Some of the old thoughts began to creep in. Maybe she had screwed up. Maybe she hadn't been careful enough with Cade. Maybe...
"Elyse," It was Anna's voice that brought her out. Anna had seen something, or understood where Elyse's thoughts had been going. "It's not your fault. None of it."
Elyse took some deep breaths to calm down. "Thanks, Anna," Elyse said. She turned to Juls. "We'll be more careful."
Elyse's hand went reflexively to her arm with the tattoo. Everyone knew it was there. Sometimes, Elyse felt like it burned. She knew of course this was nothing, but she wanted to be rid of it. She had to be rid of it. That was a former life. A life she could no longer live. She looked towards Marta again. Marta was hugging Sterling and she caught tears in the girl's eyes, but her smile was broad. Marta was beginning to find some peace. If she could start over - so could Elyse.
"I met with a tattoo artist yesterday. I'm getting it covered - turned into something new. Something more fitting for me...I'm not Atharim anymore."
"What are you getting?" Anna asked.
"Wait and find out," Elyse said with a smirk. "So back to work - the kids are making us look bad. I'm doing the lone wolf looking for her pack - what is Jasmin up to tonight?"
Anna smiled at the use of her stage name. "Flower girl tonight! And what is our Moon Pyre gonna be tonight - illusion and flame again?" Elyse watched as Anna channeled a flame boa out of thin air, and wrapped it around Juls. Elyse knew she hadn't been able to do that before. It looked like the lesson had been productive.
"Elyse," It was Anna's voice that brought her out. Anna had seen something, or understood where Elyse's thoughts had been going. "It's not your fault. None of it."
Elyse took some deep breaths to calm down. "Thanks, Anna," Elyse said. She turned to Juls. "We'll be more careful."
Elyse's hand went reflexively to her arm with the tattoo. Everyone knew it was there. Sometimes, Elyse felt like it burned. She knew of course this was nothing, but she wanted to be rid of it. She had to be rid of it. That was a former life. A life she could no longer live. She looked towards Marta again. Marta was hugging Sterling and she caught tears in the girl's eyes, but her smile was broad. Marta was beginning to find some peace. If she could start over - so could Elyse.
"I met with a tattoo artist yesterday. I'm getting it covered - turned into something new. Something more fitting for me...I'm not Atharim anymore."
"What are you getting?" Anna asked.
"Wait and find out," Elyse said with a smirk. "So back to work - the kids are making us look bad. I'm doing the lone wolf looking for her pack - what is Jasmin up to tonight?"
Anna smiled at the use of her stage name. "Flower girl tonight! And what is our Moon Pyre gonna be tonight - illusion and flame again?" Elyse watched as Anna channeled a flame boa out of thin air, and wrapped it around Juls. Elyse knew she hadn't been able to do that before. It looked like the lesson had been productive.