The Beauty In Love And Murder

Chapter Fifty Five - Theodore

I huff a breath as I swirl the dark liquor around the glass in my hand. Tarryn, Kane, Tobias, and I are all seated in the dining room as the sun sets, the light becoming a deep orange.

I raise an eyebrow as I hear a peal of laughter come from upstairs.

"Sounds like they're having quite the reunion upstairs." Tarryn smirks and we laugh quietly.

"They deserve it. It's been a rough couple of days. Weeks, even." I say.

Kane kicks his feet up onto the table, tipping his chair backwards. "So. Theodore." He examines me thoughtfully. "What makes you think you're good enough for our Adrienne?"

I choke on my drink. "Our?" I ask, raising an eyebrow."

Kane nods seriously, and I hear Tobias stifling laughter next to me. "Yes. I'm the father. Tarryn is the other father."

Tarryn looks at Kane with an amused expression on his face. "Ah, yes. Adrienne's two fathers. Interrogating her potential lover."

Tobias laughs out loud this time. "I'd have thought Tarryn would be the mother figure." He manages to get out.

Kane nods again. "Oh, he absolutely is. Which is why I'm the one asking the questions, how are you good enough for my daughter?"

I laugh again and lean backwards in my chair. "I'm a dashing prince, what more could you want, sir?"

Kane laughs so hard he almost falls out of his chair. Tobias snorts and takes a long drink, and Tarryn shakes his head with a smile. I'm about to say more when there's a creak on the stairs behind us, and we turn to look at who it is.

Zephyr leans on the bannister, a slight grin on his face. His blond hair is tousled and his colour is high, but he looks healthy.

I rush over to him and embrace him. "Goddesses, you prick. I thought you were going to die." I mutter.

Tobias pipes up behind us. "So did I, in all honesty."

I whirl on Tobias. "You said you thought he was going to be fine!"

Tobias winks at me, his reserved demeanour as the Captain of the Guard gone. "I was trying to reassure you." He says innocently.

"By lying?"

"It had to be done." He smiles apologetically.

I roll my eyes and turn back to Zephyr. "I'm so glad you're not dead." I say, slapping him on the shoulder. "But how are you up and about so soon? You were practically a corpse an hour ago."

Zephyr shrugs. "I woke up about twenty minutes ago feeling fit as a fiddle. Adrienne and you were gone so I came downstairs to see what was happening. How long was I out for, anyways?"

Tarryn jumps in from behind me. "About two days. Give or take."

I sit Zephyr down and hand him a drink, which he knocks back surprisingly quickly. Kane introduces himself from across the table.

"Hi. I'm Kane, Adrienne's father." he says with a wink.

Zephyr grins at him. "Well, I see where Adrienne gets her good looks from." I elbow him hard and he looks at me in mock pain.

"What? Objectively, she is." I narrow my eyes and Zephyr puts both his hands up ruefully.

"I see. Someone is a little territorial." Zeph winks at me and downs his entire drink quickly. "Does anyone have food?" He asks with a slight grimace. "I feel like I haven't eaten in days."

Silently, we watch Zephyr eat his bread and meat. Now that the surprise and relief from seeing him has worn off, we're all confused as to how he's back on his feet. I look over at Tarryn, who then looks at Tobias. I shrug slightly and Tarryn's eyes narrow.

"So, Zephyr— explain again how you managed to come down here on your own, won't you?" Tarryn asks nonchalantly.

Zephyr pauses, his hand in his glass as he dunks bread into his wine, the liquid soaking it red. I lean forward in my chair, waiting for his explanation.

Zephyr shrugs. "As if I would know." He leans backwards and swirls his wine around in his stemmed glass, his lids heavy as he examines all of our faces.

"Should I be worried?" He asks. "I don't remember much after the being stabbed part of the story."

I wince. "Yes, believe it or not that really caused a commotion." I glance at Tobias. "Adrienne claimed she couldn't keep you alive without help so she and Tobias went to go find her friend Aesira who apparently has very proficient healing skills, seeing as you're down here fit as a fiddle not an hour after her arrival."

Zephyr's face doesn't change as he thinks on this. "I see." Is all he says. I raise an eyebrow and Kane coughs to break the silence.

"I'm going to go and get Adrienne." Kane says abruptly. "She's going to be pissed if she finds out you got out of bed and said hello to everybody except for her."

Kane darts upstairs and I exchange looks with Tobias and Tarryn. Zephyr is still contemplating, his drink forgotten in his hand.

Footsteps thunder above us and I wince. Adrienne comes tumbling down the stairs, her dark hair flying about her face as she pauses to look at Zephyr.

"Zeph! Thank the goddesses, you're okay. I thought you were going to die." She says breathlessly. Zephyr smiles at her lopsidedly. "I couldn't die knowing you all still needed my wings."

Adrienne hugs Zephyr tightly and he winks at me over her shoulder. I roll my eyes and take another long drink.

I see Aesira step lightly down the stairs out of the corner of my eye and I turn to greet her. "Aesira, come sit down." I say.

Zephyr turns curiously when he hears the new name, and his eyes widen.

Aesira smiles at him shyly, ducking her head after a moment. I laugh to myself, enjoying the look on Zephyr's face. I've never seen him look at a girl like this before.

Adrienne beckons to Aesira and she sits down at the table next to Adri, accepting some bread from Kane. The table goes quiet, and I smile at Adrienne softly as she wraps an arm around Aesira protectively. 

"Stop staring." Adrienne hisses at Zephyr severely. Zephyr blinks and looks away from Aesira, who blushes furiously. I smirk, and the rest of the table suppresses laughter with difficulty.

"Sira. Want to explain how in hell Zephyr is down here and very much not dead?" Kane asks casually. Sira turns red and looks at Adrienne.

Adrienne nods at Aesira gently, reassuring her. "Remember what we talked about."

Aesira nods in turn and clears her throat. "I have to tell you something." She says in a small but clear voice.

Kane and Tarryn nod encouragingly. "Go ahead." Tarryn says with surprising gentleness in his voice.

Aesira nods once more and holds her palm outwards facing up, and knits her brows in concentration. I lean forwards slightly, curious.

Light flares in a small sphere in Aesira's palm, and my mouth drops open along with everyone else's. 

author's note -

hellooo everyone!! FINALLY a chapter from Theo's POV-- it's been a long time loll. i hope you enjoyed, and tysm all of u for ur support of TBILAM!! welcome, new readers-- i'm noticing a lot of new interactions even though i haven't been as active lately which is amazing, thank u all sm!! stay safe, and i love u all <33

- c :)