Soul Ties

Chapter 24: Bestfriends No More

My stomach is full, but whatever Caelum gave me isn't sitting right. Every so often my stomach bubbles in disagreement with the food that's settled in it. It's distracting me from listening to the conversation I'm trying to have with Scorpius.

We both sit at the dining table, my plate empty while his still holds half of his meal. Caelum left as soon as he placed my food down in front of me, claiming to have something else to do. I wonder if that was a lie. Something in me questions if he just didn't want to have another run in with Ogmellos. I couldn't blame him for that.

I lean back in the wired chair, the metal digging into my back. Seriously, did they have anything that didn't scream 'danger' in this place?

Scorpius pushes his plate away from him and cracks his knuckles. The sound rings around us, giving me this weird nauseous feeling that is already trying to consume me. I picture those same bones in his hand breaking from fighting Ogmellos. I shiver.

"Cold?" he asks, reaching out to touch my hand. I shake my head, not sure if I'm answering his question or telling him not to touch me. His fingers stop midair.

"I'm fine," I reassure him, moving my hands underneath the table. "just finish telling me why you hate Ogmellos so much."

Scorpius retracts his arm, running his hand along the back of his neck, and then down his jaw. The muscles in his mouth tense and I can't help it when my eyes trail from his face to the golden imprint around his finger. I lean a bit closer to him, hoping he doesn't catch it.

My name twists up his pointer finger in small letters. This is the first time I've really looked at it, I mean, really looked. The past few hours haven't given me much of a chance to focus on one thing, especially his golden thread. Now, I have a moment to just breathe.

I stare at his finger while he thinks over what he's going to say. I'm not trying to pressure him, but it would be wiser, and safer, for me to know who this Ogmellos guy is. More importantly, what he's capable of.

Scorpius rubs his hand over his mouth in thought, the finger with my name on it running over his bottom lip. His mouth parts slightly open and he grazes his teeth along that same finger, along the letters of my name.

My stomach jumps. Another feeling a little lower starts to pulse and I suck in a sharp inhale. What's he doing? A tingle starts at the tip of my tail, my cheeks beginning to burn watching him move his finger along his lip again.

I reach over without a second thought and pull his hand away from his face. His dark eyes look down at our hands touching and then to my face.

"Please don't do that." My voice comes out a little breathless. Taking in a deep inhale to steady myself, I let go of his hand and place my palm to my chest. My heart is beating furiously. Scorpius follows my hand, placing his own on top of mine to feel my erratic heartbeat.

His eyes widen.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. But please don't put that finger anywhere near your mouth again."

He stares at me until I see the look of understanding pass through his eyes. We both peer down at our fingers, turning them to see the tattoo shine in the light. Again, it's hard not to notice how opposite we are.

Me, with my blue skin, and him, with his pink skin. His fingers are obviously much larger than mine, but the thread imprinted on his pointer makes it look delicate, almost fragile. As if I were to touch it, the thread might fall off.

Placing my hands in my lap, I clear my throat.

"Go on. Tell me."

He leans back in his chair, a darkness being cast over his expression as we get back to the conversation.