Chapter 17

Moments of tension in both the royal palace and the headquarters

”It's almost 2 o'clock." Blake said absentmindedly, staring at the minute hand.

The fire wielder was walking down the corridors of the palace, pondering over his encounter with the infamous assassin and his dangerous gamble. Despite his friends and the king's attempt of keeping their composure after hearing the report, he knew it came as a crushing blow. Faye was still in the hands of their enemy and her life was at stake. 

"I'm such a fool..." he said in a self depricating tone.

The young man believed for a moment he was similar to the assassins they were hunting down. Viewing the rest of the people as mere tools for their purposes or sick missions. Not living beings, but objects. Blake kept wandering, not taking his mind from his friend. He felt sincerely worried for her well-being. He questioned all his actions ever since the Nightfall team had been formed. Mocking Faye, making her a scapegoat for some of their failures, laughing of her ability, and the one who pained him the most, making rude comments about her life.

"I wouldn't be mad if she chose to cooperate with Shadow..."

"What in the world are you doing here at this hour?" a sleepy voice dragged him out of his meditative state.

"Edra? What's up?"

"I can't sleep. I don't know about the others, but I can't close my eyes and let myself rest."

"Shall we go to the terrace?"

"Tomorrow we... no, today we have many things to do."

"I suggest we all take this day off. This entire situation is taking its tool on us. Perhaps we can come up with better solutions after this."

"But Faye..."

"I know." she sharply interrupted him.

The princess lead the way to the terrace, Blake following her suit. The fire wielder analysed her as she was sitting in a chair, beholding the kingdom that was unfolding before them. Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles and struggling to show emotion. Her body became a little frailer and her hands were constantly rubbing in distress. Blake averted his gaze when Edra turned to him.

"I know it's hard, but we will find a solution." she tried to reassure him.

"How can you think about me when I'm the one who caused this entire chaos?"

"You are suffering, too. Plus, we are a team, a family. We care about each other."

"It's become more difficult for me to call myself a part of the Nightall team. I mean, look what I've done. I don't know why I'm talking to you when you're suffering more than me."

"Truth is," Edra started speaking in a serious tone "I have been wondering whether I should exclude your or not."

Blake didn't react to his friend's statement. Somehow, he was anticipating it.

"Then why didn't you do it?"

"I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to lose dear people anymore... but that's..."

"I know what you're going to say. Faye, right?"

"Things are so messed up. I can't bring myself to think clearly."

Blake patted Edra on her shoulder to comfort her, but she flinched.

"I look at you and I simply cannot put my thoughts in order. Was it necessary for everything to come to this point for you to realise?" the princess suddenly yelled.

"Edra, I know it already."

"No, you never did! Do you see what you have done? Shadow has Faye's life in his hands. Maybe he had already killed her in the meantime."

"You're wrong. She's alive!"

"Or she was!"

Edra abruptly stood in front of Blake and punched him. She continued to shed all her rage on her comrade without him reacting to it. The fire wielder finally covered his lower lip which was covered in blood and grabbed the fist of the princess.

"Now what? Are you done already? You cannot stand the pain?" she asked him. "Think about Faye for a second! Ever since we formed this team, you have been nothing but a nuisance to her. How could you be so well-mannered with us, but when it came to her, you switched to your monster self?"

"Edra, please, I want..."

"You want nothing. I am talking right now and you will listen carefully to what I have to say. I considered you a friend, a part of my family. I trusted you, Blake, do you understand? I, no, we thought you will eventually outgrow your idiotic behaviours." she continued her speech, grabbing Blake's collar with both her hands. "I was wrong, so wrong. Because of you, not only Faye is in danger, but the entire Filaria, possibly the entire Evonk Land if we do nothing. What has she ever done to you? She has taken care of you when you were injured. She has helped you when it came to a mission, she has given you advice whenever she could. Hell, she has put up with you for so much time I wonder how she can still keep her emotions under control. And now, you treat her like an object, gambling with her life and ours, too. Have this years spent together ever meant something to you?"

Silence.

"We have no blood connection, but I consider you my siblings. It hurts me to think that I was wrong about you."

"Edra, please..."

"I am not finished!! Listen to me, you heartless scum. I don't care that you cried like a crocodile in front of my father and the team. I want results, practical ones. When we finish this ordeal, if, God forbid, Faye is dead, I will not hesitate to condemn you for treason and execute you myself. She trusted you, even after everything you have put her through. Prove her that she was not mistakening. Prove me that I was not mistakening when I have chosen you to be part of the Nightfall team."

Edra released Blake and didn't give him a chance to speak.

"If you make a wrong step, only one step, you will die along with the Moon's Wolves. I'm sick of fighting the same thing in two different versions."

"Edra, stop! I want to tell you something!" Blake voiced his thoughts with distress.

"Say it quick. I cannot bear to stay in the same place with you for much longer."

