Under the Blood Moon~ The Guild Leader Chronicles Book Two (COMPLETE)

Chapter Thirteen

Under the Blood Moon

Thirteen

I sit in my office, relieved to finally be home, even though I still don't feel comfortable in my own skin. Just breathing makes my skin crawl. Ever since Hope and I brought everyone home two days ago, both of us have kept ourselves secluded in my office, only coming out to use the bathroom. Neither of us feel safe enough to leave. I haven't eaten anything, unable to make myself, and neither has Hope. The first thing I did the morning after getting home was check to see if Achilles had gotten us pregnant. Thankfully, Hope and I both are in the clear. We both had been in my office when I preformed the spell, and cried in each others arms afterwards. Both of us continue to shut everyone else out. I haven't talked to Cauis since coming home, and Hope hasn't talked to anyone other than me. Nikiya and Abigail make sure to come in and check on us every hour, but neither of them know how to help. There's nothing anyone can do. We were raped, and by the same person. The only other living soul that understands is Hope.

Every time one of them come into my office, Hope stops talking about whatever it is she is, and looks at the floor until they leave. She doesn't say a word to them, she just lets me do all the talking. Neither of us talk about Achilles, other than when I told her Cauis killed him. I had meant to keep my promise to Septimus, but after what happened, I knew I wouldn't be able to. If Cauis had not gotten to him, Hope and I would have searched every corner of the world for him. There would have been nothing Septimus could do to stop us.

I still hold a lot of anger inside me about what happened. But it's mostly shadowed with shame and guilt. I know it wasn't my fault, nor anyone else's other than Achilles', but that doesn't make me feel better. I know he can no longer hurt anyone, but I still search for him anytime I do leave the protection of my office. I know I'm being ridiculous, but I just can't help it. Every time I do leave, Cauis is sitting directly outside, just waiting for me, Miles too. Cauis always escorts me to the bathroom, and waits for me patiently outside, and then walks back with me. He doesn't try to touch me, nor does he say anything. He's just there.

His constant presence actually makes me angrier. I can't explain it, but him just always being there infuriates me to a whole new level. The last time I had gone to the bathroom, I ended up slamming my office door in Cauis' face.

Hope isn't doing good either. She rants and raves every time she comes back from the bathroom. Miles does the same thing as Cauis, but he tries talking to her. He's never tried touching her, which is the only comforting thing Hope says when she comes back. Thanks to my spell making it impossible for anyone to hear outside the room, Hope and I can scream until we feel slightly better. But the small relief it brings never lasts for more than just a few seconds. And screaming, I learned, doesn't work for me. It just makes me recall the whole experience all over again. Not that I can think about anything else.

My office door suddenly opens, making Hope and I both jump out of our skin. Hope jumps from her chair, and instantly puts her back against the far wall. I stand abruptly from my chair, and force my breathing to go back down when I see it's just Nikiya. "Knock next time." I scold her harshly, sitting back down in my chair.

Nikiya shuts the door behind her, leaving it opened just a crack. I noticed today she's started doing that. I think it's so Cauis and Miles can hear in here for as long as Nikiya or Abigail are in here. "I'm sorry, Esmerelda." She says stepping further into the room. Her eyes flick over to Hope, and she asks, "How are you doing Hope?"