Page 171 of Rebirth Of Order
“Okay, but only if you take a seat,” I counter, not willing to objectify her.
Kyra plops down, folding her legs and removing the hat she has been wearing since stepping out of her room. “I’m listening.”
Her fragrance is intoxicating, just as it was the first day I heard the thoughts that haunt my every waking hour. Intense magic with zero regards to privacy. Like it knew it was always welcome inside my mind.
“Has there ever been a point in time where temptation had you pinned, and every fiber of your being yearned for freedom? As if the Gods were enticing you to partake in certain pleasures, knowing it would ruin you if so much as a finger should dabble?”
She stares, taking her bottom lip between her teeth and nibblingin deep thought. “I…um, I’m not sure how to answer your question. What kind of pleasures are we talking about?”
“Nothing worth overthinking. It’s more rhetorical than pragmatic.” I blow a silent breath. “Think about it, andifan answer presents itself, let me know.”
“Okay, but what does this have to do withmyquestions?”
I’m not sure how to answer them. How you’ll receive this information. Will you judge me, or accept it? Fuck. Years of keeping it a secret, why now? What kind of joy will this bring you, Abraxis?He remains quiet, and I grunt, considering there is no logical option that she could accept it. “What happened earlier? Were you attacked?”
“What?” Kyra perks up, stiffening her posture. “Did someone tell you that?” She isn’t upset by the question, the furrow of her brows suggesting otherwise. Taken off guard, maybe, but I don’t respond, hoping she puts the pieces together. And when she doesn’t, I cave.
“I’m here because I was worried about you–your safety. But if I’m overstepping–”
“No. Never. Checking on me willneverbe overstepping. Am I making you feel as such? It was never my intent.”“Great, on top of last night, now this. I’m tired of these random battles I’m forced to fight…”
Her mind continues its self-inflicted torture, so I place up more mental walls. Kyra’s thoughts are her own, and because I can’t fully shield her out, I’m the cause of what is happening now.
“Stop. I won’t allow you to blame yourself for what I may or may not be feeling. None of this is your fault, rather it’s my own doing. If anything, blame me for showing up unannounced and invading your privacy.” Another exhale drowns out my excessive heartbeat. “Yes, I was worried about glooms being here. Yes, I came over because Ethan was attacking you. Neither gives me a reason for being here now. You’re not a person whom someone can stake a claim to, nor am I doing so. My body said move…and I did.”
This silence becomes loud. Thick. Heavy. A weight liftsoff my shoulders yet is placed upon my chest, pressing my lungs with so much force that breathing becomes a first thought.
“How did…you know about…” she speaks slowly like pieces to this hellish puzzle are sliding into place. My secret is perched at the tip of my tongue, waiting to be spoken.
Kyra gasps, standing, and peers down with an inferno burning away the green of her eyes.Hell condemns me into Hades’s domain for what comes next.
“Caspian–please don’t tell me…are there cameras in these dorm rooms?” Panic tightens the skin around her brows as she visually searches her living area.
“No, not at all.” She couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Then how’d you know?”
Sighing, I share, “I can hear your thoughts. It’s my bloodline ability.”
“Caspian, what!” Kyra bites, and a thrash of aura presses into me. “You know–” she laughs, “I’m not surprised at this point…wait, are you serious? You’ve been listening to my thoughts and decided not to inform me?” Preparing an answer, I’m speechless. How does one explain such actions as these?
Her glare rotates with anger as she begins pacing, unable to look at me any longer.
Fuck.
Tossing up her arms whilst mumbling, I feel an immense wave of aura hit me much harder than before.“Of course he has because this shit’s normal. Everything’s normal, and I’m just living in a world with no damn privacy. First, Alex and Ethan, then Russ, and now him. Who’s next, Raine, Blaise…hell, for all I know, it’s everyone in this whole damn Academy, and I’m the laughingstock.”
Raw energy batters my shields, flaring mental sparks of red. All previously built barriers are reduced once more, and I grip my head, straining to gain control. Each word, every emotion, pounds against my psyche like a sledge of pure hate, setting my mind ablaze and burning me from the inside out.
“But let me be the one invading their privacy, and I’m the fucking enemy. Why the hell are they preaching about trust when this entire time they’ve been lying to my face. I’ve gotten past the others, as fucked up as it sounds, but this…”
My vision darkens, unable to combat the potent strength of her aura, but she continues pacing by the sound of her shuffling steps.
Gritting my teeth, I press my palms into the temples on either side of my head and breath, but my body begins to shake. Each inhale is harder than its predecessor, and magic pulls from my aura at a swift pace. Using every nerve to accelerate into my mind, but she burns it away before…
“Fuck!” I collapse. My knees hit solid marble as I curl into a ball, fighting an impossible foe.
“Shit, Caspian.”
