The study was saturated with the acrid scent of smoke, mingling with the palpable tension that hung in the air like a thick fog. Edward reclined in his chair, fingers steeple under his chin, his keen eyes glinting with a mix of shrewdness and an unspoken burden.
"They want you rattled," he stated, the calmness of his voice stark against the storm swirling in the room. "They want blood, but not yours. Not yet."
"They want Ellie," I snapped, my movements frantic as I paced like a trapped animal, my heart a furnace of anger and fear. The mere thought ignited a fierce burn in my chest. "They'll keep coming until they see me crack."
Father's demeanour shifted, his gaze hardening, yet a flicker of guilt betrayed his composed exterior. "Then we use that to our advantage."
I halted mid-stride, spinning around to face him. "What the hell does that mean?"
Edward's tone remained eerily calm and calculated, too precise for comfort. "We let them believe they've succeeded. Ellie remains the bait. But on our terms, under our watchful eyes. They'll unveil themselves, and when they do, we will end this with victory at our side."
My fists clenched at my sides. "You want to dangle her like some...,"
"Like family," Edward interjected, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Don't forget, Tristan, she is already entangled in this, whether you want her to be or not. Denying it won't shield her, but being strategic might."
For a heartbeat, the room fell silent, save for the thunderous rhythm of my heart. The notion of Ellie becoming a target twisted my insides in ways I barely comprehended, yet I couldn't dismiss the harsh truth embedded in his words.
Finally, I muttered, "If this goes wrong, I'll burn the city down myself."
Edward nodded, a look of resolute understanding flashing across his face, as if he had anticipated nothing less from me.
-
Listening to them was magnetic, drawing me closer in despite dread swirling in my stomach.
Bait.
The word pierced through me like a razor-edged blade, igniting a whirlwind of nausea and fear that reverberated in my ears. I pressed my back against the wall, barely daring to breathe as the gravity of their conversation sank in.
"They'll reveal themselves," Edward's voice resonated with an unforgiving certainty. "And when they do, we end this."
My throat constricted, and a wave of realisation washed over me. This was the plan, their calculated scheme, and I was an unwitting participant.
A tempest of emotions twisted within me. Fear, anger, and deep-seated hurt. Sure, I had anticipated the danger that lurked at the edges of our lives, but not this calculated sacrifice. To them, I was no longer just a girl caught in the tempest but merely a pawn in their game, a lure designed to draw out foes I barely grasped.
Yet, amidst the turmoil, another thought flickered to life. If I fled, if I resisted, wouldn't that label me weak? Wouldn't that solidify their belief that I wasn't strong enough to stand beside Tristan in his world?
As his intense gaze sought out mine, it felt as if the air between us crackled with anticipation, both of us aware of the weight of the moment. He was poised, ready to speak, yet I refused to let him dictate the conversation. Summoning a steady resolve, I found my voice and confidently declared my truth, undeterred by the unspoken tension surrounding us.
"If I'm bait," I murmured, my voice steady despite the tremors within, "then let me choose how to be used."
His expression darkened, caught in a struggle between fury and admiration and behind him, Edward's voice sliced through the air once more, calm and ruthless.
"She's already stronger than you think, son."
And though every fibre of my being quivered with uncertainty, I held his gaze, refusing to look away.