Chapter 66 A New Day

Chapter 66 A New Day

Evelyn's POV

I was jolted awake by a sharp, twisting pain in my stomach. That hollow, empty feeling even pulled at my nerve endings with waves of spasms, forcing me to struggle out of my deep sleep. Cold sweat had soaked through my back.

"Mmm..."

I groggily reached out, fumbling around on the nightstand until I finally found my phone. My eyes weren't even open yet, but the numbers on the screen made my heart skip a beat.

I sat up abruptly and checked again - I had actually missed breakfast time!

Usually at this hour, I'd already be sitting in the cafeteria eating my favorite breakfast with Kane. But today, because of last night's incident, I'd gone to bed late and naturally woke up late too.

"What's going on? Did the alarm turn itself off? Nobody woke me up? Is this some kind of joke?"

I irritably ran my fingers through my hair, muttering to the empty room.

I had considered that maybe because of my extreme emotional distress last night, the academy wanted to let me sleep in and automatically disabled the wake-up program, but still...

I sighed, threw off the covers and got out of bed. My bare feet touched the floor as I walked to the closet and quickly changed into a denim outfit.

Even though I'd missed breakfast time, I still wanted to go to the cafeteria to see if there was any leftover bread or sandwiches I could make do with.

Before leaving, I stood in front of the full-length mirror. Looking at my somewhat pale face with heavy dark circles under my eyes, I did look exhausted.

My gaze involuntarily fell on the dresser, where the jewelry box and that white velvet box sat.

Scene after scene from last night uncontrollably flooded back into my mind.

Kane's cold ruthlessness when he broke Robert's wrist, his blood-red eyes when he raged in the restaurant, and his careful, hopeful yet slightly humble expression when he gave me the earrings...

These images played alternately in my mind like a movie, too fast for me to catch the main point, and I still didn't know how to face Kane, just like last night.

I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and opened the box.

The pair of wing-shaped earrings lay quietly on the velvet cushion, sparkling with scattered light in the refracted morning sun. The green diamonds were like a clear spring, so pure they made your heart tremble, and also like some kind of silent temptation.

"I should wear them."

Even though... even though I hadn't completely forgiven his behavior last night, I couldn't deny that he was trying to protect me, trying to stand up for me.

Besides, I couldn't keep avoiding him - I'd have to face him eventually.

Running away wouldn't solve anything, it would only make our relationship worse and worse.

I picked up the earrings and carefully put them on. The cool sensation spread along my earlobes.

Then I picked up that Flamecore Jewel bracelet.

He had given it to me before - countless tiny Flamecore Jewels strung into a bracelet, with a warm touch that always felt cozy on my wrist, as if it could dispel the cold.

I looked at myself in the mirror - the wings by my ears, didn't they represent his wish for my freedom? But the bracelet was like some kind of inescapable bond, as he said, this freedom had to be with him.

If I wanted to be with Kane long-term, I had to accept both his good and bad sides, accept both his gentleness and his violence. This was an unavoidable reality.

But none of this meant I forgave his impulsiveness last night. It's just... I hadn't figured out how to face him yet, how to find a balance between gratitude and being unable to accept his behavior.

"Eat first, then go to class."

I patted my cheeks, trying to make myself look more alert. I didn't want to miss class because of overthinking. I pushed open the door and walked out.

As soon as I stepped out, I saw a familiar figure standing by the door, leaning against the wall all alone. It was Kane.

He was wearing a black trench coat with the collar turned up, covering half his face. He looked somewhat desolate, and also somewhat... dejected? Even carrying a trace of last night's lingering hostility?

Hearing footsteps, he whipped his head around. His originally dull eyes instantly reignited the moment he saw me, shining startlingly bright, like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline.

His gaze greedily roamed over my face with concern, finally settling on my ears.

Seeing the pair of wing earrings glittering in the sunlight, his tense shoulders visibly relaxed. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a relieved smile that carried a barely noticeable fragility, and gratitude.

"Morning, Evelyn."

He said in a low voice, somewhat hoarse, as if he hadn't slept all night.

"Morning..."

I instinctively wanted to step back to maintain a safe distance, but my heart disobediently started racing.

But he stepped forward first, moving determinedly toward me.

"Breakfast, hot milk, and freshly toasted bread with butter."

He pulled out an insulated bag from behind him and held it out to me, his tone carrying a hint of pleading.

"You..."

I froze, looking at the insulated bag, then looking up at him. "Weren't you confined to your room? How did you get out?"

"That's not important."

Kane said dismissively, as if that notice had no effect at all. "I was worried about you being alone. Come on, I'll walk you to class."

"But..."

"No buts."

He decisively took my hand, stuffed the warm insulated bag into it, then naturally held my hand. I wanted to pull away, but I could feel him trembling slightly. "I just need to see you safely walk into the classroom, then I'll go back."

I could feel he was afraid.

His hand holding mine was trembling slightly, as if afraid I would push him away again, afraid I would reject his kindness, afraid last night's nightmare would repeat itself.

My heart softened, and I ultimately didn't shake off his hand, letting him lead me forward.

"Okay, but you have to stay in your room properly afterward."

"Okay!"

Kane seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. After getting his definite answer, I lowered my head and took a bite of toast. The aroma of butter spread through my mouth, dispelling the morning chill.

The warm milk slid down my throat into my stomach, driving away the discomfort from hunger and finally easing my somewhat cramping stomach. Our relationship also seemed to ease somewhat, making the atmosphere less awkward.

We didn't speak the whole way.

But that silence was no longer filled with tension like last night. Instead, it carried a kind of careful maintenance.

At the entrance to the Basic Potions classroom, Kane stopped, his eyes full of reluctance.

"Go in."

He looked at me, his voice low. "I'll pick you up after class."

"No need, just stay in your room."

Kane didn't answer. I guessed he would definitely come, and I didn't want to continue discussing this with him here.

I turned and walked into the classroom, still clutching the insulated bag tightly.

However, the atmosphere in the classroom was strangely off.