The first light of dawn filtered through the small window. It cast a pale, grey hue over the room. Kota sat up slowly. His body ached with a deep, rhythmic thrum.
The sickness was still lurking in his blood. He watched the steady rise and fall of Leiya's chest. Her face was finally peaceful.
Down the hall, Mira and Thorne were lost in the heavy sleep of the exhausted. Kota felt a sudden, sharp pang of irritation. He looked at the wall separating them. They felt weak.
They had followed him into the jaws of a world that wanted him dead. The road ahead would only grow more violent.
He thought about leaving Mira and Thorne with Elowen. If he embarked on his own with only Leiya, he could draw the eyes of their enemies away. No one else would die. Mira and Thorne had done enough. He was a beacon for chaos. He could no longer justify dragging them into the path of Aetheron. Hykee and Lokee were out there. Alive. Hunting. The thought of the weak caught in the crossfire was a weight he could not carry.
Kota stood. He slipped out of the room. His boots made no sound on the cold floor. He found Elowen in the hallway. Her workstation was cluttered with vials. She looked up. Her eyes were sharp. Knowing.
"You are awake early, boy," Elowen said. Her voice was a low rasp. "The medicine is nearly ready."
"I am not here for the vials, Elowen," Kota said. His voice was steady. "I'll be leaving soon. I am taking Leiya with me. But I want you to keep Mira and Thorne here. They will be safe with you. I cannot let them follow me any further."
Elowen stopped her work. She set a glass tube down with a deliberate click. She shook her head.
"No," she declined firmly. "I will not agree to let you discard your protection. You think you're protecting them, but you're only weakening your chances. You cannot survive what is ahead without every hand you can find."
A floorboard creaked. Thorne stood in the shadows. He had overheard. His face was set in a stubborn line.
"I am going with you no matter what," Thorne said. His voice cracked but gained strength. "You don't get to decide to leave us in some strange house. Besides, the doctor scares me. I'd rather be out there with you. We knew the risks. I thought we were becoming friends. You can't leave us behind because you feel like we'd die."
Kota turned to him. His expression hardened.
"Friends? Hmm," Kota muttered. His eyes were cold. "Thorne, go back to sleep. You and Mira stay here. I won't be responsible for your deaths. I cannot have that on my soul."
A cold shiver ran down Kota's spine. A woman's voice, ancient and hollow, echoed through his marrow. It was an unknown entity. Her tone made the air feel thin.
"Boy."
Kota froze. His eyes darted around the empty corridor. "Oh, it's you again," he whispered.
Thorne blinked. "What? Who are you talking to?"
"No one," Kota said quickly. "Never mind. It's nothing."
The door to the main room opened. Leiya and Mira entered. They looked alert. Suspicious. Leiya looked at Kota, reading the confusion and coldness on his face.
"Kota, what do you have planned?" Leiya asked. Her gaze shifted to the books on the table.
The voice in Kota's head grew louder. A dark hum. "Boy."
What do you want? Kota responded in his head.
"You will take those two along for the journey," the entity commanded. Her presence swirled like a storm. "They will prove to be useful. You just don't see it yet."
Useful? How?
She ignored him. Her presence shifted to cold indifference.
"Are you tired?"
No. Why are you asking?
"Very well."
The voice dissipated. It left a ringing silence. Kota felt a heavy weight in his stomach. He looked at Leiya. Then the others.
"I wanted to leave them here and just go," Kota said aloud. His voice was flat. "But just disregard whatever I said."
He turned to Elowen. "Anything you need to give me, just give it to her."
He walked back to his room without another word. He left them confused. The tension in the hall was a thick fog.
Elowen turned to Leiya. She picked up the heavy volumes. "I've gathered a few books. They'll be useful. I suspected he'd want to leave in the morning, but not this soon. I'll also prepare a pouch for vials. Each will keep his sickness down for a few days."
Leiya took the books. Her fingers traced the leather. She looked at Thorne and Mira. "Gather your things. We'll be leaving soon."
Mira and Thorne left to pack. "He really tried to leave us," Mira whispered. Her voice was hurt. Thorne nodded. "He's scared, Mira. But we aren't leaving him."
When they were gone, Leiya leaned closer to Elowen. "Ever since he was hit fighting raiders, he's been acting weird. Kota would never talk like this. Something is wrong, Elowen."
Elowen nodded slowly. "Maybe his Yen is getting stronger. I feel like the boy is out of touch with reality. He may be entering an Inversion if he's slowly changing. Watch him closely. Don't make him upset. It'll more than likely further his Inversion."
Inside the room, Kota sat on the bed. He closed his eyes.
Woman, he whispered.
There was only the sound of his breathing.
Woman, are you there?
She didn't respond. Kota gripped his hair. I must be going crazy. Am I just hallucinating? Did getting hit in the head really rattle my nerves? He sat in the silence. The emptiness in his head felt louder than the voice itself.
Away from Null Haven, in the suffocating greenery of the forest, the morning air was thick. Koma stood in a clearing. His presence turned the woods stagnant and cold. He waited. Hykee was approaching.
Hykee stepped into the clearing. His grin was wide. Fierce. The pain in his neck had faded into a dull roar. Adrenaline replaced it.
"You look ready to break, brother," Koma said. His voice was smooth. Dangerous. "Let's see if you can actually keep me entertained."
Hykee didn't answer with words. He lunged. His movements were a blur of raw power. He sought to prove he was more than the weakness Koma accused him of. The first clash of their energy sent a shockwave through the trees. Branches snapped. The mist scattered.
High above, Kaola hovered. She used her wind Yan to hold her position. Kana sat on a stone ledge in silence. Lokee stood a few paces behind. They stood witness as the two brothers tore into the forest.