"You're going where exactly?" Jasper asks, standing in front of the door.
"I don't know. On a trip. That's all he said," I say to Jasper, hoping he moves out of the way.
"No."
"No?" I question.
"No. Royce is out there, and you—" he stops himself. "Just… no."
I blink at him a few times. "So, I should stay in this apartment and listen to you and Alice while you lay together just because Royce might be out there?"
Jasper doesn't have a good answer because he knows he's wrong.
Just then, there's a knock on the door. When Jasper pulls it open, a tall, smiling Edward walks in. Dark pants, a gray slim fit sweater, black boots, leather jacket. Ruddy brown hair and pink cheeks capture my attention. He absolutely smolders as he walks into the room.
This is only the second time I've seen Edward, and the first that I've actually been attracted to him. The words get caught in my throat, my stomach flips, and my heart beats rapidly. Edward moves his stare from Jasper to me deliberately. From all the months he's been in my head, I feel like I know. I feel like this isn't the second time I'm seeing him.
His face softens, he smiles faintly, and he licks his lips.
Immediately I block him. Whatever I'm feeling, I don't want him to know. Royals, I don't even know what I'm feeling. He must notice because his posture changes. He stands taller, hands in his pocket, studying my face.
"Ready?" he asks, stepping aside to allow me through.
"Where are you going?" Jasper asks.
Edward pats his shoulder and squeezes hard. "You worry about my dear sister, Jasper, and I'll worry about Belle."
Edward guides me out the door before Jasper can say anything else.
"He's absolutely insufferable," Edward complains.
The only thing I can manage is, "aren't you going to be hot in that?" while gesturing to his leather coat.
It's warm in Court 5, especially under the sun.
He shakes his head evenly. "Not where we're going."
"Am I dressed appropriately?" I ask, looking down. Long jean shorts and a soft pink blouse cover my body. Half of my long brown hair is pulled up in a loose braid and wayward strands frame my face. Looking at him, dressed like he's ready to fight, I'm underwhelming.
Edward looks me up and down before shaking his head. With a quick snap of his fingers, Edward dresses me like him. Dark denim pants, a feminine version of his same boots, emerald green sweater to match his eyes, and a coat with a fur hood.
"Holy Royals, this is hot," I laugh, unzipping the coat.
Edward snaps his fingers, removing the jacket in an instant. I can't help but balk at him, mouth wide open in surprise.
"I love watching your reactions," he laughs, shaking his head.
Edward grips my wrist and snaps again. We're suddenly at the train station, boarding a train car headed towards Courts 6 and 7. It's long, wide, and sparse. Not many people board a train headed to the last few Courts if they can avoid it.
"Will you tell me where we're going now?" I ask as he picks a section toward the end.
Two benches face each other. He sits on one side, and I sit across from him. The old yellow plastic looks worn but durable. It's cold as steel under the warm pants Edward dressed me in.
"Court 7."
"For?"
"Ingredients."
"And why do I need to come?"
He looks over at me, his tone frank. "You don't need to; I simply asked if you wanted to."
"Oh."
"It's not too late to take you back," he says. "I'm sure Jasper and Alice are just getting started on round one."
The train doors close, and the pressure releases from the tracks.
"Round one?"
He smirks. "Three weeks away is a very, very long time for two people Bonded whether they're unaware or not."
"Bonded? They're bonded?"
He looks at me like I'm silly. The way his eyebrows contort makes me giggle. We both share in a smile, and it feels like the easiest thing I've done… to smile, to laugh, to be here.
"We both know of their Bond, Belle. It's the only reason I allow Jasper to speak to me the way he does."
"But they never kissed. It's not official."
He smiles again, laughing almost. "Your naivete is adorable."
"What's that supposed to mean?" My defensive tone speaks volumes.
He leans forward, close enough for me to hear his comment. "It means I appreciate your innocence. It's extremely refreshing." Edward leans back and looks out the window as the train takes off. "You are very good for my sister. She needed someone like you in her life."
So many questions, but I can only manage, "someone like me?"
Still facing the window, sharp jawline outlined in golden sunlight, he glances over at me. "Virtuous. Moral. Humble. She was losing herself before you."
"And after me?" I ask, surprised at his statement.
"She's still figuring stuff out, but she takes what you have to say into consideration even if it doesn't always appear so. Do not let her fool you. Alice's strength is also her weakness."
It's the last thing he says during the train ride before looking out the window at the scenery. It goes from bright green to gray to snowy as we fly between Courts. Edward's jawline, I notice, could cut even the toughest diamond. I should be staring out the window with him, but I can't peel my eyes from his face.
I triple check the block is up as I imagine what the stubble around his chin would feel like cupped in my palm. What his eyelashes would be like as they fluttered against my cheek; how his breaths might sound next to my ear.
~!~
We arrive in Court 7, and before I can even shiver, Edward snaps his fingers, and the same jacket adorns my body again.
"Thank you," I tell him softly.
He nods before leading the way off the platform and away from where the others are walking to their vehicles.
Edward guides us along a path that weaves in and out of trees, tall grass, and then to a narrow river. He bends down and fills a cup, screws on the lid, and hands it to me to hold. We walk deeper into the deserted landscape filled with dead trees, snowy paths, and frozen ground. A rabbit hops out of a bush and dashes for the tree line.
"I could've gotten this stuff on Monday when Alice and I are here," I tell him.
"Sure, but you need me to concoct it."
"Why?"
"Only doctors can create a medicine. Correction, anyone can make it; only a doctor can activate it."
"But the only doctor in Court 6 was Dr. Hammody, and my parents only ever saw him when they absolutely needed to. They used Pepperline to make sure the wild animals didn't get in and destroy our property. I don't think they ever went to Dr. Hammody for Pepperline." I argue. "So, that can't be right."
