“Why doesn’t he say anything?” she whispers so softly, but it feels like she is screaming in my head.
“Mmm?” I ask her. She doesn’t react. I drop the towel and put on some underwear. A little gasp comes from her throat, and I can’t help but smirk a bit before I sweep in the bed next to her. The mattress sinking under my weight. I am pretty big and I am happy the bed is big enough to keep distance from her. I am not sure I could stop touching her if I do it again. I might be in for some fun, but this girl does look like the girl who wants a steady relationship, if she survives this trial.
Not everyone can dream to be loved. Not everyone deserves to be loved. And as much as I wish to be loved, my heart keeps telling me I don’t deserve it. All the people in my life leaving me being proof of that.
Eliane, on the other side, is loved. After Fintan came to me a week ago, I heard him whisper something about having to worry about two people. I figured it out quickly after I saw Eliane. He is the man who took her so many years ago. The girl with the prettyface I saw being taken away on the day my mother left. That’s why I did what Fintan asked me to. I feel like I owe him. I don’t want Fintan to lose another daughter. So when Zephron started to grab parchments out of the vase I used my signet to match myself to Eliane. He kept chasing for another paper, but I forced the piece of parchment with my name on it in his hand as soon as Eliane’s name was called out. I think, in some way, Zephron knew what I was doing. I am not sure what Fintan’s knows that I don’t, but he is the closest thing I have to a father figure so I trusted him and did what he asked me to. I do think it is better if I keep this deal or maybe better said incident to myself and keep this girl out of it.
I twist around a few times to get myself comfy. I don’t cover myself in blankets like she does. I am hot already. I close my eyes and let the darkness surround me as my mind already brings me back to the dungeons I have stayed over 1000 nights in. Back to the bag being pulled over my head. Back to the hurt that was done to Zephron in front of my eyes in the dungeons, the harm they did to me. Goosebumps run over me. The only thing I wish for right now is that my nightmares won’t wake her at night. The dark consumes me. I can’t see her lights anymore and feel the urge to ask her to sprinkle some lights in the air. I hold my mouth stiff as I try to relax my body.
“I have nightmares sometimes too you know, it is okay,” she murmurs, already half asleep. I turn to her in surprise.
“I didn’t say anything,” I snap.
“Yes, you did, dummy. ‘I hope my nightmares won’t wake her at night,’” she quotes before snuggling deeper under her blanket. She lies down under a creme blanket with a light pink fluffy blanket over it covering her body completely.
“Oh,” I breathe out.
“Goodnight, Brax,” she whispers before sleep takes her away from me. My eyes wide at her words, not sure how I need to react. This is the first time anyone has wished me goodnight.
“Goodnight, Honey,” I whisper back, way more confident than I feel.
I close my eyes and for the first time in years I sleep through the night without being woken by my nightmares.
Annie informed us earlier this morning we were to be expected for breakfast at 8 a.m. As we stroll through halls, I turn to the wall with a clock on it. 7.55 a.m. Just on time. This morning we pretended that nothing happened. And maybe nothing really did happen. But why do I keep getting the feeling that I can hear her in my head? Eliane went back to her sunny and bubbly, but fierce self while I stayed silent and the self-centered prick as Eliane calls me. It almost seems like she is frisking. Every step she takes seems light. I would swear she leaves luminous footsteps on the path she walks, but when I shake my head they are gone. Her dark sparring clothes don’t make her look like the soldier they are meant to make you look. A tight black long sleeve shirt hugs her body, and even tighter black pants make her curves pop out in all the right places. A brown leather band is hugging her upper leg and arm. The dagger she used on me before is sticking under it. A girl comes jogging to her. Kailey, her name is I remember, throws her arms around her and whispers something in her ear. Eliane responds in a head shake and light giggle. Hazel runs after them as they enter the kitchen, but stops as she catches my brother sitting at the head of the table, nodding at every candidate walking in. His eyes darken as he sees me. I don’t bother to nod. I hold my gaze low as I walk past him. I chive my chair back and sit down next to Caleb. He seems young, but also very smart. He is a metal wielder andwelcomes me politely, but I remember him as the boy smashing a ball of iron against my head.
“Yo Braxton, do you always get to eat these great things?” Caleb mumbles, with his mouth full of chicken. I freeze in surprise, but it does make me realize he is right. I look at the table that is filled with all different kinds of food. There are fruits like melon and apples but also a lot of different breads. The candidates might not even have breakfast every day when they are at home, so I decide to answer grateful and nice, not wanting to scare everyone away just yet.
“Yes, I am actually really glad, I do, but I wish it would be this way for anyone,” I respond to him.
“You’re totally right. I come from Etakia. My parents used to take care of the fact that my sister and I eat great every day, but I know that the people in Athios will tell you something different,” he tells me. I nod as I take in this room. I never came here often. I always used to go to my hide out spot if I wanted to leave the palace. I bow over to take an apple out of the fruit basket when I notice someone glaring at me. Aaliyah peeks through her already squinting eyes. Her energy shifts and a white flash appears around her.
Instead of the little girl there is now a black mamba crawling over the table making eye contact with me. The snake hisses at me, the white stripe on top of the snake reminding me of the fact that we have a shapeshifter under us and this is definitely Aaliyah, not just a random mamba.
A scream erupts at the other side of the table. I don’t have to look to know it is the blonde-haired spoiled girl from before.
Gwen.
I shove my chair back and a ball of metal that changes into a sword reaches my hand. I grab it and push it forward, shooting Caleb a thankful look.
Before I can slice the girl snake in half, proofing my title worthy, a loud snap makes the snake shoot back and cramp together.
Eliane is hovering over the table, her dagger impaling the end of the snake’s body. Her eyes burn like fire as she peers down at the dagger in her hand. She pulls the dagger out of the snake, letting blood flow. Before I can blink my eyes, Aaliyah is sitting in front of me again, holding her bleeding arm.
“That is what you get from fucking with my partner,” Eliane snarls at the girl in front of me. A small chuckle rises in my throat, and I can’t help but lift the corner of my mouth a bit. A proud feeling rises in my chest and I smile with my eyes. Eliane stares at me deeply before I hear her saying.
“So I have to hurt people and protect you to finally see those dimples again and make you smile?”She lifts one brow staring into my eyes, anger still present. I can’t help but drop my jaw.
I heard her talk.
But her mouth did not move.
Why does her mouth not move! I look at her. She turns to Hazel listening to the conversations at the table that continues.
“These cinnamon bread rolls are so good.”I hear her beam as she takes another bite of the bread she just took out of the basket acting like nothing happened.
Her mouth did not move.
I did hear her, again.
