Hero's Dead Brother

21. Shattered

"Ami".

Caleb. Ha, so you finally decided to speak to me. We headed to the library and she asked me questions about merging Thunderstorm Ring with Snake's Circle, two powerful spells of Thunder category of 3rd level. They both had the same pattern and scale so it would be a good idea but the formula should be changed so they would be harmonized.

It was a difficult equation so I focused on the paper, trying different combinations.

Magic was like science. A mix of different sciences. Even physics. To cast a powerful spell one should know how to built it from Ans. Ans are like letters of the alphabet that form symbols and if arranged correctly in the space, they create a reaction. Every symbol has a name. The combination of many symbols together form complex spells. Like words. If you want to combine so many symbols, you should keep balance so that they don't interact without control and destroy the order.

I was thinking of a combination trying different paths and was too focused to notice a hand coming against my neck and lowering my collar.

I flinched. Caleb was looking at my neck. 'That bruise again'. When was it gonna fade away? I couldn't ask Greg to heal it without him asking who did that. I quickly brushed it away.

"Well if we try five more hours, it should be possible haha..."

She just took my face between her hans and was looking into my eyes with that purple gaze. I made her worry. She maybe wonders what happened to it. That idiot squeezed it so hard it looked terrible. But I've known worse and honestly it didn't hurt that much.

Why wasn't she saying anything? This silence was awkward. When will she ask? If I speak about it first it will be suspicious. Is she holding my face to look me in the eyes and see if I'm lying?

Haha that trick won't work, buddy. I trained my face for years now. My poker face is flawless.

Why isn't she saying anything? It's been five seconds. It's waaay too long for so much cringe. I pushed myself out of her grasp and jumped on the pen on the table.

"But if we try to change the flow level, we can merge the ж lower with д to crea..."

"Ami". Dammit.

"Yes?"

"Should I kill him?" Huh? "If he threatened you you can tell me."

What the bloody Van Gogh's ear are you talking about? "Huh?"

"I thought you wanted to be alone with him so I didn't bother you. But I should have known there was something fishy. He threatened you with something right? That's why you dragged him to a private place."

Ow... how am I supposed to react now? My poker face has quit.

"He found out about you right? Something you want to hide. I thought you had feelings for him and that's why you ran to him".

Error 404. My brain was instantly dead. I wasn't ready fo this!

"I get it now! He told you to use your father's connections to help with that investigation in exchange for keeping that information". Caleb, why are you doing this to me?

"What is it? What does he know? You can tell me. I saw who you really are so there's no need to hide anything from me!"

"... A... and who am I?"

"You're not this. You're not the person you pretend to be in front of your family... everyone. You're different."

"So... I'm a fake? That's what you're saying?"

"No, I... I just..."

I know I overreacted. She didn't try to insult me or anything. But I wanted this conversation to be over. I didn't live 13 yeas of happiness just to go back. I didn't want to know who Noah was. Noah is dead. He doesn't exist.

But this person was looking at him. She saw him through my new self. I don't want anyone to see it. No one should know. I need to stop her before it becomes too real. Before it definitely exists. Before someone from this world mentions it's existence. Stop. Please.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Ami..."

"Don't ever say something like that! Ever! Or you'll be dead to me".

I pushed her and walked away.

"I didn't... I just..."

I turned around with a look I wished I never had again. Ami wasn't looking at her. It was Noah. Hateful, disgusting, shattered.

I hated her for breaking my wall, my only hope for a better life. She broke the wall between Amiel and Noah. They were now one. A few words were able to make everything shatter in pieces. It couldn't be fixed.

Once you find out that you've been lying to yourself, there's no turning back.

She didn't deserve the glare I gave her but my mind was a mess. I closed the door behind me while she was standing there, regretful.

I'm sorry, Caleb.

Thank you for reading