Chapter 145: Wait, It is a trap!
Tessa sat at the edge of the classroom, absorbed in the lesson on photosynthesis. The teacher's voice washed over her as he walked across the classroom, explaining how plants convert sunlight into life-sustaining energy, and she couldn't help but feel a flicker of envy. How simple, she thought, to just soak up light and be sustained. In her world, nothing was simple anymore.
She shifted in her seat, her senses dulled from the effects of the Anwari eggs growing within her. Normally, she would have noticed a disturbance in the hall, but today, her heightened instincts were quieted, like a veil being placed over her senses.
Out of the corner of her eye, she barely registered a figure limping towards her. By the time she turned, her pulse quickened at the sight—Nyala, battered and bloodied, was staggering forward.
The sight jolted her. She shot to her feet, her thoughts racing as she approached Nyala. "What happened?" Her voice was low, a mixture of worry and controlled urgency. Without hesitation, her hands reached for Nyala, fingers brushing over open wounds as a gentle, familiar warmth emanated from her palms. The cuts and bruises faded, closing up under her touch, and Nyala's expression softened as her pain ebbed.
With her strength restored and her spirit renewed, Nyala managed a grateful smile. "Thank you, Tessa," she murmured, the relief clear in her voice. She paused, steadying her breath, before her expression darkened with urgency. "What we thought would be a routine confrontation with the agents turned out to be something far more sinister. We went in, prepared for their usual tactics… but this was no ordinary clash. It was a setup—a carefully laid trap, crafted to capture you specifically."
Tessa's expression darkened, her jaw tightening as the weight of Nyala's words settled over her. By now, Proprietor Hammond and several others of the school's authoritative figures had gathered, alerted by the sight of Nyala's bloodied figure when she first entered, and sensing the brewing danger. They rushed over and stood to watch and listen, silent yet tense, their eyes flickering between Nyala and Tessa, as if bracing themselves for what was to come.
Tessa could feel the gravity of their gazes, each of them silently demanding answers, silently fearing what Nyala might reveal next. The corridor where they were was thick with a charged silence, each figure awaiting Nyala's full report, knowing that whatever she said could change everything they'd carefully built within these walls.
"They had salt bullets, Tessa. Loads of them. The second that Adrian and I entered the fray, they called for an all-out assault. Salt bullets rained down on us as we fought."
"Adrian particularly fought like… well, like he always does, fiercely, without hesitation, but when he saw my state, he realized we couldn't hold out for long. He forced me to accept retreat, then he used his eternal flames to throw me to a safe area, and when I landed I was out of the attacking war zone, he ordered me before that to get back here and warn you. He said they were after you, Tessa… that this whole fight was to lure you out."
"He was bleeding profusely, barely holding out the last time I saw him, but he managed to shield me from any incoming bullets, leaving me safe and sound before he decided to throw me into a safe distance."
A heavy silence hung in the air, but Tessa's mind was anything but still. She could hear Nyala's words echoing—salt bullets, lure you out. It was a trap, a cruel and calculated one. Adrian was facing them alone, bearing the brunt to protect her.
With barely a nod to Nyala or anyone around her, Tessa turned on her heel, her gaze fixed on the exit of the underground school.
"Wait Tessa, it is a trap to lure you out, the men could be waiting... you can't handle them in your present condition..." Both Nyala and proprietor Hammond, spoke out of concern, but none of that reached Tessa.
She didn't stop, didn't look back, because her mind was set. Everyone understood; they could see the fire in her eyes. No one dared to block her path.
As she burst into the open through the underground school exit, her body immediately felt the strain. The Anwari eggs within her drained her, siphoning her strength to nurture themselves. But even the relentless pull of the eggs couldn't slow her resolve. She pushed through, harnessing every ounce of willpower, ignoring the toll on her body as she sprinted through the city streets, her vision blurring with tears she didn't care to wipe away.
Is Adrian safe? Her heart beat in time with her racing steps, a thunderous drumming that matched her desperation. She had only one destination: the spot Nyala had described. Her feet pounded against the ground, faster and faster until she became a blur cutting through the city. Her thoughts raced alongside her—Adrian, my brother, my anchor. Please hold on.
As Tessa closed in on the location, her heart pounded harder, her fear sharpening with each step. Images of Adrian flooded her mind—his easy, confident smile, that unshakable calm that could face a storm without so much as a flicker of worry. Adrian, the boy who could smirk through a raging sea, was now out there, alone, braving a trap meant for her.
A shiver ran through her, tension coiling in her muscles, and she felt spasms ripple across her limbs—a rare sign of fatigue, even for her. The Anwari eggs were draining her energy reserves faster than she'd ever expected, hungrily siphoning off her strength to fuel their growth. But she couldn't stop, couldn't allow herself to feel the weariness seeping into her bones.
She pushed forward, clenching her fists as if the action alone could stave off the exhaustion. She had to see Adrian, had to reach him before it was too late. The thought of him surrounded, forced to fight off relentless agents, struck her with a pang of dread she couldn't ignore.
"No matter what," she whispered fiercely to herself, eyes blazing with determination, "I'm coming."
She finally reached the spot, and the scene before her made her heart nearly stop. Her breath caught, and she felt an overwhelming urge to double over in shock. "What… the hell…" she whispered, the words barely escaping her lips as her eyes took in the devastation.