Frosted (Hate at First Flight #3)

28. My Rhysand

Waking up the next morning, my wish that this had all been a nightmare and that I was back at home, wrapped up in my sheets in bed didn't come true.

Instead, there I was, lying on the queen sized bed, staring up at the mahogany ceiling of the Frost's lake house, a place that had been my sanctuary growing up, but was now my figurative prison cell.

Our exchange the night before came flooding in instantly as if I needed to be reminded of the revelations I had discovered the day before.

Jace and Olive were friends. Just friends.

And she wasn't the reason he had flown halfway across the world.

No, that honour.... that was all me.

Phillipa Holden had made Jace Frost, fly across the world and spend four years there to escape. Me.

The sunlight filtered through the gaps of the black curtains that shrouded the room in darkness, the light danced on my face as if it was a kid in a toy store, tracing a line across my face, as it left a warm heat behind, tickling me.

I groaned as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, before sitting up on the bed and stretching my body.

Once again I had slept like a baby that had been given benzodiazepine. It was something about the bed in the lake house that was like a warm embrace that welcomed me into its arms every night. The exhaustion just melting off easily once I laid down, sleep welcoming me into it's warm and soothing escape of an embrace.

Taking a deep inhale, I stood up before heading for the curtains, pulling it open to welcome in the sunshine of a new day.

Across the balcony, the view of the serene, majestic lake greeted me. A smile involuntarily shone on my face at the view. I had missed it.

Every summer for the past four years, during the time we all came to the lake for those couple of weeks, I had wondered if they were all here, having fun, doing all the things we did, without me. But then Jace had confirmed that they had stopped coming because it didn't feel the same.

I opened the sliding doors, stepping out onto the balcony that hung over the porch downstairs. Taking another breath of fresh air, I took in the view.

The lake was empty this time of the year, with the other residents also using the lake as their summer spot. Where it was usually full and brimming people so early in the day, crowding the lake with different activities, it was quiet and serene now. Something that I had not experienced before.

I decided to spend the entirety of Wednesday locked in my room. The less time I spent in Jace's presence would limit the need I have to throw something at his face.

Why didn't he stay far away from me as he had intended on doing four years ago? Why did I have to stuck here with him for another four to five days?

Granted I didn't like being stuck here for that long, cut off from the world. But it being with Jace of all people was adding insult to injury. I would've chosen Owen easily over him.

As if I had summoned him with my thoughts, I heard a knock on my door.

Then followed by silence.

I glared at the door as if it could phase itself through it and pin the person on the other side.

Another knock followed as if he sensed that I was awake.

Silence again.

I continued to glare at the door.

"Phillipa, are you awake?" his voice echoed through the door, uncertainty and worry in his tone. Something Jace never was, at least not in front of me.

"Phillipa, breakfast is ready. Come downstairs and have something."