Nyxara
Minette's intense gaze turns violent for so brief a moment that I doubt I truly witnessed it. Then her radiant smile returns, but it's tinged with a maliciousness that warns me she is about to be hurtful. "Ara, why are you in the hospital anyway? Are you here because of your hollow-bind with Koba? I told you that a hollow-bind isn't for the weak." Minette tries to reach out to me, but then quickly pulls her hand back.
She glanced at my family, then lowered her voice like they couldn't still hear her. "You told me you were strong enough to not need your enclave's support to deal with the side effects while you worked towards reaching Veil level 1. So what happened, Ara, that you ended up in the hospital?" Her expression now conveyed worry and concern.
The trio mirrored her worried and concerned looks. I am not in any condition for this play-acting right now.Their fake concern makes me nauseous. With wavering willpower, I keep my hands, face, and breathing calm. I give them nothing as I watch them calmlyperform.
"Honey bunny, you could have called any one of us to take you to the hospital." This came from one of the trio. Her red hair with gold highlights glimmers vibrantly against her pale skin and jasper-green eyes. Her rallying expression was almost as natural as Minette's. Her eyes, though, told me that she learned well from Minette. Whatever she is about to say is meant to hurt me. "We have been doing it for the past two years, so you wouldn't have to involve your enclave. You swore us to secrecy because you felt they didn't truly support your relationship with young master Dillard."
They all gasped as if they just realized it's not just us. "Oh no, Patriarch and Matriarch Ajei, don't be angry with Ara again. You know she can be sensitive and doesn't mean to keep secrets from your enclave. She just wants to avoid you all being angry with her. Please forgive her and us for not coming to you all sooner." Minette's performance was truly award-winning. I almost wish I had popcorn; she is so entertaining to watch.
My thoughts don't stay on Minette and her harpies for long even as they keep talking. They turn instead to this new piece of information. So this hollow-bind is something the other Nyx kept from the family. Something serious enough she went to the hospital for multiple visits to get treated over the course of two years. I chuckle internally at how helpful these females are being when their aim is to be petty. This visit has been the gift that just keeps on giving. Despite the family possibly being upset over the other Nyx's actions, I'm hoping that the fact that we all know about this condition now is a good thing so I can be properly treated for it. I just hope this is a curable condition and not a life- long sentence.
Taking my eyes off the actors, I glance to see my family's expressions are all grim, concerned, and anger-filled. A sense of unease begins to form in my gut. This hollow-bind is curable, right? They aren't looking at me like this because I'm dying, right? I could feel my calm cracking as my palms began to sweat.
When will these harpies leave?
The harpies have finally stopped talking to watch us with thinly hidden malicious expressions. Minette's expression, however, is perfectly concerned and pitying. Why the fuck does she pity me? If I didn't feel so weak, I would be a very violent patient right now. My calm breaks, and the displays next to my bed start beeping as my irritation and worry about this situation rise.
I need her gone now. I glare fiercely and heatedly at these disruptors of my peace hoping they would get the message to leave.
Right as the redhead opens her mouth to speak, the air thickened, suddenly humid with tension. The scent of ozone and scorched herbs filled my lungs—dry, biting. My skin prickled as if every hair had sensed danger. With an impassive expression reminiscent of his twin's, when Aspen spoke, it was so soft; you would have thought he wouldn't be heard, but somehow his words felt as if they were being spoken directly into my mind.
"It is time for you ladies to leave. Have a good rest of your day." He smiled, but his expression is not genuine. His dismissal doesn't seem to affect the harpies, who appear excessively pleased, especially Minette.
"Yes, we understand you must speak to Ara about her deception… I will inform our Matriarch that you will be reaching out to discuss the engagement and collaboration projects. Maybe this was for the best that they know now, Ara. I'm sure they won't punish you too severely." I received words of encouragement from the other three, but I did not engage beyond continuing to glare.
"Call me later tonight. We have so much to catch up on." They all wave goodbye and strut out of the room. Minette pokes her head back in with a wink and a kiss before closing the door. The moment the door shut, I sink back into the many pillows behind me. I closed my eyes, trying to relax and noticed a huge amount of tension in my lower back beginning to ease. As if this moment had been waiting to release that tension.
With closed eyes, I take in a deep inhale for the count of three, then release for a count of four. I do this for a minute before I open my eyes to find Lux's face and cold smoke in the woods scent invading my senses."So, little wolf," Lux croons, "it would appear you have been keeping quite a number of things from your enclave. You had allowed Koba Dillard to form a velintra or, as they called it, a hollow-bind with you."
Lux's croon deepened into a growl, and I would swear his face looked like the bones were reshaping into something more canine. "You hid it for two years while apparently experiencing the horrible side effects to the point you needed to be taken to the hospital. Did I hear all of that correctly?"
