If they cast a stone, return with double strength.
Breakfast was fried eggs, and I had to admit it—the wolf was a surprisingly good cook. Des's fork came dangerously close to my last piece of fried egg. With my own fork, I nailed his to the tabletop.
"Don't you dare touch my food," I snarled through clenched teeth, shooting him a glare that could kill.
Des flashed a defiant smile, undeterred. We ended up sword-fighting with forks for a while, but he eventually surrendered. Then Alex dragged me to the bathroom and thrust a toothbrush and a tube of baby toothpaste into my hands. I stared at the tube like it was some kind of poison.
"Do you honestly think I'm going to brush my teeth with that?" I asked, disbelief written all over my face.
"Why not?" Alex grinned. "Strawberry flavored. Must be delicious."
"But you don't eat toothpaste!" I protested, hands on my hips.
"Just try it," he urged. "You'll like it, I promise!"
With no other option, I glared at the tiny toothbrush and squeezed a small, questionable amount of toothpaste onto it. I glanced over at the wolf, who had already started brushing his teeth like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Reluctantly, I began to follow suit. It was awful at first, but surprisingly, I actually liked the toothpaste. I must've had a look of utter satisfaction on my face because I caught the wolf stifling a chuckle. Mortified, I turned away and kept scrubbing my teeth.
Later that morning, Alex took me shopping. Of course, Des insisted on tagging along. I wasn't thrilled about it, and Alex quickly figured out why when Des emerged with a pink bunny nightdress that looked more like a carnival costume than anything remotely wearable. I spent a good half hour arguing with him before he finally understood—there was no way I was putting on that abomination.
Alex, though, seemed to handle it all with the patience of a single dad dealing with three very troubled kids. Des, of course, was the third. Alex kept up with school, helped Hajnal (he promised her he would—this was the only reason I got to skip work again), cooked, and somehow tried to stop me and the cat from attacking each other every five minutes. Of course, I would've won if we'd ever gotten into it.
It took me a few days to get the courage to ask the wolf something that had been bothering me.
"Are you angry with me?" I asked as he cooked lunch, my voice quiet.
Alex went still for a moment, clearly taking his time to choose his words.
"When a Wraith possessed your body," he began slowly, "we learned a few things... like the fact that you're one of the kings."
He turned to look at me over his shoulder, not surprised that I wasn't shocked. More like resigned. He sighed and continued.
"I was shocked," he said, his voice quieter. "Luna—she's one of your very close... friends—told me that you didn't want anyone to know. You didn't tell me or Rolo. Neither of us were happy about that. He probably mocks you because he's still angry with you. As for me, I haven't fully forgiven you either."
It was typical of me, really.
I hated apologies—never meant them, even when I said them. So, instead of defending myself, or worse, admitting anything, I did the one thing to do in such a situation: I left Alex there without saying anything.
I flopped onto the couch, my mood as crappy as ever, and decided that anime might just be the perfect escape. The future wasn't looking as bad as it had at first, mostly because a lot of good new anime had come out. I was just about to fire up the laptop when I felt the couch dip beside me.
"I love you, little brother," Des cooed, his voice annoyingly sweet.
"I hate you," I shot back without missing a beat.
"I know you love me too," he grinned, practically vibrating with smugness.
"You don't know shit," I muttered, turning my attention back to the screen.
"I want a hug," he slid even closer to me, practically invading my space.
"Get lost, pervert," I snapped, not even bothering to look at him.
Des dramatically buried his face in his hands, putting on an exaggerated pout.
"Do you hate me that much, little brother?" he whined, his voice laced with mock hurt.
I gave him a wicked half-smile. When he finally hugged me, I just sighed and said his head was in the way of my view. That seemed to be all the permission he needed, because he didn't let go for a while, and I just silently endured it.
"Tell me, Des," I said, trying to push through the discomfort.
"Hm?" he mumbled into my hair.
The words were stuck in my throat, but I forced them out.
"Tell me," I repeated, hoping I could find some strength in saying it. "I..."
