Chapter 27

At the breakfast table, Daivat waited for the team to come. It was just like he anticipated: nobody showed up. He didn't touch his food. He sent a few guards to call for the teenagers. In a short time, they returned and announced him of their refusal. He expected their reaction. After all, he ordered Faye to drink a lethal poison in front of their eyes. He told some servants to take the food back to the kitchen and went to check on the team. The king put his ear on each of their doors and listened to what was going on. Edra was wrecking her room. Noah was pacing around and clapping in an effort to distract himself. Rishima was throwing with blades at the door, a longer one sticking its end till the other side. Asher was looking through some papers, possibly old correspondences between him and his friends. Blake was clinking a glass and a bottle, trying to drown his trauma in alcohol. When he got to Zev's room, Daivat didn't hear a single sound. He opened the door ajar, slightly afraid. The telekinetic didn't pay attention to him. He seemed almost lifeless. His face didn't indicate any trace of emotion.

Daivat looked at the clock that chimed 8 AM. He headed towards Faye's room. Before he could enter, the door flew open. The girl was awake, not being able to grasp what had happened. 

"How can hell look so similar to the palace? Your Majesty, why are you here, too?"

The king chuckled and embraced her. 

"Faye, you didn't die. What you drank was a potion that gave the impression that you were dead. The effects were supposed to last for almost twelve hours."

"How are my friends? I must see them immediately."

Faye recalled Zev's terror when he was holding her in her "last" moments and Edra's screams. Daivat explained what effect her "passing" had had on the team and related everything that happened after potion took effect on her completely. The weather wielder left the sovereign while he was still explaining her and went to check on Zev. She punched the door so hard that the telekinetic held her at gun point when he opened it. When he saw her standing in front of him, he dropped his weapon and cupped her face.

"Zev, I'm back!" she told him, recreating their reunion in the garden.

"You're alive! You're alive!" the young man marveled, lifting her up in an expansive embrace. 

He twirled a few times, while Faye was laughing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. Zev closed his eyes, too, and in the euphoria of the moment, he let her descend slowly. Without noticing, their faces came mere inches apart. The telekinetic scolded himself mentally for submitting to his temptation, but he was too happy. He thought he had lost her again. She was alive, in his arms. As their lips almost touched, Faye drew her head back. Her eyes were glistening with tears. 

"Zev..." she called him.

The white-haired male glanced at her bewildered. He regained his composure and gently put her down. He felt like he was possessed to do this. Whether because his closed off nature had found someone who appreciated him despite his peculiar temper, he had no idea. What he was certain of was the fact that he wasn't desperate, but genuine. Faye also realised it. The telekinetic tried to apologise, but they were interrupted by the sound of alarmed footsteps. Soon, the entire team barged into Zev's room, giving him a respite. 

"I didn't talk to you as a friend. Instead, I used my titles. Forgive me, little orchid!" Edra said, giving her a bear hug.

"She's my friend, too!" Rishima added, almost jumping of joy. 

"Someone up there loves us too much to leave us suffer like this!" Noah remarked.

"Crying twice, dying thrice. Dear Lord..." Asher commented.

Daivat had explained that the situation was just a test and they had nothing to be afraid of regarding Faye's well being. While everyone was rejoicing, even Blake in his own way, the king noticed Zev's tension. He went to him and asked him what was wrong. The telekinetic was caught off guard.

"Forgive me, Sire. I was lost in thought."

"I want to apologise for the uproar that I have caused."

"Pardon my insolence, but is it alright if we can talk in private?"

"You have always been too polite and strict with yourself." the man remarked. 

The two left the rest of the group and continued their discussion in the hall.

"Sire, I will be honest with you. I have never questioned your decisions, but I have always analysed them from various perspectives."

"You never argued about anything with me or your teammates."

"I sincerely apologise for not doing it last night." Zev confessed. 

Daivat was astonished at his bold claims.

"When you ordered Faye to drink the false poison, I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I did nothing. I simply held her while she was gasping for air."

"You refused to hand her to me," the king challenged Zev to see his reaction.

"I don't know if it was instinct or emotion. I couldn't find it in myself to let her go."

"The test showed me what I truly needed to know about all of you." 

"What do you mean?"

