Chapter 22

Just as Edra was about to dart toward the door, Faye tugged at her sleeve. She realised that the gathering would be the perfect pretext for questions and she hadn't made her mind. What to say and what not to say? She felt like her experience was taken from an adventure story, not from the real life. The weather wielder knew Blake would find a way to twist her words for the worse. 

"Right now? I mean, in this moment?"

"Of course, Faye. We can't waste any more time."

The princess stormed out, while Faye was panicking.

"I'm done for! I'm so done for! What am I going to do?"

"You have nothing to worry about." Zev said to calm her.

"You don't get it! I-"

"He can't do anything to you. He won't dare."

It dawned on the telekinetic that his comrade was still frightened of his brother. Her fake smile was eloquent. Faye couldn't stop thinking about one thing: judgement. She had yet to choose carefully the information and an adequate way to express them. Collaborating with an enemy meant treason. Although, she had done it to help her friends in order to defeat the assassins. The antidote was made because of Ron's wish and the magic of the pendants. Remembering what had happened before she was teleported back in Filaria made her unease grow stronger. She still felt like she did nothing. She still felt like she just went with the flow and waited for a miracle to happen, which, to her suprise, came. 

Sadness and disgust clouded Faye's features. Her eyes were twinkling because of the tears that were threatening to fall. She roughly rubbed them with the back of her hand. Her initial relief was taken over by despair. She wasn't afraid, but horrified at the thought of ending up executed. Zev saw through her anguish and came closer to her. 

"I don't know what to do... I'm done for!" Faye wailed. "I'm so done for if all of them come!" 

Zev couldn't take it anymore and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't know the details about what she had been through, but he sensed her despair. He had no idea of her struggle with a moral dilemma. He wished to ease her pain even a little, but he found himself unable to. The embrace was the only thing that came to his mind.

"The team is going to be here soon and I'm a complete mess! I just couldn't say no to Edra!"

"She's the princess, but that doesn't mean you should do absolutely what she says." Zev said a bit anxiously.

"There have been many problems which needed to be addressed long ago. We should-"

"We should ALL be ready." Zev emphasized the word. "I can talk to the others and have this meeting some time later."

"You idiot, the Moon's Wolves can attack at any moment. We must talk!"

"You say this, but deep down, you're unsure."

Faye distanced herself from Zev. 

"I'm done for, don't you understand?"

"I get the feeling that there are some things you're not ready to share yet, am I right?"

Faye's eyes went round. She didn't want to admit, but Zev was a master at reading people. Even if his quiet nature was sometimes laughed at by Blake, the girl knew that her friend was very observant.

"I understand it." he said, taking Faye's hands into his. "I gave Edra the antidote, as you told me to. I didn't anticipate her reactions very well, though. I'll go after her and suggest we have a discussion later."

"But, Zev..."

"I'm sure the kingdom won't be attacked any time soon. You come first."

Zev smiled at her and prepared to take his leave. When he pushed the doorknob, the weather wielder's voice stopped him.

"Thank you... and I'm sorry." 

The white-haired male turned around and said:

"When you're ready, we can talk if you wish."

Faye was now alone in her room. She collapsed on the bed and the leeve holding back her emotions disappeared. She hugged her pillow, trying to muffle her wails. She asked herself how could Zev be so compassionate. He realised she was holding things from them, but chose not to pry. With the current situation in the team, Faye knew that Zev was the most suitable person to talk to. He was understanding and had no intention of judging or jumping to conclusions. As she was drying her tears, she looked at the door once again, hoping for it to remain closed.

Edra summoned her friends in the moot hall and told them the good news. Blake was standing with his mouth agape, while Rishima was unable to contain her glee.

"You have to be kidding me... But how?" the fire wielder asked.

"She's back, guys! Faye is really back!"

"This is a miracle!!" Rishima yelled.

"Hold on, Ri, you're going to give me a black eye if you throw your hands like this in the air." Noah recommended his comrade.