He kissed my ear. That was it. I'd had enough of his over-the-top affection. With one swift motion, I kicked him off me, sending him tumbling away.
"Don't come near me again, bastard," I snapped, my patience already worn thin.
Seriously, after all these years, you'd think he'd have learned to dial it down a little.
Des scrambled to his feet almost immediately, dusting himself off with a grin plastered on his face.
"You are a good king, Shay," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I don't get why me," I sighed, rubbing my face. "I don't want this at all."
"If you ask me, I don't think we could find a more suitable king than you," he said, sitting back down beside me with that confident, annoying smile. "You have all the qualities to take a throne."
"But I'm a mixed-blood," I protested, feeling the weight of it again. "I don't belong to any one race. No one will follow me."
"You're looking at it all wrong," he said, shaking his head. "It's because you're a mixed-blood that you belong to more than one race. You have a potential that no one else has. You could end this constant war. Sure, I'm not delusional enough to think there'll be complete peace, but maybe you can ease some of the resentment."
"I don't think I'm capable of something so huge," I muttered.
"Really?" he laughed, a lighthearted chuckle that almost made me believe it. "Look at your allies. You've got a pretty mixed bunch."
I shrugged, unsure.
"Have a little faith in yourself," he grinned. "And in your court. I'm not saying spill all your plans to them, but if you shut them out completely, you'll create a wall that'll be hell to tear down later."
"You might be right," I admitted after a pause, a reluctant sense of relief creeping in.
"I'm always right," he grinned, clearly pleased with himself.
I couldn't help but feel a little lighter. Des was like that—able to make everything feel okay, even when things were far from it.
"The Crosspherat has sent me on another mission," he said, suddenly serious.
"Why are you telling me now?!" I demanded, panic rising.
"If I'd told you earlier, you'd have had time to cook up some ridiculous plan to stop me from going," he said, his grin not quite reaching his eyes.
I turned away, muttering to myself.
"You say that like I actually succeeded last time," I growled, my tone a mix of frustration and something else.
He laughed, completely unfazed. Des gave me a casual wave as he headed for the door, disappearing into the night as silently and suddenly as always. The only difference now was that Alice was with him.
(...)
"Stop sulking," I said, trying to shake the mood.
But deep down, I knew it wasn't that simple. Why do I always fall into this pattern?
"Sulking?" Rolo scoffed, his eyes narrowing as his anger flared. "I'm not sulking, I'm seething inside!"
"I know you're angry…" I started, but he cut me off with a hiss of frustration, stomping into the kitchen. I followed him, and he dropped into a chair, crossing his arms over his chest with a force that made the wood creak under him. We sat there, locked in a silent stare across the kitchen table. Alex tried to defuse the tension with a weak smile, but it didn't even come close to working.
"I know you found out too late," I began, trying to make amends, "and I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was king."
"So, being king means..." Alex trailed off, trying to process, "what exactly does it mean?"
"It doesn't mean anything special," I muttered, "I just want to live the same life I've always lived."
"Why?" Rolo snapped, his voice a mix of confusion and indignation. "Do you have any idea how much power a king has? You could have anything..."
"Except one thing," I cut in quietly, but I knew he was listening.
"What?" His curiosity was sharp.
"The peaceful life I long for," I replied, almost to myself.
Rolo's silence was heavy as he looked at me with those piercing, searching emerald eyes. Then, finally, he spoke:
"Your life has never been peaceful. It never was, and it never will be."
His words hit me like a slap. I froze, the weight of them echoing in my mind. And just like that, my shock morphed into anger. But I realized that the reason I was so angry was because he was right. And that was the thing that stung the most—the fact that I couldn't change it, that no matter what I wanted, peace was always going to be out of reach.
Rolo stormed up the stairs, the door slamming behind him. It was probably a good thing he left when he did, or I might have said something I'd regret. Something that he'd never forgive me for.
"I still agree with him on one thing," Alex said quietly after a long pause. "It wasn't right to keep this from us, and—"
I shot him a sharp glance, one that made him pause mid-sentence.
"Right, right," he muttered, "I'll shut up."
