FALLEN | rowan whitethorn x oc

CHAPTER FIVE - i'm scared and my crush is still looking at me

It took Isabella a couple of minutes to fully understand what were happening, who was standing in front of her. Remelle had appeared only once in the books, well, not really in the books but rather as a new character in a bonus chapter from Empire of Storms. Apparently, she had been Rowan's lover before he met Aelin but he'd regretted dating her. Especially after she decided to get touchy with him when he didn't want to. So Aelin had then set her on fire. Classic.

Isabella looked back at the males in the tent, trying to look for answers, but only found resignation. Rowan had an annoyed grimace in his face, as if he would rather be anywhere but here with the new female. Fenrys was serious, more than she had ever seen him and it was Gavriel the only one that walked to Remelle and greeted her properly. She immediately directed her gaze to Rowan, and said something to him, even though they were standing in opposite sides of the room. He snorted in response but, then, grew serious after throwing a glance at Isabella. Remelle turned to look, for the first time since she had entered the tent, at her. She studied her from head to toe. The result must have not impressed her because she simply shrugged and took off her coat, practically throwing it at Gavriel for him to hang it.

Remelle walked towards Isabella, slightly shaking her hips, before seating in the chair across from her. Isabella's hands had been turned into fists, she knew her knuckles were white due to the force of her own grip. She forced herself to maintain a steady rhythm of breaths and to relax her body. She had grown tense. All three males took a closer step to Remelle, facing Isabella. A couple of seconds went by before Lorcan appeared and took his place next to Rowan. Isabella was finding it harder and harder to breath, her heart was beating fast and she had begun to hear a thrum in her ears. Adrenaline and fear. She glanced distractedly to the tent's door and counted in her head how many steps it would take her to reach the door and run away in case she had to. The soldiers were still positioned outside but maybe if she was fast enough, she could take them by surprise and use those extra seconds to escape. She had no idea where she was or where she could possibly go but she had walked stray for a long time now.

Remelle asked the males a question but only Gavriel answered her. She glanced at him and turned to look straight into Isabella's eyes when he fell silent. She proceeded to say something to Isabella, a command, she realized. For what? She didn't know but she was wary of Remelle's presence. She had never liked her in the books and she had never liked to follow the rules, even less if they were coming from a female who looked at her as if she were nothing more than a bag of potatoes. Despite the fact that Isabella loved potatoes.

Isabella remained silent, her back straight and her chin high, but the fast beating of her heart was unmistakably clear for one thing: fear. She hated that feeling, it never seemed to truly leave her. Even when she let herself relax a bit, her fear was always following like her own shadow, ready to trap her in a hug and choke her if she wasn't careful.

Isabella looked at Gavriel, who had come to stand closer to her and was giving her a reassuring smile, she just glared at him. Gentleman or not, she would not allow herself to be used as a toy, doing what they wanted her to do when they wanted to just because they had been nice with her. No. He was wrong if he thought she would do as they wanted just because he had given her some food. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back on her chair. She prayed she looked like she thought she did: unbothered and not intimidated. It might have worked because Gavriel took several steps back to his former place next to Remelle.

They were all staring at her, studying her posture and attitude, all males ready to jump and fight in case they had to. But she was ready, too. These last few days eating three full meals per day had done a wonderful job to her. She was still underweight and not even close to having a healthy body but she had a lot of energy and that allowed her to be on her full senses. And maybe her current weight would help her to run faster and, maybe, be able to lose track of whoever followed her if she tried to escape.