"Why would I lie to you, Belle?" he asks, bending to grab a handful of soil to place in another cup. Long fingers dig into the Earth, uprooting soil that's been compacted for years. He cups it in his hands, picking out small rocks and debris.
"I… I don't know. I'm not saying you're lying; I'm saying—"
"I only know what the textbooks tell me, and what I've experienced firsthand. Someone is lying to you," he says, standing. His body towers over mine. "But it isn't me."
"Then who?"
"Sounds like a great question for the person who put the stuff around your house."
"My dad?"
Eyes so emerald I can't even speak, glow down at me. My breath catches in my throat, and for a moment, I hear nothing but the rush of blood in my ears.
He raises a brow in question. "Is that who told you?"
"Yes."
He takes a step back. Whatever still, quiet trance we had been in vanishes.
"Then that is who you should speak with."
Edward's fairly quiet save for the crunch of his black boots against the ground. The wind blows slowly until it reaches the divide between Courts, and then it whips its way into Court 6 like a fever pitch.
"How does this happen?" I ask, fluttering my fingers in the breeze, allowing the lines of Court 7 and 6 to blur before us.
The power of the gust feels like sticking your hand out of a moving car's window, and the force of the wind pushes against it. I spread my fingers and fight to keep still. Edward joins me, but his fingers dance in it, testing the invisible boundary between Courts.
"Between each Court is a magnet. It controls the elements. Court 7 is cold, barren. Court 6, windy and boring. Court 5, sunny but dull. Court 4, colorful. Court 3, breathtaking."
"Courts 2 and 1?"
Edward smirks, looking down. He's much closer than I expected. He smells of soft cotton, sunlight, and amber. Long fingers dance closer to mine between the Courts.
"No one knows," he says skeptically.
"Not even you who seems to know everything?"
"I know from reading. You should try it," he teases, dropping his hand and moving away.
"I read constantly—"
"Fiction," Edward corrects. "You read fiction."
Edward looks down, stuffing crunchy leaves into a container as he speaks.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Fiction gets you nowhere in our world. It's a waste—" he stops himself, takes a breath, and continues. "If you want to make a lasting change, research is your best opportunity."
"And who told you that?" I scoff.
Now he's starting to make me mad. This isn't the fun, charming Edward from our phone calls. In person, Edward is antagonistic.
He answers simply. "Myself."
I brush past him, bending to pour soil into another container to hurry this long.
"Sounds like your strength is your weakness, too," I say, challenging what he said about his sister on the train.
Edward smiles, nodding in agreeance. "That is absolutely the truth."
~!~
I help Edward gather the remaining ingredients before we head back to the train. Waiting for its return is quiet as we sit on a bench near the tracks. He looks through his phone while I stare off into the dead forest we just came from.
It's cold when the wind blows. The sky turns gray as tiny flecks of snow fall around us, melting on contact. I can't see it just yet, but the train is loud as it barrels down the tracks. Fewer people are waiting to board this time.
"So that's it?" I ask him as we board the train car, sitting across from him again.
"What's it?"
"You only wanted to go to Court 7?"
"Where else did you want to go, Belle?" he asks me seriously like he'd take me anywhere.
Edward looks over to me, his eyes roaming my face. There's a softness to his expression—like he wants to understand my question but doesn't. His handsomeness isn't a compliment; it's a defining trait. I think Edward and Alice were both blessed at birth with the magic of their looks. He's tall, broad, muscular in shape with such piercing eyes it sometimes takes my breath away. Alice is short, petite, dancer-like as she floats around the Courts. Her eyes are soft and sweet, inviting to all. I think about putting my shield up to block him from this information, but I don't mind if he knows I think this. It's the truth; both he and his sister are stunning.
I shrug. "I don't know."
Edward sits back and again pulls out his phone. He says nothing more to me on the train ride back to Court 5. His brows furrow every now and then as he reads something on his phone. When he heavy-sighs, I want to ask him what's wrong, but I know it'll fall on deaf ears. I study his face intensely, my block back up, and wonder exactly what he's looking at to annoy him so much. But he owes me nothing, least of all an explanation.
When it's our stop at Court 5, I stand to ready myself. Edward grips my wrist and pulls me back down, eyes still on his phone.
"What are you—"
The train doors open, allowing guests off and new guests on. I sit back down fully in my seat across from him.
"Would you like to see my office in Court 4?" he calmly asks, as if he doesn't care how I answer.
"Your office?"
"Yes. I have an office in Courts 4, 5, and 7. Please do not tell Alice. I do not want her thinking she can visit anytime."
The train doors close without my answer, and we're heading down the tracks.
"Where in Court 5?"
He smirks now. Putting away his phone, he looks over at me. His long legs cross so his right ankle rests against his left knee. Edward's body slouches, leaving almost no room for my short legs between our seats. My knee rests heavily against his shin, and neither of us move.
"In town, away from the University. The Royals have given all accelerated students an office in three Courts of their choosing."
Confused, I glance over at him. "Why not Courts 3 or 6?"
"I live in Court 3; there's no need for an office there. And Court 6 has the least interesting elements. I can't very well do many experiments in wind or dust."
"Experiments? Aren't you a doctor?"
"Research is part of the doctoral program. It's what I find most interesting," he answers, sliding his fingers through the errant strands of his hair.
"Are you interested in Court 7?"
"I am."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"Your sister would absolutely die if she were chosen to live in Court 7 forever."
Edward's heavy stare consumes me. Instead of my ankle lit on fire, it's my mind. It's my entire being. A heavy aching settles over my body. I feel it cover my skin like water, soaking me in places I'm too embarrassed to mention.
