Midnight Shades

Chapter 58

I scratch my forehead nervously. "Well, it doesn't really have anything to do with... this."

He raises his eyebrow at me in questioning but remains silent, so I take in a deep breath and say, "I want you to do something for Louis."

🕢

Knocking on the door, I slowly push it open before me, Louis, Sir Boyd, Harry and Wren enter. Esme is laying on her bed with her mother beside her, and it's only then that I notice the cuts on her arms and neck and up to her face.

The two women smile gently at us before Siggy nods and leaves the room, leaving us alone with her. Wren and I carefully sit down on either side of her on the bed, while Sir Boyd sits straight next to her head and Louis and Harry stand where they are.

"Three couples in a room," Esme softly and quietly says with a smile. "Talking about powers, eh?"

While we all let out a small laugh, Wren furrows her eyebrows before speaking, "Wait, you and Boyd are... You know what? I shouldn't have asked, I already know."

We laugh again before Louis—surprisingly—speaks, "I don't really know what happened here, but I hope you get well soon."

And that's when I remember that I didn't tell Louis about what happened with Esme yesterday, but how could I? He was and still is sick, we got attacked, I met Peter and here we are; there was no time at all, really.

"Conall attacked her—" I begin to tell Louis but Esme immediately speaks.

"No," She shocks us all by saying. "It wasn't Conall."

We all look at her in disbelief and confusion before Sir Boyd asks, "What? Who was it, then?"

Esme gives me a look for a few seconds that seems to last forever, a look of desperation, fear, guilt and heartbreak.

"Esme, can you remember who was it?" Harry presses, sounding impatient and quite confused, just like the rest of us.

"I'm not sure," She whispers and sniffs. "But he.. he—" She chokes out a cry.

I take a hold of her hand between mines, looking at her comfortingly as Wren asks, "He what, Esme? Can you remember anything about him?"

As another choke comes out, the tears fall on her cheeks as she says, "He sounded like... Wren, h-he sounded like your... like your father."

If words can kill, I'm sure everyone in this room would have been dead by now, but not me; I know the truth, and I saw Ragnar with Conall, and it's not hard for me to believe Esme.

However, I cannot deny that I'm shocked, because yes, Ragnar might be obsessed with the pure race and yes, he is on Conall's side, but to have him attack a young woman like Esme? His daughter's best friend? That is shocking and disturbing.

"What?" Wren lets out a laugh of disbelief as she stands up. "What are you talking about? My father would never do such a thing."

"I'm so sorry—" Esme cries as Sir Boyd kisses her forehead and soothes her.

"No," Wren cuts her off, getting angrier and angrier by the second. "You're just confused and you don't know what you're saying."

With that being said, Wren storms out of the room with Harry on her heels. Louis has his lips pursed and eyes, looking absolutely lost and confused, making me wanting to do nothing but to hug him.

I focus on Esme as I kiss her hand and say, "It's okay, Esme, we'll figure it out and everything will be okay."

"I don't want her to be mad at me," She sniffs, wiping away her tears. "I just... I heard him, Tallulah."