"Faye was willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of the kingdom of which you are part of. Edra was willing to go against my word to save her friend. Rishima was paralysed by fear, yet she managed to assist to everything. Noah and Asher prevented my daughter to act impulsively and let herself prey to despair, despite being afraid themselves. Blake tried to instigate you, but he proved himself to be weak deep down. You were quick to come to your friends' aid. You stood by Rishima's side when she almost fainted. You rushed to Faye when she drank the potion and comforted her. Despite believing she was about to die, she had a calm aura knowing she was in your arms. You didn't say speak after I gave Faye the order, but your actions did."

"I see..."

"Your eyes are burdened with regret, Zev Almain. You have something that weighs down on your shoulders." 

"I should have been protesting like the princess or at least show a reaction like the others."

"Being able to be strong and take care of those near you when you yourself need reassurance is a rare quality. This is my verdict: I am disappointed in your brother. Edra, Faye, Rishima, Asher, Noah and you demonstrated that you are worthy to be part of the Nightfall team. Not just because of the test. I base my affirmation on the entire experience since you have come together and pledged your loyalty. You had astounding successes, made mistakes along the way, strove to become better. It was and is an honour to see you grow and mature."

"I will do better than this. I promise you." Zev declared and bowed respectfully.

The king rested his hand on his head with fatherly warmth and dragged him in an embrace. 

"Son, I sense a deep unrest within you."

"Do you think I will be truly happy one day?" 

Daivat was taken by surprise.

"Sire, I am restless, passionate, unusual. I am supposed to keep my mind and heart under control. However, there are times when I cannot do it." he said, remembering the moment he almost kissed Faye. "I am swinging between extremes: too guarded or too hotheaded. Please, I need your guidance."

"I have heard you are referred to as a wolf. The association couldn't be more accurate. You trust and doubt yourself in an equal manner. You are sharp-witted. You crave freedom. You are devoted and protective. Preferring to be on your own occasionally is not a bad thing. I can see you trust your friends. Don't let your insecurities cloud your judgement. They should serve you to make progress, not to keep you stuck. Be proud of who you are. You have all the right to do so. Moreover, you are human. Of course you will make errors, you are not perfect and nobody is."

"Thank you for everything. I am grateful."

"Be appeased! I am sure your feelings will be reciprocated."

Zev blushed in embarrassment and tried to find an excuse to change the subject. The king realised his dilemma and gave him an encouraging pat before leaving. 

"What have I gotten myself into..." the telekinetic complained.

"You've been gone for quite a while, brother." Blake commented and put an arm around his neck.

"I advise you to take off your filthy tentacle before I turn it into an accordion."

"Is it wrong to spend some time with my twin? Besides, I heard the king saying something about a girl. Don't tell me you wanted relationship advice. It will end sadly before even starting."

"At least I don't behave like a psychopath that abuses people." Zev grimaced.

"You're socially inapt. Who would ever look at you? Maybe a desperate and unstable gal. Someone like the weather, that's a much better way to put it." 

The telekinetic shoved Blake as he passed by him. 

"That's the confirmation I needed." the fire wielder said, proud that his provocation gave him the answer he wanted. "I can't believe this!" 

Blake chuckled and followed his brother back to his room. Their friends were ready to go back to their business when Asher noticed Zev sulking and Blake almost laughing.

"Please, don't tell me it's going to be a showdown soon." The water wielder requested.

"Nah, we're good." Blake said with a sneer, looking in Faye's direction and winking.

The weather wielder excused herself and left. When she passed by Blake, they looked at each other for a few moments and din't say a word. Zev held his breath, waiting to intervene if something happened. To his relief, his brother simply nodded and headed to the library. The telekinetic couldn't follow Faye since it would have been too conspicuous. He already acknowledged he was in love in front of the king. He didn't expect Blake to come after him and eavesdrop. 

"I'll take a walk in the garden for a while. Don't mind me." Zev said and ran away.

"Ok, it's getting weirder and weirder." Asher concluded.

"A lot has happened in such a short time. Let's leave them clear their minds." Edra suggested. "I can't imagine being in Zev or Blake's shoes last night. Hopefully Blake won't attempt anything. Judging by the recent events, I doubt he would bother Faye for the time being.

"You got to admit that Zev is acting quite bizarre." 

"Zev will be Zev." Noah ended the conversation.

In the garden, the white-haired wandered without any direction in mind. He reflected on everything that happened since the beginning of the team. He stopped in front of the lilies. His fingers ran across their delicate petals and the corners of his mouth curled up. A weight had been at last lifted off his heart. He admitted to himself that he loved Faye. When did it start, he had no idea. He had always been thoughtful of his comrades, despite the problems that appeared from time to time due to his difficult character. Faye managed to find solutions in order to come to a middle ground. 

