Compounding Traumas (Artemis University #6) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,10
like normal bad people, a party was sent to deal with you and won’t come back. Assume they weren’t free agents. If you’re protected—who would they go after to get to you?”
“He’s not wrong,” Mel agreed.
I did too and nodded. “Let’s take the night to think on it though. I don’t want to just fill in anyone who knows about me. Von Thann does not need to know any more secrets, but White should know.”
“Smart,” Mr. Rothchild praised. “Yes, agreed. We’ll put together a list, and we can also help find more journals faster than you’re currently doing. I agree that needs a higher priority.”
There went my summer vacation. I was already learning as much as I could and taking extra classes, but… At least I could read at the pool or pretend I was taking a break.
Probably not.
3
After I finished my task and it was clear the Rothchilds believed me, I opened a portal and went home. Mel was happy with the idea of me leaving the chaos, but tried to object when I didn’t wait for any security.
And she didn’t even know I wasn’t going to Spain.
She’d live.
The dogs were waiting for me, and I let them in the house since I also wanted to be in Faerie. I only had my phone with me, but that was all I needed. When I reached the portal, I activated it and let the dogs hurry through before entering. It was night there as well, and I hadn’t thought of lights.
A few of the dogs took care of that by igniting. Okay then.
I finally pulled up the breakup songs playlist Izzy had made for me. I hadn’t wanted to be that woman who played sad songs and downed ice cream for every meal… But I no longer judged them. I hurt. I grieved, and part of my soul felt dead.
Ice cream wasn’t enough, so I’d try anything.
Kameron Marlowe’s “Giving You Up” came on first and I started dancing to it, listening to the words with more than my ears. Tears trailed down my cheeks as I tried to soak up the strength of Faerie, as if reminding myself of all those who stood before me, stood where I was once. I was part of something bigger than a stupid relationship with dipshit men.
Now, if I could truly convince myself of that and make the pain stop.
I listened and danced to the song a dozen times, three for each asshole. Wiping my tears, I let out a long, shaky breath before glancing at Chief and his pack. “Thanks guys. Let’s eat.”
They were always game for that.
I found a gigantic wheel of cheese and a bunch of cured meats, and brought them out to the garage. Luckily, I remembered a knife, or they would have all been gone if I’d had to get one. There were several things we couldn’t leave around the fae dogs and trust them. Cheese was a big one, sort of like normal dogs. Most everything else they regulated well, but cheese and several other things, they would immediately eat.
Sort of like me at times.
I cut blocks for them in between normal chunks for myself. It didn’t take long for us to polish it all off. I brought the knife back inside and washed it before saying goodbye to the pack and activating the portal to go back to Spain.
And Mel was standing there waiting for me. I braced for impact, but she simply hugged me.
“Craftsman was asking where you were, trying to speak to you,” she muttered.
“I saw him and that’s why I ran off,” I whispered, hugging her back.
“The others were there too.”
“I didn’t see them.” If I was honest, I might have guessed Hudson since his parents had attended. Maybe I’d felt him and hadn’t realized it? Had that been part of what had upset me so much?
Like I needed another reason to validate my being upset?
“I’m heading to bed.”
Mel kissed my hair and let me go. “You looked amazing tonight, Tams. You’ll get through this, just like we do everything else.”
“Yeah, I will.” The words sounded hollow to my own ears, but I’d try my best to make them true.
I headed to my room and decided I wanted to wash off the night before crawling in bed. I leaned my head back under the water and more tears fell, even if I pretended they didn’t. I also wouldn’t have admitted I missed them, even Lucca.