Chapter 27 What That Means

Chapter 27 What That Means
Adrian’s POV

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.NAnd the moment they did… I knew I had messed up. Silence fell instantly.

Lena stared at me, her eyes slightly widened, like she wasn’t expecting that.
Honestly?NNeither was I.

I tightened my hold on her slightly, trying to ignore the way my own words echoed in my head.

What the hell was that?

Xavier was never going to let me hear the end of this.

“Adrian…” Lena said softly. I didn’t let her finish.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I muttered, my tone shifting back to something more controlled. “That ritual… It was reckless.”

Her brows furrowed slightly.
“I chose to do it,” she said.

“That doesn’t make it smart.”

“It saved Zara.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Then what is?” she asked.

I opened my mouth, then stopped. Because the real answer? I didn’t want to say it again. Instead, I looked away briefly, jaw tightening.

“You could’ve gotten seriously hurt,” I said instead.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.”

She sighed softly.
“Why does it matter so much to you?”

That question hit harder than anything else. I looked back at her. She still looked weak. Pale. Drained. Like the ritual took more from her than she was admitting.

And something in my chest tightened again. Annoyingly.
“I just said it,” I replied quietly.

Her gaze didn’t leave mine.
“And what exactly does that mean?” she asked.

I went still. Of course she would ask that. Of course she wouldn’t just let it go.
“It means you should stop putting yourself in danger like that,” I said.

“That’s not what you said.”

“Lena…”

“You said you care about me.”

Silence. Damn. She wasn’t letting me escape this. Not this time. Before I could respond, Zara’s voice cut in.
“It worked.”

We both turned. Zara stood there, staring at her hands again, her eyes still shining with disbelief.
“I can feel it,” she said, her voice trembling. “My magic… it’s real.”

A small spark flickered again between her fingers. For a second, even I was impressed. Then I looked back at Lena.

Her lips curved slightly into a weak smile.
“You see?” she said softly. “Worth it.”

I exhaled sharply.
“You collapsing wasn’t part of the plan.”

“I didn’t collapse,” she muttered.

“You literally fainted.”

“I slipped.”

I scoffed lightly. “Right.”
She tried to sit up properly, but her body clearly wasn’t cooperating. I tightened my grip slightly.

“Don’t move too much,” I said.

“I’m not fragile.”

“You are right now.”

She shot me a look. “I hate you.”

“You don’t mean that.”

She hesitated. Then looked away.
“Whatever.”

Zara stepped closer now, her expression shifting from excitement to concern.
“Lena… are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Lena replied.

“No, you’re not,” Zara said immediately. “You look like you’re about to pass out again.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

I almost smirked.
“See?” I added. “Even your best friend knows you’re lying.”

Lena groaned softly. “Can both of you just… relax?”

“No,” Zara said.
“No,” I said at the same time.

That made Lena glare at both of us.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered.

Professor Hawthorne cleared his throat.
“The ritual was successful,” he said calmly. “However, the energy transfer was… intense.”

“That’s one way to put it,” I muttered.

He ignored me.
“Lena will need time to recover,” he continued. “Hybrid energy is not meant to be expended so freely.”

Lena frowned slightly.
“I’m fine…”

“You are not,” he cut in. She went quiet.
For once.

“Take her back to her dorm,” he said, looking directly at me.

I nodded once. “I will.”

“I can walk,” Lena protested.

“You can barely stand,” I replied.

“I said I’m fine.”

“And I say you’re not.”

She opened her mouth to argue, then stopped. Because she knew I was right.
“Let’s go,” I said.

The walk back was slow. Careful.
Lena leaned slightly against me, whether she wanted to admit it or not.
And for once, she didn’t argue about it.
That alone told me how drained she really was.

“You’re heavy,” I said casually.

Her head snapped up slightly.
“I’m what?”

“I said you’re heavy.”

“I’m not heavy!”

“Feels like it.”

“You’re annoying.” she said

“You’re dramatic.”

“You’re a jerk.”

“You like me.”

She froze for half a second. Then quickly looked away. “I don’t.”

I smirked slightly. “Sure.”

Silence followed. But it wasn’t as tense as before. It was… different. Softer.
Until she spoke again.
“About what you said…”

I stiffened slightly.
“We’re really doing this again?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I sighed. “Lena…”

“What did you mean?” she asked quietly.
I stopped walking. She looked up at me.
Waiting. Expecting an answer. I could lie. Brush it off. Turn it into a joke. That’s what I usually do.

But for some reason, this time felt different. “I meant…” I started. Then paused. Because saying it again would make it real. And I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

But she was still looking at me. Waiting. So I said it.
“I meant I don’t like seeing you hurt,” I said.

Her expression softened slightly.
“And?” she pressed.

I exhaled slowly.
“And I don’t trust the people around you,” I added. “Especially Damian.”

Her brows furrowed.
“This isn’t about Damian.”

“It is.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It is for me.”

She shook her head slightly. “You’re avoiding the question.”

“And you’re pushing too much.”

“Fine,” she said quietly. “Don’t answer.”
She pulled slightly away from me. And I let her. Because maybe that was easier. For both of us. We reached her dorm shortly after.

Zara had already gone ahead. I helped Lena inside. She sat down slowly on her bed, exhaling softly.

“See?” she said. “Still alive.”

“Barely.”

She rolled her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said after a moment.

I paused.
“For what?”

“For… not letting me fall,” she said.

I shrugged slightly.
“Don’t mention it.”

“Adrian?”

“Yeah?”

“Next time… don’t fake a heart attack.”
I smirked.

“No promises.”

She shook her head, smiling faintly.
Then laid back slightly, clearly exhausted.
I watched her for a moment longer. Making sure she was okay. Then turned to leave.
But just as I reached the door, something felt off. A sudden shift. Sharp. Unnatural.

I frowned slightly. Turning back.
“Did you feel that?” I asked.

Lena sat up slightly.
“Feel what?”

Before I could answer, Zara screamed. Loud. Terrified. From down the hallway.
Lena’s eyes widened instantly.

“That’s Zara…”
We didn’t wait. We ran. Straight toward the sound. And when we got there, the door to the spell room was wide open.

The lights flickering. Energy crackling violently in the air. And Zara was standing in the center. Surrounded by uncontrollable magic. Her hands glowing wildly. Her body shaking.

“I can’t stop it!” she cried.

My heart dropped. Lena stepped forward immediately.
“Zara…”

But the moment she got closer, a blast of energy exploded outward. Throwing everything back. Including her.

“LENA!” I shouted