That night, Rolo left without saying a word, the tension between us thick in the air. Alex tried to cheer me up, but nothing could shake the feeling settling in my chest. He took me to the playground, but even that didn't help. I liked the swings, though, the way they made me feel weightless, like I was flying. As Alex pushed me from behind, the wind bit at my face, and I felt the sting of tears in my eyes. I blamed it on the cold, but part of me knew better.
"It's all right," Alex said softly, his words meant to comfort, though he knew I could hear him. "Cats are like that—they wander off sometimes. But they always find their way home."
I shook my head, fighting the urge to snap back.
"This is different," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I have a really bad feeling about this."
"He can take care of himself," Alex said, his voice steady, though there was a flicker of uncertainty behind it.
"Are you sure?" I asked, glancing back at him, hoping for some reassurance.
Alex flashed me a grin, the kind that was meant to ease my worries. "Trust me, he'll be fine."
I nodded, but doubt still gnawed at me. I looked up at the darkening sky, the weight of everything pressing down on me as the wind howled around us.
(...)
The following week, a crisp morning light filtered through the curtains as I awoke to the sound of someone knocking at the door. I groggily rubbed my eyes and shuffled to answer it, only to find Coffee standing there with a warm smile.
"Morning, Shay," she said.
"Morning," I replied, still half-asleep. "What brings you here today?"
She held up a large shopping bag.
"I thought you might need some new outfits. You've been wearing the same thing for a while now."
I blinked in surprise. "Thanks. I wasn't expecting this."
She smiled. She reached into her bag and pulled out a cap—a soft, knit beanie with little ears on top. It looked both cozy and whimsical... but what the fuck, Coffee?
I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "That's... cute."
Coffee's cheeks flushed slightly. "I thought it might suit you. I've noticed how you like to keep things low-key and comfortable, so I thought this might add a bit of fun to your wardrobe."
Ugh.
"It's actually kind of nice. Thanks."
Coffee's eyes lit up with delight. "I'm glad you like it. I also brought a few other things—some snacks and little trinkets I thought you might enjoy."
"Do you wanna... come inside?" I suggested.
We went to the living room. As she unpacked a small bag of assorted treats and a few trinkets, including a tiny hand-carved wooden figure. Then she looked at me with a hopeful expression.
"I know it's not much," she said, "but I wanted to bring you some little things to brighten your day."
"You didn't have to do all this," I started but seeing her smile falter I quickly added. "But I appreciate it. I like them a lot."
Her mood brightened again. "It's no trouble."
As the morning progressed, Alex joined us, intrigued by the new additions to my wardrobe. "Nice cap," he said, giving it an approving nod. "Looks like Coffee's spoiling you."
I wanted to disappear from the face of the Earth.
"Just a little," Coffee said. "I figured Shay could use a bit of cheering up."
Alex chuckled, he could clearly read the agonized expression that I tried to hide. "Well, it's definitely working."
I shot Alex a look that clearly said, 'Help me.' He just grinned wider.
Alex was enjoying my discomfort way too much. "I have to admit, I never thought I'd see you sporting a cap with ears."
He was subtly hinting at the fact that I vehemently defied when Des wanted to buy me something similar but Coffee was oblivious to this.
She nodded. "I think it's perfect."
Perfect for what? Looking like a walking cartoon character?
Coffee laughed softly. "Well, I brought you some new clothes to go with it. I wasn't sure about sizes, so I picked a mix."
I opened the bundle of clothes she'd brought. There were several outfits, each more casual and comfortable than the last. I even found a pair of sweatpants with a silly slogan that read, 'Best Day Ever!'
I raised an eyebrow. Seriously? Sweatpants with motivational quotes?
Coffee shrugged. "I figured it might be a nice touch."
Alex tried to stifle his laughter but failed. "I think Izzy's onto something. Next thing you know, you'll be the most stylish kid in town."
I shook my head. "I can't decide whether to be grateful or embarrassed."
"Definitely grateful," Alex said, giving me an encouraging smile.
Definitely embarassed.
