A game of power (book 1 of the Game series)

12.Kadyn

As Kadyn threw back his head, he felt the familiar burning of alcohol creeping down his throat, scorching him and making him gasp for air. His eyes watered for a brief moment and then he laughed, as the drunken haze that covered his eyes grew stronger. He looked at Kodie and grinned.

"You know 'di, I think, I thinnnkk, I- Oh!"

He'd forgotten what he was going to say, and the corners of his mouth dropped, his lips forming a small pout as he wracked his brain, trying desperately to ignore his friend giggling. He sat for a moment and then he spoke again,

" That's it!! I, I think that, that you, miss Kodie, could pass for one of the goddesses. If- IF I didn't know you as well as, as I do now, I'd even think that you are one, one of them!"

His speech was broken up by small hiccoughs that shook his body, as he peered up through his lashes at the lady before him.

"Is that so? Well, I suppose, in that case then, as a divine being, I demand that you, Kadyn Harkwood, give up on the drinks tonight."

He frowned again and hit the bar with his small, scarred fist, growling lowly before folding his arms.

"That's not how it works! Gods can't interfere with free will! That's not fair I-"

He was cut off as a familiar pair of arms wrapped around his lithe waist, squeezing softly,

"Sweetheart, life isn't fair, and sometimes, it will do things that will throw you off, but you have to just ignore it. Now, what about we head to bed, hmm?"

The words this time came from above him as he looked up, noticing that Jaks was now there, his warm breath fanning over Kadyn's fluffy hair. He humphed and then protested in vain. It was pointless arguing against the pair when it came to his wellfare, they were like an overbearing pair of mother hens, constantly fussing over him.

He sighed and then stood, flashing a sarcastic smile at the pair, his eyes narrowing at the corners to express his distaste, before flouncing toward the stairs at the back of the dark room. He made his way up them, ensuring to stomp as loudly as he could to cause as much disturbance as could be caused.

Once he was in the upper hall, he stormed to his room at the end, pausing to unlock the door that stood before him, towering over his short build as it swayed from side to side, waving closer and further away from the door. He giggled and tapped the door gently, his sour mood dissappearing into the void,

"Silly door, you're not meant to move unless i tell you to!"

Laughing to himself at the wooden slab's antics he fumbled to unlock the door and walked in, collapsing straight onto the cot inside, consumed by a fit of laughter, his ribs shaking.

He laughed until his stomach was sore and his lungs burnt, and until his eyes drifted shut again.

--------------------------------------------------

This time when he woke, he didn't wake alongside his partner. Instead, he woke on the edge of an empty bed, the cold now particularly noticeable to the now-shivering teen, especially since his arm was rested upon the practically-frozen oak of the floor.

He groaned and rubbed his eyes, the invisible monster in his head pounding against the walls of his head, practically rattling his brain in its container. He rolled aaway from the floor, dragging the thin blanket over himself in an effort to bring warmth to his soul. He shot up however, when he heard his door opening to reveal a hulking figure waiting there. His powers flared as he tensed.

The man blinked. Nothing could be heard but the shallow breaths that escaped him.

He blinked.

"Boss wants you down-stairs."

The sentence was grunted before the man turned, shutting the door again and allowing Kadyn the chance to dress himself in whatever he could find, brushing back his hair with his fingers, trying in vain to tame it.

He checked around the room again to ensure he had left nothing in there, made his bed and then left, taking a right and carrying on down the narrow, stinking tunnel. He nearly slipped when he stepped on, well, something but quickly caught himself before he fell into the unpleasant puddle of piss, (or was it vomit?) on the floor.

He stepped carefully down the stairs before swaggering into the room, massaging his temples gently. Kadyn made a beeline for the man at the head of the long, worn table that adorned the centre of the room, now littered with chairs upon chairs. He hugged Jaks before perching on the edge of the table, crossing his legs and wiggling until he was comfortable.

And so the meeting commenced and to his dismay, it turned out that the meeting was about him! What could they possibly want? More death? Disease? Money?

That question was soon answered when uproar broke out at the suggestion that they give him up to the royals, who were now apparently searching for him. It turned out that they were offering quite the sum for anyone who could turn him in, and it mortified him to hear that Jaks was even considering it.

His heart sped up as did his breathing while they continued to discuss. Voices rang out around him and yet he could not hear them. It felt like he was drowning in fear, the phrases and remarks gnawing at his toes and now his feet. He panicked and his power responded.

Kadyn leapt of the table, sprinting for the door, all while ducking under arms and pushing those in his way. He flung open the door and it crashed against the wall as he continued on, his darkness now wrapping around him in a shield-like manner, warding off anyone who even dared think to give chase.

Everyone, except Jaks. Kadyn heard the second pair of footsteps beating down behind him with fury. He increased his pace as the older man caught up, despite being pushed at weakly by tendrils of darkness. The teen jumped up onto a waiting wagon, grabbing onto the nearby roof and hauling the dead weight of his body over the edge, standing up on the red tiles, taking off in a frenzied sprint.

Although Jaks was quick, the stunt would have given the wielder a few moments, which weren't wasted, as he ran across a short set of rooves before jumping back off, tucking into a roll and moulding himself to the shape of a dark, damp doorway, watching as several men with the signature gang tattoo ran past, eyes searching for the boy, now concealed by the shadows.

He grinned, the stark white of his teeth standing out, before slinking out and down towards the walls. He was free, for now..