Cardinal

Chapter 11

We pass through the familiar unpaved road that leads to the academy. Julie's car shakes with the pass of every gravel, my teeth rattling at the unpaved road. Her death trap almost succumbing to the large gravel that litters the roads which lead to the academy. Of course, her expensive car wouldn't be able to drive the rough roads. It's made for rich people roads...where it's paved. I shake my head internally at her. 

The familiar tingle of passing through the force field that protects the academy increases my anxiety with coming face-to-face with the reality that awaits me. We're met with more security than I remember. While attending the academy a few years back, there was only a maximum of three to four guards at the entrance of the academy. These men seemed bigger, like the ones on the plane and the ones who drove us to the mansion. 

"What's going on, Julie? Why does there seem to be more security than before?" I ask curiously, genuinely surprised. A dreaded feeling comes creeping again when the reason becomes clear in my head. 

"They're kidnapping all the cardinals, and mostly the women. We don't know why they're being so insistent. They're looking for something. It escalated after what happened with you and your family. None of the people from the academy or the magistrate will answer any questions regarding anything, even your disappearance. The guys...they've been left in the dark, even begging the magistrate to track you down..." 

Shit...

"They tracked down your uncle in Alaska....and here you are!" She feigns with excitement. There's more to this story. She's averting her gaze and not looking into my eyes. 

I gulp with nervousness as fear climbs down my spine with the reality that Julie presents me.  They were closer to home than I realized. Running away did rarely anything. What am I to do now?

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Julie and I stride to the entrance of the academy only to be met by a pissed-off Steel who is angrily stomping over to us in the parking lot. 

"Shit, I forgot he was supposed to be here. Sorry, Lilac. Slipped my mind. I should've thought things over before I sent that text and turned my phone off." Her face sours as it meets Steels heavy form barrelling towards us. 

"You didn't answer your phone, Julie. I called you SEVERAL times." 

I can explain, Lilac. Steel mentally nudges me. The link, the connection between us, rejoices at the sight of him. 

Raven hair, muscles, tanned skin, and especially his piercing gray eyes. Mouthwatering. 

Drool threatens to drop from my mouth. I'm not even sure what I'm upset about anymore. 

I raise my eyebrows at him. I put up my mental blocks, not wanting to have a private conversation in my head.

"I think you should say it out loud, Steel." I challenge him, smirking.

 He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, definitely preparing for a scene from me. Before he says something, Julie screeches. 

"Oh, you motherfucker. You don't get to do that to her!" She yells at Steel, pointing her manicured pointer finger up at his obnoxiously tall figure. I pull myself behind her, letting her defend me. It really sucks to be on the receiving end of her yelling. 

"I need to talk to her, Julie," his eyes pleading. "Please, let me fix this." 

"Ungh!" She looks desperately between Steel and me and huffs and jets off somewhere with her super speed. Some protector she is. I shake my head at her. 

I'm left with Steel and the flirty link I had was nowhere to be found. He looks tired and spent.  

"Kayla was nice..." I start off, wanting to silence the awkwardness with...more awkwardness or just preferring to stir the pot instead. His expression was pained and before I could hear what he had to say, I shake my head. I don't think I'm going to like whatever explanation or answer I get. 

"You know what, never mind..." I start to head to the main building where the headmaster's office would be located. 

Steel grasps my arm and I let my mental shield down for a minute. I look at him with defiance. 

Lilac, please. 

"I'm not going to be in the middle of whatever is going on here between all of you and whoever." In my head, it sounded softer and more vulnerable but jealousy was rearing her ugly head and it came out more accusatory than what I had intended. 

"I..." Steel starts to say. I cut him off, needing to find my own ground in this rocky foundation. I need to put my foot down when it comes to them. 

I hold onto his large forearms and look up to his eyes. Confusion and worry are written on his face, creating a little dent between his brows. He's so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. Time has passed yet, my feelings and my connection with each and every one of them never waned. I remembered the little things we would say and the innocent touches. They were memories that branded my soul.  

"It's okay, Steely baby. You're always worrying." I smooth out the dent between his eyebrows with my thumb, kiss his nose, and laugh. This trick always does it. All evidence of worry dissipates from his face and he's back to his playful self. He has a hard time second only to Damian when it comes to his gift. People's thoughts are in his head more than his own...

I'm tempted to smooth it out as I did before. I decide not to be a coward for the first time since I've been back. I reach to the evidence of his worry, smoothing out the dent between his furrowed eyebrows. His eyes soften and the worried look leaves his face, as it always does. He holds onto my hand and holds it against his face. 

Our link rejoices at the contact and I again feel the warmth that our proximity generates. Happiness in a bottle, stored inside my heart. 

"When we're all calm, we can all talk...as a unit. In the meantime, please give me space to process...everything. I'll be with Julie, you'll know where I am." 

His face falls and the disappointment paints his lovely face. The link demands his closeness for comfort. 

"Lil, I swear, I haven't been with anybody since you were back. We've just been so slammed with work and then you're back and we're trying to get everything done so we could..." He's rambling now. It's sort of cute to see the flustered side of him which I missed. His expression right now juxtaposes his large frame and intimidating appearance. 

A small smile breaks out and I reach my hands up so I could wrap it around his neck, satisfying the link. A wave of comfort and happy warmth slams being around him. 

"I'm not leaving, I promise," I say intently. I know I'm giving him a false sense of security but I'll do anything right now to erase the worry from his face. It never felt right to me. 

Fear sparks in the back of my mind being around them. I'm the danger that needs to be extinguished and they can't be pulled down with the bullshit that happens with me. However, looking at the situation right now, it seems as though the trouble I'm running away from was closer to them than to me. 

I need to figure out who the hell wants me here and why Uncle Brutus sold me out to my links. I'm as clueless as ever and I need to find out the truth of why the forces that be decided I should be back now when I was forced to stay away years ago. 

I wouldn't let you, either.  Steel mentally voices to me. 

"C'mon, I'll take you to the headmaster's office, he's been waiting for you." He grabs my hand and we head from the parking lot and into the building. 

Here we go...