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    Theo''s room is decorated more modestly than the rest of the house, with in blue walls and curtains. It''s a typical teenage boy''s bedroom apart from the lunge bed that takes up almost the whole floor space. The bed is like the one we had at the apartment and I wonder if it''s a standard bed in this realm.


    "She could have let us keep Sophie''s room," Theo grumbles when he struggles to move around the bed.


    "This is fine," I reassure him. I''m just grateful we have somewhere safe to stay together.


    "I''m going to do a perimeter rum," Axel says from behind me. I turn to him and I''m concerned with the change I can see in him. His face is no longer the sweet shy one, his expression is hard and fierce. His posture is tense and on high alert. It''s the kind of change you can only car from trauma, and I did that to him. I wrap my arms around him and feel a littlefort when he holds me back and kisses the top of my head.


    "Come back to me," I whisper to him, hoping he understands the double meaning of my words.


    "Always," he responds before releasing me and walking away. I look at Luke and Theo wanting to discuss the change in Axel when I notice their changes too. Theo is checking out of the windows before closing the curtains, whilst I Luke is searching under the bed. They seem paranoid.


    I thought we were safe here?" I frown, because their actions are not giving me safe vibes.


    "We are, well as safe as we can be," Luke reassures with an unconvincing smile.


    "The truth is we are not safe anywhere," Theo sighs.


    "Theo," Luke scolds.


    “What? Hiding this from her is not protecting her. Her safety is more important than herfort," he shrugs.


    "You''re right, but I just wanted her to have at least one peaceful night before we drop this on her," Luke sighs.


    "Hello, I''m right here, can we stop talking like I''m not," I fold my arms over my chest a stare at them expectantly.


    "Sorry, Babe. It''s just whoever is trying to take us out is very powerful, like Deacon level powerful and that''s bad. We have to be sure no one has beenpelled to nt something in here that could harm us,” Theo grimaces.


    "You mean me, they''re targeting me, not you guys. I''m putting you all in danger," I breathe. I want to run, get away from them all so they''ll be safe.


    "No, we believe they''re trying to take us all down, but you are the easiest target. Not because you are weak but because it''s the smartest move. If your heart stops beating then so does ours," Luke exins and I feel instantly sick. They came so close to killing us all.


    "What do you mean by Deacon level powerful? Are we talking about Mr Collins or is Deacon also a power level?"


    ''Mr Collins, he''s crazy powerful. He has all of the rarest and strongest gifts, which makes him dangerous," Theo


    says.


    "Then why the hell is he a headmaster?" I snort.


    "This is what all of us have questioned, he was in the military and he gave it up to run the academy," Theo shrugs.


    "If these gifts are so rare then how sure are we that he isn''t the one trying to kill us?" I don''t want to believe that but it''s the most logical exnation.


    "Mason used him, I thought they were going to kill each other at one point. Deacon was furious, but then he


    did something that earned Mason''s trust and he''s never questioned him since. It''s weird, those two seem to be getting close," Theo huffs and his words are dripping with calousy.


    "What did Deacon do to earn his trust?"


    "No cluc, he won''t tell me. He doesn''t tell me anything anymore," Theo looks pained. I have to get Mason back for him. "Deacon has been here a lot, he''s been screening all staff and family for signs ofpulsion and he''s been trying to train us to resist it, but shit is so hard. He tells me I''m a chicken and no matter how hard I fight it I still end up clucking around, trying to peck the ground,


    I burst intoughter, I can''t help it. The mental image of Theo acting like a chicken is hrious.


    "It''s not funny," he scowls, "he doesn''t make anyone else chicken!"


    "He made me a chicken," Luke protests.


    "No, Luke, he made you a rooster, there''s a difference. I didn''t see you trying toy a fucking egg!" Theo curses and my stomach aches fromughter.


    "Hey, he didn''t specify the gender of the chicken, you chose to be a female one," Luke shrugs.


    drest."


    "It''s so good to hear youugh, even if it''s at my expense, Theo smiles, "but you really should rest. "I''m tired, but not a sleepy kind of tired, my body wants to rest but my brain is fully awake now," I sigh.


    "Then let us take care of you, we''ve be quite skilled atmassage thesest few weeks," Luke says,ing close to me and unzipping my hoody. "Massage?" I raise an eyebrow.


    "Yes, it''s the only care we were allowed to give you. We kept your joints moving and massaged you every day," Theo exins.


    "Thank you. I''m sorry I missed that," I smile sadly. I hate how much I have missed with them.


    "Then let us show you," Luke smiles, pushing my hoody off my shoulders.


    "Here," Theo says, opening a drawer on his dresser and pulling out a pair of his boxers, "you can wear these," he holds them out to me.


    A few minutester I''mid on my front wearing nothing but Theo''s boxer shorts whilst Luke massages my shoulders, arms and back, and Theo is working his magic on my legs and feet. It''s bliss.


    "That feels so good," I moan.


    "Good, but can you refrain from making those noises or my sister will cut off our balls," Theoughs.


    "Was I the only one hurt in the attack?" I ask, suddenly realising I''d never checked if they were all physically okay. "Yes, we had stepped out of the room for a second. We stupidly left you alone," Theo admits.


    "Sounds like luck more than stupidity. You couldn''t have stopped it, we''d have all been hurt if you were with me," "Maybe, I don''t know. What do you remember of it?" he asks. I try to think but I can barely remember anything. "Not much, I have a sh of hearing Mason calling for Dot, but that''s it. How is Dot?”


    "She is fine, she was able to heal your wound but not the internal damage it caused. She has been trying to visit you but Deacon banned all unnecessary visitors," he says and anger fills me. Why would he ban my friend? The one who most likely saved my life.


    "What an ass! Can I use someone''s phone to call her?"


    Sure, but don''t be angry at Deacon, he''s been exhausting himself with screening all necessary visitors forpulsion, plus trying to train us and make sure the academy is safe," Luke says, his hands leave my body and 1 sit up, using a pillow to cover my breasts 1 take the offered phone from Luke and hit call on Dot''s contact information


    N.O Darling Author


    My husband was very amused at me writing this whilst chuckling to myself imagining Theo clucking around like a chicken.