"Avyanna was the only one I ever trusted with this," I began, my voice low, the weight of the words almost suffocating me as they left my mouth. I could feel my chest tighten with the gravity of what I was admitting. "So, I told her when I was still just a kid. Of course, I didn't tell her everything—no, I wasn't that naive—but I told her enough, the parts that felt safe to say." My gaze shifted, focusing on a distant point in the room, but my mind was far away, dragged into memories I wasn't ready to revisit, but couldn't seem to escape. I paused, my throat tight. "But then she died," I continued, my voice faltering slightly. The hurt was so fresh, even after all these years. "And after that... I never had anyone else trustworthy, not once. Not until now, I guess," I finished softly, my voice empty of all its usual sarcasm and mockery. Hov was different. Maybe, just maybe, I could speak to him about these things, even if just a little.
Before I could process the weight of my own words, the door swung open suddenly with a loud crash, snapping me back to the present. Sohan and Adonis appeared in the doorway, their faces like a storm cloud hanging over the room. I felt the anger rush back up, hot and bitter, ready to boil over. Just the sight of them made my blood burn, and I could feel my body tense with the fury of everything they had done. They paused at the door, their eyes briefly meeting mine, but quickly looked away, shifting awkwardly under my glare. Good. They should feel uncomfortable.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I spat, my voice laced with venom, cutting through the room like a blade. "Did you come to beat me a little more? Is that it?"
The bite in my words was enough to make them hesitate for just a second. I saw them back off slightly, as if unsure how to respond. But then they exchanged a look, and as their eyes flickered to Hov, their courage returned. With a deep breath, they stepped inside, the room heavy with the unspoken tension that followed them. I wasn't in the mood for whatever they had to say, but I wasn't about to let them off easy either.
Sohan was the first to break the silence, his voice a forced professionalism that grated on my nerves. "The Queen got mad at us for what we did to you, and—"
"Oh, no shit?" I cut him off, my voice dripping with sarcasm. The audacity of them, to think they could show up like this after everything. I couldn't stop the mocking laugh that escaped me, cruel and sharp. "You think I care?"
Hov shot me a look—one that said he understood my need to vent but was also silently asking me to let them speak. It was a struggle, but I reluctantly bit back the worst of my snark.
Sohan cleared his throat, irritation lining his features as he tried again, though it was clear he was getting fed up. "As I was saying," he continued, his patience wearing thin. "Her Majesty gave us two choices. One, we apologize to you. Two, we do something she asks us to do. She said that once we made our decision, we wouldn't be able to change our minds—no going back, not even Dai could help us."
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Let me guess," I began, my voice still sharp with mockery, daring them to say something that might actually surprise me. "You chose the second option, because it's clear you wouldn't be able to apologize to me, considering you both were the ones who wanted to hurt me. You don't feel guilty about it, do you?"
Adonis smirked, the kind of smirk that made me want to tear his face off. He nudged Sohan lightly, as if to say, 'See, she's not completely stupid.' "She has a brain," he said, his voice tinged with amusement, though it only served to deepen my disgust. He turned back to me, his eyes gleaming with something far too unsettling. "Yes, we chose to do whatever she asked us to. But, believe me, we didn't imagine that the Queen would make us do this."
I narrowed my eyes, studying Sohan. He was slightly more tolerable than Adonis, so I figured he might actually give me an answer without all the posturing. "And what, exactly, is this?" I asked, my voice cold. I was done with games.
Sohan hesitated, his eyes flicking nervously to Adonis before they landed on me. He swallowed hard before he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Her Majesty ordered us to…" He paused, as if the words were heavy in his mouth. "Take care of your safety until the end of the Trials."
The room fell into an eerie silence, and I was sure my eyes widened for a brief second before I laughed—if you could call it that. The sound was more bitter than anything else. "Wait, what? You two? You're supposed to protect me?" I almost choked on the irony of it all. Hov's snicker broke the silence.
"I don't want to defy the Queen's orders," Hov teased lightly, clearly amused by the absurdity of the situation. "But considering you two are the reason she spent thirty days in bed with broken ribs... I'm not sure how effective you two will be at protecting anyone." The laughter in his voice only seemed to make Sohan and Adonis more uncomfortable, and for some reason, that was enough to make my heart settle just a little bit.
I couldn't help but let out a small, humorless laugh. "Well, I don't give a damn about the Queen's so-called intentions, especially when it's about my safety. But I suppose it's no surprise, right?" I glared at them, my tone sharp and unforgiving. "She hates me just as much as you two do. So, of course, she'd make it a joke of a punishment."
I leaned back against my pillows, letting out a deep breath, but the smirk that appeared on my lips was anything but pleasant. "However," I added, a twisted sense of amusement filling my words, "it's actually kind of funny that she's using this to punish you two instead. And for a whole year at that."
The sighs from both men were palpable, and I could practically feel the frustration oozing off them. They didn't want to be here, and I was more than happy to remind them of that. "I'll be staying in the chamber on the right side of yours," Sohan muttered, trying—and failing—to sound calm. "Adonis will be on the left side. The Queen ordered this herself, so we can't disobey."
Adonis, always the charming one, ground his teeth together, clearly angry, but forcing the words out through gritted teeth. "Looks like we'll have to learn to tolerate each other for a year, Nsomi."
My smirk only deepened, the satisfaction of knowing they were stuck with me growing by the second. "Oh, you two better get used to it. You're going to be tormented 24/7. Every. Single. Day." I couldn't resist adding, "And just so you know, after everything, I didn't have anything against you before. But after getting five ribs broken? Now I'm actively rooting for your deaths."
Their eyes darkened with anger, but there was nothing they could do about it. With a final, resentful glance at me, they turned and stormed out of the room, muttering curses under their breath. Good riddance.
Once I was sure they were gone, the smirk slid off my face, and I let out a deep, exhausted sigh. It felt like my whole body had deflated in the wake of the encounter. The anger had drained out of me, leaving only weariness in its place.
Hov placed a reassuring hand on my back, his touch surprisingly gentle. "You'll get through all of this, Thya," he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet confidence that somehow made me believe him. "I'm sure you will. And if you ever need to talk, or if you just need an excuse to get away from those two... just say you're feeling nauseous and need to see me. I'll clear my schedule for you. Anytime."
I looked up at him, my lips curling into a small, grateful smile. "You must be an angel Avy sent to me," I said quietly, and he chuckled softly, the sound comforting.
"Thank you," I added, my voice sincere despite the exhaustion weighing on me. "I'll definitely take you up on that offer. But for now... am I healed?"
Hov nodded, his expression turning serious. "Yes. You're healed. And you can start drinking your smoothies again," he added, his tone now firm. "But no meat. Understand, Thya?"
I sighed, the weight of the day settling into my bones, but I nodded. "Fine. No meat," I muttered, sinking deeper into my pillows and letting my eyes close for a brief moment of peace.