"Zev..." he remembered how she had called him tearfully just before his lips met hers.

The telekinetic shook his head and came to his senses.

"What was I thinking?" he asked himself out loud.

Zev took a step back from the flowers and continued his stroll. All of a sudden, a wave of guilt overcame him. He didn't know if it was right to feel like this towards her. He had been by her side since she returned to the palace, helping her avoid his brother and reliving the torment. She was still confused after what she went through. He gave her peace of mind, but after he almost kissed her, he complicated things for her. Faye had told him almost everything, except for the part when she and Ron fell in love with each other. After he witnessed her hesitance and the pain in her eyes, he knew he was too rash. Zev was afraid of losing the weather wielder. His bond with Blake was already broken. Besides the fire wielder, the telekinetic didn’t have other relatives. A painful realisation suddenly hit him. He was alone. He had comrades he could rely on during missions, but he had nobody whom he could truly talk to, except for a certain someone.

        “What have I gotten myself into…”

Absent-mindedly, Zev strayed from the main path and followed a narrower one that lead to a bigger alley which circled the palace. He kept walking until he spotted Faye on her balcony. He froze mid-step and tried to turn around, but she had already seen him. He couldn’t dare to look at her, yet something made him raise his head. She was wearing a white sleeveless ankle-length dress and her purple hair was cascading down her shoulders. The young man was taken by surprise, since he hadn’t seen her too often like that. The girl gave him a tender smile and turned to face the mighty Forest of Venom. The slight shadow of joy upon seeing Zev disappeared as her eyes landed on the cursed place. She went back to her room without glancing at her friend a second time. Zev thought back on how worried she was if Shadow was still alive. He had many questions, yet he decided to stay quiet.

        "It’s not my business to pry.” The telekinetic muttered and walked back to the garden.

 

At around 8 o’clock in the evening, the entire team gathered in the dining hall to serve dinner. Asher was about to take a sip of water when he noticed Zev was shaking his head sideways slowly. The telekinetic was lost in thoughts again. The red-haired male was accustomed with his habits, but his friend didn’t seem to be in a good state. He slightly touched his shoulder, making him jump.

“If you don’t feel alright, you should go to the infirmary. Did you hit your head? Shall I help you?” the water wielder asked.

“I’m fine.”

"If you don't feel alright, you should go to the infirmary. Did you hit your head? Shall I help you?" the water wielder asked.

"I’m fine.”

Asher didn’t pressure him further. He looked at Faye, who sat across him next to Edra, and noticed she was in low spirits. Everyone seemed agitated and the king shared the water wielder’s concern. Daivat stood up to get their attention. Something was off and Asher was sure of it.

“I am very happy to be with you at the same table.” Daivat addressed them. “Every meal we have shared together was a blessing for me.”

“Father, why are you talking like that all of a sudden?” Edra asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “My dear daughter, I feel the need to say this. One day, I will be no more and you will rule this kingdom. I want to be convinced that you have good people surrounding you. There will be obstacles along the way. Having support is crucial in times of need. However, it will all come down to how you cooperate with each other. If enemies try to attack you, they will take advantage of your internal strifes first of all. I have done everything in my power to help all of you. Whether you will take into consideration my advice, it is up to you. When my time will come, I want to leave this world with my heart at peace, knowing that you will still carry the values and principles you honestly fight for in your souls.”

Nobody said anything in return after Daivat sat down. They continued to eat in silence without taking their eyes off the plates. The king’s speech made the teammates reflect on the future. They were aware they would be forced to fight against the Moon’s Wolves once more. They needed a decisive victory in order to stop the threat. One by one, they retired into their rooms.

Faye was pacing nervously around her chamber. It was close to midnight, yet she couldn’t stay calm. She glanced through the balcony door at the dark sky. The moon was completely covered by clouds. She had a bad feeling. Her instincts never failed her. She moved her fingers as she chanted a spell. Soon, a lightning hit a place close to her balcony and violent thunders ripped the silence of the night. A menacing shadow flew past her window. She was right. The spell made the lightning strike whatever enemy was in the proximity of the palace. However, the stranger managed to avoid it.

“That’s impossible.” she panicked.

The weather wielder exited her room and found the guards running on the hallways, screaming and preparing their weapons:

  “Someone has entered the palace! All the guards at the entrance have been killed! Whoever it is, don’t let them get to the king or the princess!”

“Oh no!” she said and dashed to the throne room, taking her gun and dagger.