𝐕𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐎𝐎 • 𝐊𝐀𝐈 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍.

Kai's POV:

Red—no black—was blurring my vision from the moment I saw Avalon's body on the stairs, not even an hour after we were sitting together at the pool. It was fine. We were fine, as fine as fine can be in our situation.

She was fine.

Now, as if on a torturous cue, everything had gone straight to shit, no doubt thanks to my stick-in-the-ass father.

The witch I found myself entranced with since she first set foot in my supernatural purgatory, currently sat stiffly in front of me. Her posture was rigid that it made my spine ache simply by peering at it. Avalon's jade eyes were wide as her gaze was fixated on the space directly past my sitting figure. A look of pure terror was frozen on her face as she gathered herself from literally coming back from the dead.

I knew how she felt, too. I could remember the first time I attempted to end my life when the solitude created by my own family became too much to bear. I sat on my bed, just how she was now, eyes filled with horror as I realized that not even death could escape me from my hell. Déjà vu practically sucker-punched me as I watched the witch go through the stages of resurrection as I did.

A deep frown formed on my face as I eyed her, not knowing what to say or do to keep her calm. I was barely able to do it after she was experiencing a nightmare the other night, but I was more than aware that this was a complete one-eighty in comparison.

If my father thought that this was the way to get rid of us, he was more senile and insane than I'd originally thought. You just wait until we get out of here, dear old dad.

I unwillingly tore myself away from the violent thoughts of my father and focused my attention on the person in front of me who needed it most.

Avalon still hadn't moved from her position and if I didn't hear the shaky breaths escaping her frame, I would've thought she was still lifeless. I positioned myself to face her body, my hands going to cup her cold cheeks.

"Hey, Av," I whispered to her, a stupid part of me believing if I were too loud, she'd slip through my fingers and I'd be forced to endure another period of time without her live presence. "Look at me. Don't look at the wall. Look at me. I'm right here."

Slowly, her head turned towards me. Her eyes bored into mine intensely, reflecting the lifelessness of her previous state. They were hollow, endless depths of darkness as I willed mine to pour life into hers. Tears streamed down her pale face, intensifying the visage of a traumatic experience. Avalon's bottom lip quivered as if she were losing the reins in holding back the sobs threatening to erupt from her body.

In stark comparison to her vibrant magical aura, surrounding the witch was melancholic, reflecting a state of severe grief and agony. Something was off with her. Her short-lived trip to the Great Beyond definitely was one like none other.

"Please, Kai," she drearily rasped out. "I just don't have the energy right now to fight with you. Can we skip the part where we jump down each other's throats and call it a night? Get out."

She looked as if all of the energy was drained out of her, leaving a hollowed shell of the witch I'd grown somewhat close to. I swallowed thickly at the rare sight in front of me, the Ayizan witch, battered and broken, pleading for a moment where we could be civil and for me to leave her be. My heart wrenched tightly at the thought of her being so mentally exhausted that she was practically begging for a night of quiet.

"Do you want me to go?" I found myself asking as I actually didn't want to go.

After a long period of silence, she sniffed. "No."