Page 19 of Wraith

He paced the room, his hand raking through his hair as he muttered under his breath. “Where the fuck is it? I just had it. Ijusthad it.”

I lingered near the desk, watching as he crouched to rifle through a pile of papers. His movements were sharp, desperate, like he was one wrong step away from tearing the whole room apart.

He shoved the papers aside with a frustrated huff, his hands moving to the edges of the desk. He gripped it so hard his knuckles turned white, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

“It has to be here,” he muttered, his voice clipped.

I floated closer, my gaze locking onto the shiny little coin he was so desperate to find. It was tucked neatly beneath his jacket on the chair—right where he’d already looked. Twice.

Kael turned suddenly, his eyes scanning the room. “Okay, think,” he said, almost laughing at himself. “Where did I have it last?”

The laugh was hollow, humorless, tinged with just enough disbelief to make me grin.

I waited until he was halfway to the closet before brushing my hand against the chair. The jacket shifted, sliding just enough to reveal the coin. It gleamed faintly in the dim light, taunting him with its perfect, misplaced presence.

He froze mid-step, his head snapping toward the desk. His brows furrowed as he stared at the coin, and for a moment, he didn’t move.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he muttered, stalking toward the desk. He snatched the coin up with a sigh, shaking his head as he dropped into the chair. “I’m so tired. That’s all this is. I’m just…tired.”

I drifted closer, biting back a laugh as he slumped against the chair, flipping the coin idly between his fingers. His movements were slower this time, less precise, like the weight of exhaustion was finally catching up to him.

But I wasn’t done.

The bond pulsed faintly, feeding me just enough energy to keep going. I brushed my hand against the desk again, the faintest flicker of energy sliding the coin from his fingers. It hit the floor with a soft clink, rolling under the bed before Kael even realized it was gone.

“What the—” He straightened, his head snapping toward the sound. His hand hovered in the air for a moment before he cursed under his breath, pushing himself up from the chair. “This isn’t funny anymore.”

I drifted to the bed, watching as he crouched to peer underneath. His hand darted out, brushing against the coin just before I nudged it farther out of reach.

Kael froze, his hand still stretched toward the coin. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “Nope. That didn’t just happen.”

He grabbed the coin on his second attempt, his grip tighter this time, like he was afraid it might disappear again. He straightened slowly, his shoulders stiff as he held it up to the light.

“You’re fine,” he muttered to himself, pacing back toward the desk. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

But I still wasn’t done.

I moved closer, brushing my hand against the desk once more. The bond pulsed, sharper this time, feeding me a surge of energy that sent the coin flying from his hand. It hit the desk, bounced off the edge, and landed with a soft thud on the rug.

Kael froze, his breath catching as his gaze darted toward the sound. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his jaw tightening as he let out a low, frustrated growl.

“This isn’t real,” he said, his voice sharp and brittle. “I’m just tired. That’s all. I’m?—”

The chair nearest the desk slid an inch across the floor, the sound scraping against the silence like a scream.

Kael spun around, his eyes wide and wild. “Who’s there?” he demanded, his voice cracking slightly. He backed toward the door, the coin clutched tightly in his hand. “This isn’t funny, okay? If this is some kind of prank?—”

The bond flared again, feeding me a final surge of energy that sent the lamp flickering violently. Shadows danced across the walls, jagged and erratic, as the temperature in the room plummeted.

Kael’s breath came in sharp, uneven gasps as he backed into the desk, his free hand gripping the edge like it might groundhim. His eyes darted around the room, searching for something—anything—that could explain what was happening.

But he wouldn’t find it. Not yet.

“Get it together,” he muttered to himself, his voice shaking. He flipped the coin in his hand, the motion frantic and uneven. “You’re fine. You’re just?—”

The coin slipped from his fingers again, hitting the floor with a metallic clink that echoed louder than it should have. Kael stared at it, his chest heaving as his hand twitched at his side.

I drifted back to the corner, my form flickering faintly as the effort drained me. The bond quieted, retreating into a steady hum as exhaustion began to settle in.

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