SEHUN

“Thank you,” Shinhye said as I laid her on her bed. That haunting smile appeared on her face again. I stiffened and swallowed carefully, the moments when she was writhing in so much pain flashing through my mind’s eye. I merely covered her with the blanket as I looked away. I didn’t want to see her or anyone like that for as long as I existed. It was too much to take especially when I was holding her close to me, screaming like she’s being slashed repeatedly. I couldn’t even describe how it sounded except that it horrified my very core. How can she even smile like that after all that has happened? She was either numb or suicidal.

I straightened up and just nodded at her as a response. “It’s nothing.”

At that, she frowned. “What’s the matter?”

“I…” I shut my eyes, trying to rid myself of the disturbing thoughts. “Nothing.”

“You okay?”

I didn’t know what that meant exactly. “Yes.” I didn’t sound convinced even to myself.

“Alright.”

“I’ll leave you to rest.”

She nodded and slowly, her eyes closed.

I sighed. The peaceful look about her face calmed me down momentarily until I made my way out of the bedchamber. The image of her green eyes constricting as she prevented herself from crying in agony made my heart stop beating fleetingly. I couldn’t get the heavy feeling off of my chest as if something heavy was pressing against me. Just then, I felt a hot whiff of air pass by me.

I clenched my jaw. “I know you’re there,” I stated flatly as I turned around. I just knew he’d come. I saw him emerging from the corridor just when I was about to make the turn to Shinhye’s room.

Chan Yeol materialized, leaning against the wall adjacent to the door of Shinhye’s bedchamber, flames his skin and fading down his finger tips as he transformed from his elemental form. He had a rather calm expression, but his eyes looked like coals ablaze, inquisition written throughout the glowing red specs of his irises. All of us had the ability to do that except that his was more menacing since it glowed red. I walked past him and he pushed himself from the wall, following me to the balcony.

“What happened to her?” he hissed the moment we were there.

I met his gaze and calmly answered, “She’s been ill.”

The Flame Noble calmed down, but I could still feel the heated air around him. “How did that happen? Sehun, I know you’re not in good terms with her, but –”

I shook my head in disbelief. “You honestly think I’d hurt her?” I felt a pang of pain at the thought of it. “I don’t believe this.”

“If that isn’t the case then –”

I interrupted him once more, diverting my gaze. “I did not do such a thing. She ate something…” I looked at him again. “Enchanted berries.”

He arched a brow at me.

“Chin asked us to pick some for her tarts, but then she began being sick.” I heaved a heavy sigh and looked at him seriously. They nearly took my life and if she didn’t swallow that pearl, I wouldn’t even be talking to him that moment. “They are after her…”

He nodded. “I just hope this would change everything between the two of you. We don’t want to see the two of you fighting. If we’re all going to fulfill our tasks, we should do everything to our utmost ability to protect her. Doubts aren’t called for at this kind of situation. Do you understand?”

I smirked. I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. I could never doubt her again. Now, I trusted her with my very life. She did what she could to save me and I’m very thankful. Now she was the one suffering. “I don’t think I’d ever doubt her again,” I told him. I meant that from the bottom of my heart. I owe her my life and it’s only right that I protect her in return. I chuckled inwardly. I still can’t believe that she would go to such extent. Too many thoughts just baffled me.

Chan Yeol patted my back. “That’s good.”

I nodded at him. He had feelings for her, I was sure of it. Right after that, he left. I stood up on the balustrade and leapt off to the courtyard. The next thing I knew, I was on top of a cliff that faced the ocean. I looked around me frantically, not knowing how I got transported to that place. I didn’t even know where it was, but then, I saw Suho. He was staring out at the horizon, his expressions severe.

“I would like you tell me what really happened and don’t you dare lie to me like you did to Chan Yeol,” he said without pause.

I closed my eyes and nodded. He was someone I could trust…and someone I couldn’t go against with. I didn’t have any choice.

