Khana had always suspected that there was something different about Vero. Then again, she’d never met someone with so much power before.
He might be more powerful than the Headmaster, she thought.
Khana soon found herself wondering why she was thinking of Vero. She hadn’t ever thought about Vero before, let alone another student. No, I can’t get attached. Khana shook Vero’s appearance from her mind. All she could see now were the blue flames that spewed out of him mere hours earlier.
Khana glanced out the window, noticing someone vaguely familiar standing in the courtyard.
When it came to not thinking about other students, Khana only made one exception. That exception was the “poisonous” Akaiko. At least, everyone else called him poison. Khana knew Akaiko; he wouldn’t want to hurt anyone, even if his life depended on it. He was pretty much the only student that Khana had trusted.
“Seira giving you a hard time again?” Khana asked, approaching him once she got to the courtyard. Akaiko seemed to hesitate.
“You could say that.” He answered. “But Vero seems okay.”
Khana found herself thinking about Vero again. “Is he treating you okay?”
“Yeah. He’s… quiet. But he gives me space.”
“Good.” Khana exhaled softly. “Do you want me to switch your mentor?”
“No, no, it’s…” Akaiko began, sighing heavily. “I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? I know that you and Seira were both in that accident but…” Khana paused, piecing together her next sentence carefully. “I want to make sure she doesn’t lash out at you.”
“I’ll be fine…” Akaiko trailed off, staring up at the night sky.
Khana wanted to believe him. With every cell in her body, she wanted to believe him. But that was difficult when she could see the bruises on his face and arms.
“At least let me get you patched up?” Khana suggested. Akaiko paused, seemingly in thought.
“Alright.”
♤
Khana held out the palm of her hand, focusing on the cold feeling that ran through her entire body. In her palm, beautiful blue ice slowly began to grow, jutting out of her hand. “It still looks weird.” Akaiko noted. “Seeing the ice just… come out of your hands like that.” Khana simply shrugged her shoulders in response. She grabbed the ice, shaping it into a cube the size of her palm and pressing it against Akaiko’s forehead. “Does it hurt?” He asked.
“Sometimes,” Khana answered, “if it wants to hurt. That’s one of the downsides.”
“What’s another one?”
“I’m always cold.” Khana replied without emotion in her voice. Akaiko chuckled.
“What do you think the downside to Vero’s power is?” Akaiko suddenly wondered, holding the ice cube to his head. Khana suddenly thought of Vero again. The thoughts flooded her mind, preventing her from talking for a while.
“Maybe it hurts him more than he thinks.” Khana suggested.
“What, like, killing him?”
“I don’t know.” Khana answered. “But something feels strange about him.”
YOU ARE READING
The Kiros Chronicles: Into Shadow
FantasyVero was always a troubled child. That was partially the reason he was sent to his older cousin's farmhouse. He wasn't deserving of the Kiros name, just like his older, slightly incestuous cousin. But what if he could become something better? Taken...
