Haze drifted in a limbo between sleeping and waking. Time flowed slowly, like a lazy river, and reality seemed to fade at the edges. Soft voices surrounded him, persistent whispers trying to pull him back to consciousness.
"Haze... can you hear me?" a familiar voice called out.
Haze frowned, still lost in the fog of sleep. The voice felt familiar yet distant, like a song he almost remembered. He shifted slightly, feeling the cold stone wall against his back.
"Haze. Can you hear me?" the voice repeated.
His eyes snapped open this time. He sat up, whispering into the dimness. "Kade?"
"Thought you'd be dead by now," Kade replied with his usual dry humor. "Finding you was tougher than I expected."
"How did you…" Before Haze could finish, it clicked. [Melly.] She was the only person he knew with sensory and telepathic abilities sharp enough to pull this off. He'd pressed her before about her abilities—her clan, her origins, how she'd managed to survive when so many others hadn't—but Melly was an expert at dodging questions. Conversations with her often felt like chasing shadows. She always had a knack for deftly steering the conversation elsewhere. It was a skill she had honed so well that most times, Haze didn't even notice until much later.
The three of them, he, Kade, and Melly—weren't exactly what anyone would call close. They didn't share heartfelt stories or trust each other completely, but yet, there was an unspoken bond between them. It was the kind of connection that allowed them to anticipate each other's thoughts, actions, and motives without needing to say a word. This bond, forged through shared adversities, carried a weight that none of them would openly acknowledge, but it undeniably mattered.
"I'm surprised Melly went along with this without trying to change your mind," Haze said, a playful tone in his voice.
"Yeah, I was surprised too," Kade said. "She went along with it pretty easily. Maybe she's finally starting to see things my way."
"You two better pay me for this," came Melly's strained voice, her irritation crackling through the connection. "Keeping this link open is draining me, so make it fast."
"You heard her," Kade said, his tone turning serious. "Just where are you, anyway?"
Haze rubbed the back of his neck, leaning against the wall. "I'm not sure. It's not the usual hole they toss me into. It's smaller, and all five of us are crammed in here."
"All five?" Kade's voice sharpened. "Ghent's there too?"
"Yeah," Haze grumbled, shifting uncomfortably. "He's here. Don't do anything reckless, Kade. We don't even know why they'd shove all of us into the same cell, but there's a reason. Don't end up like me."
"Me? Reckless? Never been," Kade replied, his tone light but his resolve unmistakable.
Haze chuckled softly, a sound that felt almost out of place in the oppressive atmosphere of the cell. "You say that, but I know you better."
"Don't worry about me," Kade replied, the humor fading from his voice. "We're far enough from detection, but we're working on it."
Before Haze could respond, Melly's voice cut through again, weaker this time. "Connection's slipping… i can't hold much longer…"
And then it was gone. The silence returned, so sudden and complete that it left Haze's ears ringing.
×××
Haze blinked a few times, trying to shake off the echo of Kade's voice. Was any of that real? The thought persisted as he rubbed his eyes, yearning for clarity in his surroundings. The damp air of the cell felt heavier now, pressing against his chest like a weight. When his vision finally cleared, he froze.
Ewald was watching him.
Sitting cross-legged in the corner of the cell, Ewald's gaze shifted from the metal protector to Haze. His sharp, piercing eyes seemed to analyze every movement, as if searching for answers that Haze hadn't yet revealed. Strands of his black hair clung to his sweat-damp forehead, and his expression was completely neutral. That made him even more difficult to read.
"You were mumbling," Ewald said quietly, breaking the silence.
Haze felt uneasy but tried to stay calm. He shrugged and leaned against the cold wall. "Just dreaming, I guess."
Ewald narrowed his eyes, clearly skeptical. "Dreaming? Didn't sound like dreaming to me."
Haze hesitated, a small smirk appearing. "And now, you're an expert on dreams and how people act when they dream?"
Ewald didn't smile or move. His stillness was unsettling, almost a challenge. "No. But I know a lie when i hear one."
Haze sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "Fine, call it whatever you want," he said, trying to keep it light. "I was just talking to myself. Happy now?"
Ewald tilted his head, his gaze sharp yet unreadable. "No."
"Did he just say no?!" Haze thought, feeling a rush of irritation. "Then why even ask?"
"Because I like knowing when someone's hiding something," Ewald replied, leaning in slightly.
The room hung heavy with unspoken tension, a silence that neither boy was eager to break. Haze thought Ewald might press further, but instead, he leaned back against the wall, his posture relaxing slightly.
"That's not really the question I'm after," Ewald said softly, his tone pensive. "Why did you do it?"
"Do what?" Haze asked, his guard still up.
Ewald tilted his head slightly, his disbelief clear. "Step in for Yuri. You'd just been let off punishment, and you knew what could happen if you got involved. But you did it anyway."
Haze drew in a slow breath, the memory of Yuri's vulnerable expression fresh in his mind. "Because someone had to," he said simply, his tone unwavering. "I couldn't just watch."
Ewald didn't respond immediately, his eyes steady on Haze, unreadable but heavy with thought. The quiet between them was palpable, broken only by the faint clink of chains as Haze adjusted.
Before Ewald could say another word, Haze leaned forward, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere like a blade.
"Why'd you do it?" he asked, his tone steady but pointed. "You're calm, quiet—why would someone like you join Ghent's group just to bully the weak?"