The same that I had seen in the marketplace in Newhelm, right before the demons had swarmed the place.
Why had he bought it? Or had he stolen it?
Was this the very same one that he had dared me to take from him?
“Did you find him?” Nate peeked in through the doorway. I quickly snuck the wooden piece into my pocket.
“Nope.”
We went down along with Mey and Ashley hoping to see the others there, but to our disappointment, it was empty here as well.
Inrelle was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, setting plates neatly on a long table.
“Have you seen the others from our group?” I asked, trying to not scare her, considering I almost snuck up on her. She turned and looked at me, and then at the ones behind me. “Two went out earlier this morning, they didn’t want breakfast.”
My brows furrowed as I looked back at Ashley. “Do you know anything?”
“Well, Eve’s a bitch, but that’s nothing new,” she shrugged. “She was bitter, like always, last night.”
What was happening? They left? Together no less?
I felt dizzy, confused. Lionel had walked away before, when he saw what I really was… would he do it again? I thought he was slowly beginning to come around; he had followed us here, and then we talked yesterday and he apologized…
A shiver went down my spine as I realised, I didn’t know what was going on inside of his head anymore. It was a foreign feeling, not knowing what he thought, what he would do.
Maybe this was his way of telling me that he had made his choice, that he was going back to the life we had before, before my magic had destroyed us. Back to a time I wasn’t a monster in his eyes… and he was taking Eve with him, instead of me.
“Are you okay?” Mey placed a hand on my shoulder, and at the touch my hands engulfed in flames, making her jolt back.
“Sorry,” I murmured, my hands balled into fists. “Let’s go find Malakai.”
“Are you sure?” Mey pressed on, regaining her composure quickly.
“Lionel never wanted to be here in the first place,” I said, spinning around as I aimed for the door.
“Excuse me, just going to grab five of those for the trip, thank you!” I heard Ashley say behind me, before she jogged after me, offering me a piece of bread. “Never go on a mission on an empty stomach!”
I snorted, as I snatched one from her hand. “Five?”
“Well, I’m a grower,” Ashley winked at me.
“Wait up!” Nate and Mey echoed as they followed.
I pushed the door open, only to come to an abrupt halt, standing face to face with Michlael. For a brief moment he looked shocked, before his face eased up and smiled.
“Ah, I was about to come get you,” he smiled.
“Why?” I asked, caught off guard.
“For your last trial, of course,” he tilted his head.
“We’re missing a few people at the moment,” Ashley blurted out.
“I know,” Michlael shrugged, looking awfully bored as he straightened himself. “Two wanted to leave, so we let them. Your squad leader’s got another important task to carry out for us, he won’t be joining you.”
“What?” I almost barked at him.
“He wouldn’t leave us like that, right?” Mey asked, looking at Nate for input.
