Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

Lincoln and Seth had been fighting.
    Lincoln was on the ground. He was breathing. I could feel his heart beating. But he’d been pulverised. I forced myself not to run to him.
    Griffin went over instead and crouched beside him, checking his vitals as Seth made his way back to his chair. When Seth passed me he paused and glanced at me briefly, yet somehow seemed to look right through me, as if I was nothing more than a small distraction.
    ‘Nothing personal. He won’t be so easy to best next time, I imagine,’ he said, then continued.
    ‘WhySeth, I think that might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said,’ Rainer chimed in.
    I half expected Seth to rip her out of her chair, but he actually turned to her, gave a small bow and – shock horror – smiled. For like, half a second.
    ‘If we are done here we’ll be taking Lincoln to his room,’ Griffin said, standing now with Lincoln in his arms, unconscious. Griffin’s face was a mask of calm but I doubted anyone could miss the fury in his eyes. Lincoln was one of his.
    My stomach sank looking at the damage that had been done to my partner.
    Breathing shallow. Shoulder definitely dislocated. Cuts over both eyes. Broken nose.
    ‘Surely Violet can heal him?’ Josephine threw in, innocently. ‘We’ve all heard so much about her extraordinary healing abilities. Perhaps a demonstration would help us understand a little more.’
    Yet another motivation for having Lincoln thrashed.
    I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. ‘Josephine, you have my parents locked up. You have had my partner beaten to within an inch of his life. I’ve just been subjected to an incredibly intrusive power struggle …’ I moved my mangled hand out from behind my body. ‘And my hand is all messed up. We came here at your request. I intend to stay and abide by the Assembly and Academy rules while I’m here.’ I glanced at the other Assembly members. ‘I would very much like to do anything I can to help stop whatever Phoenix and Lilith are planning. But right now, instead of standing around here playing games with you, I’d really prefer to take my partner awayso that I can rest before what will no doubt be the rather exhausting job of healing him.’
    All eyes darted between Josephine and me. I’d just challenged her in a way that was only going to make her look bad and hate me even more but I was damned if I was going to subject myself and Lincoln to any more of her bullshit.
    Josephine put a hand to her chin. ‘Will you submit to full Grigori testing in three weeks’ time?’
    My eyes widened. If I didn’t know better I could’ve sworn her voice held a note of respect.
    Surely not.
    I looked over my shoulder to Griffin. We’d discussed this and knew that this was one thing I was going to have to do – all Grigori do.
    Turning back to Josephine, I gazed over the entire Assembly, showing – despite Griffin’s advice to the contrary – that I was not afraid.
    ‘In three weeks,’ I agreed.
    Then, without waiting for permission, I marched out of the room, Griffin following with Lincoln in his arms.
    Welcome to New York, indeed.



CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    ‘Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.’
    C .S. Lewis
    M organand Max were waiting outside the doors.
    ‘Hey.’ Then, ‘Oh my God,’ Morgan said, hand over her mouth, when she saw the state of Lincoln. ‘Is he …?’
    ‘He’s fine,’ I snapped. ‘Where can we take him?’
    ‘Follow us,’ Max said, already moving.
    We stormed through the halls, Max and I clearing the way – people were smart enough to move fast.
    ‘Seth?’ Max asked.
    ‘Yes.’
    He whistled. ‘Oh man, he never stood a chance. No one has landed a hit on Seth and lived to tell the tale.’
    ‘Well, they have now,’ I said, not slowing even as my rage towards the Assembly and Josephine in particular continued to build. ‘Where?’
    Max pointed to the right. ‘Infirmary or his room?’
    ‘His room,’ Griffin and I both said.
    ‘Right, here. We’re going to have to cross the walkway.’
    I led the way with Max but stopped in my tracks when we cameto the end of the corridor. We faced a gap in the wall, a huge opening in the building.
    ‘Whoa!’ I said, looking over the edge. We were more than a hundred storeys above ground level. One more step and I would be falling and I didn’t imagine it would be the kind of fall that would land me in the angel realm.
    ‘What’s the hold-up?’ Griffin called from