Elysian House: Edge of the World (3)

Chapter 3: The Guards

Olivia

"You can't do this," I followed Skylar down the hall of the Elysian House, hoping to the gods she would cut me some slack, throw me a bone. Like her Mother used to do. If Nova were here, she'd never let this happen. "Skylar, this is absurd, you're letting someone who saved all of our lives in one lifetime die."

Skylar didn't even turn to me when she spoke, which proved to me that she wasn't going to change her mind no matter how much I pleaded and begged. "Olivia, I cannot change their minds. They've decided and they won't change their minds for anything."

"Well, what about those who were in favor of saving Riley?" I ask.

"They can't help. Going against the rest of the Houses is against the rules." She stops at her office, ready to unlock her office door, but I grab her arm and she freezes, turning to me with agitation in her eyes.

I leaned in close to her face. "Imagine what it would be like if everyone was trying to kill Del." I could see the mask over her face flicker, and the fragile, happy girl she used to be underneath it appear. "If everyone was telling you she was going to die and there was nothing you could do about it."

"Del is not my mate," she whispered back to me, which was futile. We both knew that was a lie. "What I said before... what I said that night, it's best to just forget about it."

"You mean the night you told me clearly that Del was your one and only mate?" I question, lowly. Of course, Del didn't know this. She wasn't a pure blooded Vampire. She didn't have a sense for mates, just like I didn't. "I know your mother had many suitors lined up for you and I know you want to honor her wishes, but you're making a huge mistake."

"Since when did this conversation turn to me?" She pushed my hand off and unlocked her door, pushing them open. "I'm sorry, Ms. Chase. But I think you're needed at the Tower. I am very busy this morning, so if you'll excuse me." She closed the door in my face, not even giving me a chance to speak.

I groaned loudly in the empty, dark hallway and threw my hands up into the air. "That infuriating, little, annoying--"

"Everything all right?"

I jumped and looked back.

A blonde woman, with dark eyes stared back at me from the corner of the hallway met my eyes. I recognized her as one of the strangers Riley and Viola brought in from Paris.

I sighed. "No. Everything is not all right."

She places her hands together in front of her, reminding me of someone who was innocent. "You are, uh, Riley's friend, no?"

"Yeah, I'm Olivia. We're... old friends," I cross my arms, and leaned back against the wall behind me. "I'm Viola's twin sister."

She nods her head slowly and comes into the dim candle light for me to see her better. "Your sister... she cares about you. A lot. She cares about many people, I can see."

"Yeah, no kidding," I shake my head, as I recall all the times she's gotten me out of trouble and got the heat of my actions. "Who are you?"

"I am Adelene. I'm also a friend of Riley's. And of Viola," she offers a small smile and lifts her hand up for me to take. I shake it and feel the power radiating off her body. She was definitely not a Vampire to be reckoned with. "I'm... devastated at the decision of the courts."

Viola's face popped into my mind. Her anguish and her sadness. She didn't deserve anything like this. She was so selfless and innocent. "So am I."

"Do you believe that this prophecy that Riley has... 'solved', to be true?"