"How the hell did this happen?" Blake continued with the questions.

"I don't know. I don't know." Edra answered.

In the midst of the conversation, the doors flew open. The Nightfall team took their fighting stances, only to realise that Zev came in a great hurry.

"Buddy, you should take a break." Noah suggested him again. "You've been acting weird."

"HOLD ON!" Blake ordered. "You have some explanations to give us."

"Spare me the pleasantries. I must tell Edra something."

"Why not us all? Are you hiding something?"

"Let him speak!" Edra interrupted.

"It's about Faye. She's not alright." Zev proceeded to say. "She... had a serious mental breakdown."

Everyone was silent.

"But the enemies can attack us and we're not ready. I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but we have to be prepared, whatever the cost." Blake intervened, fixing his sibling with his gaze.

The telekinetic rubbed the tips of his fingers together, remembering the scars on Faye's scalp. He would not let Blake degrade Faye, directly or indirectly.

"She's spent half a year in the clutches of the Moon's Wolves. We've been all desperately trying to find a way to bring her back. At least, I liked to believe that ALL of us were on the same page. Now that she's returned, you go back to your old ways." Zev accused his twin.

"I just state the facts." Blake made an effort to keep his composure. "We don't know when the enemies will make their next move."

"Faye's endured atrocities we can't even fathom."

"She's not in a good state, I get it, but this doesn't mean it will last forever. She needs to get herself together soon."

"You goddamn scum! You were crying your eyes out in front of the king after you encountered Shadow that you will make things right! A wonder brought our friend back and you don't even bother to be happy about it."

"All I want to know is how she got back."

The others took a few steps back and assisted helplessly at the harsh exchange between the two brothers. Edra clutched her head in her hands and attempted to interfere, but Asher stopped her.

"There is something fishy in all of this. Zev, when did she get here?"

"Last night."

"So what were you doing then? When we met in front of her room. I was passing by and you were just getting out. Were you making a plan or something so that you can hide what we all want to know?"

Blake's outburst caught Zev off-guard, but he managed to maintain his calm.

"Make your point clear, brother." the white-haired young man stated, hissing the last word.

"Something happened. Something that we must know. And I will find out. What if you talked about the assassins or even Shadow? This is essential information that we need."

"ENOUGH!" Edra shouted, breaking them apart before it got into a physical fight.

"Come on, I'm sorry for what I did to her, but we can't afford to lost time." the red-haired fighter added.

"Family comes first. You know, when we talked on the balcony, you were genuinely concerned about Faye's fate. I hoped you've changed your ways, but again, I was wrong, so wrong. You're not capable of empathy! She's been through hell and you don't even give her time to make sense of herself. We have to protect this kingdom, but I don't want it to come at the cost of anyone's life. I was so happy to see her home. I wanted to be a whole team once more and discuss all these things together, but it seems like we can't. Are you seriously thinking of interrogating someone whose mental condition hit rock bottom? Because this is what I understood from what you've said."

Blake didn't say anything in return for a while.

"I'm glad she's back. She's endured a lot. I get it. I can't help but be wary that something doesn't feel right here. Why would Zev defend her so fiercely? He rarely shows emotion. There's something at the middle that I can't put my finger on."

With these words, Blake made his way toward the hallway. He turned around and said:

"I'm glad Faye's back. I'll try to refrain myself from asking her too many questions at a time. We will know the truth eventually."

The fire wielder left his friends behind. Everyone was eyeing Zev with curiosity. The tension was so high you could cut it with a knife. 

"She will tell us eventually." he started. 

"I don't know what to think anymore." Edra muttered.

"Things are just getting more complicated and Blake doesn't help either." Asher acknowledged. "For the time being, we should leave Faye rest. When she gets better, certainly she will talk to us."

Zev let out a sigh of relief. Edra went back to her room, her mind still overload with stress and worry. She discovered how far the problems went in Faye and Blake's relationship. She went to her father to seek guidance, thinking about her friend who was in pain and the other who was just as fickle as the weather.