Kaden’s POV:
I ran a hand through my hair, panic building inside of me. We weren’t safe, were we? Nothing lasted for long. I suddenly felt a deep hatred for the King. If only he had worked harder… if only had he had more knowledge in the bonded.
“Jeremiah couldn’t have been killed over a freak accident,” I found myself whispering. “We should train harder. We should work harder. We can—we should at least know how to protect ourselves. What if there’s someone in the Academy who’s our enemy?
(Yup, and currenty it’s Colton!)
Andreas’s POV:
“Yes, he could have,” I insisted, growing a bit desperate. “Anything could have happened. And we will train harder—there’s no way we won’t, after this.”
Elliot was still silent, and frighteningly so. I cast him a worried look, but he didn’t react.
(Ahdjajskaj)
Kaden’s POV:
Andreas had gone to the shower to clear his mind, and Elliot and I were sitting in the living room, trying to forget about what we’d read. My gaze occasionally slipped towards Prince Colton’s room—or, his ex-room, the spot Elliot continued to stare at. Hope and Scylla were huddled together on the couch, eyes closed.
Honestly speaking, I… unlike Andreas, I didn’t think Prince Colton harmed Elliot. From what I could see, he cared a lot about Elliot, but whatever caused them to be like this… it was huge. Especially if it involved the prince finding something about Elliot, something he wasn’t supposed to know. I ran a hand through my hair, sighing loudly.
“Hey, you wanna play a game?” I asked. Just because my hero had died didn’t mean I was going to mope around and ignore my best friend. “Or do you wanna go train? There’s like, this super cool healing technique I just learned, and I’m dying to show it off.”
Elle’s POV:
I leaned over to comb my fingers through Scylla’s downy feathers as she slept beneath Hope, curled up in an adorable little pink. When Kaden spoke, and my eyes lifted to his, a furrow appeared beneath my brows. “Sure, yeah. Technique? What technique is this?”
Kaden’s POV:
My smile fell lightly due to the lack of interest in his voice, but I didn’t let it show.
“We were learning how to heal and…” I took out a small, crumpled brown leaf, and unfolded my palm. My hand began to glow and the leaf slowly began to turn green, as if it hadn’t been dead just a few seconds ago. “We learned how to do this! Exciting, isn’t it?”
My eyes widened slightly, which, at the moment, was basically the equivalent of a loud gasp at this point. “That’s… amazing, actually. How does it work?”
Kaden’s POV:
I grinned brightly.
“Well, we sort of transfer our own energy into the dead leaf,” I explained. “It’s like a life energy, but it doesn’t, you know, end up killing us. We can activate the cells again by sending the right amount of energy inside. Currently, we’re only doing it on plants, because it requires more energy and stamina to do it on humans. But I can’t wait till we reach that sort of level! You, Andreas and I will be the perfect team.”
We’ll just be lacking an attacker.
(Damn right you are)
I nodded, the ghost of a smile on the subtle curve of my lips, but it was clear what we were both thinking.
A team needs an Attacker.
I shook the thought away. “So, what do you want me to help you with? If we’re going to train, I mean.”
I thought over it for a while.
“I’m pretty bad at self-defense,” I shrugged. “Our teacher says being able to protect oneself is an essential part of being a healer.”
“I can help with that,” I offered, and though my time was still relatively flat, a bit of emotion had seeped through. “Do you like using a specific weapon?”
“I’m good with a bow and arrow,” I responded slowly. “But—shit, is Scylla glowing?”
I frowned at him for a moment, my mind not processing his words until a faint light caught the corner of my vision. What?
My eyes followed it down, to its source, and widened in fear. “Scylla??” I reached out to shake her awake, but she didn’t move an inch. ”Scylla??” Nothing.
Hope immediately jumped to her feet, hissing slightly before she bumped her nose with Scylla’s, trying to wake her up.
And then came out a burst of wind. It didn’t cut Elliot and I, but it did send us flying back.
(She'd better not be dying…
Is she evolving? Is that what's happening?)
I lost my balance, skidding across the floor as a fierce gale ripped through the room, whipping at the curtains, sending papers flying everywhere. ”Scylla!! Answer me!” Still nothing—I began to grow desperate. But not even my Windsong would work. What the hell was going on?
I got back on my feet, sorry gnawing at my throat. Why wasn’t Scylla waking up? What was wrong?
“Did she eat something wrong?” I knew that was stupid, but come on. My best friend’s bondmate was unresponsive. “Is she sick? Maybe we should take her to a healer.”
I stood, and was immediately toppled by the wind. Around us, the walls began to groan, pipes straining against the churning waters within. “I don’t know!!”
Suddenly, a loud yelp sounded from the washroom.
And then everything stopped. Sounds of water falling was heard, but everything else fell silent. I stare at Elliot, startled.
“Well, I think… I think that’s the last of it…”
It wasn’t. It happened again the next day. And the day after that, and we had no idea what was going on.
Scylla had no recollection of anything the next day. It the day after that, when it happened again. Or the day after that. I was beginning to become desperate. My bondmate has expressed itchiness around her horns and shell, but besides that, there was nothing.
“I just—I don’t know what to do,” I told Kaden one morning, closely examining Scylla.
I chewed on my lower lip before heaving a sigh.
“Listen, I… I know I shouldn’t be suggesting this, but…” I ran a hand through my hair. “But you should ask the Prince.” I immediately added something in a rush. “Key is a Type A! Maybe he knows what’s going on with Scylla!”
My whole body went rigid at the same time as Scylla’s. “I—It’s a good idea in theory. But the Prince—The Prince would rather murder me right now than help.”
I quirked an eyebrow, pretending to be surprised.
“Why would he?” I tilted my head. “I don’t think he’d turn you away.”
I shook my head firmly, but when my eyes latched onto Scylla…. I faltered. What if she got hurt as a result of this? Was it not a good idea to do whatever was in my power to help?
“If he hurts you, I’ll drain his life,” I promised Elliot. “They’ve taught us that, too.”
My face paled instantly. “No—! Don’t do that—God, no.”