Bright green eyes stare into my blues as he says firmly, "I am not my sister, Belle."
Nodding, I say, "I get that now."
"She is spoiled, assuming, judgmental. I may be a lot of things, but I am not those things," his voice tight with contention as he leans his broad back against the plastic train seats like he wants to disappear.
"So what things are you?" I ask curiously.
Edward sits back, arms crossed cautiously, staring out the window. Thick, dark brows furrow loosely while his lips purse in thought.
"I'll tell you if you tell me," he answers after a few pensive moments.
I nod, giving into the game. "I'm understanding."
He nods in return. "I'm awful."
I roll my eyes. "Come on. Be serious."
"I am. You saw what I did. Would a respectable person do that, Belle?" Images of him above Jasper's mom, strong muscles holding him up, her neck stretched in ecstasy, float through me.
I don't take the bait, but I continue the game. "I'm curious."
He nods in agreeance and thinks for a moment. "I'm selfish."
"Edward, I'm going to stop if you don't play fair."
His head rests against the back of the chair as he stares down at me, smiling softly, teasing, testing.
"I'm gullible," I tell him. I put the block up and inwardly chant, take the bait, Edward.
He doesn't flinch. "You're trusting," he corrects.
Bingo.
"You're helpful," I tell him, turning his game around.
He scoffs. "I'm destructive," he counters.
"You're kind."
"You're kind," he challenges.
"Thank you," I tell him, accepting and acknowledging his words with a sincere smile.
Petulantly, he turns away, ending the game. I make sure to put my block back down before sending him the warmth of happiness his words made me feel.
Edward doesn't respond, but he uncrosses his legs and sits up straighter, huffing irritably. I can't help the small giggle as it escapes me. Edward tries not to, but he smiles too.
"Can you change me?" I ask as we cross from Court 5 into Court 4. "This outfit is too warm."
"What would you like to wear?" Edward leans forward a little, looking me up and down as I sit cautiously across from him.
I swallow hard under his gaze. "Uhm, I don't know. Pants and a shirt?" Something plain, something boring.
"Oh, Belle, you are anything but plain and boring," he tells me, snapping his fingers quickly.
I look down and see a dusty rose dress hitting just below my knee. A plunging neckline displays my chest in a way I've never shown it before. Three buttons down the bodice lead to a flowy skirt that flutters against my thighs. Cap sleeves with pretty bows add femininity to the sexy bodice. The linen fabric breathes in this heat.
The dress is extremely modest and feminine, but the way it sits against my body, accentuating my chest, makes me feel sexy for the first time ever. It's hard to keep my fingers from playing with the edges.
Edward swallows hard as I stand to exit the train. The small wedge heels add to the outfit. When I turn, the skirt flirts up, and I can't help but smile. This is the first time I've actually enjoyed clothes.
When Edward catches up to me, I notice he's changed too. Khaki dress pants hit at his ankles, and a loose, half-buttoned linen shirt replace the sweater. His chest glistens gold from the setting sun. Collar bones jut out of the exposed opening. I can just make out the form of his muscular chest, and is that… is that a tattoo? He turns away before I can ogle.
"You look very… professional," I tell him, following his path from the train station across the street and down an alleyway.
"Doctors are under strict dress codes when in the field," he explains, tucking the loose-fitting shirt into his pants held up by a thin belt before his hands dive deep into the pockets. The sound of his loafers against cobblestone covers up the swish of my dress.
"And are you in the field right now?" I ask him playfully, tearing my eyes from his body. Again.
"Yes. And you shouldn't be here."
"Oh," I tell him, slowing my steps slightly. "Should I catch the next train, then?"
"I said you shouldn't be here, not that I didn't want you to be," he corrects.
This conversation sounds similar to the one we had this morning.
We fall into a comfortable silence as Edward guides us across town, over the uneven yet charming cobblestone roads, to a tall building. I briefly wonder why he didn't just snap us here, but I remember how much he's used his magic today, and maybe it has to recharge just as it did the first night we met.
"My power is much stronger now. There is no recharge time needed. I did not use my magic, Belle, because I thought you might enjoy a walk around Court 4 and all its beauty," he says, clearly hearing my thoughts.
"Oh," I answer softly. "Sorry."
"You have not one thing to be sorry for," he says quietly, his gaze on the road turning to study me closely. I'm fire under his observation.
Attempting to shake him off, I look around. Tall buildings, enchanting streets, quaint shops line the main road. The sun, an intense gold, basks the Court in yellow creams, gilded browns, and beautiful light. Soft, vivid flowers grow from pots along the sidewalk, sprawling out, creeping onto our path. I've only been here a handful of times, so I don't know where we are in relation to Emmett's house, but I forget all about that when Edward unlocks the door to his office building.
We're quiet as he leads me to the elevator, and once inside, he presses a button to take us up. The dark lobby leaves everything to the imagination, but it smells sterile.
The doors open on floor twenty-five, which oversees practically the whole Court. Edward walks us down a hall with offices lined on the left side and giant windows on the right. At the end of the hall, he puts his thumb to the lock, and the door unbolts.
Inside, before he flicks on the light, only one thing captures my attention— the brilliance of the setting sun as it soaks the Court and its citizens in vibrant, calm beauty.
"Oh my Royals," I gasp, my fingers touching the glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows behind his large desk. "Is this not the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Soft flutters of excitement float around me. I've truly never seen—
Edward interrupts my thoughts. "No, it is not," he answers honestly, not even bothering to look at the melting colors of the sky.
"Tell me," I ask irritably, turning to him. "Tell me what's more beautiful than this."
He still doesn't look up as he places the soil, water, and pine needles on his desk.
