I'll Protect You (Re-Edit #2, 2016)

"Go to the formal," he said. "It'll be fun," he said.

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When I first brought up my request to attend the Valentine formal with Logan, Elijah had been adamantly against it. Even Archer, the risk-taking and danger-loving king, was skeptical about the dance. It was too chancy, they said. There were too many outcomes to predict, too many outcomes we wouldn't be able to prepare for. What with the recent attacks on the borders of Montana and Alec's betrayal, no one wanted me to go anywhere. 

But then the days turned into weeks, and nothing happened. As the year transitioned from January to February, it did so in peace. There were no attacks, no threats, no imminent danger lurking around the corner. Even Alec's phone calls had stopped, and though there was the occasional skirmish with the patrols, nothing major disrupted our lives. 

And so Elijah's conviction began to weaken. Thanks to Logan and Minnie, Elijah began to reconsider his decision. They spent days dropping subtle hints about the upcoming formal, mentioning the fact that I had never been to one, how Logan had always wanted to take his childhood friend to a dance, or how Minnie had never been to a social event like the formal. They appealed heavily to Elijah's sentimental and emotional side, and finally, he cracked, even offering to buy me a dress. 

"You do realize the dance is an hour," Archer reminded me as he appeared in my doorway. Hastily, I closed my laptop, but not before sneaking a glance at the time. True enough, it was an hour before eight, yet I still sat in my black sweats and loose cropped t-shirt, my hair tangled in the messiest bun to date. 

"Crap," I muttered. "Do you think sweats are formal enough?"

"Oh, yeah," he agreed immediately. "Totally formal. Gods, I'd go have dinner with the president in that outfit."

"Tone down the sarcasm, Arch," I reprimanded. "It's not attractive."

"Excuse you," he said in mock offense, "everything about me is attractive."

"Oh, you're right. "Everything except for your face."

My brother strode into the room and plopped himself on the edge of my bed, leaning over to yank on my hair. "Is that any way to treat your favorite older brother?"

"You're my only older brother. Plus, don't you know the trends? This is how older brothers who disappeared for eight years get treated."

Archer pouted, but a smile easily broke out on his face. Then, he picked up my laptop and held it out of my reach as I yelped in protest, leaping up to grab it. 

"You want to tell me why you're not listening to me and trying to hack into Alec's files again?" he inquired, arching a dark brow. I sat back down, tasting defeat on my tongue. My eyes flickered towards the door, narrowing as suspicion crept down my spine. 

Alec had already changed into his formal outfit and left to help Elijah close up the shop. However, a part of me couldn't help but fear he was somehow here, listening in on every word we were exchanging. 

"I locked the front door," Archer said, his gaze following mine. "He won't be able to get in without us knowing. Besides, Elijah should have him busy with memorizing Escape Plan A right now."

"Is that why you're here? To tell me Plan B?" I asked. 

"Should I? You're not even dressed to go."

I sighed, knowing that I should really get ready, but despite Logan's encouragements over the past few weeks and everyone's excitement, my interest and enthusiasm was nowhere to be found. 

Archer abruptly got to his feet and left my room, but he came back swiftly with a brush and a few pins in his hand. He grabbed my red wig off the desk by the door before sitting back down on the bed. "Come here," he said, gesturing towards the floor.