The Lazy Prince

Chapter 18: Open The Bond, Please

"So that means he could activate the Iron Coffin whenever he feels like it?" Silas is the one to ask but I can't break my eyes from Lucian's or else I'll panic again.

"He always could but-" my throat freezes and again Lucian changes his pattern of comfort. 

Callum finishes my sentence for me. "But you've been on a schedule for two weeks and thought it would stay that way."

"I have no idea when it'll be activated. Where I'll be when it does. How long it'll last or who will be around me." Tears roll off my cheeks and Lucian's hands freeze. "What if I can't find somewhere to hide? What if someone sees? What if I hurt someone?" My voice breaks and I have to regather myself. "I can't do it alone."

"You won't have to. We are with you in every class except for the two hours of core magic classes and your extra lessons." Kyro speaks softly, as if I'm some scared animal that's going to bolt at the first opportunity. He has a point because old me totally would, but new, well trying to be new, me won't. "Sinclair is with you in your extra lessons so that just leaves the two hours." Kyro reassures me.

"That's still two hours Kyro." My gaze still hasn't broken from Lucian. "A lot can happen in two hours. What if I can't reach you?"

Lucian's grip settles on my hips again and tightens. "Open the bond." He states simply. It is now that the bolting reaction that Kyro was worried about hits me full force and Lucian was ready for it. His grip on my hips keeps me for launching myself from his lap.

"I can't." I try to pry his grip off me but can't remove his hold. "I can't do that." I try harder to get out of his hold but it's like fighting against a damn tree. "I'm not ready to share everything with any of you."

"Valdis, look at me." Lucian's voice is soft but commanding and the stare that I didn't know I broke is back. Purple to green. "I'm not asking you to do that. I'm not asking you to open the bond all the way."

That statement makes me pause in my effort to escape. "The what do you mean?"

"Open it just a little. Just enough so we can check on your emotional state when it heightens." He's back to rubbing circles into my hipbones. "Enough so we know when you panic or are in pain. When we feel your spikes then we can get to you faster than if you told someone to get us or scrolled trough numbers on your eCrystal." 

I take a second to think it over. It'll be difficult to be that precise with my control over my side of the bond but I think it could work. It definitely would be easier than telling someone to go get one of them. A small laugh bubble out of me causing Lucian to tilt his head in confusion. "It would be faster considering I don't have any of your numbers." A frown curls Lucian's lips.

"You don't have any of our numbers?" His fingers tense. "How?"

I give him an 'are you kidding me' look. "We all haven't exactly been besties since I got here. I'm pretty sure all of you are only being nice to me because you'll never be as cruel as him."

"That's not why Valdis." Warmth fills me. It's the first time Silas has used my actual name. Gods I feel stupid. "It's just come to our attention that you didn't deserve half the shit we threw at you." More like all of it. 

"Where's your eCrystal? We're all putting our numbers in it." Callum states and I can see him moving around the living room out the side of my eye. 

"Alright." I know it wasn't a question but I answer all the same. "It should be in the kitchen."

Callum leaves and comes back a second later with my eCrystal outstretched in his hand. "Looks like Sinclair messaged you." Callum rolls his eyes. I'm snatching it out of his hand a moment later and holding it between me an Lucian.