Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

take a few days for him to recover.’ I stood up, still shaky on my feet, though I tried not to show it. I looked at the floor, avoiding the bewildered gazes.
    ‘Phoenix?’ Griffin repeated, shock rippling through the group again.
    I nodded. ‘Phoenix is an angel.’
    ‘Well, that figures,’ Onyx snorted. ‘Redemption, that sly bitch.’
    Everyone ignored him.
    ‘I’ll be staying here until he wakes up. Phoenix said it would be safest that way since I was the one who brought him back.’ I pressed my lips together.
    Griffin nodded. ‘We’ll bring in a mattress and get you settled.’
    I shook my head. ‘A pillow and thechair will be fine.’
    Griffin nodded, running his hands through his hair. ‘Everything is going to be okay,’ he said, relief flooding his face.
    I gave a sorry attempt at a smile.
    Gradually, when they realised I wasn’t going to be telling any more of my story everyone filtered out. Steph and Spence were the last ones to leave. Spence didn’t bother trying to hug me – he knew I wasn’t capable. Instead, he got right to the point.
    ‘Eden, you reckon since you could bring Lincoln’s soul back that you might … Do you think you could find Nyla?’
    I had known this question would come up from the moment I considered that this might work. I just didn’t know who would be the one to ask. I was sorry it had to be Spence.
    ‘If I thought there was any chance, I would. But it was only because of our …’ Love. ‘Connection, that I was able to find him. There were thousands, millions, out there. They go on forever.’ I looked down and shook my head. ‘I’m sorry, Spence.’
    He put his hands in his pockets, shrugging to try and hide his disappointment. ‘Yeah. Figured that might be the case, just thought I’d ask.’
    I nodded. ‘You’re off to find your partner soon, aren’t you?’ I asked, keen to change the subject.
    He smiled. ‘Yep. Can you believe it – I’ll finally be able to stop relying on you to fix me every time I’m hurt. Griff says we’ll start tracking her down in a couple of weeks. You never know, maybe things are starting to look up.’
    I wished it were true. ‘You never know.’
    After Spenceleft, Steph stayed with me for a while. I appreciated the distraction. Even though I knew I would be in this room for the next few days, I wasn’t ready to be alone with Lincoln yet.
    ‘You’re strong, you know that?’ Steph said.
    ‘I know,’ I replied.
    ‘You can get through this. What happened, it was … And you had to survive when everyone around you …’
    Died. Left.
    I nodded. ‘It’s okay, Steph.’
    ‘Are you ever going to let me back in?’
    I looked at her properly; her lower lip was trembling, her eyes had dark rings around them. She had been keeping vigil over Lincoln since I had not been able to. She’d been there for me and she was exhausted.
    ‘You’re my best friend, Steph. You’ll always be my best friend, but …’
    ‘You’re doing what you have to do to survive?’ she finished.
    ‘Yeah.’
    She grabbed my hand and squeezed. ‘Just know that I’m here. I’ll always be here.’
    I swallowed and tried to think of something else to say. ‘So you and Salvatore are going well? Does he know what he’s going to do next?’
    She shrugged. ‘Not really. But for now, he and Zoe are going to stay in the city and help Griffin out.’
    I nodded. ‘Have Dapper and Onyx been here a lot?’
    ‘Yeah, they’re in and out. Dapper brings food and Onyx brings … Well, nothing, but he comes. I think that’s the most he can manage.’
    I sat in mychair and cuddled the pillow. ‘You know he could’ve become an exile again. Lilith offered him everything and he turned her down.’
    She wasn’t surprised. ‘What can I say? He’s one of those moves-in-mysterious-ways types.’
    I actually felt the corner of my mouth twitch. ‘He is.’
    Steph raised an eyebrow. ‘Hey, do you think … I mean, have you noticed how Dapper and Onyx are always together and how they fight but don’t at the same time?’
    I nodded, remembering having the same conversation with Lincoln. ‘Yep. Totally together.’
    ‘They’re a good match,’ Steph said, approvingly. She looked at Lincoln and back to me. ‘He’ll be okay. I can feel it.’
    ‘I know he will,’ I replied. ‘I can feel it, too.’

    After Steph left, I settled into the chair and tried to sleep. I failed and eventually had to look at him. I leaned forward, putting my face close to