Rise [Bruno Mars]

Chapter fifty-six

Chapter fifty-six

It occurred during a counsel meeting.

We ruled as equals. The Ala Cante's. Together, we set further dreams into existence, weaving a mend through the Unmapped it has never once experienced. With calculated emancipation, we refilled empty safe houses, labeling us as the new Keepers, the last one never having been found. Aedifacators repaired victim safe houses. Patrols lessened Unbestia's confidence. And the bridge. . . was still underway.

Ever since the return of Bruno's incompletus animus, Joseph spent every opportunity inside the labs, working long into the night, leaving me, sometimes, to hold counsel.

During an eruption of conversation, I had wordlessly requested for silence. "Langdon, I understand your concern. For over fifty years this palace has thrived in. . ."

The words died on my lips. I was suddenly hyper aware of the large stretch of distance separating me from my husband. He was buried in the deepest part of Grim, so very far. . .

"You were saying, miss Adrian?"

I refocused on Langdon and swallowed, as though that would help to reconstruct my sentence. "I understand your concern for our lost—subtlety—I—" I took a deep breath, struggling to ignore Joseph's now palpable and apparent long interval. "But the—the. . ."

A light hand on my arm. I flinched.

"Daughter? Is everything fine?"

I blinked at Galina. "Yes, I am—" Inhaling sharply, a rush of feelings flooded my skin, Joseph branding all of them.

I began to tremble.

"Meeting is—" I whispered, pushing out my chair, "meeting is adjourned."

Someone complained, "But we just began."

Managing to my feet, I told them, "We shall continue at a later time." I groaned, then, a surge higher than desire, stronger than any want, yawned open inside of me.

Need.

Raw and breathtakingly painful. Head down, I gripped the edges of the table, knowing without it I would cave in. Distantly, I felt those seated staring and luckily, Bruno was not one of them.

Only when someone tried to help did I move, backing from them like a frightened animal. "Do not touch me." I cowered, wincing when I felt their flesh come into contact with mine. "Please, leave me—"

Shaking and weak, I stumbled out of the meeting hall, heading in what seemed like a general direction, yet I knew instinct would take me to the labs. But I could not bear the travel. When my guards and others attempted to come to my aid, I recoiled, pleading with them to not touch me, to please leave me be. In a hasty escape, I reached for a commoner door, tumbling inside.

Limb by limb, I was torn apart.

I curled up on the floor, pressing my cheek to the cool stone. My muscles tensed, convulsed. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will the ache away. It pulsed in every part of me, worsening by the second. I could do nothing but lie there and be destroyed.

"My love."

His voice was cool, floating through the door.

"Please—" I gasped out. Come to me.