See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(37)

“Nah. He is a big old softie. Well, apparently not when he turns into a rage beast, but otherwise we’re good. Besides, you heard what she said. If I don’t get up and shake off this darkness weighing on me, I will succumb to it. If I let the darkness win then I won’t be a whole lot of good to anyone and all of this trouble will be for nothing.”

“True. Alright, so are sweatpants and a t-shirt enough? Or are you thinking dressy casual?” Sena hovered over my suitcase, assessing its meager contents.

“Sweatpants. Let’s take this whole shaking off the darkness thing one step at a time.”

“Okay, then. Up you go.” Sena brought some clothes over to me so that I could get dressed.

“Why are the smallest things so hard right now?” I groused.

“Probably because you are marked from head to toe with soul sucking runes," Sena supplied matter-of-factly.

“Do you always state the obvious, or is this just something you do with me?” I asked, wondering if there was a way I could install a filter in the girl’s head.

“Nah, I do it with everyone.” Sena helped me get dressed, which turned out to be a very slow process. What with the circus acrobatics required to avoid touching my runes and the exhaustion pulling at me with every breath I took. I was surprised we managed it at all.

By the time we’d finished, I was ready to climb straight back into the bed. The only thing that kept me from doing it was Cait’s warning ringing in my head. If I wanted to end this, I had to fight what was happening to me.

“Alright, let’s go find everyone else. Do you think you can act as my crutch? I’m not so good with the coordination thing on days when I’m not falling to pieces. Which really just means I’m bound to face plant if I don’t have someone holding me up right now.”

“I gotcha.” Sena grabbed my elbow, supporting my weight as we made our way to the door.

Kennan grabbed ahold of me as soon as we made it through the door, helping to steady me.

“Whoa, there. Where exactly do you think you are going?” Kennan raised a brow at me like I’d lost my ever loving mind.

“I’m going to find some answers, to talk to my aunt, and contact the Council members.” I eyed him steadily, waiting for an argument. Instead, he clenched his jaw repressing any admonishments he might have wanted to say.

“Okay. At least let me help you get to her rooms.” Kennan wrapped his arm under me, half-steadying, half-carrying me as we went.

“Thank God. She is heavy," Sena breathed, shaking out her arm where she’d just been trying to hold me up.

“Thanks a ton, Sena.” Hopefully she picked up on the sarcasm.

“Anytime," she smiled brightly before bouncing down the hall and disappearing.

“That girl is strange," I muttered to myself.

“Pot, meet kettle," Kennan replied. Even in my dire state, Kennan still made fun of me. The butt.

“Whatever, just get me to my aunt. I need to talk to her and then contact the Council. Things are coming to a head more quickly than I think any of us anticipated they would.”

“We’re getting there. Don’t be so impatient," Kennan grumbled, practically dragging me down the hall.





Chapter Nineteen


The journey to my aunt’s room was treacherous and unforgiving. Okay, so maybe it was the exhaustion speaking, but I hadn’t even gone five doors down and I was ready for a nap. The sooner this whole thing was over the better. At this rate, I would probably welcome the end, just so that I could get some rest. I shook myself, remembering Cait’s words. If I didn’t focus on trying to overcome this, I could very well succumb to the darkness. It was tempting.

“Well, come in. Don’t just hover outside of the door like some creepy lurkers.” My aunt’s voice came from behind her door.

“We’re coming. We’re just moving a little more slowly than normal," Kennan muttered.

“Why is she out of bed? Why are you out of bed?” She looked to Kennan and then me for answers.

“Because there is no time to rest, and I need some advice. I don’t really know what my next step is. I know that I’m supposed to contact the Council and let them know that we have proof. But, aside from that, I’m not really sure what is coming. What do you think I should do? Do the heavens have any messages for me? You know, advice or anything. Maybe a ‘How to Defeat Demons: A Step By Step Guide’?”

“Nothing will ever be that simple.” My aunt looked at me skeptically.

“Well, that sucks," I huffed, as Kennan helped me to the closest seat. “So, what do you think I should do?”

“I think that you should follow your own instincts. What are they telling you to do?”

“I feel like I need to head back to the Council and call back Damali and Francesca. They need to be involved in this. Even if I don’t like them, I could use their help.”

“If you do call them back, you must no longer conceal what is happening to you. They must know everything if they are going to help you.” Something in my aunt’s face shifted and I knew that someone was about to talk through her. She turned toward me fully, and began to speak in her creepy possessed voice. “The truth can no longer be hidden. Reveal your secrets to the Council, for in the revelation more things may be illuminated. Take your Guardian and the Old One but leave Conall. When you return, which you will, bring with you those that you wish to protect.”