Page 13 of Hound

Guardians surrounded both gates like statues, their threadlike presences blurring into one another. Unlike humans, theirs weren’t concentrated, but it always hovered like a cloud of smoke. Elusive yet dense. Never-changing. If devoted to differentiating them, their presences could be plucked one by one.

Yet, that’s not how I recognized the broad outline in the distance. It was through the craving that sparked awake through his familiar, reverberating footsteps, walking toward the same direction of Sonia—to the employee base.

The Imbecile was here, in Woodstale, on Sephtis soil, where all debts must be paid.

Chapter 5

LORENZO DEVON

Never had I been bored at a post before. Sometimes, there was danger. Other times, there were problems that needed to be resolved. But neither were happening at the Sephtis mansion—it was as if two-hundred and fourteen guardians were posted here for ghosts, to waste time staring off into space and pretend like they weren’t breathing beings. Lace had assigned me here to keep an eye on Nina. Besides her feeding habits—which she had fixed with Lace’s care package—nothing had been out of ordinary. . .except for her random sneak-aways when no one was watching.

I’d only caught her twice in the past week. But three was a lucky number, right?

Nina lurked into the employee quarters, bright white lights similar to the CEG’s gleaming against her swaying long braid.

I sprinted to her and caged her in my arms. She kicked with half of her force as I lifted her into the air and onto my shoulder. Thankfully, this place was always deserted in the middle of the day. “Didn’t think you’d want to run those laps already.”

Her legs halted mid-air, and for a split second, I thought she wouldn’t retaliate. But who was my cousin if not a fighter with the snarkiest comments?

Sharp fists pounded into my shoulders blades until I placed her on her two feet. “You’re insane.”

There it was.

“With those actions and language, I might as well double it.” Although my words were coated in seriousness, I couldn’t help but break into a smile as warmth spread in my chest. “But I’ll be lenient because we’ve been apart for five months.”

“Wow, sir. You are too kind, sir. Thank you for sparing me you, kind, considerate, most?—”

Yup, definitely missed this.

“You’re still giving me those two laps. But training will do for now.”

While exercising was an expectation for guardians, I didn’t see it as a chore. With movement came resilience, and the best form was through running or weight training. Years of bodybuilding taught me so. And beside me, my huge build also seemed to shrink Nina.

Underneath a tight long sleeve, veins popped through, my bicep the size of Nina’s head as I wrapped it around her neck. She was average height and had a muscular build that wasn’t obvious to the eye. But that didn’t mean she was weak. While she didn’t have my hulking sturdiness, her strength met mine as I dragged her. Each turn, from the common area and cafeteria to the stairs, was met with pressure from her grip.

She could throw me over and drive me into the floor at any second—just like I had taught her.

The training floor was as empty as the first floor. Murmurs and hums from the televisions filled the space, but it didn’t erase the stretched silence between us.

“How have you been?” she asked as she began her angled bench press, her tone soft. Careful. The mirrors reflected how she tried not to look at me.

“I visited Mom’s grave.” Even though Nina never asked about her aunt, I forced myself to talk about her. If I didn’t, the memory of her would be lost. She’d be reduced to only my mind, to a blurry figment of my imagination.

No. She’s more than that.

Hesitancy coated Nina’s voice. “How was it?” Her and Lace had a bad habit of tiptoeing around the topic of my mom. Lace because he didn’t know how to go about it although he tried his best. But my cousin? Without fail, her muscles tightened as if mentioning her was a threat.

It was why she never visited Mom’s grave.

Irritation lined my face, but I hid it through a scoff. “Her grave? Practically buried. I hire monthly cleaners, yet they still do a shit job. I might as well make the walk and do it myself.”

“You blabber it but never do it. So much for being a man of your word.” The uneasiness in her muscles loosened as she smiled.

Before I could debate it, I muttered, “I also tried tracing our old house while up there. All I stumbled on was an abandoned hospital.”

Our life before the CEG was a blur and for one, Nina barely brought it up. What was the point when Lace gave us everything we needed? But one day, I’d arrived early to pick up Nina at a CEG-facilitated medical center. Before they switched her to medicated treatments, she used to have behavioral therapy sessions that went on for hours. I’d gone to check in on her and overheard mentions of her dad—my uncle—only meant for her and her doctor.

“Every time I get likethis, I always think of him. I don’t know why but. . .I think his death might be the reason.”

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