I got back on my feet, sorry gnawing at my throat. Why wasn’t Scylla waking up? What was wrong?
“Did she eat something wrong?” I knew that was stupid, but come on. My best friend’s bondmate was unresponsive. “Is she sick? Maybe we should take her to a healer.”
I stood, and was immediately toppled by the wind. Around us, the walls began to groan, pipes straining against the churning waters within. “I don’t know!!”
Suddenly, a loud yelp sounded from the washroom.
And then everything stopped. Sounds of water falling was heard, but everything else fell silent. I stare at Elliot, startled.
“Well, I think… I think that’s the last of it…”
It wasn’t. It happened again the next day. And the day after that, and we had no idea what was going on.
Scylla had no recollection of anything the next day. It the day after that, when it happened again. Or the day after that. I was beginning to become desperate. My bondmate has expressed itchiness around her horns and shell, but besides that, there was nothing.
“I just—I don’t know what to do,” I told Kaden one morning, closely examining Scylla.
I chewed on my lower lip before heaving a sigh.
“Listen, I… I know I shouldn’t be suggesting this, but…” I ran a hand through my hair. “But you should ask the Prince.” I immediately added something in a rush. “Key is a Type A! Maybe he knows what’s going on with Scylla!”
My whole body went rigid at the same time as Scylla’s. “I—It’s a good idea in theory. But the Prince—The Prince would rather murder me right now than help.”
I quirked an eyebrow, pretending to be surprised.
“Why would he?” I tilted my head. “I don’t think he’d turn you away.”
I shook my head firmly, but when my eyes latched onto Scylla…. I faltered. What if she got hurt as a result of this? Was it not a good idea to do whatever was in my power to help?
“If he hurts you, I’ll drain his life,” I promised Elliot. “They’ve taught us that, too.”
My face paled instantly. “No—! Don’t do that—God, no.”
I grinned.
“Then I suppose he has to watch out, huh?” I joked. “C’mon, I could go with you if you want me to.”
I almost nodded—how could I face Colton alone? Pretend nothing had ever happened? As him to help me?
But I couldn’t allow Kaden to see the tension between us, neither could I give him any ideas about that happened to drive us all the way to where we were. I couldn’t let anyone see that….
So I shook my head, pressing a kiss to the top of Scylla’s beak. “We’ll be fine. But thank you.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, but didn’t object. I suppose he had to deal with this alone, huh?
“All right,” I said softly. “But I’m here if you ever need me.”
“Thanks, Kaden,” I told him quietly, tapping my shoulder as an indication for Scylla to perch there. “I know I haven’t really been easy to deal with. Sorry. A lot happed really fast and I just…”
"Nonsense," I shook my head, opening my arms to engulf him in a hug. "You're not hard to deal with. I love you, so I'm glad to be here for you always."
Taken by surprise, I took a second before the hug registered, and I tentatively returned it. “Thank you… Same goes from me to you. And Andreas.”
"Thanks, Eli," I patted him on the back before I turned to Scylla, rubbing her on the head, feeling her hot body against my hand. "You're going to be fine, I promise."
Scylla butted her head against Kaden’s hand, digging her claws into my shoulder. Her condition had kept me up last night, worrying, trying to take care of her and cool her heated body. “I really hope so…”
Colton’s POV:
Things were going excellent. Everything I learned from meetings, I’d tell my lady. I’d been pleasing her a lot. Key stopped refusing me, which was amazing because I didn’t want to hurt him.
Then the knock on the door interrupted me. Quirking an eyebrow, I walked over to open it and came face-to-face with Elle.
I don’t know how long I stood in front of Colton’s door, holding onto Scylla for dear life—her dear life. Unable to knock, to summon the person I most dreaded seeing. But this was about more than my stupid pride and twisted love life. This was about my bondmate, and she came first. Before me, before anyone or anything else.
So I swallowed and rapped my knuckles against the smooth wood, heart thundering. And before long, it swung open.
My blood turned to ice.
I raised an eyebrow. This was the person the princeling has fallen for? This… person pretending to be a male? This was the reason I was able to take control?
“Elle,” I tested her name on my tongue. “What a surprise. Is there something you want from me?”
His voice remained cold, his uncaring expression didn’t falter. So I refused to let mine crumble, denied the conflicted pleas of my damaged heart. “You’re the only other Type A in the country. Something’s wrong with Scylla. The healers don’t know how to fix it.” I delivered the sentence calmly, fixing my eyes to a spot in between his beautiful eyes. If I lost control now, let my powers spiral away..
Ah… I should be acting more like Colton to keep suspicions to the minimum. So I furrowed my eyebrows, letting a flash of worry spread across my face before I covered it up. Perfect.
“Come on in,” I said, pretending I was trying not to let my voice crack. I stepped aside, opening the door wider.
My brows drew together. That was……easy. He was just going to….let me in? But I was admittedly satisfied by the flash of emotion he displayed. Maybe he wasn’t entirely gone..
I ducked my head as I stepped inside, shoulders taut. ”You’re going to be okay,” I communicated to Scylla. ”He’ll know how to help.”
I shut the door, motioning for Elle to set Scylla on the table. Once she did, I knelt down next to her, realization striking me.
”Oh,” I blinked. ”There’s really nothing to worry about. She’s evolving. It’ll go on for a while longer until she’s finished.”
For a moment, I was overwhelmed by a surge of relief. Scylla let out a slow sigh and paddled her feet in contentment. Then, a realization struck me.
“Wait—I didn’t actually tell you what was wrong. How do you know that?”
I quirked an eyebrow, shaking my head. Keep it steady. You don’t want anyone discovering who you really are, do you?
“What would be happening to an A that a healer wouldn’t understand?” I chuckled. ”Secondly, her fur’s glowing. See this spot right here—“ I touched her horn before furrowing my eyebrows. I pulled my hand back before rubbing her head, feeling her hot skin under my hand. This wasn’t right. A Type A shouldn’t be burning hot, even through evolution. ”On second thought… Tell me her symptoms. Her skin shouldn’t be this hot.”
Shit.
A glass of water on Colton’s desk toppled over, luckily spilling its contents onto the ground rather than the papers scattered here and there. I swallowed, hands tightening around the edge of my seat.
“She’s been sleeping a lot. And I can’t wake her up no matter what I try. She—A few days ago, the first time this happened, she summoned a whirlwind that practically tore the room apart. In her sleep. And she’s been using her powers at random as if they’re…. overflowing. Her eyes keep glowing, even when she’s not Singing.”
I pretended to be worried, running a hand through my hair, cursing.
”She’s got excess energy in her reservoir,” I said, worry lacing my voice before I inmediately put an end to it. Don’t too much. Don’t do too little. ”It’s tipping over. Sleeping too much and more often is normal, but attacking in sleep isn’t. Just like too little energy is dangerous, too much energy is worse.”
I swore, pressing the fingers of one hand to my mouth and reaching out to my bondmate with the other. Agitated, she whipped her tail, and with it came a sudden gust of wind that sent both Colton and I stumbling backwards.
“Hey, it’s okay!” I tried to comfort her aloud, pushing past the miniature gale and placing a calming hand on the top of her shell. The moment my skin made contact with hers, the wind stilled. “You’re going to be okay.”