Leiya pulled the heavy oak door open. She stepped into the dim hallway. The transition from Elowen's suffocating presence back to the regular world felt like surfacing for air. Her fingers clamped tightly around the silver vial. It was the only thing keeping her anchored to the floorboards.
Thorne and Mira were on her instantly. Thorne pushed off the stone wall with a grunt of impatience. Mira stood with arms crossed, suspicion etched into her features.
"Finally," Thorne said. His voice echoed in the narrow space. "You were in there for almost an hour. Any news?"
Mira stepped closer. Her eyes narrowed at the shimmering silver liquid. "You were in there so long. Is he gonna be alright?"
Leiya felt the weight of Elowen's command. The lecture on the architecture of the soul and the terrifying hierarchy of existence pressed against her mind. It was a burden she wasn't ready to share, especially since Elowen had explicitly told her to lie.
"No," Leiya said. She forced her voice to remain steady. "Not at all. Give me a moment. I was told to give this vial to Kota."
Mira looked ready to protest. Leiya didn't wait for an answer. She pushed past them toward the back of the house. The air was cooler there, smelling of old dust. She saw the apprentice standing in a nearby room and stopped briefly.
"The doctor wants to speak with you," Leiya said.
Behind her, Thorne let out a long sigh of frustration. Neither of them followed. They remained in the hallway like sentries guarding a tomb they didn't understand.
When she reached Kota's room, she paused to steady her breathing. She felt the faint hum of his power through the wood. She pushed the door open quietly. Kota was sitting on the edge of a small cot, head in his hands. The tremors were visible now. His shoulders shook. His knuckles were white. The silver liquid in the vial seemed to glow brighter as she approached.
"Kota," she whispered, sitting beside him. "The doctor gave me this. She said you'll be fine for a few days if you take it."
Kota looked up. His eyes were wide, filled with a depth of exhaustion no child should ever know. He reached out and took the glass. He didn't ask what Elowen had told her. He simply uncorked the vial and swallowed the contents in a single gulp.
Almost instantly, the shaking in his hands began to fade. The dark aura retracting from his skin. He looked pale. Fragile once more.
"Don't speak," Kota said. His voice was barely audible. He leaned his head back against the wall. "The medicine makes the noise go away for a bit. We're leaving in the morning."
Leiya's worry flared. "Leaving? Why? The doctor said you weren't stable. You need to recuperate."
Kota didn't open his eyes. He looked as though he were listening to something far away.
"We can't stay here. This house is a target. I won't let her get caught in the middle of whatever is coming for me. We leave at sunrise."
Leiya sat closer. Her voice dropped to an urgent whisper.
"Fine. I guess we're leaving. But I have to tell you something. The doctor wanted me to keep quiet, but I can't. The guy with the eye in his hand is your older brother Hykee. The female is Lokee. I don't know why they're hunting you, but Elowen confirmed it. She is intense, Kota. She talks like she knows how your soul is built."
Kota froze. The silence became heavy. Suffocating. He didn't move for a long time. The news that his own flesh and blood led the chase hit him harder than any physical blow.
"Hykee," Kota whispered. The name sounded like a curse. "And Lokee. My own siblings."
Leiya watched him closely. "What are you thinking about doing? Where are we to go? What is the plan, Kota?"
"Stop asking questions," Kota snapped. His voice cracked under the strain. "I'm trying to think."
He took a deep breath and looked at the small window.
"We're going home. Back to the ruins of the Speedhardt estate. There was a cellar under the library where Dad kept his most valuable possessions. I know the estate was leveled, but that cellar is still intact. There are things in there that not even the other siblings know about."
Leiya sighed. She looked at the floorboards.
"We're more liable to die going home. I'd tell you this isn't the right move, but I know you won't listen anyway. Let's discuss this in the morning. I'll see if Elowen has more vials for your sickness."
In the main office, Elowen stood by the window. Her expression was stern. Analytical. She didn't move when the apprentice, entered.
"Caelum," Elowen said. Her voice brooked no argument. "Stop that fidgeting. It is an inefficient use of your nervous system and provides no tactical advantage. We have a long night ahead. You and I will take turns watching over this house with Thorne. I think Kota will leave tomorrow."
Caelum stopped mid-step. "Good. He needs to leave."
"Caelum, do you hate the boy?" Elowen asked."No. I just don't want to be an enemy of the King or caught in anything pertaining to him. But never mind that. It seems his Yen has calmed down."
"I know," Elowen acknowledged. Her eyes narrowed. "But something is wrong. I smell a stench."
Caelum blinked in confusion. "A stench?"
"It's as if a stinky Whiteflame is near," Elowen said. Her voice dropped. "Seems like we're being watched. That stench is repulsive. It's making me nauseous."
Caelum looked toward the window. "How can you smell them? I thought the whole clan was decimated a couple years ago."
"I don't know," Elowen replied. Her voice was flat and clinical. "Seems like one survived. Go lock the doors. Go to the cellar and grab my lead case marked Elara and Elowen. And tell Thorne to be on the lookout. Someone is watching."
Caelum scrambled to obey. Elowen turned back toward the window. Kota was her brother's son. She couldn't just let him leave without help.
"He needs to learn the Zen techniques," she whispered to the empty room. "He needs to cultivate his hearts. I need to teach him how to wield Yan. The boy doesn't have a single ounce of Yan in his system. That is a mathematical disaster waiting to happen."