SUHO

Panic-stricken. There wasn’t another word that would describe how the usually composed Wind Noble looked like the moment he realized that he landed on a sea cliff instead of the courtyard. He whirled around, his eyes wide until he laid eyes on me. I just watched him from my periphery looking out to the Hydrian seas. Thanks to Kai’s understanding, he allowed me leech a part of his abilities in exchange with mine, enough for me to transport back and forth. I didn’t want anyone else to hear our conversation. I’ve heard what he told Chan Yeol, but I wasn’t convinced. If I had to suspend his powers just so he would admit to the truth then so be it.

Yes, I brought him to Hydris, my homeland and the moment I stepped on the cliff, I felt my grandfather’s presence. I was far from our manor, but that’s just how strong he was. I wish I could be like him, calm in times of distress, enough to make sensible resolutions to matters, but I was breaking at the seams at the moment. The worst was that I had to lose it in front of the person I was least expecting.

I shut my eyes momentarily. “I would like you tell me what really happened and don’t you dare lie to me like you did to Chan Yeol.” I didn’t dare to look at him even as I opened my eyes again. This was just so frustrating. The moment I saw the two of them set out to the forest, I knew something was going to go very wrong. They left while the sun was high in its pedestal in the sky and they returned just before sunset with Shinhye as limp as she could get.

“I will tell you…” Sehun said. He sat on a rock by the edge of a cliff, looking out sea. He shrugged. “But then, I think you do know what happened just like Chan Yeol.”

That sent me seething. “What are you implying?” I snarled at him, but he was unmoved.

Sehun maintained a bitter look about his face. “You don’t believe that I hurt her, do you?”

My frown deepened. I didn’t answer. What were the odds? They hated each other, but I never thought it was enough for things to go this far.

“See that? I thought you would understand, but just like Chan Yeol –”

“I don’t know what to believe,” I interjected. “Enlighten me.”

He nodded. “Promise me one thing though.”

Sometimes, his impositions make it hard for me to believe that he was the youngest noble. “Oh Sehun, you do realize that you’re in no position to give me your conditions, don’t you?”

He let out a whoosh of air. “It’s for Shinhye.”

I couldn’t argue further.

“I made a promise with her. She made me swear. By telling you what happened, I will be going back on my words…”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You want me to keep it and pretend that I do not have a clue as to what had happened.” I shook my head. “That would depend on the gravity of the situation. What if the others need to know about it? We might need their –”

“Kyungsoo,” he interrupted my words. “He can help us.”

“Kyungsoo?”

Sehun nodded. “But you have to choose your words. Once I tell you everything, you are honor bound to keep it from the others as much as you can.”

“Honor bound?”

“To Shinhye, not me.”

I shrugged. Sehun was a good person and I trust his judgment, but this time, he was just pushing me to the limits. I should be raging at him, but I didn’t choose to do that knowing the consequences. “It still depends,” I told him, keeping my stand though I know I would lose.

“I understand.” He was quiet as he considered his next words, but nothing followed. Silence surrounded us. It would have been better if it wasn’t in this kind of situation. The sound of the waves rushing against the rock walls of the cliff was comforting…usually.

“What happened?” I asked him, breaking the silence.

“Where do I start?” he asked.

It made me think that he was planning to keep some matters from me so I conceded with his stipulation. “I want to know everything, Sehun. If I would give you my word then it’s the least you could do.”

At that, he managed a half-smile. “We were in the forest,” he began. “Chin sent us to the orchard after we argued at the pantry…”

He didn’t have any intention to elaborate on their argument so I didn’t press on. “How did she end up like that?”

“I don’t know how it happened since she purposefully went ahead far up the bend by the orchard and the next thing I knew, she was running towards me with an Orc chasing after her.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Orc?” He couldn’t possibly be talking about the cursed Elyxian slaves of Genro. “An Orc? That’s impossible!”

Sehun shook his head. “I thought so, too, until I saw one. It wasn’t an ordinary Orc. It was way stronger and its venom was even more potent.”

“This can’t be happening.”

“But it is…”

I shook my head. “We haven’t even done the rites to Kiyo and yet…”

“They’re after her. I saw it in how the Orc determinedly eyed her even as I was blocking it.”

“Did the Orc attack her? She’s going to die if that’s the case. There’s nothing we could do.” I was now worrying for her life. She looked like she wasted away in just a few short hours.

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