Crimson Bonds

Chapter 28: The Betrayal

The night had turned colder than usual, an unnatural chill creeping through the air as the weight of recent events pressed down on the group. Babe stood in the middle of the room, his fingers nervously tapping against the edge of the table. Billy was nearby, pacing in his usual way when things felt out of control. The tension between them had settled in the air, thick and suffocating, but tonight it wasn't just about the looming threat of Syl Coral or the prophecy of the Blood Moon.

It was about trust.

Krit stood at the far end of the room, his usual vibrant energy gone, replaced by a quiet, almost guilty stillness. His eyes flicked nervously between Babe and Billy, and the weight of unspoken words filled the silence.

"You need to tell me what's going on," Babe finally said, his voice sharp, cutting through the quiet. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off—something big. The way Krit had been acting lately, distant and jumpy, like he was holding back a secret. It had been gnawing at Babe for days, but now the truth felt close, too close.

Krit opened his mouth as if to speak but faltered, his eyes darting toward Billy, seeking some kind of lifeline, but Billy's gaze was cold, unreadable. He had sensed it too. Krit was hiding something.

"I didn't mean for it to happen like this," Krit began, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's complicated, Babe. You have to understand, I was only trying to protect you."

Babe frowned, his heart hammering in his chest. "What are you talking about? Protect me from what?"

Krit swallowed hard, his face pale. "The Council... they've been watching you, Babe. They've been watching all of us. And Suriya, he's not who we thought he was."

The mention of Suriya's name made Babe's blood run cold. Suriya had been lingering on the outskirts of their lives for weeks now, a supposed ally sent by the Council to help with the rogue witches and the growing threats. But Babe had always felt uneasy around him, his presence like a shadow that loomed too close.

"What did you do, Krit?" Babe's voice was barely a whisper now, but the intensity behind it was palpable.

Krit took a shaky breath. "I didn't want to, but he... Suriya tricked me. He made me believe that if I told him about your powers, about the Blood Moon, that he could protect you. I thought I was helping, Babe, I swear."

The words hit Babe like a punch to the gut. His vision blurred as the full weight of what Krit was saying sank in. "You gave him information about me? You told the Council?"

Krit nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. "I didn't know what else to do. They're so powerful, and I was afraid... afraid that if they didn't know the truth, they'd come for you anyway. I thought I was doing the right thing."

Billy's voice cut through the air like a knife. "The right thing? You betrayed him, Krit. You handed him over to the Council on a silver platter."

Krit flinched at Billy's words, the guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders. "I didn't mean for it to go this far. I thought I could control it. But Suriya, he—he twisted everything. He's been using me."

Babe felt the room spinning around him, his breath coming in shallow gasps as the betrayal sank deeper into his bones. He had trusted Krit—trusted him with his life—and now everything had come crumbling down. The Council knew too much. They knew about his blood magic, his connection to the Blood Moon, and now they had a weapon to use against him.

"How could you?" Babe's voice cracked, raw with emotion. "You were my best friend, Krit. How could you do this?"

Krit's face crumpled as tears spilled down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Babe. I was scared... I didn't know what else to do. I never wanted to hurt you."

But the damage was done. There was no going back from this.

Babe's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his blood magic pulsing beneath his skin, responding to the intensity of his emotions. He could feel it rising, the temptation to let go, to let the power consume him, but he held back, barely. He didn't want to hurt anyone, not yet.

Billy stepped closer to Babe, his presence grounding him, keeping him from spiraling out of control. "We need to figure out our next move," Billy said, his voice calm but laced with anger. "The Council is going to come for you, Babe. They know too much now."

Babe nodded, though his mind was still reeling from the betrayal. He could barely look at Krit, the person he had considered his closest friend, now reduced to someone he barely recognized.

"I... I'll leave," Krit said quietly, wiping at his tears. "I don't deserve to be here after what I did. I'll leave, and you'll never have to see me again."

Babe's heart ached at the thought of losing Krit completely, but the betrayal was too fresh, too raw. "I don't know if I can forgive you, Krit. Not right now."

Krit's face fell, but he nodded in understanding. "I'll go," he whispered. "I'll go before I make things worse."

With one last glance at Babe, Krit turned and walked out the door, his footsteps echoing in the silence. Babe stood frozen, his mind a whirlwind of emotions—anger, hurt, betrayal—but also a small sliver of sadness. He had lost a friend tonight, and there was no telling what would come next.

As the door closed behind Krit, Babe let out a shaky breath, his body trembling from the weight of it all. Billy reached out, pulling him into a tight embrace. "We'll get through this," Billy whispered, his lips brushing against Babe's hair. "You've got me, no matter what happens."

Babe closed his eyes, leaning into Billy's comforting presence. But even as Billy's arms wrapped around him, a part of Babe couldn't shake the feeling that everything was falling apart. The Council was closing in, the Blood Moon was drawing nearer, and now, more than ever, he had no idea who he could trust.

But one thing was certain—he wasn't giving up. Not yet.