terrorist organization that always left behind bodies, had gone above and beyond to ensure no one was injured. Even the explosion they’d used as an entry point had been in an empty storage closet.
As she clicked off her Violet Shield and trudged up the steps to her front door, Elodie’s hair stuck out from under the black fabric in sweaty clumps against her forehead. Her backpack thumped against her rounded spine as her shoulders sagged and she curled in on herself.
You’re safe with Eos, Elodie. Safe with me.
The front door opened noiselessly. Elodie filled her chest and waited for the click of her mother’s heels.
Nothing.
She closed the door behind her and let loose a relieved exhale as she freed herself from the sweltering cap.
Sharp clicks splintered her reprieve.
“Oh, Elodie, my darling, darling girl!” Gwen’s high-pitched hysterics reached Elodie before her mother’s pointed stilettos carried her into the foyer.
Elodie let her backpack slide down her arms and crash onto the porcelain. “Mom, I can’t right now.”
With a tissue, Gwen dabbed her own rouged cheeks. “I’ve been beside myself with worry. Simply beside myself.” She pressed the folded corner against her dry lashes. “Thank goodness Rhett was here.”
Of course he was.
“Everything’s fine, Mom.” Elodie’s attempt at cheerfulness fell flat. She couldn’t muster a fake smile. She barely had the energy to move forward.
Gwen wrung her hands, her bottom lip in a pout. “I was so nervous, Elodie.” She lowered her voice dramatically. “Eos was at your workplace.”
“You don’t have to whisper. They can’t hear you.” Elodie slogged past her mother, pausing before she reached the living room’s plush sectional, spotless glass tables and clear view to the kitchen. To Rhett.
“How can you be so glib at a time like this?” Gwen’s claws pinched her hips. “My only daughter was in mortal peril, and I couldn’t reach your father.” Her hands flew to the pearls draped around her neck. “You know how my nerves can get the best of me.”
Through the doorway, Elodie watched Rhett’s white hair, white shirt, and white skin ghost through the white kitchen on his way to the fridge. He disappeared for a moment behind the door before reemerging, thick hands full of snacks.
“Thank goodness Rhett was here,” Gwen repeated. As if Rhett needed anymore propping up.
Elodie dragged the damp beanie down her face, wiping away the residue of her real emotions and replacing them with a tight, forced smile. “Rhett, thank you so much for coming over,” she began as she mustered the strength to stride through the living room and meet him at the kitchen island. Gwen’s heels clacked behind her like a stalking reaper. “But you definitely don’t need to stay. I’m sure they’re desperate for your help back at the MediCenter.”
Rhett stuffed a handful of baby carrots into his mouth. “Gosh, El,” he managed around the orange chunks. “I’m surprised you’re doing so well.”
Gwen rounded the island to stand next to Rhett. “But you do look dreadful,” she told her daughter, “which is to be expected after the absolute fright you’ve endured.” She plucked a carrot from the bag and rolled it between her fingers. “But it is odd that you’re so—” She waved the carrot around. Her inflated lips pressed into a straight line. “Well, we know how sensitive you are.”
Why did they keep saying sensitive like it was something to be ashamed of? Empathy was never a bad thing.
Gwen pressed the tip of the carrot against her lips, thought better of it, and set it back down on the counter. “But this time you have every right to be. The attack was right in your building. Merely floors beneath yours.”
Elodie stiffened. “It wasn’t an attack,” she countered.
Rhett popped another carrot into his mouth. “Everything from Eos is an attack. An act of terror. That’s what they do. It’s their whole purpose.”
Elodie’s fingertips dug into the thick beanie limply hanging from her balled fist. “Then why aren’t you at the MediCenter? Isn’t dealing with Eos your whole purpose?”
Rhett stopped chomping. He and Gwen blinked at her, slack jawed.
Rhett pushed his plate away from the edge of the counter and brushed off his hands. “I was wrong. This has you shaken up more than I expected.”
“I, for one, did expect this.” Gwen wagged her finger in the air. “We watched the attack live. There were soldiers crawling all over the MediCenter. Rhett was expertly fielding calls, managing his subordinates from afar. The attack—”
“It wasn’t an attack!” This time Elodie spat the words. She was tense