Chapter 56

56 Avery’s pov I can hear mumbling, a voice sounding so close to Xaden’s. He’s speaking something to someone. I caught the words.

“Run. Council.”

There’s another sound I pick up too. The faint sound of heartbeats. Is it mine?

་་ཐབར ོས་།

“I won’t let you do that,” Xaden said in a firm voice. “He told me to protect her, she’s my little sister. You must think I’m a fool to just hand her over to the council.”

“She-

“Is under my protection. She didn’t see a thing. The boy Kyan or whatever his name is, was the one who knows. The other boys hadn’t believed him.” Xaden utters in a dominant voice.

I have never heard him sound so serious and unyielding. Xaden, even when growing up, he had always been the joker while Xade was the more serious brother. It comes as a shock to hear him sound so authoritative.

“You know they’ll still come after her Xaden. I don’t want anything bad to happen-

“Nothing bad will happen!” Xaden snapped, impatience on his tongue. “When they do come I’ll explain everything to them.”

The other familiar voice sighed heavily. “Xaden you know they’ll catch him soon enough You know they won’t listen to anything you have to say She’s in danger-

“For f*ck sake! I have it under control!”

The loud booming voice of Xaden roused me awake and I jerked up. gasping as my eyes snapped open only to wince when the assault of bright white lights smacked my vision.

The room goes quiet except for the soft faint beats of my heart beat. I looked around the room, aware of the wires attached to my skin.

My eyes fell on Xaden’s still back, behind him stood a man but I am unable to get a good look at him as Naden towers over him. But then Xaden turns around, his eyes so similar to Xade’s peering at me in worry As he moves to come over to me, I see who had been behind aim The headmaster Ile seems awkward, standing there wan a stoic “Hey little V.” Xaden breathed out beside the edge of the bed, his tall frame looming over me in worry “How are you feeling? You’ve been out for quite a while ”

My eyes flick from him to the headmaster, wondering why he was so quiet and awkward. Then I return my gaze to Xaden who had not removed his worried eves off me So many questions flutter in my head at once. causing my already pounding headache to grow and discomfort me. It feels like someone is purposely knocking a stone on my temple.

However, even through all those questions, my mind focuses on the one that matters the most to me.

“Xade.” I croaked out, now realizing the pain in my throat. I lift my hand up to touch my neck It hurts. It aches.

Flashbacks of what happened made the stillen cold. Kyan. With his fingers around my throat, pressing, digging into my neck. His other hand on my thigh. Had he succeeded in getting what he wanted?

Is that why I am here in the hospital, stuck to this bed? Tears brim my eyes and I swallowed but it pains to do so when my throat is so parched.

I can hear the way my heart kicked a bit on the monitor and my eyes flicked over to the machine. What had Kyan done to me? The last thing I remember is hearing an animalistic snarl. Too animalistic to even sound any bit of human.

What had happened?

And where was Xade?

As I move my eyes back to Xaden, I notice how his fo s not as relaxed as it was a second ago I am instantly intrigued to know y he looks like he would rather hide under the bed than answer me.

“Xaden?” I whispered, my heart skipping and the sound bounced off the hospital room’s four walls.

Xaden looks uncomfortable, his eyes briefly snapping to the headmaster before he pulls them back to me. “Xade, isn’t here,” he winced, looking at the pillow my head lay on.

My heart skipped again as I looked at Xaden in confusion and worry. “Where is he Xaden? Did he and Kyan….did he get there in time like he promised?” My voice is soft, hoping, praying Xade was okay and that he was the one who found me.

Xaden gulped but he wasn’t the one who responds. It was the headmaster who had stood there quietly observing me. “Xade will not be returning any time soon. Might not be coming back. It would be better if you did not ask any questions, Avery. Be assured Kyan is being dealt with and you won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

My fingers grip the sheets under me in a fist. “What?” The sound of my heart jamming against my ribcage painfully flutters in the room Nothing else registered but his words about Xade. He wasn’t coming back? What does he mean by that? Xade…..

There’s a pain in my chest, aching and bruised. “What do you mean he’s not coming back?” My voice cracks. What had happened? Why couldn’t I ask questions? What was going on?

But instead of responding to me when I needed the answer the most he turned around, his back stiffening as he utters over his shoulder. “They found him.” I knew his words were not directed to me but at Xaden who become rigid.

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