"I'd rather you see for yourself," he answers, only half listening.
"Then show me," I challenge, gripping his hand. We're warm palm to warm palm for a moment. His eyes slowly graze from where we're joined up to mine before he realizes our hands are clasped, and let's go.
"No," he says, still looking down at me where force meets guileless. "What I mean to say is I'd rather you see for yourself in person. A few weeks from now, you'll be in Court 3. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about. Then you can tell me, Belle, what is more beautiful. That," he says, pointing behind him, "or what you'll experience in my Court."
Edward sits at his desk, snaps his fingers, and in the blink of an eye, a book appears. He studies the words, opens the containers, and mixes some stuff together.
"Is it what you showed me before?" I ask, prying. "The cliff and the ocean? The sunset?"
He smirks, measuring ingredients like a chef. "That's not even half of it," Edward answers frankly. "Right now, I feel you as you take in this sunset," he explains, measuring a spoonful of the dirt into the glass bowl where he mixes in a cup of something he pulls from his desk. "And I cannot wait to feel you as you lay those delightful blue eyes upon the grandeur of Court 3."
I throw the block up so quickly it almost hurts. I do not want him to feel how I feel right now, and that's bashful. His words, voice, and intellect give me the worst case of butterflies in the best way. I hate to admit it to myself, but he's so alluring it almost makes me sick. Everything Alice has said, the memory Jasper shared, it all comes firing back, crashing into me painfully. It's almost like Edward sends these unspoken reminders.
His words from the train sound over and over in my mind. They're my memories, though, and not of his doing.
I'm awful. I'm selfish. I'm destructive.
There's a pain that lingers like a wound. Too scared to let it fester, but not wanting to interrupt his work any further, I look around the rather large office. Stray lab tables with glass jars and a burner fill the space to the left, and floor to ceiling bookshelves fill the area to the right. There's a leather couch in the corner I find myself in while Edward works. The sun sets slowly, the sky explodes in colors as saturated and bright as berries… and then it's gone. The darkness swallows Court 4 while Edward's busy at work under the bright light of his desk.
He sighs irritably, cursing under his breath, and pulls out a phone before it even starts ringing.
"She's fine," he answers. "Yes, we're working on something to keep Royce away. No. No. Are you her mother? Yes. I said yes. Fine." He speaks in very clipped, irritable tones. "My darling sister would like to speak with you, Belle," Edward says, stretching out his arm to hand me the phone.
When I take it and answer, Alice sighs in relief. "So, you're okay?" she asks.
"I'm perfect," I tell her, spinning in my wedge heels, watching the skirt of the dress twirl as I spin around the tile floor. It feels slightly juvenile, but I've never felt prettier in my life.
For a moment, I let down the block. For a moment, I let him feel what he created. And for a moment, he stops working, his hands freeze, and his eyes flit to my body. A few breaths later, Edward's back to work, and I put the block back in place.
"We thought maybe he had—"
"You thought he what?" I interrupt. "Kidnapped me? Hurt me? Come on, Alice," I giggle at her absurdity. "He's your brother."
"I know," Alice says softly. "I know. It's just…"
"Just nothing," I tell her. "He's trying to help me when we're away in the different Courts. He's not trying to hurt me."
"Don't kiss him," she tells me abruptly.
I laugh at her absolute ridiculousness. "Okay, Alice. I promise I won't."
We hang up, and I hand the phone back to Edward.
"Read me paragraph three on the open page," Edward says, avoiding my closeness.
"What open page?" I ask, looking around. Behind me, where I was sitting on the couch, is a green, hard backed book open to a specific page. "Your magic is so cool," I tell him honestly.
Two dimples emerge as Edward smiles smugly at my words. I began to read as he requested.
"The powder takes two days to cure and should be kept in a dry environment devoid of light when stored in an appropriate container. Should light reach the powder while unused, the ingredients of the powder turn forceful and could be used as an explosive. Please ensure directions are followed precisely to avoid this from occurring. When ready, place the powder around the vicinity you wish to protect from hunters. When a hunter is within one hundred feet of the powder, the powder will glow yellow for six hours. The powder is active as long as the edges meet and there's no break in the line. The powder will withstand wind gusts of up to fifty miles per hour. Please ensure to keep extra on hand for occasions wind gusts are faster than the aforementioned. You will never run out of the powder so long as you save a pinch of reserves in the container. Each night, the container will refill as needed."
"Understand?" Edward asks as I finish reading.
He knows the rules, so this was for me. When I glance over, his relaxed body melts into the executive chair. Edward's elbows lean on either armrest, his fingers steepled, and his eyes gaze powerfully as usual. There's exhaustion in them, but it's masked with beauty.
"Got it," I tell him, swallowing hard.
Edward and I sneak back to the train the same way we came. The sun has long since set, and a comfortable darkness settles over the city of this Court. My wedges click against the cobblestone road, hurrying to keep up with Edward's long strides. There's no curfew in Court 4, but it's frowned upon to be out this late. Edward hands me the container as we board the train.
"You need to get used to carrying it," he says. "Make sure it's with you always, refilled, and never take it out in direct sunlight."
"And it glows when Royce is near?"
"Correct."
We sit in comfortable silence on the short train ride back to Court 5. It's dark out, and the cargo lights are dim above our seats.
"Thank you," I tell him softly.
"You do not ever need to thank me. I'm just doing my job." Edward's formal speech has grown on me, and it sounds almost natural at this point. He's very serious about his work, and I respect it, but he doesn't act like a typical nineteen-year-old. I guess because he isn't very typical. Not with his intelligence, his speech, or his magic.
"Not for this," I tell him, pointing it to the powder. "Thank you for today. For letting me come. For inviting me."
