Page 111 of Remnants
Portia.
Aiden drops his hand to the small of my back, guiding me to his office. I run inside past Dane and snatch the corded phone from the receiver. “Portia?!” A dull ringtone echoes in my ear.
Fuck. Did I miss her?
A throat clears, and I whirl around. Aiden holds up his cell phone.
I lunge for it, swiping it from his hand and pressing it to my ear. “Hello?”
“RAE!!! OH MY GOD! I’VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!” Portia partly screams, mostly gushes into my ear.
My knees shake as relief leaves me boneless. Dane pushes a chair to the back of my legs, and I collapse into it. “Porsh! Thank fuck! Where have you been?! I’ve been trying to call you.”
I cling to the phone as if it’s her I’m actually holding onto.
“I know. I’m so, so sorry! Please don’t be mad.”
“Of course, I’m not mad! I could never…I’m just so fucking glad to know you’re okay.”
There’s a pause,which immediately raises a red flag when it comes to Portia. My tone drops. “You’re okay…right? Where are you? Do you need me? I know someone who can get me there in seconds. Just tell me where you are, and I’ll be there.”
She sniffs. I tighten my grip on the phone and stand. “Portia, where—”
“I’m okay! I promise, I am. I wasn’t for a bit, but…Oh, Rae. I have so much to tell you.”
“Can you tell me now? Can I see you?”
A muffled, masculine voice comes through the speaker.
“Oh, right.” Her voice sounds further away when she says that, before it comes back just as strong as before. “Sorry, this is supposed to be a quick call. I wanted to tell you assoonas I found out that we’re all coming home!”
All?
But that is the least important part of that announcement right now.
“When?! Wait, GE’s still around. It’s not safe—”
“Don’t worry, we’re going to help!”
That male voice speaks again, and I strain to hear it.
She makes a noise of disagreement, her voice once again distant. “Wearehelping.” Pause. “Fine, that’s whatyou’redoing. ButI’mhelping Rae when we go back tomorrow.” Pause. “Oh, we’re not leaving tomorrow?” Another long pause. A sigh. “Sorry, it sounds like we aren’t coming homerightaway, but it’ll be soon, okay? And then I’ll tell you everything, and you can tell me everything, and we can lock ourselves away from men for a night.”
I realize there are at least two different male voices on the other end talking to her, and frown. It’s not just Elias?
“Deal. I’m at the Tower now where the Guild is, so come here as soon as you can, or I can go to Hype.” Dane makes a sound in his throat, but I continue, “I’m just so glad to hear from you.”
“Yes! I can’t wait! I’ve really gotta go, though, but I’ll be there before you know it! Love you! Bye!”
I drop into the chair and hold the phone to my chest, eyes closed with a smile.
Finally, some good fucking news.
Chapter thirty
Jackson
TheLoftisdarkand quiet when I return. Aiden’s talking on the phone on the balcony in a pair of sweatpants like he’d been woken from sleep. The bedroom doors are all closed, which tells me where the others are. It’s barely after dark, but considering how early we’d started our day and that most of us are still recovering, I’m not surprised.
