115
Lucy
Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized that I was in a bed. I looked around and realized I was in the same bedroom that I had been given at David’s beach house. The sun had started to set outside, but it wasn’t nighttime yet. I guess it had been a few hours since I’d been pulled out of the water.
“Hey.” I looked over and saw Duke sitting at my bedside with a small smile. He was changed out of his trunks into jeans and a plain t-shirt. “How are you feeling?”
I sat up slowly, feeling a little dizzy. I looked down at my anchor and found it dim. I winced and wrapped my hand around it. I wouldn’t see Luke again until Monday afternoon. Would it last until then?
“You have an anchor?” Duke asked.
I nodded. He tutted. “I don’t suppose David has a fancy fountain like Luke does.”
“I don’t know.” I pulled my knees to my chest. “What happened?”
He sat back with a sigh, rubbing his head. “A lot. Hold on. I’m supposed to make sure you eat… Al—David’s orders.”
I frowned as he stood and walked to the door. “She’s awake!”
Within a few minutes, Ume rolled in a cart full of food. “I’ll let David know.”
“Wh-Where is he?”
“On the phone with the Council,” Ume said with a small smile. “I’m sure… you’d rather hear what happened from a dear friend.”
Duke wheeled it over to my bedside and opened the tray with a grin. “I almost wish I almost drowned. Royal treatment and all.”
“Duke,” I said, shaking my head as he pulled the tray off the cart and set it on the bed.
“Eat up. I don’t want David any more in a mood than he already is.” He handed me a spoon. “And if you’re good, I’ll catch you up.”
I took the spoon and picked up the bowl of thick soup. It smelled so good I couldn’t help but eat it. It tasted of seafood and cream. I think there were potatoes in it. I don’t think I’d ever had anything so good.
“It’s some kind of chowder,” Duke said. “Jenny brought it over since we couldn’t go to the party at their place.”
I winced. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m pretty sure they canceled it. Everyone was pretty freaked out about what happened.”
“I just fell….” I frowned. “And then…”
“You were attacked and forced into the water,” David said. “Whether that meant that they knew you couldn’t swim or it didn’t matter is a question for another time.”
“Y-You sound like you know something…”
“Someone who wasn’t supposed to be there was there,” David said and nodded to my leg. “We think they might be behind that, or at least know who was. There might have been more than two people behind it.”
I shivered as my gut churned as I thought about the person who had been underwater. “W-Who was it?”
“Well, one of them was wearing a hoodie in the middle of the summer and had an eerie voice,” he went pale and grimaced. “She… had a message.”
“What sort of message?”
He met my gaze. “From the Moon Goddess.”
I thought back to the vision I’d had while I was unconscious and the wolf with eyes like David’s had been when we were underwater.
“What did s-she say?
He took a deep breath. “Why don’t we… talk about what you saw while you were out. David said you went into a trance while you were unconscious.”
I frowned. “How did he know that?”
He shrugged. “I’m still in Magic 101, hell if I know. But you saw something, yeah?”
I nodded. “It was… the Moon Goddess again. She said that it would get worse.”
He set his jaw. “At least the message is… consistent.”
He titled his head. “I… have to wonder if the woman’s message was for me then.”
My eyes bulged. “What did she say?”
“Just that it was a warning,” he said. “She said it would get worse. Do you remember when you fell?”
I thought back. “I can’t explain it. I-It felt like someone had yanked my feet from under me.”
He nodded. “It’s likely that they did. I didn’t see it clearly, but that’s what looked like happened. I haven’t gotten a chance to get David alone and ask more.” His lips twitched. “Sarah and Amy were beside themselves. We had to force them out of your room to get you looked over properly.”
Our gazes met. “Who do you think that woman was?”
“A witch,” he said. “I know that for sure, but what kind of witch would be on the Moon Goddess’ side? I have no idea. As for the other one, I don’t know. David said he’d tell us both when you woke up.”
My stomach churned, and I stopped eating. “I-I heard my mother’s voice right before I woke up.”
He smiled. “Yeah? Do you remember what she said?”
“Be safe… Live well.” I licked my lips. “B-Before the Moon Goddess told me that the fate she set out for me is what my mother wanted.”
He scoffed. “Don’t listen to crazy visions, Lucy. You’ll drive yourself crazy.”
My lips twitched, and I nodded as a knock sounded on the door.
“She’s up,” Duke said.
Sarah burst into the door. Her eyes red-rimmed as she rushed across the room. Amy came in just behind her. She threw herself on the bed and wrapped her arms around me. She trembled a little as she hugged me, and Amy hovered nearby, looking at me nervously.
“Are you okay?” Sarah asked.
“We had no idea you didn’t know how to swim,” Amy said. “W-We wouldn’t have let you get so close to the edge if we had.”
I shook my head. “I’m okay. It’s not your fault, really. I just… tripped.”
Sarah pulled back and eyed me. “You’re really okay?”
I nodded and took another bite of soup, even though it tasted like ash now. I couldn’t focus on it or enjoy it, knowing that the attack was just the beginning.
Even now. Even now, the twins’ place in my life was more than I wanted, and there didn’t seem to be any reason for it. Was it ever going to end?
Sarah’s eyes brightened. “Well, if I was rescued by a hot muscular man and carried like a damsel in distress, I’d be pretty okay.”
My face heated. “Sarah!”
“I thought I heard him in the hallway. Lay back and play it up,” Sarah said, nudging me to lie back. She grabbed some pillows and fluffed them before stuffing them behind me. “You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, you know? You could use some comforting, and there’s nothing better to comfort a wounded body than--”
“Sarah, please,” Duke said with a sigh. “Before you make her combust.”
She beamed at me. Amy shook her head, and as much as it embarrassed me, I let Sarah fuss over me, grateful for her care. Duke winked at me as another knock sounded on the door.
“You look like you could use more rest, Lucy,” Duke said loudly. “Are you sure you should be getting up?”
“I’m fine,” I said, nudging him with my foot as the door opened. I hissed as the bandage shifted around my leg.
David entered, still shirtless and damp, wearing his trunks from earlier. He held his phone in his hand. In his other hand was a piece of tan paper, rolled up like a scroll. He closed the door behind him and crossed the room to stand beside my bed. He let his gaze drift over me before he spoke.
“How are you feeling?”
I flushed under his attention and ducked my head. “B-Better, I promise. I’m sorry for worrying everyone.”
He reached out to cup my face and stroked his thumb over my cheek before nudging my head up until our gazes met. It was then that I realized that his eyes were different. Different than they had ever been. In place of their usual color, they looked sort of misty, like they were made of soft wisps of white, blue, and violet smoke.
They were beautiful. His eyes widened a bit before narrowing a bit. The mists moved faster and flickered. I heard a gasp behind me, but David didn’t look away.
“You are loved,” he said, his eyes boring into mine. “We only want you safe and healthy. There’s nothing to apologize for.” His phone rang again. “I have to take this, but if you’re up to it, the offer to drive back tonight is still up.”
I nodded, shivering at the warmth of his fingers leaving my face as he turned back to the door and answered the phone.
“Yeah? What have you found?”
As the door closed behind him, Sarah squealed. “You could probably play this up for at least another week. I shook my head and kept eating.
I looked over at Duke, who seemed frozen in his seat. His eyes were wide with shock. Slowly, he looked at me, and I realized that he had seen it too.
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