Chapter 16 The Fairies
Kael pushed her harder against the wall, making her wings flicker before they slowly vanished behind her back. Lyra glared at him, her chest rising and falling in anger, but Kael didn’t even look at her. His attention was already on Xavier, who was still standing there frozen, breathing heavily, staring at them both like he was seeing ghosts.
“Who is she?” Xavier demanded, anger shaking his voice. His eyes burned as he turned them on Kael. “You seem to know her. What is going on?”
Kael stepped forward slowly, calm, almost too calm. His steps echoed softly in the empty hallway. Xavier didn’t back away, he only tightened his jaw, ready to fight again.
“You don’t need to know who she is,” Kael said simply.
“That’s not an answer,” Xavier snapped. “Tell me—”
But before he could finish, Kael’s eyes shifted. His pupils expanded, and his irises changed into that strange deep color that wasn't human. Xavier stared at him in confusion, taking one small step back.
Kael’s voice dropped to a firm whisper.
“You will forget everything that happened today.”
Xavier opened his mouth to protest, but then his expression went blank. His eyes turned hazy for a moment as if his mind was slipping away. Then, suddenly, he blinked weakly… and collapsed to the ground unconscious.
Lyra gasped softly, surprised despite herself. Kael didn’t seem bothered at all. He turned away from Xavier like nothing had happened and grabbed her arm.
“Let go,” she hissed, pulling back, but he tightened his grip and dragged her with him.
“Move,” he ordered.
He pulled her all the way to his room. The moment they stepped inside, he shut the door firmly behind them. Lyra yanked her arm away from his hold, glaring angrily.
“What was that about?” she demanded. “Why did you stop me? I almost killed him. I should have finished it.”
Kael stared at her like she was a reckless child.
“Do you really think you can kill him?”
“I would have,” she fired back immediately, “if you hadn’t interfered!”
Kael scoffed quietly and stepped closer to her. “The people here will not sit back and watch you kill students. They will fight back. They will hunt you. The school leaders will come straight for you. Starting from today—” he paused and his eyes hardened, “—you will stop attacking anyone unless I give you permission.”
Lyra’s lips parted in disbelief. She laughed bitterly.
“And who are you to control my life like that?”
Kael didn’t flinch. If anything, his voice became colder.
“I am your master. I own you now. I can do anything I want with you, and you won’t have a say in it.”
He raised his hand and wrapped it slowly around her neck, not choking, just holding, claiming. His thumb brushed her jaw lightly. Lyra’s breath hitched, but her glare didn’t soften.
“You think I will just sit here and let you control my life?” she whispered sharply.
“You will,” Kael replied, his face inches from hers, “because that is the only way you stay alive.”
For a heartbeat, the room felt too quiet, too tense. Lyra jerked his hand off her neck, her anger boiling over, and she stormed toward the door.
“Stay out of my way,” she snapped before leaving.
Kael said nothing as she slammed the door shut behind her.
Outside, Sirena was on her way to Kael’s room, her expression softening as she prepared to greet him. But she froze when she saw Lyra stepping out instead.
Her eyes widened. Her fist tightened immediately.
She’s alive?
Why is she here?
Why did she come out of Kael’s room?
Her heart twisted with jealousy and anger as she glared at Lyra’s back. But Lyra didn’t even look at her. She walked away calmly as if Sirena didn’t exist.
Sirena’s jaw clenched tight. She turned sharply and stormed off toward Xavier’s room instead, anger burning in her veins.
Something was terribly wrong and she was going to find out what.
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Sirena moved through the hallway quickly, her heart pounding with both anger and suspicion. She had checked everywhere Xavier usually stayed, yet she still couldn’t find him. Her steps slowed the moment her eyes caught something on the floor, a small glass bottle rolling gently near the wall, as if someone had dropped it carelessly.
Her stomach tightened.
She stepped closer and then she froze completely.
A body was lying beside the bottle.
“Xavier?” she whispered, her voice shaking slightly.
She hurried forward and knelt beside him. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. Sirena reached out and patted his cheek gently, trying to wake him.
“Xavier! Wake up!”
His eyes fluttered open slowly. For a moment he just stared up at her, disoriented, like he didn’t even know where he was. But suddenly something clicked in him, and he sprang up from the floor as if remembering he had somewhere to be.
Sirena stood as well, folding her arms angrily.
“I thought I told you to kill that girl,” she snapped. “So why am I still seeing her walking around safe and sound?”
Xavier blinked at her, still confused. “I was following her… and suddenly the Thorned Veil appeared.”
Sirena stepped closer. “What happened?”
“I… I don’t know.” Xavier rubbed his temple, trying to gather his thoughts. “I’m confused. All I remember is the Thorned Veil showing up. After that… nothing. It’s all blank.”
Sirena’s expression twisted in disbelief and disgust. “I can’t believe you can’t even kill an ordinary fairy,” she scoffed and turned away sharply. “Useless.”
She stormed out without looking back.
Xavier remained on the floor a little longer, sitting with his back against the wall. He kept trying to remember, forcing his mind to go back to the moment, but it was like trying to grab smoke. The harder he tried, the more the memory slipped away from him.
“What… did I forget?” he muttered to himself.
Finally he stood up, still dizzy, and walked out of the hallway.
When his footsteps faded, a tall shadow stepped out from behind the stone pillar. Vyrian had been there the entire time, watching quietly. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he stared at the spot Xavier had collapsed.
He had seen everything.
With a small smirk, Vyrian vanished into thin air, leaving the hallway empty once more.
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