"

"I've missed your voice," I snap, unable to hold back anything in her presence. "Sanctum, I've missed your voice," I grovel, unsure where all of this is coming from.

Giving me a blank stare, she watches me close, her eyes hazy, as if she hasn't slept in days.

"I can't say the feeling has been mutual," she hisses.

She is lying.

She is lying through her teeth.

Feeling the faint pull of our connection, I hone in on its suddenly lively presence, focusing all of my energy on making my way into her mind.

"Why was Mason trailing me-"

"Why are you lying to me?" I question, anger riding my tone.

"What lies, Xavier?" she questions, narrowing her eyes at me. "I figured you'd appreciate the opportunity to start over, find some place better than this decrepit cabin," she snaps, her focus diverting away from the strongholds in her mind.

Talking.

I have to keep her talking.

"You honestly think I believe that pile of lies you threw at me nine months ago?" I question, straining my arms to get as close to her as I can, forcing my way into any open space in her mind. "Why else would you come back here? Why keep me away? What are you really doing, Forest Evermoore?" I question, her nose scrunching like a small child.

Pulling her eyes away from me, she shakes her head.

"My last name is Morgan-"

"Evermoore," I correct, now angry enough to tear off my own hands to get to her. "Or, if you're so confident you share the devils last name now, look at me while you lay claim to the last name Morgan."

Feeling a sense of self doubt that is not my own, I focus in on the portion of her mind I have tapped into, feeding her the idea to loosen her Hold with my Call.

"My name is Forest Morgan-"

"Look at me," I demand, her eyes hyper focused on the ground, her jaw clenched with strain.

Slowly pulling her chin up, her eyes barely lock with mine, her focus anywhere but here.

"Say it, Forest-"

Moving with great precision, she forces her body onto mine, her hands pressed against my chest, forcing me back down onto the bed. Straddling my hips, she keeps me down with all her strength, shoving me out of her mind, her teeth gleaming in the light of the moon. Lowering her head inches away from mine, she scans my face up and down, as if she is taking a mental note of what I look like in this position. Still held back by the sheer force of her Hold, I draw a shaky breath, taking in her scent, something warm and comforting clung to her despite the position she has me in now.

"Stay the fuck out of my head," she seethes. "You should know better than to creep inside my mind," she snaps, her face flushed with heat.

Feeling immense satisfaction with her being this close, despite the anger she seems to be forcing onto me, I let a smile creep along my lips, not feeding into the string of bullshit she has tried to throw onto me.

"Why don't you let me go and we can handle this more appropriately?" I question, ready to tear off that horrid cloak and tie her to this bed.

"You think I wanted a reunion?" she questions, nothing but malice touching her tone. "You think I want your touch?" she pushes, doing her best to hit me where it hurts.

Unlucky for her, she has given me nine months to grovel in my pain.

Now? Now, all I have is the drive to bring her home.

"I'd say you worked awfully hard to ensure I can't touch you," I hiss. "Why would that be, Forest Flower?" I push, forcing my head close to feel her breath. "Does your father believe in this little act?" I smile. "Or should I scream out for the others in this house, and see how you act when Kaiden is looking you in the eyes-"

"You need to stop looking for me, Xavier," she mutters, her voice breaking.

There you are.

How long can you pursue this little act.

"Then you'll have to kill me," I smirk, laying my head back down. "You don't love me, should be simple enough," I sigh, throwing her words from that night back at her.

Finally getting a reaction out of her that signifies something other than hate, her head shakes once more, her body gravitating closer.

"Don't tempt me," she hisses.

"You really think I believe you came all of this way to warn me to stop looking?" I question, now the one shaking my head. "Go feed that bullshit to Elyon, not me," I push. "You knew I'd see past all of this didn't you? You wanted me to see past all of this... You wanted to see me-"

"No-"

"Liar."

Pulling something free from her side, the cold pressure of the tip of a blade touches my neck, her mouth inches away from my ear. Shakily holding the dagger, she keeps me as still as she possibly can, her voice low and slow.

"I have been gracious. Xavier," she whispers. "Try anything-"

Turning my head, I let the blade nick me, forcing my lips onto hers, her words caught in her throat, her Hold faltering immediately.

