As usual, Izzy had arrived to training earlier than was required, wanting Alec to feel supported. She set about warming up, waiting for the others to arrive. Though as they filtered in, it seemed she was only one of few who was actually keen to train. Or perhaps the only one. They still showed up, dutiful and ready, but the energy seemed low, and Izzy knew she’d end up overcompensating for that, wanting to make sure her brother’s efforts weren’t wasted and that everybody felt supported. Times were different, and she’d realised pretty quickly it was a lot tougher outside of their normal training environment, away from the home they knew so well. They were no longer under the watchful eye of generations of leaders. They were fumbling through it on their own, re-learning old patterns and going through the motions all while trying to work out the purpose. Why were they bothering at all? It was hard, she knew, but she was willing to put in the effort, especially now that the Steele’s had joined them. Their traditions were still important, their jobs were still important, and she trusted in that more than ever now that Eli was back by her side. She loved training with him, discovering more about their dynamic, learning things she never knew. They were more in tune with each other than they’d ever had a chance to be before and it made her feel peaceful. It was a secure kind of peace, knowing someone was always looking out for you.
The group’s energy only got worse when Adrian arrived. Again, Izzy might’ve been the only one happy to see him, which frankly surprised her, considering he was usually on great terms with Eddie, and was friendly with Juliet. She wasn’t sure why, but everything felt off. There was something noticeably different about Adrian, the way he carried himself, yet she wasn’t aware enough of his condition to realise what it was. It didn’t seem like his typical tipsy behaviour, though. If she’d known, she’d have tried to help before things escalated any further. To her great surprise, Juliet was the first one to break the awkward silence, addressing the man’s behaviour. From there, everything became a total mess. Alec lost control of the room completely, and his second-in-charge, Benji, was one of the main perpetrators.
Izzy continually scanned the room, trying to stay on top of the unfolding argument so that she could find a way to diffuse it, but it moved too quickly for her to keep up. Or rather, it went beyond her understanding, accusations of things she’d never noticed before coming to light. Juliet and Benji’s dynamic was hardly surprising. It was a dynamic she’d been quietly rooting for for years, having encouraged Alec herself to pair them together, if only to force them to face their feelings. Besides, Elijah had, unwillingly, always been in the middle of them, and Izzy believed he deserved better than that. Adrian and Eddie, however, was a total shock. She knew they were close, but apparently it went a lot deeper than she’d ever noticed, too wrapped up in her own relationships to pick it for herself. She was itching to know more, equal parts curious and supportive, but now was clearly not the time.
Unfortunately, Adrian’s attitude only seemed to worsen, the man stumbling as he turned to accuse the entire group, pulling skeletons out of closets. She loved him but his behaviour shocked her, not sure anyone there truly deserved it. She knew he was upset, and clearly struggling with a lot of things, but they were all in this together. They didn’t need more division.
The digs at both of her brothers deeply bothered her, always the first one to defend them, and she pressed her lips together, arms folding over her chest. She’d gone from surprised to deeply unimpressed, joining the rest of the group’s stance. Sure, Adrian had been provoked, but now he was crossing the line. Hearing Eli being called a ‘genetic mistake’ made her gasp, a quiet inhalation, causing her to drop her arms. “Adrian!” She chided, willing him to stop. “That’s enough.” But the Moroi wasn’t done, getting one last shot at Benji in. She looked over at him, eyes wide. She’d never seen the guardian so furious. He was always the perfect picture of stoicism, of collected and cool, but it had clearly only been the calm before the storm. She wasn’t sure she could intervene now, wasn’t sure what she could even do to coax him back from doing something he’d regret. She’d never seen him like this, never seen any of them this upset. Distressed, she looked to her big brother, wondering what he could do as a leader. Was there even a solution?
Eli seemed to think so. Her guardian stepped forward, thankfully working on diffusing Benji. The man was still, dangerously still, but perhaps that meant it was working. Izzy was immensely grateful for it until she heard Elijah’s proposal. Again, her eyes went wide, and she waited for the cries of reason, telling him no. Only they never came, as if everyone was trapped in some kind of daze. Shaking her head, Izzy stepped in, taking on the responsibility herself instead, hoping Eli would listen to her.
She didn’t understand spirit use, having only discovered the element wasn’t just a thing of lore when they’d reunited with Adrian. But considering the darkness in the Moroi’s expression, it didn’t seem safe. “Eli… I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Her voice was gentle, a harsh comparison to everyone else’s behaviour thus far. She reached for him just as he had for Benji, a hand resting on his arm. “We don’t even know if it’d work, and if it did, it might harm you. I know he’s really hurting and you just want to help, but there has to be another way. A way that doesn’t mean endangering anyone else.” She met his eye, shaking her head once, resolute. “Don’t do this.”
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