Edward simply stares at me, unblinking. "You're welcome."
The train slows, we exit, and Edward and I walk back to Jasper's apartment leisurely. It's late, and I'm sure they're wondering where we are, but I haven't enjoyed a night like this in a very long time. We walk side by side, our hands sway near but never touch.
The cooler temperature chills my skin without the sun closer to Court 6. I see how it all works now, how connected each Court is to the other.
"Would you like another outfit?" Edward asks next to me as I shiver in the cool air.
His fingers are ready, and I turn to place my hand over his. "No," I tell him quickly. "Please, no. This is," I pause, looking down. "This is the most beautiful dress I've ever worn. I'd like to keep it if that's okay."
Edward frowns, looking down. "It's a nothing dress," he tells me honestly, not understanding. "Had I known, I would have chosen something much more—"
"This is perfect," I tell him before clarifying, "this is me."
He nods, brows knit together.
We reach Jasper's apartment, and before climbing the steps to floor three, I pause inside the lobby. Edward, a step ahead, stops and looks back, eyes on me.
"You're very generous," I tell him quietly, smiling softly.
Edward doesn't react or argue. His emerald eyes burn intensely into my mind, into my thoughts. I feel like he steps closer, but I can't be sure, not when he's blazing before me.
I am sure of one thing, though, and it's that Edward sucks all the air out of the room when he says, "and you are very lovely."
~!~
Just as I predicted, Alice and Jasper have been wondering what we've been up to all day. Edward throws me a skeptical glance like yeah in between their romps. It's hard to stifle the giggle, and Alice begs me with her eyes to leave him alone.
My block is up; he can't hear, think, or see me. I want to scream at Alice there's nothing to leave alone. Edward was helping me today. Between collecting ingredients and making the powder, Edward and I barely spoke.
Except on the train, and in his office, and the barren land of Court 7, and when he called me lovely.
Edward stands and makes his way to the door as soon as the thought rushes through me. With his hand gripping the knob, he turns around. His eyes communicate something different to each of us.
Hard and unconcerned for Jasper. Glassy and apologetic to Alice. Soft and curious to me.
"I'll be in touch about Royce," is the last thing he says before the door shuts.
"Spill it," Alice says, turning to me on the couch.
I sigh exaggeratedly, knowing this was coming.
"Alice, there's nothing to spill," I tell her, pulling out the container of powder. "We worked all day on this."
Jasper takes it, inspecting the jar before handing it over. I take the time and tell them what I learned in the book, reciting what I memorized. Jasper's fascinated by the powder.
"What else can he make?" he asks more to himself than anyone else.
~!~
Later that night, I sprinkle the powder around the room, ensuring the lines meet, and there's no break in the circle.
Satisfied, I place the lid back on and put the container in the bag to avoid light and so the container can refill overnight.
Before I peel down the covers to hop into bed, I noticed the same hard-back book I was reading from earlier sitting atop my pillow, a note inked in black on the inside covered.
His handwriting.
If your frilly romance novels ever bore you and you begin to crave real knowledge.
I don't know why, but it makes me giggle. Shutting the cover softly, running my fingers down the spine, I let my block down.
Romance is never boring, Edward. You should try it.
Almost immediately, I can hear the faint laughter in my mind as he says, tried it once. Didn't work. Science is my One True Love now. Think the Royals will let me Soul Bond with it?
That depends; how exactly will you kiss it in order to complete the Bond?
I have my ways… and many recipes.
Is that right? What of your wedding night… the Royals will know. How could you possibly lay with science? I tease.
Oh, Belle, you can have sex with just about anything these days.
My cheeks flame at his word. Sex. Many people use it, but never in Court 6. Maybe we're just old-fashioned.
I change the subject marginally when I ask, is it true the Royals know about your wedding night?
Do you mean to ask if the Royals know you and your Soul Bond have sex on your wedding night?
Yes, Edward. I can't help but roll my eyes. Is he trying to get me to say the word?
I wouldn't know. Luckily, I'm unbonded and unmarried.
Yes, but you know everything.
His response comes later. So much later, I'm almost asleep.
Hundreds of years ago, after the sickness, when our population was at an all-time low, the Royals required the used sheets from the wedding night as proof. I guess since then, word caught on that the Royals just know.
That doesn't make sense. Some girls don't even bleed their first time.
There are other fluids besides blood, Belle.
Oh. Oh! Holy Royals. My blood shivers in embarrassment, and I dip my head lower into the pillows.
Do not be embarrassed, he tells me. From the memories of you and that black-haired kid, he didn't know a thing about what he was doing. I'm sure there weren't many fluids on those sheets anyway. By his laughter, he means to tease, but it's far worse than that.
Edward! Stay out of those memories! I yell over to him. How mortifying.
I wasn't prying. You and my sister have talked countless times about it. I see it before I can block it. Besides, it's not a big deal. I have—
Not a big deal? Edward, that's so embarrassing. I don't get to watch you… doing that stuff! So why should you get to watch me?
He chuckles in response. I'm pretty sure Jasper showed you, did he not? If you'd like to see more, I'll send one over. Suddenly, I'm transported into a room with soft pink sheets, floral wallpaper, and a very beautiful blonde on her back. Satin sheets snake around her toned, golden body as she giggles up at Edward. Her body rocks in gentle motions. His long fingers trail down her arms, and just as he pulls the sheet away, I wise up.
No! I shout. No, no no!
And then I throw the block up so high I can't feel another thing. Not a pulse, not a scratch, not a worry.
It's silent and still and lonely.