"Side effects that would manifest in the form of bond sickness that could very likely be one of, if not the primary cause of you hanging yourself…" Keir muttered from his lying position on my bed with closed eyes and a knife spinning at insane speeds through his fingers. Where did he pull a knife from? I was mentally distracted by his knife tricks, but physically my body was once again rebelling. I could feel my muscles spasming to the point I was worried I was having a seizure.
Lux cleared his throat, and my attention snapped to him. I froze, caught in his intense stare. His eyes glowed—red-gold embers flickering in a void—and I felt my thoughts slowing, thickening, drowning under the weight of his gaze and aura. I had nothing to hide in this matter, so I didn't resist his gaze's nonverbal command. "No memories of hollow-binds, velintra, or of hiding it. I don't even remember what those terms mean, but my body seems to be reacting to them." Lux's garnet and gold eyes continued to glow, and I can now recognize his scent as black cypress and cold smoke. What an appropriate cologne he was wearing. I wonder if he can help me find a perfume that complements me just as well.
Our stare down continued until Aspen hip-checked him, causing us to break eye contact. "Do not ever let me catch you using your alpha authority on our sister again outside of an emergency situation. She is already fragile in her current state, and you bullying her will only harm her." Aspen glances at me then at his handy-dandy tablet before he turns his authoritative gaze upon our family.
"Moonbeam has had a lot of emotional and mental upheavals since waking up. Her observational chart recommends rest and relaxation for the rest of the evening, else her already unstable condition will worsen." Aspen looks over his shoulder at me one more time, nods his head, coming to some decision.
"We're all emotional, so I think it is best if we pause things here. A lot was discussed today, and I believe we could all use some time to process everything so we can address matters with clarity. Say your goodbyes and go home. I will stay a while longer to make sure she has everything she needs before ending my shift for the day. Keir, you first, then Lux, and we will finish with our two parents."
While Aspen's sudden actions of dismissing our family confused me, I was grateful that he and the sensors could read that I was done for the day. There has been a lot of information thrown at me since I have woken up. On top of these new revelations, I'm also still processing the fact that I died on earth, spoke to an angel next to what I'm pretty sure was a black hole, then I chose to pick up where another incarnation of my soul previously existed in an alternate universe.
I'm brought out of my wandering thoughts by Keir approaching the bed with a sad smile and a tender kiss on the head. "I'll see you tomorrow, dragonfly. Rest well."
Next came Lux with Aspen completely in his personal space in a way only a twin can do. "The gods gave you a second chance—and we'll be here, loving you, no matter what. I have a business trip to attend to, so I'll be back in three days. Feel free to call me anytime." Lux cuddles me, making me feel like I'm hidden from the world in his arms. I'm surrounded and covered in his cologne by the time Aspen makes him release me. He gives me another kiss on the head, then he is walking out the door with Keir.
A weird sense of anxiety washed over me when I could no longer see them. While I was feeling ridiculous for having separation anxiety from my brothers, Aspen was on his tablet seated in a chair on the other side of the bed from my parents.
Momma grabbed my hand, and Papa placed a hand on my leg. Their eyes were filled with so much worry. The pressure in the room began to rise again until Aspen snapped his fingers. The instant sighs they released let me know that my parents had released their tension and were calm. I wonder if Aspen used nano-machines to calm them—they relaxed suspiciously fast. "Well, that certainly made my head clearer, and I'm less likely to go beat up the young Dillard boy on my way home." Mama sighed tiredly. She gave me a weak smile, a hug, and a kiss, then left the room without another word.
Is Mama upset with me? Is that why she left like that?
Papa clears his throat, then kneels down beside my bed. "Don't stress about our reactions to the news of your hollow-bind, Emberling. We just need some time to process the news. I'm sure it feels unfair for us to ask you for patience but that is what I am asking of you right now. We will talk tomorrow. Love you, my little Emberling. Rest well." He pulls me into his arms and just like Lux, he hides me in his arms before he kissed my head and walked out the door.
As it closed behind him, my separation anxiety flares for a moment then calms down to a manageable level. It was so sudden that I was suspicious of the change. "There that should help with the anxiety I'm sensing from you, Moonbeam. Let this soothing medication work its way through your system."Turning my head, I watched as Aspen settled onto the queen-size hospital bed next to me. He rubbed my hair, instantly relaxing me into jelly.
"Nap, then lunch? If you feel up to it before I leave, I can answer some of those questions I'm sure are buzzing in your head." I think on the offer for a moment before voicing my decision. "I'll eat, and you'll give me answers before I take a nap. I won't be able to rest if I don't have some of my questions answered soon."
Aspen agreed. "I will order us some lunch then. It is going to be a bit bland because I want to have you checked for any allergies. With your soul and body out of alignment your body could react outside expectations." He taps a few times on his tablet before putting it under a pillow. He leans over to kiss my head before he gets comfortable with me amongst my many pillows as if we are about to share some juicy tea between us. "While we wait for lunch, how about I tell you about who you were?"