Page 43 of Secrets and Shadows

If my parents can’t be here, Simon’s the next best thing I suppose. Well, after Tony. Speaking of which…

“Has Tony been able to come see me?”

“No,” Simon replies softly, his expression turning sympathetic. “Bennett’s kept you isolated from everyone, so Tony hasn’t been allowed to visit. But he asks about you twice a day, at least. One night, he even camped outside the healing quarters, hoping to sneak in before Bennett found him and kicked him out.”

A smile tugs at my lips. Of course, Tony would pull something like that.

“Can I see him now?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. Simon’s face shows hesitation, but I can tell he’s wavering. “Please…” I add, the desperation creeping in more than I intended.

He lets out a heavy sigh and finally releases my hand, standing up. “All right, I’ll go get him.”

It feels like a huge victory, even though it’s such a small gesture. In this whirlwind of chaos, at least one tiny thing in my life is going right.

After what feels like an eternity,the door finally swings open, and Tony rushes in. Without a word, he flings himself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug. A sharp pain shoots through my side, but I bite back the groan, not wanting toruin the moment. He’s clearly relieved to see me, and honestly, I feel the same.

“I can’t believe I finally get to see you,” he says, pulling back just enough to adjust his glasses, trying—and failing—to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

“Don’t start crying on me now,” I tease, managing a weak smile through the pain.

He sniffs, doing his best to hold it together. “You scared the hell out of me!” he blurts. “I heard you were attacked, and then no one would tell me anything. I thought… I thought I’d never see you again,” he rushes out in one breath, as if afraid he won’t have enough time to say it all.

Damn it, Tony. The tears I was holding back a few minutes ago, threaten to reappear and then we’d both be sobbing messes.

I reach for his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “I’m okay,” I try to reassure him, even though I’m not entirely sure how true that is. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

Tony pulls up the chair next to my bed, scooting it closer, and he sits down. His eyes lock onto mine, searching for answers to questions neither of us knows how to ask yet.

“Iwasattacked,” I confess, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. “I’m not entirely sure what it was, but Simon said they’re working on figuring it out.” I pause, watching Tony’s face carefully. His brow furrows and his lips tighten in a way that tells me he’s holding back a million questions, but he stays silent, waiting for me to say what I need to say.

“There’s something else,” I add, hesitating. I probably shouldn’t spill everything before I fully understand it myself, but Tony’s one of the few people I can really talk to. “I also—”

“Summoned a Predator and a Prey,” he finishes for me, his voice quiet.

My eyes widen in shock, and I stare at him, completely taken aback. "How did you know?" I ask, confused. I wasn’t under the impression that this was common knowledge.

Tony shifts uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze—never a good sign. He’s usually so upfront about everything. “What is it?” I prompt, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

He lets out a deep breath. “I need to tell you what’s going on,” he says, clearly uneasy. “I don’t know how it got out, but ever since the other students found out about your ability to summon both a Predator and a Prey, things have gotten... bad. Some are calling you a freak, Lilith. And worse, there’s talk—real talk—about kicking you out of the academy because of the wholeDualmyth.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Kicked out? For something I barely understand myself? Why didn’t Simon mention anything about this?

I frown, trying to make sense of Tony’s words. Growing up, we’d all heard stories about the Dual—a mythical figure said to have brought chaos, destruction, and imbalance to the world. It was a legend that most of us brushed off as a scare tactic for kids. Almost no one I know believes the Dual was ever real.

But it sparks a familiar memory from my childhood, one where I overheard a conversation between my dad and my mom late one night, when they thought I was asleep. My father, who’s been on countless missions, mentioned something about accidentally stumbling upon someone who fit the description of the Dual. After that he was obsessed, searching for answers.

But as far as I know, he never found the Dual—at least not officially. But hearing Tony bring it up again sends a shiver through me.

Tony’s expression hardens as he leans forward. “Don’t worry about what people are saying, or the students getting all workedup. I’ll be by your side every day, all day. Hell, I’ll even sneak into your room to watch over you while you sleep if I have to.”

I raise an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at my lips. My best friend is the most loyal person I know. It’s too bad he’s scared of almost everything. “And when exactly willyousleep?”

He shrugs, flashing a quick grin. “Haven’t quite figured that part out yet… but we’ll make it work.”

I sigh. Even though everything around me feels like it’s crumbling, at least I have my best friend back.

“That’s really sweet of you, Tony, but you can’t stay with me constantly,” I protest.

Tony shakes his head firmly. “Yes, I can and I will. Lilith, we have to stick together through this. There are a lot of awful rumors flying around about you, and I want to back you up every step of the way. I know you’d do the same for me...”

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