I allow myself the displeasure of feeling all the things I just did only magnified. I knew Edward could sense me, feel me, see me, but I didn't realize I needed to get better—way better—at placing my block up at every moment. How much had he seen? Mine and Jake's time together wasn't nearly as graphic as some, but the thought that Edward had seen it, felt it, experienced it… my body lights up in humiliation, every inch of skin blushing.
How would I remember to throw up the block when talking to Alice about our times? Hers were so vivid compared to mine that I'm sure he blocked us out immediately anyway… hopefully.
A strong feeling, almost like a rap at a door, strikes in my head. Softness whisps against the block, and I can feel it ripple like a flag against his voice. It's muffled, but I can sense he wants to communicate. At the same moment, my ankle heats slowly, his way of capturing my attention.
I take a deep breath and lower it little by little.
Please do not be embarrassed. I'm sorry for teasing. I meant to say that I see everyone, Belle. I see Jasper and Alice, classmates, my parents, for Royals sake. You were right. Sometimes this magic is a curse. I never seek your memories out unless you share them. The very moment they come to me when your block is down, I try and shut them out. I do apologize, Belle, but I cannot help what I am. Please understand.
I nod against his words, not able to form anything in response.
Good night, Lovely Belle, he whispers, and then he's gone. Gone like his block is up too. Like he has a block.
If he does, it's news to me. Maybe he's just that good at shutting people out. You'd probably be pretty good at doing so when you hear everyone all day.
~!~
I don't hear from Edward again. Alice and I are so busy that I don't even realize it.
Jasper escorts us back to our room so we can pack for our field observations trip. We're starting in Court 7 and working our way down the line. We've received an itinerary and what to expect from each Court. Alice reads hers thoughtfully; I toss mine into my pile of clothes. Alice spends the day trying to snap me into outfits; her magic shows much more frequently now but doesn't come as easily as Edwards. First, she snaps me from a T-shirt to a turtleneck and from shorts to a super short skirt.
"Alice!" I plead, covering myself. "I have underwear longer than this!"
"You should really think about throwing those away, Belle," she teases, trying again.
After the skirt comes a pair of thick, dark pants. They don't really match the top, but I let it go. I don't have a whole lot of clothes, so packing isn't difficult for me. Alice, on the other hand? It takes hours.
Luckily, she lets me borrow some of her clothes for the fancier Courts, and I let her borrow some of my clothes for Courts 6 and 7. She's not looking forward to the dress code, the wind, or the dust, but I excite her by sharing with her my favorite memories in the wheat field, watching the dust spray against the clouds overhead.
I burry the jar of powder and Edward's hard-back book in the middle of my clothes in the duffle bag.
Jasper and Alice take a very long-time saying goodbye to each other. So long, in fact, that I've boarded the train and have to call Alice to hurry her along. Just as she sits across from me, teary-eyed, the train takes off.
"Just kiss him already," I tell her.
"Not yet," she responds, but I'm not sure if she's trying to convince herself or me.
~!~
The train ride isn't too long, and we're told our host family will be waiting for us at the station. But when we arrive, there's no one.
Alice and I wait patiently for them to show. After an hour, Alice starts to complain. After two, I start to complain.
My block has been halfway down, but I throw it the whole way down so Edward can hear when I ask, any news on Royce?
There's a slight static that rubs like fingernails against my mind. I ask again, thinking there's some kind of interference. He's in Court 3, and now I'm in Court 7… maybe there's a distance cap on this whole mental communication magic. Again, though, there's a silent static that grows louder and louder the longer my block is down.
Figuring he must be busy, I throw the block halfway up in case he tries to reach me, and we wait another twenty minutes until a woman with wild gray hair and snow boots as wide as a tire shows up.
"Ready?" she calls, turning quickly on her heel.
Alice looks wide-eyed at me.; fear written all over her face.
"Great," she whispers, pulling her bags behind her as we try to keep up with the lady.
Her house is small, like really small. So small Alice and I have to share a room.
"My husband's not home yet, but try to keep out of his way. You have some school stuff, right?" she asks, walking outside with a bucket of feed to tend to whatever animals she keeps in this barn of a home.
"Uhm, yes, how do we get there?" Alice asks, following her onto the porch.
The woman points to the corner of the street. "Bus times are posted on the sign. Dinner is five o'clock sharp. You miss it; you don't eat."
Alice and I grab our backpacks, zipping our jackets up to our mouths, and whisper the same thing to each other, "these are going to be five long days."
~!~
The first two days drag. Alice and I are separated. She's at a higher level, and I'm observing the lower level. The teacher I'm paired with isn't horrible, not like how Alice describes hers, but she makes some offbeat comments like, "well, aren't you lucky," and "the Royals must love you," and "if I were you, I wouldn't even be here."
The kids seem to enjoy learning, and the material is actually pretty advanced—much more advanced at this level than I was used to in Court 6. When I try and ask the teacher I'm shadowing questions about her Court, she snubs me off.
When I tell her what family we're staying with, her body freezes.
"What?" I ask.
"And you've met the husband?"
"Once for dinner," I tell her.
We missed him yesterday as the bus was late. They were both in bed at six when we arrived home. My stomach growled all night.
"Watch yourself with him," she warns. "He can be… handsy."
"What's that mean?"
She says nothing else on the matter.
On the bus ride home, I tell Alice of the encounter.
"Okay, another teacher today said pretty much the same thing. What does it mean?"
"What was their last name again?" I ask her.
"Forge," Alice says.
When you were in Court 7, did you ever meet a man with the last name Forge? I ask Edward, putting my block down so I can hear if he says anything back.
He doesn't. All night my mind stays blank, like white noise, and my ankle has never been colder.
I try to brush off the isolation. I'm so used to being in communication and sharing my thoughts with someone that now, when it's not returned, I feel lonely.
