Willow clutched the blanket tighter around herself, her eyes focused on Navian. He was at the counter, casually making coffee as if nothing unusual had happened in the last seventeen hours.
When he finished, he handed her a protein bar and dropped onto the couch beside her, drinking without a care in the world. She checked the protein bar and although it was a brand that she hadn't seen before, Willow didn't think that items people like Navian Grimm used would be available to the public.
After she was certain that the protein bar was safe to eat, she opened it and then returned her attention to him.
"You know what I was doing?" Her voice was still raw from the hours of screaming.
Navian pulled the cup from his lips, lifting a brow.
"I'm not stupid, pretty thief. I know that you stole Cyro cells from Ezrik, I know what it's used for. And judging by the fact you came all the way to Nexus for it, I doubt you needed it for biological weapons. You wanted it for your body. That's easy enough to figure out."
"Ah… I see." She blinked slowly. So now two people knew. Not great. Then again, both Navian and Evren had saved her though each in their own unexpected and terrifying way.
"I guess all you Ascendants are just monsters." She blurted.
"Monsters?" Navian mused.
"Crazy monsters," she corrected with a frown.
He shook his head with a faint smirk. "We're not monsters. We just possess superior capabilities. Superior enough to rule over you all."
Willow glared at him. "Are you serious right now?"
"You know," Navian said, cocking his head, "you do deserve to be an Ascendant. You went through the mutation process, and you're still breathing…" His smirk faded into something more curious. "You're actually alive. Who are you?"
Willow felt her body go stiff. Oh, I messed up. I shouldn't have let him see.
But... there hadn't been a choice. It was either this or spend the rest of her life as a weak Dreg.
She let out a heavy sigh. "My dad spent his life working on Nex-9. When he died, I found his research and decided to try it out myself. The Cyro cells were the last missing piece, and I—"
"You're tired of living?" he interrupted, his cold eyes brightening faintly.
A wry smile touched her lips. Something like that. I've died once, though. "I just didn't want to keep living as a Dreg. It was this or nothing."
"Interesting." Navian nodded, clearly impressed. "I like people like you. You are willing to take great risks in this broken world. Join my team."
She blinked at him. "What team?"
"My team."
"Yes, you've said that before. But I still don't know what your team does."
He downed the rest of his coffee and rose to his feet. "If you're going to join, you'll find out."
"I'll pass," she said flatly.
He tilted his head. "You're making a choice you'll regret, pretty thief."
"I thought you knew me, master. I only make choices when I'm backed into a corner or when I know exactly what I'm walking into. I have no reason to join your team." Willow narrowed her eyes at him.
"True." Navian nodded. "But how will you explain to the academy that you tested as a Dreg and now have abilities?"
"I don't think I have abilities… not yet, anyway." She stood, pushing the blanket off her shoulders. "And I'm done here with Nexus."
Navian's brows arched just a bit before smoothing back into a neutral expression. He placed the mugs on the table, then picked up the blanket and draped it over her shoulders again.
"Hold on. I'll prepare a bath for you. You can leave after you've cleaned up." He didn't wait for her reaction before walking away.
Willow sank back onto the couch, feeling dizzy from blood loss. The blanket felt heavier now. She still couldn't believe Navian was preparing a bath for her, a Dreg, and his fodder.
At this point, she was really sure that he really didn't care about the hierarchy between them.
A few minutes later he returned with neatly folded clothes. "I'll toss your uniform in the laundry and have it sent to you later. Wear these in the meantime."
Her cheeks warmed. "Your clothes? Won't they be too big?"
"Does it matter? You'll change once you're back in your dorm." He dropped them into her lap.
"…Thanks." Willow muttered shyly.
"Go inside." Navian took the empty mugs to the coffee machine while she slipped into the bedroom.
The space was stark black and ash-gray dominating everything, a great difference from Ezrik's room.
In the luxurious bathroom, she lingered in the hot water tub before dressing in the oversized grey shirt and slim-cut shorts, cinched with a belt.
After she finished drying her hair, she studied herself in the large full-length mirror. The fit was loose, but she couldn't deny she looked good. She even smelled faintly like him…
A small smile tugged at her lips. She pressed a palm to the mirror then gasped as Navian's reflection appeared behind her.
She turned, meeting his gaze as it swept over her from head to toe.
"You look good." He murmured.
Willow's face flushed and she avoided his eyes. "Well, I, uh.."
"Are you really leaving?" Navian asked immediately and she looked at his face surprised by how quick he asked that.
And for a second, she thought he looked… disappointed.
"Yes," she said firmly. "I'm leaving Nexus Academy."
Navian nodded slowly. "Okay then. You can leave now."
Willow didn't know why those words hurt her but she dragged her feet to the door which slid open instantly. The moment she stepped out, the door closed behind her and she let out a deep breath.
"I have to leave."