Rai sighed deeply, the sound heavy with frustration, trying his best to hide the growing worries that seemed to consume him. The weight of the situation was evident in his expression, his brows furrowed in concern, and the lines around his eyes telling a story of sleepless nights. His voice came out strained, as though every word was a battle.
"I love Elodie, she's my best friend," he began, exhaling sharply as if trying to release the pressure building within him. "But Prince, she's scared out of her mind when it comes to Nsomi. It's unbearable to watch, honestly. She doesn't even need to be involved in anything, and she'll just cower, as if she's bracing herself for an explosion, like there's no way to protect herself from it. Her fear... it's so overwhelming that she shivers just at the sound of Nsomi's name, or even the thought of her. It's absurd, really. Nsomi has never done anything to her, not a single thing. But Elodie... Elodie fears the mere possibility of encountering her, as though she knows, deep down, that something terrible is waiting for her. She's convinced that Nsomi will be the one involved in her death, and it's driving her to the edge." He shook his head, exhaling a frustrated breath. "It's madness. This fear is so irrational, yet it consumes her completely."
The room fell silent for a moment, as Rai's words lingered in the air, the weight of his emotions sinking in. Eileithya's older brother seemed to process everything Rai had said, his eyes narrowing, the frustration building within him.
After a beat, he spoke, his voice laced with sarcasm and bitterness, his words carrying a sharp edge. "Oh... I think I made a mistake," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else. "Besides throwing her weak body into a marble wall, what did you expect me to do? You think I should just ignore her fear? Let her keep panicking like this? It's not that simple, and frankly, I'm done trying to make sense of it all," he finished, each word cutting through the tense atmosphere like a knife.
Rai sighed again, the sound louder this time, as his frustration seemed to deepen.
"I'm a little impulsive, as you know. I tend to act first and think later, but after I... well, after I threw her into that wall, I immediately asked her if she was hurt. And she said yes," he added, his voice tight with self-reproach. "She doesn't lie, Prince. She's not that kind of person. And you know what? I couldn't ignore it, not when she said she was hurt. I had to find her, I needed to make sure she was okay." His voice shifted, taking on a more urgent tone, the concern rising in his chest. "Where is she now? Where is she, and what is she planning? I need to know."
"In the infirmary," Eileithya's older brother replied, his voice tinged with concern, though it was clear he didn't fully understand the urgency in Rai's words. "Why do you ask?" he added, his brow furrowing slightly as he watched Rai's demeanor change.
Rai's face darkened, his jaw tightening in determination. "If Nsomi really did hurt her, like Elodie said, then I'll deal with it," he stated, his voice ice-cold, each word full of finality. "I won't stand by and let anyone hurt her, not on my watch. Elodie is my best friend, and I'm not going to let Nsomi get away with anything, not if it means hurting her." There was a fierce conviction in his words, and it was clear that nothing was going to stop him from confronting the situation head-on.
Without waiting for another word, Rai turned and strode towards the door with purpose, his footsteps echoing in the tense silence. The rest of us followed him, the weight of the situation pressing down on all of us. The mood was thick with tension, each of us lost in our thoughts, unsure of what we were about to walk into. There was no talking, just the sound of our footsteps and the feeling of unease hanging heavily in the air. The hallway seemed quieter than usual, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the walls, making everything feel a little more suffocating.
When we reached the infirmary, we found Elodie lying on one of the beds, talking to a nurse. Her smile seemed genuine, almost too perfect, like she was trying to convince herself everything was fine. But when her eyes met ours, something shifted. Her expression faltered, and she quickly gulped, her body stiffening as if trying to regain some control. She straightened her back, her movements sharp and tense. "W-why are you all here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, a hint of fear creeping into her tone.
Rai, who seemed completely done with the situation, spoke up immediately, his voice rough with frustration. "Stop flirting with the nurse, Elodie," he snapped, his words cold and firm. His tone was no-nonsense, and it made me pause for a moment.
Was it really just frustration, or was there something more beneath the surface? I couldn't help but wonder if Rai truly felt what Eileithya had mentioned, if there was more to his feelings toward Elodie than just friendship. Did he know, deep down, how much Elodie meant to him?
"Did Nsomi hurt you?" he demanded, his voice hardening, and Elodie's face went pale instantly, the blood draining from her cheeks.
"If she hurt you, I'll go after her myself," Rai continued, his voice thick with determination, as though he would stop at nothing to protect her. "I won't stand by and let anyone harm you, Elodie. I'll make sure of it. That's what friends are for, right?" He locked eyes with her, daring her to contradict him. But then a thought hit me—he must really hate Eileithya, because despite being her brother, he never stepped in when she was hurt.
If it had been Avy in Elodie's position, I would have been furious. No one should have to endure that kind of fear and uncertainty alone.
Gods... what am I even thinking? Even if Nsomi hadn't done anything, Elodie still deserves to feel the pain. Why should I care? No, I don't care. I can't.
Elodie's voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned back to look at her. She was looking conflicted, her face torn between wanting to confess and not wanting to show her vulnerability. "I..." she trailed off, her words stuck in her throat, like she wasn't sure how to explain it. She looked at me, her eyes full of uncertainty, then quickly turned her gaze back to Rai. "I... I..." she faltered again, unable to continue.
Then, her eyes welled up, and she broke down, covering her face with her hands, tears starting to flow freely down her cheeks. "I lied," she admitted, her voice trembling, as though the weight of the truth was finally crushing her. "I just... I just freaked out when I saw her there. Nsomi... she just freaks me out," she said between sobs, her voice barely audible.
Letting her hands fall to her sides, she revealed her tear-streaked face, her eyes filled with guilt. She turned to me then, looking for some kind of forgiveness, some kind of understanding.
"I'm sorry, Prince!" she cried, her words full of shame. "I didn't mean to lie to you. I just... I just couldn't control myself. When I saw you throw her against that wall, my brain just... forgot how to function properly. I panicked. I panicked, and I lied. Please, I didn't mean it."
Before anyone could respond, a staff member rushed into the room, her footsteps hurried and anxious. She spoke quickly to the nurse who had been talking to Elodie just moments before. The nurse seemed flustered, her face pale, and she was clearly distressed. Before she could leave the room, Rai, who was quick on his feet, grabbed her arm, his grip firm and commanding.
"What happened?" Rai asked, his voice low and sharp with authority.
The nurse gulped, her eyes darting around nervously. "Doctor Hov is calling for me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her hands shaking slightly.
Rai raised an eyebrow, suspicion evident in his gaze. "Doctor Hov? Isn't he Nsomi's personal doctor?" he asked, his suspicion growing with every word. The nurse nodded quickly, avoiding Rai's gaze.
"Yes, ma'lord," she confirmed, her voice barely audible.
Without another word, Rai grabbed the nurse's hand and pulled her along with him, leaving the infirmary in a hurry. The rest of us stood there in stunned silence, unable to process what had just happened.
Elodie's voice broke the silence, her tone filled with contemplation. "I thought Rai hated Nsomi more than anything in the world," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else. "But ever since he saw her looking in the mirror that day, he's been acting... different. It's like he's not himself anymore." Her voice faltered, and she looked down, clearly troubled by the change she had witnessed in Rai's behavior.
Aeneas, ever the cynic, couldn't resist making a comment. "He cares, Elodie," he said with a smirk, clearly amused by the situation. "He just doesn't know how to deal with it. Nor how to accept it."