That night, after dinner, with Mr. Forge staring Alice down, we lock ourselves in the bedroom.
"If you have to pee, you better get a bucket. No way I'm unlocking this door. He gives me the creeps," she whispers.
The room is pretty small. There are two small beds on a creaky wooden floor. The only light is whatever is left in the lantern by the time night comes. The draft through the cracked window makes us shiver, and when I've had enough being cold. I ask Alice to come over to share warmth.
We shiver together; my hands rub up and down her arms to melt her tiny frame. Alice closes her eyes, teeth chattering, and sends me a memory.
She's small, no older than eight, and her bangs hang heavy and wet against her forehead. The sun shines so brightly she can barely keep her eyes open. The sun blazes against our bodies in the memory. I can feel it even now, even in this cold, dank room. A taller man bends down to kiss her nose; small freckles dotting her cheeks. Suddenly, the man picks Alice up and tosses her into a pool of ice blue water. Alice shares with me the refreshing water against sun-kissed skin, the bubbles that float to the surface, her parents laughing as she pops back up.
"Did you see that, Mom?" she yells happily, swimming around. "I can swim!"
Alice pulls back as I look down on her. "You guys have a pool?"
"Duh. How else would we survive the heat?" she says bluntly.
"I don't know how to swim," I tell her honestly. "I've never even been in water deeper than a bathtub."
"Shut up," she practically screams.
I place my hand over her mouth and listen for anything outside. When the silence eats us up, I lower my hand and remind her, "be quiet."
"I'll teach you to swim," she whispers.
I smile and nod.
Next, I send her a memory. Ben and I were paired to be partners in a science class. He didn't know anything about genetics, and as much as I tried, I couldn't help him understand. In the memory, I keep reminding him it's called the Punnett Square, but he insisted on calling it the Pubic Square. When we went to presented our project in front of the entire class, he kept calling it the wrong name. When it was over, amid everyone's laughter, the teacher corrected him. After that, Ben sort of hated me.
Alice hides her fit of giggles behind her hand. The rest of the night, we take turns sharing stories and laughing at each other until the lantern burns out. And then, with her back to my front, she whispers kindness in the dark.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Making me experience the things I need to but never want to."
Her brother's words sound in my head. Alice's strength is also her weakness.
~!~
The next day, Mr. Forge pounds down the stairs for breakfast.
"You girls need to quit being so damn loud," he hollers.
"Sorry, sir," I tell him.
"Sorry doesn't help the fact you kept me up all night last night. You know we've got a spare room in the barn if you can't act civilized in this home," he threatens.
Alice and I don't so much as look at each other, but on the way to school, we count down the hours until we're off to Court 6.
Wednesday goes by pretty fast. The teacher I'm paired with quizzes me all day on policy and laws for Court 7. We discuss the snow squall that's supposed to happen later today, and she asks about Mr. Forge again.
"He's okay," I tell her blandly.
"Maybe he changed then," she says with a shrug.
I hate to admit it, but I don't fully trust the people of this Court. Maybe it's because of our host family, or maybe it's the lack of manners, but I'm not telling anyone anything. In fact, I've kept my name simple: Belle.
Every day when we arrive home from school, I check the perimeter of the house to make sure the powder is still there, and none of it's glowing. So far, so good. Just before four, the snow starts. Exactly at four, it's so white outside you can't see anything.
The wind blows fast and hard, and Alice sort of squeals.
"Is it ridiculous that I want to go play in it?" she asks.
I shake my head no, and we pile on the clothes. She helps me into my boots, and I do the same for her. Before heading outside, I ask if she could put gloves on our hands.
Alice closes her eyes and thinks hard. She's silent, the room so still it's like we're not alive, and then fleece gloves cover our fingers.
We run outside, lucky that neither host parent is home, and run around in the snow. Alice and I fall to our sides, make snow angels, roll balls into snowmen, and clear a path for Mr. and Mrs. Forge to walk. The snow falls up to our ankles already, and there's no sign of it slowing.
For a moment, as Alice and I step to the edge of the property, I feel the faint tapping on my block. But when I let it down, there's nothing but the same static there has been.
Creeping worry shoots through my veins like it's my worry, but I know it's not. I shrug away the feeling and run back onto the porch, laughing with Alice. The Pepperline is still good, the wind hasn't blown any away, and none of it glows. We're safe.
Maybe since we've been gone, Jasper's been able to catch Royce and end the hunt.
~!~
Just before dinner, Alice and I warm our bodies by the fire lit in the living room. The first to arrive is Mrs. Forge. She apologizes for being late; the weather kept her. We help her with the food, and I start cooking with her. It's a different story when Mr. Forge arrives home.
He slams open the door and slams it shut again. Heavy footsteps fall against the old wooden floor.
"What is this mess?" he yells, pointing to the wet spots.
"Snow," Alice says.
Alice's strength is also her weakness.
Alice shut up! I want to shout, but I can't.
Mr. Forge bellows so loud, Alice falls backward into the table. She goes to grab the edge and slips; plates shatter to floor around her. She's afraid; I can feel it. When I go to help Alice, Mrs. Forge grips my wrist and shakes her head no. There's fear in her eyes, and it infuriates me. How dare she allow this to happen.
Snatching my wrist away, I run to Alice's side. "Don't!" I scream at Mr. Forge as he raises his hand. "Don't touch her!"
Alice shakes next to me, but it's not from fear anymore. No. Alice seethes in rage.
Just as Mr. Forge lowers his hand to smack her, I scream. He pauses briefly, turning to me. Suddenly, I run to our bedroom and grab the container before sprinting back downstairs. When I get there, Mr. Forge has Alice backed against a wall with his hand raised. I place the container of Pepperline onto the counter in a stream of light. It's not instant, probably because the sunlight is faint, but smoke swirls inside the glass.
