ELARAI thought my heart would never stop racing.The fog, the water, the silence. I could smell that I had company but it wasn’t until his moan came that I turned in shock.I had been praying it was a dream but Cassidan’s moan did something to me.And when my eyes went to his towel, the strain…I damn nearly wanted to rip it off.I’d known he was there before I dared to turn. I’d felt the prickle of his presence against my skin, every instinct screaming that someone was watching. But I hadn’t expected to see the hunger in his eyes. The towel tented at his hips. I hadn’t expected to feel so much heat from just looking at him. Kael has always looked like a war god in my eyes but Cassidan was something more…erotic.His hair, a golden brown in a curly mess made him look like he carried a halo. He was angelic where it mattered and he was hot where it mattered most.His chest rose and fell like a man on the edge of breaking. I was already falling and breaking.if that knock hadn’t come…I
CASSIDANI know Kael hated me for being this way but there was no way he was right.I closed the door to my room and stood in front of the mirror. My abs ached and my shins screamed.They didn’t notice that I had been training more than normal. To fight off the sleep and the nightmares that came from it.Ever since Riven, Damon and I, had been locked in that sick bay ward, where something pulled taut against us and towards us, I haven’t gotten a good night rest. Not with those treacherous nightmares kicking every amount of sleep I had left. I rolled a training mat on the floor and began to do press ups. If I didn’t sleep then I wouldn’t have nightmares of Riven dying or my brothers covered in blood.The next morning came quicker than I wanted it to come. Riven always used the stalls before any of us woke up and I wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t stay awake all night like a bat for months.Low-key I was running on gas fumes at this point. I heard the soft click of the door and decide
KAELShit.I walked right into that one. Cassidan wasn’t the best at deciphering most situations like Damon and I but he had done quite a good job.How do I tell Cassidan or even Damon that I knew about the curse thing not just because it happened to me but because I had kissed Riven full on the lips.That Infact that was the only thing I kept replaying in my head for two days straight.That I was scared at how jealous I had grown when I saw him laughing with a classmate at the fields the other day.I couldn’t. Cassidan couldn’t bear such truth and Damon shouldn’t get confused now that I’ve managed to convince him about what I think.I scoffed and straightened my back.“You don’t have to believe me Cassidan, but remember that I’m here when you’ve finally experienced it and I’ll be sure to I told you so to death,” I said dismissively and Cassidan shook his head.He may hide it but for some weird reason, I saw the relief filter into his shoulders. He waved us off and began to walk away.
CASSIDAN I turned towards Elara and for a fleeting minute, I thought I saw him shiver. I moved to touch him in the shoulder but he shrugged it off and started to walk away. I wasn’t like Damon. I didn’t know what to say. “He doesn’t have the balls, Riven,” I said without thinking and Riven turned for a brief minute before walking away completely. His hands were clenched. I nearly palmed myself on the head. Why had I said something like that? I couldn’t stop him and tell him that I would handle Nyx or that Nyx didn’t know what he was saying because the moment had already passed. For some reason, I walked down the hall and made a turn. Only to see Damon’s face ashen. He was sitting with his hands on his head. I frowned. Kael was pacing . Which was quite unusual even with all of his other quirks. “Guys…” I started but even at that, they paid me no attention. I opened my mouth to tell them about Nyx’s return and how it was best we found a more permanent position when Kael f
ELARAI froze.Nyx’s grin was the same as if I could forget. Mocking and cruel. I couldn’t breathe. The last time I saw him, he had nearly killed me and Kael had shattered sixteen of his bones. No one should be standing after that. According to what the boys had told me. If they hadn’t gotten there in time Kael would have killed him.“How…” My voice caught in my throat. “You shouldn’t be here.”Even for me that was pathetic. Where was all my bravado? My sauciness?Or was it because I was still reeling from Kael’s drama and the recent discovery about a curse?Nyx tilted his head, dark eyes glinting with something far worse than amusement. “Shouldn’t I? Did you really think I’d stay broken because of Kael? You underestimate me, little fraud.”Little fraud!? I searched his eyes for a clue but nothing gave up. The way he said it made my stomach twist.I stumbled back, my shoulders hitting the wall. He stepped closer. Each movement was slow, deliberate, like he wanted me to feel like th
ELARAI swear I didn’t want to be like this. This…person.But I knew my self worth. I knew we could never just be what we were before. Not with that kiss still lingering in my memory fresh like a child being born.I walked to my room and shut the door so tightly, I didn’t think I’d hear anything else after that. I plopped on my bed, trying to will myself to sleep when I started to hear whispers.At first I thought it was all in my head. That I was hearing things but the whispers were getting harder to pipe down and I decided that I was going to “pass” by just to disguises the fact that I was curious about what was being said.I opened my door same time that the common exit door clicked shut. I let out a sigh of exhaustion and was about to walk back in when Cassidan snorted.I turned to the side and saw him drinking something from a cup. I wanted to roll my eyes at him but he had beat me to it.“Do you want to tell me why you were crying two/three days ago?” He asked and instantly I st