As the conversation continued, Alex busied himself with making some cocoa, the rich aroma wafting through the room. When he brought out the mugs, I took a sip and was immediately delighted. "This is amazing!"
Coffee watched with a satisfied smile. "See? Sometimes, the small things make all the difference."
(..)
A week had slowly passed, but Rolo was still on the verge of exploding. Perhaps to relieve the tension, he immersed himself in his research on the cursed volumes. He sought out both old acquaintances and new faces in the hope of a deal—and Simon followed him unnoticed.
Yet the mere presence of a ghost could not protect Rolo from what awaited him.
Gironde Mehisto stepped out of the darkness around the corner of my room. My eyes snapped up almost immediately and found his form.
"Who are you?" I demanded, but I didn't panic too much, for Simon was hovering beside the stranger.
Gironde Mehisto removed his top hat and introduced himself.
"Simon, what is all this?" I asked.
"Rolo is in trouble," he replied quietly.
I jumped out of bed and stood in front of the figure of the Necromancer. "Can you help?"
Gironde Mehisto smiled, but it was a smile that seemed cruel.
"The only thing I can do for you is to take you there."
I nodded, and he gave an amused chuckle as if he had expected it. When he took my hand, I realized that the Necromancer's touch was as cold as a ghost's. It was as if all warmth and life had been drained from his body, just as all emotion and desire had been drained from his soul. The Necromancer's bone-chilling magic washed into my essence and pulled me through the delicate fabric of time and space.
The world seemed a blur before my eyes for a moment, yet almost immediately my nose was filled with a suffocating stench. Magic has a distinctive smell, yet it varies from person to person. The two dark mages exuded a terrible, sulfurous stench, and I was almost dizzy with their greed.
Rolo was standing opposite the two dark mages, and I would have gone to him immediately without thinking but Gironde put his hand on my shoulder.
"No."
"Let me go," I hissed.
Gironde smiled absently at the threat in my smoldering eyes and withdrew his hand. I had barely gone a few steps when I hit an invisible wall.
"What are you doing?" I demanded of the Necromancer, who was merely watching the scene unfolding before him with his hands folded in front of his chest.
"I'm helping you, Shaytan," he said, "If the twins had sensed your presence, they would have instantly killed you and your friend."
I clenched my jaw so hard that my teeth gritted, but I could do no more.
"Your ambition is remarkable...," one of the mages began.
"But can you afford this knowledge?" asked the second.
"That won't be a problem," Rolo assured them.
The two mages chuckled simultaneously. The sound made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
"Very well, then," the dark mage pulled a thick, leather-bound book from under his cloak.
"This volume is one of the most valuable that remains today," the other explained.
"To whom did it belong?" asked Rolo, trying to hide the excitement in his voice that he really felt.
The twins had a grin on their faces that was eerily similar.
"This volume contains the results of our research on the subject," they replied simultaneously.
Rolo's chin almost hit the floor.
One of them suddenly appeared next to Rolo. Rolo's hand trembled, but he did not flinch. This was to let him know that he could be killed in an instant.
"You're a clever boy, I don't need to explain how much a single page of this tome is worth, do I?" he asked in a honeyed voice, his eyes fixed on Rolo's with dangerous coldness.
Rolo didn't flinch, even when the cruel eyes flickered under the hood with magic.
"What is the price?" he asked.
The mage liked the answer, for his lips curled into a satisfied smile. He took a few steps as if to survey the boy from all sides. Meanwhile, the other twin was already on the other side of him.
"The price of this volume is a life," he said with a grin.
Rolo swallowed hard. The first twin came all the way around and arrived next to his brother. They were now facing Rolo, with eerily similar, razor-sharp grins on their faces.
"Whose life?" asked Rolo.
As if waiting for this, the twins' grins widened even more.
"There is something we want very much..."
"Something we've wanted for a long time," said the other one.
Rolo paused for a moment. What was it that even the most powerful dark mages could not easily obtain?
"The price of our knowledge..." one began.
"Is the death of the new king," finished the other.
Rolo froze for a moment. Then he grinned.