Tasting Darkness

“Oh shit, sorry,” Kalen says.

“Aleera, the tissues,” Kalen said just as I was walking out. I stopped looking to where he was pointing at

the windowsill above the toilet in the niche. I grabbed the box and walked over to him, and Kalen had

sliced Tobias’s chin. He repeatedly apologized to him, and I plucked a tissue out, handing it to him. I

place the box on the basin beside him and turn around.

“Don’t leave; I don’t know when Darius will let me see you again,” Kalen whines gripping my wrist. They

have all warned me away from Kalen, and my eyes went to Tobias’s in the mirror, and he rolled his eyes.

“You can stay,”

“See, Tobias isn’t so bad, just a big blood-sucking teddy bear,” Kalen laughed. Odd way to describe

someone, I thought to myself. I remained where I was, but I could tell by how tense Tobias was that he

didn’t want me anywhere near him and was only tolerating me because of Kalen being here. I swallowed,

wanting to leave but also not wanting to upset Kalen.

I found my eyes trailing over Tobias again. My brows furrowed at the thick burns, which had me

wondering if they were from the fire, but if they were, why didn’t they heal? His power would have

manifested by then. They were 18 at the time of the fire, and he could have healed himself, or Darius

could have healed him. Kalen happily talked away; he seemed extraordinarily bubbly and upbeat this

morning.

“Did you take your medication?” Kalen’s eyes darken, and he cuts off mid-sentence and glares at Tobias.

“Have you?” Tobias asked him. Kalen didn’t answer, and Tobias sighed.

“I hate taking them,”

“Go take them, Aleera needs to get ready, or she will miss breakfast,” Tobias tells him. Kalen went to

argue when Tobias leaned forward and kissed him.

“You can see her later,” Tobias says, tapping Kalen’s legs.

“I can’t once Darius gets back,”

“I will take you to see her, but only if you take your medication,” Tobias tells him, and Kalen’s brows

furrow, but h e nods before hopping off the sink basin. Kalen moved toward me, and I expected Tobias to

stop him, but he didn’t as Kalen suddenly grabbed me, crushing me against his warm chest. He buried

his face in my neck, and I sighed, hugging him back before he let go and walked back to his room.

“You like Kalen,” Tobias stated as I went to leave the bathroom. Was I supposed to answer that? I found

it hard not t o like Kalen. I think anyone would find it hard to not like Kalen.

“Kalen, he can be erratic,” Tobias says.

“You mean fragile; I have noticed how you all are with him. What sort of medication is he on?” Tobias

nods and chews his lip.

“You being here will either be good for him or destroy him,” I noticed he ignored my question about his

medication.

“I won’t hurt him; I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” I tell Tobias.

“Do you want to?” Tobias growls, taking a step toward me. I shake my head, taking a step back.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I have no magic that can hurt him, but I wouldn’t even if I did,” Tobias

watches me for a second.

“You wouldn’t hurt him,” he mutters and nods before looking back at the mirror again.

“But would you leave again?” Was that a trick question? As if I would stay if given the opportunity to

leave. Who would want this for life? I don’t answer, knowing he could tell if I lied anyway.

“You can shower, and don’t be late for class,” he says, walking out. I quickly raced over and locked the

door.

I had the quickest shower in history before chucking on some jeans and shirt that I found sitting on the

end of my bed. Yet n o shoes. I curse as I rip the brush through my hair, hoping I don’t have to do

anything outdoors today. When I was done, I made my way downstairs to the mess hall; walking in, the

chatter stopped instantly. All eyes turned to me, and I

line, but they refused to serve me, instead making me help myself.

Filling my plate, I looked for an empty spot. The only table was next to the toilet at the back. I walked

over and sat down with a sigh, eating my food and trying to ignore their gazes watching me. I was on

edge, and the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Thankfully though, the bell rang, and I

waited for everyone to leave before following out after them. I was hoping to follow them to class, but

they all went off in different directions, which had me wandering aimlessly, trying to figure out where to

go, when I ran into Lycus in one of the halls. This place was a maze.

“Why aren’t you in class?” He snapped at me.

“I don’t know where to go?”

“Did you bother to ask?” Now, why would I after Zac’s warm greeting? I shook my head, and he growled.

Lycus walks over t o me and grabs my arm.

“You’re lucky Darius isn’t back yet. He would fucking lose it if he found out you ditched again,”

“I wasn’t ditching. I don’t know where to go,” I snapped at him, ripping my arm from his grip. Lycus

growls, watching me for a second.

“Fine, find your class yourself,” he says, walking off.

“Can’t you show me?” I ask him, but he ignores me and keeps walking. I had no idea which part of the

castle or what floor I was on, but all doors were shut when the siren went off. Men flooded the halls

barging past, and few called me a traitor, making me scrunch my face up in confusion. I tried to ask a few

if they knew what class I had next when I saw Zac at the end of one of the corridors. I quickly turned to

race down the next flight of steps.

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