Cupping the back of her head once I have control, I force the knife away from her hand, letting it clatter to the floor, my body weight becoming my ally. Using my leg to push her off of me, it is now her back meeting the mattress. Her hands bracing her lower body, stopping my body weight from fully being able to lean on her. Ready to turn away from the kiss, something wet touches my cheeks, her eyes leaking a stream of tears. Keeping her pinned with my body, I pull away from the kiss, half expecting her to Winnow far away from here. Breathing violently, her tears coat both of our cheeks, her eyes wide, as if this is the first time she has allowed herself emotion in nine months.

"Look me in the eyes, Forest," I warn. "And tell me that you do not love me," I push, grabbing her chin to get her to stay focused on me.

Watching her lip wobble, all I want to do is hold her close and never let her go.

"I'm trying," she sobs. "I'm trying to protect-"

Her voice trails off, the mask of cold returning.

No, not with me.

"Tell me you want me to stop looking," I push, her body a shaking mess.

Trying to look away, I force her focus back to me.

"I said look at me, Forest," I push, her hands shaking, struggling to keep my weight off of her.

"Xavier, please, get off," she cries, the urgency in her tone eating me alive.

"What did he do to you?" I question, my own tears breaching my tear line. "What did he do to you, baby-"

"I said get off!" she snaps, her Hold taking over.

Winnowing with urgency, she stumbles into the nearest wall, the anger radiating off of the woman so primal. Running her hands up and down the front of her cloak, she takes several deep breaths, holding back a gag.

She's sick.

Slipping off the bed, she raises her hand, warning me not to take another step.

"What did he do to you, Forest?" I question. "Who are you trying to protect?" I push, tears soaking both of our cheeks.

"You," she mutters. "I'm protecting my family," she continues, an inkling of hope nestling itself into my soul. "And I can't do that if I know you're caught in the crossfire," she pushes. "So, for the love of Sanctum, Xavier, please, stop looking for me."

Taking several seconds to digest her words, I do the one thing I can.

"Come here," I suggest, no longer posing a question. "Just come here."

Staring at me with doubt, she clenches her fists.

"I will hold onto you, for as long as I walk this plane of existence," I say, keeping my focus on the petrified woman. "So, if you love me, Forest, then, please, come here-"

Feeling her body meet mine, every single restraint she forced on me dies down, her hands coiling in my hair as she pushes me back onto the bed. Staying in a seated position, I force her legs back to my sides, letting her land in my lap, her lips colliding with mine. Now, kissing me as hungrily as I had her, our teeth nearly clatter, her mouth savoring every second of this interaction. Feeling the burning heat of lust creep into my body, I look past the blood flow accumulating between my legs, holding her as tight as I possibly can. Feeling weight on her despite her hollow face, her tongue glides over my bottom lip, my focus quickly pulling away from the feeling of her touch.

Trying to force my head away from its downward position, she grabs my cheeks, her eyes wide, her body rigid. Having crept my hand beneath her cloak, I feel her torso as I normally do, something odd in the way her body feels. Frozen like a statue, the once prominent ribs and muscled torso now a bloated firm stomach, her face masked with a film of illness. Clutching my hand with a death grip, she pries it free from beneath her cloak, shakily drawing breath.

"What-"

"I shouldn't have come here," she hisses, Winnowing to the window, my mind still trying to piece together how she could look so sickly yet carry the extra weight.

Flicking her wrist, the window slides open, my body confided to the restraint of her Hold once more.

"If you come looking for me in the Precipice," she whispers. "You won't like what you find."

Saying nothing else, her body slips out the window, the sound of footsteps fading until nothing at all. Feeling her Hold die down, I scramble to the window, meeting nothing but the pitch-black forest surrounding the cabin. Reaching instinctively for her ring, I feel an absence in the place it was once settled, the chain broken, barely hanging to my neck.

She took it.

Letting my knees hit the ground as I blanky stare out the window, the drive to bring her home now higher than ever. Running through every event that just happened, I focus solely on one thought pattern.

What the hell did Elyon do to her?