The Hollows In Our Freedom | 'Hollows' Book Ⅲ

Chapter Four

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T h e H o l l o w s I n 
O U R F R E E D O M
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Next to me, Jace—who was also stunned—unfroze. He ducked his head as a gesture to welcome her, and I watched her laugh in response.

"Oh, aren't you two adorable?" She exclaimed, showing off a thick British accent.

I cleared my throat, acknowledging that this was not a time to be bashful. "We need your help."

"Well, of course, I do know. In fact, I know everything." I stared at her. "I know what you've planned, and I know what you've done—Miss Abbot, how did you ever doubt me?" I gulped. Having heard her say more than just a few words, I could detect a slight northern accent. It wasn't huge, but some of her vowels were jaded by it, though I could tell that her roots dug into England.

"To be honest, I had no idea who you were until twenty minutes ago." I couldn't stop the joke from slithering up my throat, but she didn't seem to mind.

Jace cleared his throat, ignoring my last statement. "So, Mrs Beaufort, you can help us then? You can help you're daughter?" The woman's lip twitched at the word 'daughter' but she said nothing more on the matter. Instead, she hummed.

"I can help, of course, why would I be here otherwise?" I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders as I watched her brush past Jace. "Also, please call me Elle."

Heels clicking, she walked up to the front desk, and was greeted by a different receptionist, a seemingly new employee, who fumbled when the poor girl laid eyes on the glorious woman.

She registered, and then a doctor came to collect her for her blood transfusion. And that's when the anxiety kicked in once more.

I paced around again, noting that Jace's eyes followed me as I did laps.

"You can really tell that she's Sky's mother." Jace acknowledged suddenly.

I nearly tripped, but recovered by rolling my eyes. "Yes, I'm sure that was easy for you to figure out." I thought he would just take it and leave it, like any other person who was intimidated by me would do. But Jace was not just any other person. He kind of reminded me of Jameson in this circumstance. Aside from Sky on the odd occasion, Jameson is the only person I've allowed myself to get close to, but also challenge. And he takes it both ways, managing to be brutal but still understand where we both stand.

Jace, however, obviously does not know where he stands.

"Excuse me?"

I sighed, pausing to turn to look it him. "She's your light, your wildest dream, your queen, etc, etc, I don't care, I don't care." I think I realise, after I spoke, how stupid and pathetic I sound. Kill me now.

I groaned, clutching at my hair. "Stop distracting me!" I rose my voice at him, watching his eyes widen. "I have better things to worry about!"

Moments of silence passed. I think he was just waiting until I calmed down.

"So you worry about how I perceive Sky?"

Yes. Yes, I do. Because I–

"It's done." The voice startled me, for I had not been expecting anyone else to witness the inevitable break of my barely beating heart.

If not by her voice, then it was by the waft of her perfume, of which overwhelmed me, that I recognised our spectator.

Elle Beaufort.