KELANI POVStaying a few minutes while waiting for Zain to appear, much to my disappointment, as I caught no sight of him, I turned to Lance once again.Rather than be involved in the search, as everyone was, he wasn't the least perturbed.Rather, he was on his phone, typing nonstop and laughing at whatever he was staring at.Marching towards him, I yanked off the phone from his hand, "Okay, that's enough," I muttered with a glare."Hey!" Lance exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "What the hell? I do not know where the fuck Zain left off, and give me back my phone.""You should, and I don't believe you one bit," I said."Why not?" he asked me, his eyes were narrowed. He stepped closer to me, but I didn't flinch despite how intimidating he looked."Believe it or not, you owe Zain your life. He took you under his room, and is this how to repay him? Besides, no one fucking asked you to be his keeper. He must have said something to you. Or you must have, by chance, seen him walk off somewhere

KELANI POVRiley arrived as I had presumed, and she walked past me, not asking me any questions.She walked around the room briefly, ransacking through the shelves and checking some of the books.Her brows were creased as she continued to search. Without even saying anything to me, I knew she was searching for the Talisman.But I couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't asking if I had seen it. Perhaps she was trying to keep it a secret from me.Riley hissed, and she turned to me abruptly. She gazed at me longer than intended. Even though I wasn't looking at her directly, I felt her gaze on me, drilling holes in my back."Kelani," Riley said eventually, and I turned.I raised a brow at her, "What's up? Thought you were giving me the silent treatment.""This is not the time for jokes," She said, almost snapping at me."Then when is the time for it?" I asked her."I am too busy for that, but I need a response to what I am about to ask you," Riley stated."You are too busy to joke with me

KELANI POVFor a few seconds, Riley stared at me, her mouth wide open. It was as though she couldn't believe what I had said and was waiting for me to take back my words."Challenge accepted?!" Riley asked, her eyes wide with laughter.She placed a hand over her mouth, giggling, "Are you seriously trying to challenge me?""I already did," I said, taking a defensive stance. "I am not backing down now."Or maybe I was insane to have challenged seeing as I was the only opponent in the room and Riley or whoever had possessed her could easily blast me with the snap of her finger.She was powerful, while I only learnt how to use my powers recently. Besides, it wasn't all the time I felt so powerful.Just like now."You should back down because you can't win me," She said.Riley stepped towards me, a wicked laughter on her face."I can win you, and I don't need to be all that powerful," I said, sidestepping her.She gripped my hand with a swiftness that I couldn't match, pulled me back, and

KELANI POVOh, My Goodness."Somebody, anybody, help me!" I cried again, for the second time, my eyes moving around the room to see no one had made a move."I did this, I did this," I chanted over again, my hands trembling as I held her closer. I hurt Riley. I had hurt the only person who cared about me.But then again, I was only trying to defend myself. I wondered if that counted.Biting my lower lip as it trembled, I sniffled and then blinked back, the tears brewing in my eyes away. But the more I blinked, the more tears that gathered."Kelani," I felt a pull on my shoulder, but I didn't let Riley go. I couldn't let her go.She was bleeding, and by the look of things, if no one came to save her soon, she was going to die."Kelani," I heard Vesper's voice again.I turned to stare at him and saw his brows were creased with worries. Shaking my head, I let out a throaty sob."I need help!" I snapped, swiping at the tears pouring down my cheeks. "Why are you people doing nothing? Riley