I grab Alice's arms and say, "get us out of here."
"I can't," she whispers.
"Try, Alice. Hurry!"
Just as Mr. Forge reaches to grab me, Alice grips my hand so hard, eyes squeezed shut so tightly it hurts, and we're gone. Wet drops fall around us, our feet soaked from the snow. When we open our eyes, it's the train station we see.
And then suddenly, a roar bellows so loud it shakes the wind around us. Our eyes grow large as we run onto the first train car we find.
"This is bullshit," Alice complains, heaving into a seat. "Wait till the Royals hear about this!"
I lower my shield completely, letting Edward in if he wants.
What's going on? I ask him; nervousness shakes my words even mentally. I don't hear anything until we cross out of Court 7 and into Court 6.
Suddenly there's a pounding in my head, like an icepick in my brain. I grab my ears and lower my head between my knees to stop the pain.
Belle! Edward shouts.
What? I call out to him, angry he's screaming through my intense pain.
Fucking Royals! He shouts in relief. Answer your phone right fucking now.
Suddenly the headache is gone, and I pull the phone I know I didn't have on me out from my pants pocket.
"Nice to finally hear from you." It comes out more resentful than I mean it to.
"What do you mean?" he asks. "I've been trying to get through to you for days."
"I didn't feel it," I tell him honestly. "I didn't feel you at all."
He sighs in annoyance. "I kept getting snippets of emotions in between this weird static. This makes no sense."
"I heard the static, too," I respond quietly, listening to Alice cry next to me.
"Mr. Forge tried to hurt Alice, and—"
"Say that again," Edward says.
"Mr. Forge… he tried to—"
"You… you stayed with the Forges?" he asks angrily. "Who the fuck would allow this?"
"I don't know, Edward, but he raised his hand, he—"
"Show me," he says harshly. "I want to see everything."
So, I close my eyes, still on the phone with him, and replay every memory I can think of over the last few days. When it's done, after the last memory of the roar from the train station, Edward blows out a breath and laughs.
"That Royal's loving son of a bitch."
"Edward," I say, questioning his tone.
"I'll… I'll tell you later," he explains. "The Pepperline… you used it to blow up their house?"
"Blow it up? Like their entire house?"
Edward chuckles. "Yes, remember, it's an explosive when exposed to the sun."
"I thought it might, like, damage part of their kitchen. I ruined their home?" I ask, saddened for Mrs. Forge.
"Do not, for one second, feel remorse for saving yourselves," Edward tells me. "Do you know the depraved things he would have done—" Edward stops himself there, blowing out a long breath, and moving on. "Tell Alice you're heading to Court 6. Stay with your parents, Belle. Your clothes are ruined, but I'll send you both a full suitcase for the rest of your trip."
"Alice won't like you picking her clothes," I tease, glancing up at Alice to make her smile.
It has the opposite effect.
"Tell my baby sister to stop her crying and—"
"Edward," I hiss. "Have some compassion."
"What did I tell you about empathy?" he asks
"It's not a waste of time," I counter. "This is your sister."
"It is, and I know she's tougher than this. Tell her I'll send her a new phone and she can call Jasper when you arrive in Court 6. And Belle?" he asks before continuing, "keep your block down, so I know you're safe… until I can get you more Pepperline."
"Yes, father," I tease in annoyance.
He laughs as I hang up. Just to anger him, to piss him off, I throw the block up as high as I can get it, and smirk.
Alice has stopped crying at this point and looks over at my smirk.
"Your brother can be such a—"
"Trust me, I know."
"He wants me to keep my block down until he says so," I tell Alice, sitting back with my arms crossed petulantly.
"He's so controlling."
"So, I'm putting it up as high as it'll go."
Alice and I share a smirk at the same time Edward traces the block with his fingers. It's soft, light like a feather. The pressure tickles my mind, behind my eyes, inside my ears. It's a chuckle, a laugh, an impressed grunt before he backs away.
We travel the rest of the way to Court 6, my leg bouncing the entire time. Alice glances over at me, but I'm so happy to finally see my parents, and tears well in my eyes. Alice holds my hand when we arrive at the station.
She tries to snap shoes on our feet. The closest she can get with tired magic are slippers, but they'll do.
"How far is your house from the station?" she asks tiredly.
"A few miles."
Alice grips my hand as we step off the train platform. I push my block down and let Edward know we're safe.
His simple response is a mental image of him in an office, different from the one I saw in Court 4, measuring ingredients for another jar of Pepperline.
After the image disappears from my mind, I look around at everything I've missed in the last year.
The dirt roads, the dusty wind so sharp I have to walk with my head down, eyes squinted. The bare trees with no leaves. The dull sky swirled in a brown-gray mess.
"So, this is Court 6?" Alice asks an hour later as we turn onto the street that raised me, contempt dripping off her words.
I smile over at her. "This is Court 6."
A/N:
I loved hearing your predictions last chapter about where you thought Edward was taking her! Most said Court 6 which I can see why... but he won't be meeting her parents just yet ;). What did you think about where he did take her? The train ride? Court 4? Maybe I'm biased, but I find him pretty swoon worthy, lol.
How do you think Alice will handle Court 6 after the shit show that was Court 7? Any other predictions?
Thank you so much for supporting, reading, and reviewing. I'm so happy to hear your thoughts and read your comments- they definitely make my day :)!
*If you're interested, I started an instagram where I plan on posting teasers for my stories including parts of the chapter I'm working on, images of outfits/Courts/random pictures that inspired certain aspects or I used as a "muse"! If you're interested, you can follow me at eepwrites. Clever, I know! Again, thank you for the support 3