Read Online Elixir (Covenant) by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Free Book Online

hurt,” she said. “Why are you hurt?”
    As gently as I could, I pulled my hands free. “I’m not hurt. It’s nothing to worry about.”
    Her lashes swept up as she searched my face. Then she nodded and settled back, staring down at her own hands with a frown.
    She tired quickly after that, becoming lethargic before it was nine. I managed to get her to eat before I took her back upstairs. She was out the minute her head hit the pillow, and I retreated to the couch. We repeated the same action the next day, and it was like there was a giant clock over our heads, counting down the minutes until I’d need to give her another dose.
    We spent the morning in the sunroom, but I coaxed her out of that room, mainly because I was going to lose my ever-loving mind if I had to look at another plant again. The den was always occupied by my brother, Lea, and Luke, but there was another sitting room upstairs that was full of books. I took her up there after grabbing a bag of chips and a grape soda for her to snack on.
    I watched her move around the room, looking for signs that she was growing antsy. She stopped in front of a desk, picked up a pen and then placed it down. Her fingers roamed over the top of a notepad, and then she made her way to a bookcase. She stood there, brow pinched as she placed a finger on the spine of each book.
    “Do you want to read something?” I asked.
    She jumped at the sound of my voice, and then lowered her chin obediently.
    I started toward her but stopped. Any unexpected movement seemed to send her fleeing. “It’s okay, Alex. If you want to read something you can.”
    “My name is not Alex,” she whispered. “It is Alexandria.”
    A dull burn started in my chest, under my heart. “But you like to be called Alex.”
    Shaking her head, she backed away from the books and slowly headed toward the TV, eyes downcast. She stopped in front of the blank screen. I picked up a small statue of Athena, and then placed it back down. I wanted to go to her, to hold her, but I wasn’t sure how she’d respond. Everything between us was stilted and awkward.
    “Want to watch something?”
    Her chin shot up, but she didn’t look at me. At her sides, her hands opened and closed. “May I?”
    May I? Gods, when Alex was better, she was going to flip out. “You can do what you want.”
    A small, tentative smile pulled at her lips and her lashes swept up, revealing those shattered eyes. I breathed out slowly, but it did nothing to ease the pressure clamping down on my chest. Her gaze flickered away from mine. “Will you—”
    The door opened and Apollo strolled in. “There you two are.”
    Alex froze in front of the TV, like a wild animal that had just been encroached upon. Then she dashed across the room, ducking behind me. She huddled there, clenching the back of my shirt.
    Apollo stopped short, blond eyebrows shooting up. “Did she just hide behind you?”
    I glared at the god. “She’s not the same. You know that.”
    He blinked all-white eyes. “I know. It’s just unexpected. She’s like a little nymph or something.”
    Hearing the word “nymph” come out of Apollo’s mouth grated at my self-control. “What do you want?’
    Apollo cocked his head to the side and spoke low. “Testy, testy, Aiden.”
    Her fingers dug into my back. I moved to the side, shielding her completely. If Apollo had had normal eyes, I was sure they would’ve rolled at that point. Ignoring him, I smiled down at her. “It’s okay. Apollo won’t hurt you.”
    Or at least I hoped so.
    Alex peered up at me through her lashes. For the first time since she’d Awakened, I saw trust in her expression. Warmth poured into the cold cavern where my heart rested. I’d never seen an indentured half-blood look upon their Master that way. It had to mean something.
    Apollo cleared his throat. “And I see some things never change.”
    I frowned. “What’s that mean?”
    “Oh, you know, the googly-eyed looks of love. Even when