"Father?" Zero's eyes widened as his father appeared, his presence as cold and commanding as ever.
Theo Varyon. Chairman of the Sorcery Academies in Zenith, Flummox, and Syzygy. Head of the Varyon clan. What's he doing here? Kiaan's mind raced, but his body stayed rooted to the spot. Zero's wide eyes met his, before flicking to the man who had haunted his every step.
Theo's lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Look who we have here," he sneered, voice dripping with mockery. "The one who brought shame to the Varyon Clan. Never thought the coward would show his face again—strolling around like he doesn't give a damn about his own blood."
Zero stood frozen, his expression fierce but silent, letting the words roll off him like water.
Theo's gaze shifted to Kiaan, disdain seeping into his words. "A Splinter's gathering? I should've known. You're always available for this nonsense."
"Sir, this isn't—"
"Shut up," Theo barked, cutting him off with a glance sharp enough to cut through steel. He glared, anger radiating off him. "Who permitted you to speak? Open your damn foul mouth in front of your own father rather than me—"
"Enough!" Zero's voice cracked like thunder, raw with fury. "You can say whatever you want about me, but leave him out of it."
Theo's face twisted into a snarl. He slapped Zero across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the air. Zero's head snapped to the side, and Kiaan's breath caught. A crowd began to gather, eyes wide, some whispering.
Theo leaned in, voice a low growl. "The next time I see you..." His eyes burned with cold fury, "I will make sure that I kill you."
Without another word, he spun around, his guards trailing behind him like shadows.
"Kyros?" Kiaan whispered, his expression worried, using his real name at last.
Zero didn't flinch, his fingers brushing the bruise already forming on his cheek. "Don't worry about it," he muttered, forcing a smile. "I'm used to it." His gaze flicked to Thalia, and he sighed in relief. "Better he didn't see her. Humans? They'd just get his blood boiling more."
"Don't call me that in front of her, okay?" Kyros shot him a strained smile, though Kiaan could see through it. "I'm sorry about what he said... about your father," Kyros said quietly, trying to ease the tension.
Kiaan shrugged it off and climbed into the cab. "It's fine," he said, voice tight. "Let's just go." avoiding his gaze. "Thanks," he muttered, not looking at him.
"Looks like the cab driver got a front-row seat," Kyros said, shaking his head with a small chuckle.
"Glad I was the driver," Zack said from the front, laughing. "Otherwise, I'd be picking myself off the ground. So, whose girl is that?"
Kyros flashed a cocky grin. "Currently, she's single."
"She didn't seem to mind all that drama," Zack observed with a raised eyebrow.
Kyros snorted. "Yeah, she's a heavy sleeper."
***
[Syzygy; Mishi's Inn (Abandoned)]
"Ugh, damn those puppets!" Kaia kicked a nearby chair, sending it toppling over. "No clues, nothing. We've been at this since sunrise, and it's already evening!"
Yona glanced around the dusty room like she was trying to read invisible hieroglyphics off the walls. "Well, no signs of contamination. The one Luv mentioned, remember? Must be part of the whole black magic puppetry deal. Still…" She scratched her head. "I'm not sure about anything anymore."
We're screwed, Kaia thought, slumping into a stool like she was auditioning for a drama scene.
Yona sighed dramatically. "We're not completely screwed."
Kaia shot her a side-eye. "Since when are you psychic?"
"I can do telepathy, actually. Been able to for… a month now."
Kaia stared, eyes wide. "Wait—what? You've been reading my mind this whole time?"
Yona shrugged, unbothered. "Since this morning."
A grin crept onto Kaia's face, her eyes narrowing like a cat sizing up a mouse. "I gotta say, that's a lot of… interesting thoughts I must've been giving you."
Yona blinked, slightly awkward now. "It's not what you think. I wasn't trying to—"
Kaia just waved her hand, leaning back in her chair with a mischievous grin. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."
The two sat in awkward silence for a beat. The air was thick with all the things neither of them wanted to say.
Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, they trudged back to the corporation, not a word exchanged between them the whole way.
"We're really not cut out for each other, huh?" Kaia thought, casting a glance at Yona.
Yona broke the silence, her voice almost stiff. "This is just how I am when I'm working. Don't take it personally."
Kaia raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? How are you when you're not working?"
Yona blinked, thrown off. Kaia leaned in, her grin widening. "Wanna hang out tomorrow?"
"What about the mission?" Yona asked, her tone still cautious.
Kaia waved it off with a flourish. "We'll do it later. This is more important." Her grin turned devilish.
Yona hesitated, clearly unsure. "Have you met the Cosmic Hollow yet?"
Kaia tilted her head. "Wait, you could meet that thing? I thought only Splinters could."
"Well, you're a fake Splinter now, so you get a pass," Yona shot back.
"That doesn't make any sense," Kaia muttered, crossing her arms.
"Wanna go or not?" Yona deadpanned.
Kaia just shrugged, unfazed. "Okay, okay, I'll go."
Suddenly there was a knock at the door,
Both of their eyes snapped to the door at the same time. A woman stood there, grinning like she'd just won a game she hadn't even played. She was about their age, but something about her presence made it feel like she was from a whole different world.
Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, long and jet black—so dark it looked like it might swallow light. She wore a black shirt with a leather strap across her chest that definitely didn't scream "Apostle Uniform," paired with cargo pants that looked like they'd been designed for anything but sitting around. Her eyes were pink, but with a hint of black, like an eclipse you could never quite look away from.
"Well, well, well," she said, stepping in with a grin that could only be described as trouble. "New Splinter, huh?"
Yona stiffened, immediately on edge. Kaia? She blinked, utterly confused by the sudden appearance of this chaotic energy. What the heck was happening now?
The woman crossed her arms, eyes glinting. "Wanna fight?"