Ficorn gave them their privacy.
Kid turned to Treycore, his gaze drifting up as he stared at him.
“Yes, sir?”
The sir made Treycore’s face drain. Sir? Was this even the same Kid he knew? He wanted to believe Vera had swapped him, disguised him with some other creature, but the smell was too foul for him to ignore—that was Kid, with his potent fragrance.
“Kid, stop for just a minute.” He grabbed his wrists and pulled him from his work.
Kid looked at the sludge and the pail worriedly. Like he knew he needed to keep tending to his duties.
“Come here, sit down. Talk to me.”
He led Kid to the side of the corridor, and they sat on the floor, across from each other.
“You don’t remember anything? Anything at all? Anything about… me?”
Kid’s gaze shifted around Treycore’s face. He shook his head. “Not particularly, no. Should I know you?”
Treycore felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
“I guess not. Not after what she did. Kid, I know you might not understand this.”
“My name’s Will.”
Treycore tightened his lips together. “Yes, okay. Will… I know you might not understand this, but you did know me. Not very long. Not very well. We only knew each other for a brief moment, but I…”
He didn’t know how to say it… or how this boy that wasn’t his Kid would react.
“… I cared very deeply for you.”
“Why?”
The question cut Treycore deep. It wasn’t Kid’s fault, and yet, all he wanted to do was to shake him, to force him to remember him, the connection they shared. Those moments that were as if they’d shared a thousand years of passion.
“I don’t think it’s something I can explain. I just… from the moment I first met you… from our first encounter… there was something about you. At first, it made me furious… it made me hate you, because it was so strong. But in the brief interaction we shared, I saw something in you—something that was the reason I came to defend humanity to begin with. Something mystical. Something I’ve never seen in any creature before.”
“But I’m just a mortal.”
A tear rushed down Treycore’s cheek. He shook his head. “No, you’re not. You’re so much more than that to me.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t know you.”
“I understand that.”
He had to find a way of reaching him. Even if he couldn’t trigger their memories together, he believed he could find a way to stir that same passion that had been there when they’d first met. He just had to think.
“I should get back to my work,” Kid said.
He rose from the floor and headed back to the puddle of black sludge.
“Yes, I guess you should.”
Sadness swept through him. Maybe this wouldn’t work. Maybe he couldn’t reach him, but this was just a first attempt. He needed to be patient. He had three more days to reach him, and he believed there had to be a way.
***
Treycore, help me!
