Angel Academy

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

I walked into the small camp clearing to see that everyone, apart from Orpheus and Asher, were sitting in a small circle. I walked in between them all and dumped the firewood in a small pile. 

"Shade come with me?" I asked, walking straight past him.

I heard him get to his feet so I continued to walk back into the thicker forest. 

"Whats wrong?" he questioned, standing a few feet away from me. 

I looked around the trees to make sure that nobody was watching us and turned to face him.

" I saw Emrick" I began, looking down at the ground.

Shade closed the gap between us and immediately began to fuss over me. 

"Did he hurt you?... I swear if he touched you i'll-" he blurted.

"I'm ok," I said looking up into his crimson eyes.

"Then...then why have you been crying?" he asked cupping my cheek in his hand. 

My eyes swelled as more tears threatened to fall, Shade's face softened as he watched my internal struggle to push them back. 

"Shade... we have to leave them," I said quietly. 

He looked at me in confusion and moved his hand down from my face to grab my hand. 

"Tell me everything," he said, lacing his fingers through mine. 

I explained everything that Emrick said the best that I could, he stayed silent the whole time, his only reaction being the occasional nod, but his eyes told a different story, their colour would change from light to dark at different points of my story, allowing me to tap into our connection and read his emotions. 

"Do you see now?" I asked, "If we don't go they'll kill Chase... they'll kill all of them."

I paused and rubbed my hand down my now tear-stained face.

"I'm so sorry" I sobbed, looking up at him with regret. 

Shade stepped forward and said nothing, he wrapped his arms around me and planted a sweet kiss on my forehead. 

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault " he said

After what seemed like forever, I pulled back from the embrace and took in his soft features. 

"Why?" I asked, how could he possibly not blame me? if we didn't meet then he wouldn't be in this mess.

"Because it's you... its always you" he replied with a distant look in his eyes.

He let go of my hand and slowly tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear, staring longingly into my eyes the whole time. My heart thudded loudly in my chest as the familiar electricity that I had begun to forget surrounded the air around us.

"Aurora! Shade!" called Asher causing us both to jump.

We stepped away from each other awkwardly and turned to face the source of the noise.

"Coming" I shouted.

I began to walk briskly towards the clearing but Shade grabbed my arm lightly and turned me to face him.

"We'll definitely be able to lose them at the river," he said in a low voice.

I nodded my head in agreement and continued to walk into camp.

"What is it?" asked Shade in annoyance as he advanced over to the others. 

Everyone just stood there facing inwards and remaining silent so pushed through to see a glowing orb of some sort hovering over the fire.