The food in the dining hall was okay at best. It was sufficient enough to provide the necessary nutrients for our bodies but lacked any and all flavor, making it bland. It didn’t matter since nothing tasted good these days anyway. Even the greasiest and cheesiest of pizzas piled with every type of meat a guy could want tasted like shit to me.
Cotton sat next to me, matching me in my quietude. No matter how shitty the food was here, he would be here every single meal—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t think I’d ever seen him eat anything else outside the dining hall.
I picked at the unsalted scrambled eggs, eating the Sunday morning breakfast in spite. Might as well have cooked them on the hot cement outside. I let my mind trail off to the run-in with Orion last night, his panicked look when he noticed my aura and the darkness biting into it. I’d tried to dismiss it, but the need to feed from others’ energy around me wasn’t dissipating.
To add to the growing discontent, the image of Slate’s eyes lighting up when talking about his growing feelings for Grayflashed in my mind. My soul sunk to further depths at the harsh reality that she and I may never get our happily ever after. I’d been so delusional to think we would. We barely knew each other and had only spoken a handful of times, what in fuck’s sake made me think I had a chance? We were fated to be doomed from the start. So close yet so far away, and that truth wrecked me.
To distract my mind from that depressing line of thought, I focused on the plan. It wasn’t an elaborate or complicated plan by any means, but we had to be smart about getting in and out of the prisons without being detected by the other Kinetics monitoring it with their abilities. Onyx, being the King’s Guard in training, knew the layout, while Peri was a sound Kinetic, so she’d mute us.
I still couldn’t believe I was risking Peri’s safety by letting her go with me, but this was important to her, and I needed her to know that our trust went both ways.
Another plate dropped down on the long dining table across from me. “Hey, Cotton!” a feminine voice rang out.
A mess of deep, ruby hair caught my attention. Scarlett Kittle, daughter of Commander Cammo Kittle plopped on the wooden bench, a bright smile on her tanned face. A few seconds later, Cardinal joined her, his shaggy hair just a shade darker.
I tipped my chin up at him in greeting to which he returned.
“Training today, right?” Scarlett asked Cotton.
A mischievous grin spread across his face in response.
Scarlett flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Good. I can kick your ass again, then,” she said before digging into the omelet that I knew lacked in cheese.
Cotton’s brows shot to his hairline, his mouth falling open in shock.
“What? You know it’s true, Mr. Future Inquisitor. Think you’re hot shit now, don’t you?” Scarlett quipped, one edge of hermouth tugging upward. Despite her sarcasm, her eyes sparkled with pride for her best friend.
Cardinal chuckled. “At least I know I can get out of trouble with you in charge of the place, Cotton.”
Cotton rolled his eyes, trying and failing to hide a grin. He shook his head.
“Nah, Cotton will be the fairest of them all. Because look at that snow-white hair! How could he be anything but?” Scarlett jabbed.
Cotton’s face deadpanned at the little firecracker, shooting her an unamused smile, followed by the middle finger.
I couldn’t help the low laugh. I was only a bystander, trying to eat and sulk in peace, but it was a nice distraction from my dark thoughts.
“Oh, my gods!” Scarlett exclaimed. Her expression soured at something she remembered. “Did anyone else see Golden corner the princess the other morning and then challenge her to a sparring match?”
My smile dropped. I worked to calm the blood pulsing through my body at a furious pace. My nostrils flared, and I carefully set my fork against the ceramic plate. “No. Please, do tell,” I managed through my teeth.
“So, she was leaving training, and the moment Slate was out of sight, Golden closed in on her in front of everyone lingering outside.” Scarlett’s eyes shifted around the table, her shoulders slumping as she hugged herself, guilt seemingly pressing in on her.
“Why?” My voice was hoarse, and my hands closed into fists as they sat propped on the table.
Scarlett’s emerald gaze cut to me, her defenses up at my tone. “I don’t know. To prove a point? Why does anyone ever target her?” She challenged me despite my body vibrating from inaction. “People think because she’s the king’s adopteddaughter and is now training that it doesn’t make her special. To them, they think she believes she’s above everyone else, therefore, needs to be brought down a peg or two. It pisses me off how the king basically encourages it to happen,” Scarlett shot back with a shake of her head, clearly disliking the way Gray was treated.
I fought to keep my breathing under control so I wouldn’t give anything away. “Excuse me,” I said, grabbing my plate and rising from my seat. “See you guys around.”
I fled the table abruptly with only one goal in mind.
I scanned the dining hall, searching for his bright head of hair amongst a crowd of various colors. Once spotted, I pursued him, my stride slow and methodical, ready to dish out retribution for treating Gray like shit. I guessed he hadn’t gotten the memo yet that I was the consequence for touching her. The king would find out for himself sooner or later.
Standing behind him, he guffawed obnoxiously at a joke from one of his friends. I tapped his shoulder, making him jump and spin around.
Golden’s eyes widened at the sight of me. “Ch-Chrome?”
I forced a tight smile. “Mind if we have a little chat?”
