SURVIVE (THRIVE: Book Two)

Chapter 53- Getting Involved

"Tessa?" Magnus asks as he gently pushes open my bedroom door. Quickly, I wipe away my tears, looking out the window so he can't see my face.

"Hey, what's up?" I ask, trying to regain my composure.

"Sweetie, you know what's up," he begins as he comes to sit beside me in the window "How are you doing after last night?" he asks curiously, but I can't manage to turn my face to him.

"I'm fine," I lie as I look out at the flower field. Suddenly, he reaches out to me, turning my face to him.

"You don't need to be brave for me," he sighs, pulling me in close "It's okay not to be okay." As he begins brushing his fingers through my hair, I begin to cry harder, not holding anything back as I melt away.

"I just can't believe she's gone," I cry, trying to breathe through the tears.

"I know," he sighs as he rests his forehead on my shoulder "She was such a good person, she didn't deserve to die like that."

"What they did to her was beyond fucked up," I start to plead "I was there, I should have gotten out and saved if, if only I could have-"

"Tessa," he stops me "you were being held hostage, same as her. There was nothing you could have done to stop them without getting yourself killed in the process," he explains hopefully. Suddenly I pull back, staring at him with tear-stained eyes.

"At least I would have come back, Pearl is just... gone." I cry, then force a breeze to blow in through the window "I have these abilities, but against those ancient freaks, I might as well be powerless." I explain solemnly.

"Don't say that," Magnus reaches for my hand "You got out, didn't you? You're home now, and that's what matters."

"Thanks to my mom, I had nothing to do with it." I explain hopelessly "She was able to overpower a sociopath, take out another, and break us out of that prison single-handedly. I'll never be as strong as she is." I sigh.

"Only if you tell yourself you can't be," he stands up, pulling me alongside him.

"I just want to feel normal again," I state sadly, looking down at my feet.

"Breeze," Magnus begins, suddenly saying my original name for the first time "You were never normal, and besides," he smiles, chuckling to himself "It's overrated."

"If you say so," I reach out and hug him, leaning back for a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"C'mon, your mother wants to see you."

As we head downstairs, the servants and guards look at me solemnly, clearly understanding the grief I must be feeling. I can't help but force a smile as I pass them by, I don't know if receding into myself would be more awkward or not. When we make our way to the throne room, I'm met by my father and Eli talking with Nixi. From the sound of it, it's a pretty heated conversation.

"If they weren't at the compound, they could be anywhere in the city by now. We need to send out a search team to find wherever they're hiding." Eli states worriedly.

"No, no way in hell are we getting the guard involved. I'm not risking their lives when they're clearly outmatched." Nixi states frustratedly.

"For fuck's sake, we can't just do nothing." my father states angrily.

"I'm not saying we should do nothing," Nixi begins "I'm saying that we need an elite team. We are the only ones who stand a chance, so why shouldn't it be us?"

"I don't think that would be enough. Based on what we saw with Ember and what your daughter told us, they're-" Eli suddenly stops and sees Magnus and me waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs.