Page 30 of Destruction of Two
“Do not say shit like that. It’s disturbing.”
“So is seeing my brother’s erection.”
“Stop saying shit like that,” Syko growls as he lowers his big palm over his crotch.
Doesn’t exactly hide much but I guess he’s trying.
“Go hide. Now.” Syko eyes her as she slowly turns and walks down the brick sidewalk.
“Be careful, Izara,” Kayos says in a singsong way that sounds all too creepy to really be cute.
“You too,” I mutter.
But I think she’s right. I need to be very careful.
* * *
"What's the deal with Kayos?" I ask as we walk towards the new building that’s now our dorm. My heart flutters a bit nervously at the thought of finally having a bed. Even more so at the thought of seeing my men again.
Can I look into their faces and not remember the way they looked as the life left them? Can I look at them again without feeling guilty? Illusion or not, I still killed them.
“What happened to her?”
His fingers are twined between the empty spaces of my own. He squeezes and I draw strength from the gesture.
“She said she was in confinement…” He pauses, inhaling heavily through his nose. The thought of his sister in there… it must pain him. I squeeze his hand back for comfort. “She said the day of our gym final, the day Dormitory J was destroyed, her ankle bracelet just stopped glowing and fell off. The doors to her confinement opened and she just... walked out. She’s been hiding ever since.”
“That’s... incredibly odd.” As odd as me being dragged to hell.
“She says she followed the shadows to you. Whatever the fuck that means.”
The words give me a bad feeling of premonition through my body but I shove it away. I don’t want to remember that moment when I lost control and took down a building.
“She followed the shadows to you,” he repeats like they might make sense a second time.
He side eyes me as if this should mean something to me when it doesn’t. Not really. If they can’t make sense of this, I really can’t either. And they were raised in the magical world. They should know this shit more than me.
We come to a stop before the doors of our new building. I hesitate and Syko notices. He pauses and runs a free hand through his snow colored hair.
Snow like the fifth dimension of hell.
My wings ache with remembrance and I have to tear my gaze from him for a split second.
“They’ll be happy to see you, Izara. We—” He breaks off, swallows. “It wasn’t the same without you. We all looked for you and didn’t stop. It got us thrown into confinement but when they released us today, we were right back to searching for you. We don’t blame you. We need you, Izara.”
Is that why he thinks I’m hesitating? Because I may fear they don’t feel the same? That they might be angry? His every disjointed thought said aloud brings a sad smile to my lips. If only he knew why I was so afraid of going in. Not because I fear that in the expanse of time I’ve been gone they’ve changed, but that I have.
It’s going to be hard looking them in the eyes and not seeing them drained of life. Or wondering if my powers have diminished into the insignificant power they were before I’d been in hell. If I lose that control, will my Prod kill them?
I take in a shuddering breath and reach in front of me to push open the dorm doors.
Snarls of Prods greet me and I flinch, flashing back to the demons in the seventh circle above the Messenger’s palace. I hadn’t been afraid then, but adrenaline is a funny thing. After it wears off, it leaves nothing behind but shaking, trembling limbs and memories.
Syko steadies me as I stumble back. I blink away the memories, shoving them so far down until I can see what’s clearly in front of me.
I’m greeted by the sight of hallways in much better condition than our old dorm had ever been. I almost feel like I’ve done everyone a favor by destroying it, honestly.
The elite building is clearly where some of Mr. Von Hunter’s donations are invested. The white tiles shine beneath my feet. The Prods here seem less likely to kill me in my sleep too, so that’s a bonus.
