Page 81 of Whispers of Wisteria

“She is,” Titus replied, spine straightening as he shut his eyes and raised his face to the ceiling. The corner of his jaw twitched as his nostrils flared.

“She’s…” he began, but his statement ended abruptly as he jerked his head to the right, crimson eyes cutting through the shadows as he focused on the opposite end of the room.

“There?” But there was nothing. “Where—”

Titus pushed past me, crossing the space in four long strides. He then knelt on the floor as he faced the corner.

Before I could question him, his arm shot out, hand grasping at the air.

“It’s over,” he said, voice lowering.

I held my breath as the light shimmered, and he wrapped his hand around something solid. The air seemed to move outwards, and then, a second later, Bianca appeared.

She was curled into a ball, knees drawn to her chest, and hands folded between her legs and stomach. She didn’t move and might as well have been carved out of stone, except that her large eyes shone with confused wariness.

Her makeup had smudged, accentuating the dampness of lingering tears.

It didn’t look like she recognized him. Still, Titus seemed determined.

Her small form tensed as she stared at him. Her russet-colored floppy hat was lopsided on her head, hanging over one ear, as strands of flyaway hair framed her red-streaked face. When we’d arrived, she’d been well-put together and poised, and I thought perhaps I’d underestimated her.

But now she looked lost.

That’s what always threw me off.

“No more running.” Titus didn’t even allow her to cower. “I’ve got you.”

Titus pulled her to him, and her hat fell to the floor. She whimpered as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and her final method of escape was closed off.

The floor hummed—Titus was now actively using his abilities to block hers.

My breathing picked up and my skin grew clammy. I watched the two of them with a growing sense of apprehension.

I didn’t know how Titus had planned on handling this, but I was a bit surprised that he wasn’t fucking around.

Julian was wrong. Bianca needed a more direct approach—sometimes. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be aiding in her recovery at all.

And it looked like Titus was on the same page.

She buried her forehead against his chest and pushed her fists against him, but the dragon didn’t let up.

“I’m here,” he said, tucking her into his lap. “Nothing can get to you now.”

Bianca’s breath hitched before she suddenly relaxed, and her shoulders rounded as her head fell forward. Yet, even though she’d seemed to have surrendered, there was still underlying tension in the room that caused my stomach to tighten and my fingernails to bite into my palms.

It was quiet—and right now, Bianca needed that. But still, all I wanted was to kick something.

“She came here,” I pointed out, my blood chilling. I looked around the space, and all the small details began to take on a new meaning.

I’d known, of course, that this was the place she’d called ‘her room.’ And even without knowing the details, we’d known that this was a place where she’d been repeatedly assaulted.

Yet, she’d hidden in this place, looking for safety.

There was a part of her that still considered this space hers.

My hands shook, and I reached for my necklace, squeezing the charm as the ground at my feet grew warm.

“Damen…” Titus’s low warning cut through my thoughts. He’d moved to his feet, still cradling Bianca.