Thornhill Academy (By Sheridan Hartin) novel Chapter 202

Chapter 202

Kael

There’s this heaviness in the tent that’s thick, quiet, emotional… and usually I’d make some half-inappropriate joke to break it before it breaks me. But

tonight…Tonight isn’t a night for jokes.

Evander is the first to move, of course. He always is when he doesn’t know what else to do with feelings. He pulls away from the group and heads for the

bed, where a stack of neatly folded clothes waits soft shirts, loose trousers, warm socks, even underthings she definitely needed. Who am I kidding? We all

needed fresh underwear. Rhaziel joins him silently, lifting each piece with careful hands, shadows assisting like extra limbs. They move around each other

easily, like they’ve been dressing queens their entire lives.

“Allison,” Evander murmurs, stepping closer, “let’s get you warm.”

She nods without speaking, letting us shift her between hands and towels and blankets. She’s pliant, trusting, exhausted down to her bones, and every part

of me aches to make this easier for her. Rhaziel holds the clothes open while Evander helps her step into them. I hover close, ready to catch her if she sways, because she still looks like one strong breeze might knock her back into the bath. When she’s dressed and wrapped in soft cotton and thick wool, she

seems smaller… softer, like someone who finally allowed herself to unravel a little. I turn, searching for something else to contribute, and spot a brush

sitting on a nearby table. My hellhound heart leaps, and I almost grab it and almost kneel behind her and claim that moment for myself. But then I look at

Cassian. He’s standing there a little apart from us, like he’s unsure if he’s allowed any closer. Like he thinks one wrong move will send him back into exile again. After everything that’s happened in the last few days, he deserves this moment more than any of us. So I pick up the brush and press it into his hand.

He blinks at me, startled.

I nudge his shoulder forward. “Go on,” I whisper. “She wants you.”

His throat works once, hard, and then he moves slowly, cautiously, like approaching something wild and sacred. Allison sits at the edge of the bed, blanket pooled around her hips, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. She doesn’t see him at first. She only feels him when he slips behind her and lays a gentle palm between her shoulder blades. I watch the moment as her breath catches. Then she leans back into him, no hesitation. Cassian exhales shakily and lifts the brush. He starts slow, pulling it through the ends of her hair first, careful not to tug. The steam from the bath still clings to the strands, making them

shimmer like ink in moonlight.

Evander watches the moment with his brows lifted. Rhaziel tilts his head, curious. Me? I’m staring because-holy shit. Cassian knows what he’s doing. Each stroke is practised, familiar, tender in a way that sucker-punches the air from my lungs. He’s not ripping out strands or tugging her entire head in odd directions like I would have. He does it like it’s the most natural thing in the world, then separates her hair into three sections and begins braiding. It’s not messy or clumsy…it’s well, it’s perfect. Rhaziel offers him a hair tie from his wrist without a word; and Cassian secures the braid gently, letting it fall over Allison’s shoulder. She reaches up, fingertips brushing the woven strands, and smiles-a soft, sleepy, heart-destroying smile. I can’t help it. I ask the

question sitting on all our tongues.

“Where the hell did you learn to braid like that?”

Cassian freezes for half a second. His gaze drifts down, away from all of us, and when he answers, his voice is quieter than I’ve ever heard it.

“My mother,” he murmurs. “Before she passed, she was sick for a long time. She was bedridden. I used to… braid her hair back so that it wouldn’t tangle.”

His fingers relax against Allison’s shoulder, stroking once. “It made her smile. Even on the bad days.”

No quip rises to my tongue. Not even one…because damn, that is sweet. Evander goes still behind me, heavy emotion settling in his features. Rhaziel bows his head slightly, shadows softening around him. And me-I think of my mother. How long has it been since I’ve seen her? I think of the quiet strength she always carried. Of how she’d take one look at Allison and start fussing over her like she was her own cub, I glance at Evander, and he’s already looking at me. Same thought. Same heaviness. The same idea is forming in the back of our minds. Our families. They’ll want to be here. They’ll need to be here for what’s coming, and God knows Allison deserves more people who will fight for her without hesitation. Mumma would probably be worried sick if she knew I’m not at the academy. She will probably kick my ass…but, once she sees the reason, once she meets Allison, she will melt just as hard as I did. Evander gives me the slightest nod

–

tomorrow.

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17:44 Thu, Jan 1 m

Chapter 202

Tomorrow, we bring this up, we talk strategy, and we plan the next move in this war. But tonight, our girl needs us.

I clear my throat, because if we keep staring at each other like this, someone is going to cry again and it’s definitely going to be me.

“Alright,” I say, softer than I intend, nudging Allison’s knee with mine. “As much as I love the emotional bonding time… we need to eat.”

Her eyes lift to mine, still shimmering but steadier now.

“We’ve all had a big day,” I continue, standing and offering her my hand. “Food, Rest. Strength. That’s the plan, sweetheart.”

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Evander rises and helps her to her feet. Rhaziel guides her toward the table with a hand at her back. Cassian stays close, his fingers brushing hers like he

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