She pouted dramatically, clearly mocking his feelings. “I’m sorry, but when he signed himself over to me, I decided I wanted to make him one of my servants. So I stripped him of his memories and made him more susceptible to my demands.”
“You’ve brainwashed him?”
“Essentially. You remember cottosvy? A little herb used during the War?”
Cottosvy had been used by the Almighty and the Leader’s troops. If one with secret intel was captured by the enemy, they took this to prevent the information from being discovered.
He approached her quickly, grabbed her arm, and shoved her against the table. He raised his sword and pressed it against her chest.
“Reverse it.”
She laughed. “I’m sorry, Trey, but it’s just not that simple.”
How could she do that? How dare she do that? His rage consumed him. He grunted and stabbed at her.
Vera disappeared and reappeared a chair away from him. She rested her hip against the table.
“You can fuss and moan all you want, but that won’t change him.”
He turned back to Kid, whose dead-eyed stare continued.
When he’d met Kid, he was so obstinate, so defiant, so outspoken. This lifeless thing wasn’t the Kid he’d met. And that bitch had done this to him.
“Change him back!”
“Trey, I would if I could. But that’s just not in the cards. I’m sorry.”
His eyes filled with tears. He stepped aside and dropped his face into his arm.
“So sensitive,” she said. “Just as I remember you. Well, I can’t give you him back as he was, but I can offer you something—a sort of consolation prize.”
“What?”
She flashed a look between the guard and the doorway. Ficorn set his hand on Kid's shoulder and guided him back through the doorway.
“This boy, his memories are gone. He’s not the Kid you met. He’s not the Kid you fell in love with, and he probably never will be.”
Was that true? Was he really never going to get to see his Kid ever again? Was the last time he’d spent with him on Earth really the last chance he’d ever get to be with him?
“But,” Vera continued, “this shell… this body he possesses… this relic of his mind contains the memories of the one you love. Surely, they’re there… just itching… just waiting to spring forward.”
“What are you saying?”
“After the War, when higherlings and fallens were returned to their lovers, many who had been given cottosvy were shaken from their state just after a couple of days with their love. It was discovered that this was the only way to rouse these sleeping spirits. Of course, as you can imagine, many who returned to their mates did not experience this, and it was theorized that this was because their lover had never truly loved them at all.”
“I’m familiar with the theory.”
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Proving yet again that true love wins out after all.”
“What are you getting at?”
“This is my deal with you. If you can get this drone to confess his love for you… then he’s yours.”
Treycore fell silent. How could he even be sure Kid had felt that way about him? They hadn’t had a chance to discuss their feelings. But why else would Kid have saved him? Although, it was possible Kid just had been saving him as a friend. Love. No. That was too strong a word considering how little they knew of each other.
But his feelings were too strong. Kid had to feel something in return, yet if he didn’t, then all the time with him wouldn’t be enough to shake him from the cottosvy’s influence.
“Not so confident in his affections, are you?” Vera asked, taking advantage of his silence.
