She was confused, excited. Didn't know what to think.
"Khalid..! Khalid! Can you hear me?"
She stuttered his name as the young
Master's eyes fluttered open.
Oh!! Becca felt her heart jumping in her
chest.
She stood up immediately and ran to
the door, her entire body shaking.
She opened it and met the guards there
"Get Leo! Get Leo! Now! The Master's
awake!!" She screamed at them and they
all scurried off in both surprise and confusion.
She ran back to the room and found
Khalid trying to leave the bed.
"Khalid! What're you doing? Khalid?!"
He felt dazed, his head aching.
Blur memories kept flashing into his
head, he couldn't understand what was
going on.
But one thing he could remember vividly
was seeing Octavia in his room.
"Khalid!" Becca called and held him as he tried standing up.
"What're you doing?"
"What's happening out there?" He asked, his hands on his forehead.
"What're you...What're you talking about Khalid?" Becca was paranoid.
One could tell how confused he was
from his voice.
He wasn't acting normal.
He forcefully left the bed and started towards the window and of course, Becca followed him.
She was confused. What was going on with him?
"Khalid!" She called, but he didn't turn to look at her as he finally got to the window and opened the curtains.
And there he found a lady on the floor,
in the middle of the rain, being whipped
to unconsciousness.
Khalid's eyes dimmed.
That was... That was Octavia.
He furrowed his brows and turned to Becca.
"What's going on there? Why is he whipping her?" He asked.
Becca was equally surprised and sincerely had no idea.
Although, she had felt something was going on, but she had no idea it had to do with the newbie.
"I don't know, Khalid. I'm just seeing this" she answered; showing an uncomfortable look. Uncomfortable with this she answered; showing an uncomfortable look. Uncomfortable with the fact that Khalid was stressing himself. He was making her worried.
Khalid turned back to the sight, his head
was burning due to his condition.
"Send a message to him" he gritted.
"Tell him to stop".
Becca was confused. Why should he
even care? He doesn't even know why
she was being punished.
She hesitated, trying to see if he'd say
something else. But, he didn't and she
turned around and headed for the door.
**
**
**
Octavia was almost losing consciousness as more whips landed on her. For the first time in a long time, she felt so helpless.
The thought of using her powers on him
flashed through her mind for a second,
but she felt hopeless. Felt so weak.
Moscow was about landing the
umpteenth whip on her when suddenly,
it burnt his hand and he had to let go so
it fell on the floor.
What? He flinched.
Why did it burn him? Someone was behind it.
He felt the direction it had come from and quickly turned to have a look and to his ultimate shock, he found Khalid standing and staring at him from his window, at the top of his room.
He was awake??
What?? The Master??
A separate guard came running towards him.
"Moscow!" He called and Moscow turned away from Khalid to look him.
"The Master wants you to quit the punishment". The guard delivered the message and Moscow couldn't be any more surprised.
What in the name of devil?
"Why?" His tone was rough, desperate
and confused, and the guard replied:
"He gave no reason".
Mica could clearly hear their conversation and immediately, she ran to Octavia's almost unconscious body on the floor.
"Octavia! Octavia!" She called, but there
was no response.
Moscow watched, but couldn't do a thing. Argh!! What the hell was Khalid doing? He wanted so much to cause this lady pain!
Mica tried lifting her from the floor but
couldn't and Draco came close and
helped her.
"I'll take her to Leo" he said to Mica as he carried Octavia in his arms and proceeded.
**
**
**
HOURS LATER
Octavia had woken up hours later and the first sight she saw was that of her sister.
She was sitting on the bed, her head
placed on her legs and Octavia knew
she was tired.
She shifted uncomfortably and Mica
noticed the movement lifted her head
quickly.
"Octavia!" She caled in surprise and
adjusted.
"You're awake".
Octavia heaved, her sight a little dim.
What happened to her?
"Hey; how're you feeling now?" Mica
asked as she touched her hand, but Octavia still couldn't reply. She wasn't in what seemed like shock.
of course! She could remember noW.
She had killed the Master! She had killed
Khalid! Oh!
"He's alive, Octavia" Mica said, like she
could read her thoughts.
"The antidote worked".
What??
That was an entirely different feeling in
Octavia. Wait.the antidote worked??? It
worked??
But how possible?? She had seen him
sleep. He slept!! So, how did it work??
"Oh..!" She mumbled, her heartbeat faster than it should be.
"I thought I failed".
Mica shook her head.
"You didn't. You made it".
Some seconds passed with silence.
Then, she asked;
"Where am I?"
"You're in the Healer's room. Don't worry,
you'll be fine". She answered and
Octavia nodded.
Actually, she could feel better.
"Did Moscow hurt you too?" She asked
in her timid voice and Mica's hands
fisted at the mention of the name.
"He didn't" she sighed.
"Just so you know, the Master was the one who asked him to stop whipping you"
Whaat?
Octavia furrowed her brows at her.
"The Master?" She asked, her weak
voice resounding her surprise and Mica
nodded.
"But why?" She asked whisperingly.
"I have no idea".
Just then, the door opened and someone walked in - Leo.
"She's awake?" He asked as he marched towards the bed.
"Yeah" Mica muttered.
"Oh, great! Sit up, blue eyes, so you can
take these" he said as he got to the bed
and sat on the edge
Octavia managed to sit up, assisted by
Mica and she sighed as she faced the
huge looking guy.
"This should completely get rid of the
pains by morning. It's just my little trick"
he winked at her, but she didn't say a
word as she quietly took the cup from
him and took a little gulp.
Geez!! It was bitter. She couldn't drink
any further
"Go on, blue eyes. You need to empty the glass" he held her hand and tried pushing it towards her mouth.
"You don't need to touch me" she said
in a low voice and he chuckled and let
go of her hand.
Then slowly, she gulped every drop.
"Good@ss" Leo smiled and took the
empty glass from her.
"A little thank you would do, you know?
I'm the reason you're awake" he said
grudgingly and Octavia shot him a stare.
"Thank you" she mumbled and quickly
took her gaze to the floor.
"How did you get your eyes? She heard
him ask.
"What?" she asked lowly and looked at him. He was smiling.
"Never mind" he winked at her again and
left the bed.
**
**
**
Mosocw stood in front of Khalid as he sat on the bed, taking a black coffee Becca had made for him.
She was in the room as well, together with two other boys.
"Why did you say she was being whipped, Moscow? Whipped to unconscious?" Khalid finally spoke up after so many minutes.
"She broke the rule, Master. She had secretly left the building and when I found out, her sister knocked me out and tied me to a chair. So, when I regained consiousness, I found Octavia and punished her for it" Moscow replied, tho he found the whole interrogation thing pointless.
He shouldn't care; not at all.
Khalid was silent and drank from his coffee again. He dropped the coffee next to him and brushed his fingers into his hair.
"Do you know why she left?" He asked.
"I didn't, Master. She wouldn't tell"
Moscow replied, trying as much as
possible to cloak the grunt in his voice.
Khalid's head ached a little as blur
visions came flashing into his head. The same vision that's been disturbing him since the moment he woke up.
"The antidote" he mumbled, his head in
his hand.
"She had said something about an antiode".
"Khalid?" Becca called softly and placed her hand on his shoulder.
He was saying incoherent words.
"Get me Octavia" he turned to one of the boys and said.
"What?" Becca exclaimed - in her mind.
"She's still in recovery, Master..."
"I don't care. Just bring her to me" he said icily and the boy bowed and left.
*
*
*
To be continued!