Basically, it was in disarray, a reflection of Bram Hemlock and a stark reminder of the contrast between his world and mine.
I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for my roommate. But then my gut churned as I thought about how callously he’d treated Pandora today.
Good thing he was almost never here.
What had she done to get on the radar of those three demons? Bram Hemlock, Dexter Shadowheart, and Skel Grimshaw. They were delinquents, and honestly, they’d always been. Granted, Shadowheart had always been worse than the other two. Their families were all kinds of messed up, and it was common knowledge among the capital. I spent my first couple of yearsof high school with them before Mom moved us out of the city to a more rural area. We were never friends, but they also hadn’t been quite as self-destructive as they seemed to be now. I had been pulled from the school two years before graduation, so maybe I just hadn’t seen their downfall.
I turned away from his chaos and shut the door. My spirits were lifted almost immediately as I walked toward the soft glow of the tank’s enchanted lights that emitted a gentle illumination.
I knelt beside the spacious tank I’d transformed into a playful gumdrop-themed haven for my aquatic companion. It was a splash of vibrant colors, with bubblegum pink and lemon yellow showing up the most. The substrate at the bottom was a soft, pastel-colored gravel that sparkled in the light, and it reminded me of a bed of candy-coated gumdrops. I’d added plastic gumdrop decorations within the tank, and a miniature gumdrop-shaped castle sat proudly in one corner.
My pink axolotl swam contentedly, his vibrant colors a perfect complement to the sugary-themed surroundings. The gentle hum of the tank's filter filled the room with a soothing melody, punctuated by an occasional splash as my axolotl glided gracefully through the water.
“Hi, little buddy," I murmured. "Did you have a good day?"
Gumdrop nodded in response, eyes gleaming with intelligence as he gazed up at me with an expression that I believed bordered on affection.
We had a bond we’d built upon through the years. After Dad died, Mom went into a deep depression that I had no hope of pulling her out of. Mom and Dad were fated mates, and a literal piece of her soul died with him. I’d spent my teenage years alone, but when she’d moved us out of the capital, I adopted Gumdrop. He had been my only form of companionship that wasn’t online until now.
“I had a good first day, you know.” I reached out to touch the tank, fingers brushing against the smooth glass surface. It was cold, and I could feel the gentle vibrations of the filter beneath my fingertips. “I met a woman.”
He tilted his little head as his legs kicked up as if he were trying to hear me better.
“Her name’s Pandora. She gave me her first name,” I whispered to my little buddy.
I’d always shared everything with Gumdrop. He always listened with rapt attention.
"You know, Gumdrop, I think I might like her," I confessed as I double-checked the enchantments on the tank. "She's unlike anyone I've ever met before, so kind and caring. She evenstood up to a few demons for me. You know, since Mom’s a human.”
He regarded me with a knowing gaze.
“She’s the daughter of a councilman, specifically, thesoul eaterrepresentative. She’s a soul eater, too.” I triple-checked the blue crystal that was enchanted to keep the water temperature perfect for him. It was radiating a normal amount of magical energy. “I just…really like her. I’ve never gotten along with someone so well before, and she’s really pretty, too.”
He swam to the top and looked at me expectantly.
“She’s got really long, glossy black hair and beautiful red eyes. I can’t get her out of my mind.” With a sigh, I opened the top window and stuck my finger just above the water.
He met me, nibbling softly on my finger. I didn’t ever pet him because his skin was so delicate, but he loved giving kisses, so I always gave him my finger. Gumdrop was just a sweetheart who craved love the same way I did.
I pulled back and grabbed his food, sprinkling a few pellets into the tank before shutting the window. “But during a feeding exercise today, she got paired with Shadowheart.”
He eagerly snapped his food up with his mouth.
“She completely broke down.” My chestached as I thought of the terror on her face, and Ihatedhow the shadow tendril sliced into her. Blood ran down from the cut like a curtain around her neck.
She’d had a panic attack. I knew the signs, and itkilledme that Ashenfell allowed Shadowheart to take her away while she was like that. I wanted to be the one to do it because I knew I could take care of her. Shadowheart probably traumatized her more.
I shook off the nausea swirling in my gut as I got to my feet and went to pull my academy tablet out. I kicked my shoes off and stripped down to my boxers before splaying on the bed and typing a few messages to Pandora.
Reed Nyx
Are you okay?
If you need anything, just let me know.
I hope you’re getting some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.
The messages sent, but after a few more minutes of staring at them, they still hadn’t been read.