"I will make things right. I promise we will bring Faye back home!"

"I recommend you, as a friend, to be serious about what you have just said. You do know that I despise liars and traitors. Let me finish by restating my warning: if things go wrong, the one who will die after Shadow will be you. If somebody tries to wreck havoc in my life by hurting those I care about, I will not hesitate to unleash ultimate chaos upon them."

The princess gave her statements in a sinister, calm manner, devoid of emotion. Before passing by Blake, she whispered her final thought.

"And I do not make exceptions."

With these words, Edra stormed into the palace, leaving the grey haired male in utter shock. Blake collapsed in his chair, not taking his eyes from the floor. As the view of the kingdom was silently witnessing his turmoil, the Forest of Venom emanated from the opposite an air of victory. Almost as if announcing the ultimate fight that was just around the corner.

In her room at the headquarters, Faye was lying on the bed, barely breathing. Her body went limp because of the breakdown she had experienced. Her rage left her without voice, as she continuously wailed. Her eyes, tired of all the shed tears, were fixated on the spot where she first encountered Ally. 

"How much I wish everything would go back to normal..." she barely mouthed.

She knew that the young assassin had been standing outside the room the entire time, listening. The weather wielder didn't care. She stopped caring about anything. She wanted to turn back time and prevent everything from ever happening. When she thought she was reaching Ron's human side, his confession turned her world upside down. Her worst enemy, so close of becoming her friend, turned out to be the murderer she was seeking to get revenge on. 

"Faye..." Ron called her cautiously.

The girl didn't move.

"Faye, I must talk to you."

"I want nothing to do with you!" she managed to scream.

"It's about your friends. It's important."

Thinking that she could get useful information, Faye struggled to go to the door. As soon as she opened it, her legs gave out and almost fainted. Ron caught her and kneeled. He embraced Faye tightly, as if in an attempt to bring back toghether the shards of a broken statue.

"You're killing me." the purple-haired girl stated nonchalantly.

"Please, hear me out."
"I already did. May I mourn in peace?"

"Please, it has to do with the two members of your team."

"Has Blake suggested some creative way of geetting rid of me or Asher offered to negotiate my price?"

"Faye, please, let me explain..."

"Listen up, midnight blueberry. I'm done with you playing mind games with me. In fact, how long are you planning to keep me here?"

"Five months." Ron answered oblivious.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Faye cried out, shoving the assassin. 

"Faye, calm down and let me explain, please."

"I don't want to hear anything from you! You kill my brother, take me hostage, stalk my friends, bargain with the idiot that made me fall into your trap, act all nice around me and still expect me to believe you? I had no idea you could be this insane."

"I'm not asking you to trust me."

"Your friends came into the forest to gather plants for an antidote."

"Plants which are in your possession."

"Blake told me the conditions in which it should be made."

"And what are those?"

"The person who makes it must be one with dignity, with a pure heart, no hatred, a brave soul, who can be able to sacrifice his or her life in the name of the greatest power in the world." he reproduced the answer given to him by Blake.

"Too bad. I've always despised my brother's murderer. It happened to be you, which means I despise you. I don't have a pure heart because of all the negativity that I've been pilling up all these years. I also don't love anyone. Yes, I love Filaria, my friends, but don't get your hopes up because I wouldn't fall for someone like you in the first place. I'm not intending to suffer from Stockholm syndrome."

Ron couldn't find his words after Faye's fast-paced speech.

"Let me be clear, Shadow." she started bitterly, emphasising his alias. "You're twisted. This whole situation is. I appreciate all the help that you offered me, mind you. I'm grateful for your protection. But things are just... messed up."

"You're right, it is." Ron confirmed. "It's difficult for me to grasp everything that's happened. Being used to such a brutal lifestyle and now facing the challenge of accepting all the consequences and my human nature became simply too overwhelming. You told me I could change, that I can restart."

"Don't continue. Stop. I know I've said this. Now that you're in front of me, after finding out the truth, I can't bring myself to say you deserve a second chance."

"You're entitled."

As he was listening, Ron tried to get closer to Faye, but she took a step back and crossed her arms. 

"Now what are we going to do?" the girl asked.

"I don't know..."

"You said another truth back when I was held in the dungeon. You bring darkness and pain. That's something that pains me to think about."

"I have something else that's important and I can't leave without letting you know."

"Say it quick. I cannot bear to stay in the same place with you for much longer."

"I will make things right." Ron declared, resting a hand on his heart and making the vow.

"I can't trust you. I can't trust my entire team. I can't trust myself anymore."

The assassin reached for her shoulder, but she slapped his hand away.

"Leave me alone. You've said enough for one night."

Faye clutched her sun pendant as she was staring intensly at Ron. The young man opened his mouth to speak, but chose not to. He hanged his head and left the room, leaving the weather wielder prey to the sadness.