Crow's Blessings → Sylus

A Win-Win Solution

A/N: Sorry, I've been away😔 I promise I'll get this book done in like, 2-3 months at most, cause I have some wildddd ideas now that Caleb is released😭

—

It felt strange. Was I terrified? Yeah. The strange, dreadful feeling was gnawing me from the inside; a strong fear that made me incapable of thinking straight, or even to think at all.

"The nightmares. Is it related to the pendant?" Sylus spoke on my behalf, his arm pulled me close in a side hug.

Matthias hesitated. All this time I had my eyes fixated on his face, scrutinizing his changing expression, and yet right now, I couldn't tell what emotions he was communicating through his pitiful blue eyes. "I don't know," he casted his gaze at Sylus. "And, before you'll further torture me, please, give me some time to explain."

Again, Matthias paused. It's as if whatever explanation he had wouldn't make a difference to my already dreadful state of mind — if anything, maybe it would've made it worse. But, he had no choice but to fuel my fear.

"I've only heard stories of the pendant from my father. It was said that the pendant was the embodiment of greed itself; whoever saw the pendant would want to lay their hands on the pendant."

"Though, the minute someone laid hands on it, the pendant would lose it's allure to anyone else. The pendant either creates a symbiotic or parasitic bond with the owner — while it gives the host an Evol that could copy any other, if it's not fed, it would eat the host's life instead. My grandparents figured it the hard way."

Matthias's gaze gradually fell as he spoke. "I was supposed to inherit the pendant, but it miraculously went missing," he paused, glancing directly back to my eyes. "We found black feathers near the pendant's vault, so we suspected a crow, or someone with a pet crow," cautiously, he lifted his gaze up to Sylus. "The bargain we had at Agis Hotel. You didn't give me your side of the deal."

Sylus sneered, "You stole my land and built a sanctuary I never agreed to."

The confidence in Matthias gaze faltered momentarily. "The idea was for you and I to make a deal."

"So was mine," Sylus huffed. "Coincidentally, I met someone that found it."

That sickening pause snapped me out of my trance. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I tried my best to focus on Matthias's prying eyes. "So, I was bait?"

"Initially, yes. But, things changed," Sylus removed his arms from my shoulders. Taking a step closer to Matthias, Sylus bent down, forcefully grabbing Matthias's jaw in his hand.

I didn't dare blink as I saw Sylus threw a raw, hard punch to Matthias's jaw, eliciting a groan from the man. It didn't stop Sylus from throwing another punch, then another, and it went on, each punch gradually becoming harder than the last. In a fleeting moment, during Sylus's interval, Matthias gave his pitiful gaze my way, pleading for help. While we never had a pleasant encounter, his display of vulnerability successfully made me feel sorry.

"Sylus," I cautiously called for Sylus. He stopped to face me, then turned to face a bruised Matthias before he stood up with an exhausted huff. Matthias's high cheekbones were a swollen purple, his nose slightly bent at an awkward angle, and blood dribbled down his busted lower lip.

"The document you brought was fake. So, neither of us fulfilled our terms of the deal," he raised a crumpled paper in front of Matthias's face as evidence to his words.

Matthias struggled to lift his head, his eyes carefully skimming through the crumpled paper Sylus held in front of his face. "That's impossible," casting his gaze aside, a rasped cough came from his lips. It was then that his eyes widened, yet he stayed silent as if he couldn't believe the sudden clarity that occurred to him. "My father."

"Now you're blaming an old man for something you did?" came Sylus's confused voice.

"No. He planned this, I'm sure," Matthias's shoulders visibly slackened as he came to realize the truth. "Aside from the feather, he never showed proof you took the pendant."

It sounded ironic; the bait fell for another bait, which neither gained anything in return. I was still dealing with the heartbreak from Sylus confessing to use me as bait, but the thought of being in Matthias's position made me feel all the more pity for him. It's like tearing off a limb to catch a crocodile; you might lose a limb but there's no guarantee you'll catch the crocodile.

"All this for an illegal infrastructure business," Sylus crumpled the paper, chucking it at Matthias nonchalantly as it hit his face.

There was a long pause, Matthias's deliberate breaths were the only thing audible in the barren room. The poor man raised his head by the slightest, his face nearly unrecognizable from the bruises. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood the situation. I promise, I'll help you—"

"Give me a reason to trust you," Sylus sneered at Matthias, waiting for his response.

"You should. Her life depends on it."

"Is that a threat?" Sylus's voice dropped to a low tone as he cracked his fists.

"No. It's a less risky choice," Matthias was evidently showing fear in his wide eyes, but maintained a calm composure. "My father is a cruel man. If he dies, we won't know how to lift the curse and she will eventually die," his icy blue eyes glanced at me. "Give me the pendant, and I'll get him to talk."

It sounded too easy. Why would he, after several unfriendly encounters, wanted to help me lift the curse? If everything he said was true, wouldn't it benefit him more if I die from the curse before he got the pendant back in his possession?

A shadow was casted from the person that stepped forward, standing by my side. Tilting my head up, I found Xavier's judging eyes staring down at Matthias. "What's the catch?"

Matthias hesitated — his hesitation showed that he wasn't doing this for a price. Those pitiful blue eyes were zoning out on the empty space in front of me. "I want you to kill my father," glancing up, his eyes reflected nothing but resentment as he spoke.

"I don't meddle in family business," Sylus crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight onto his other foot.

"Please," his eyes darted over to Sylus, the hatred lingering in his eyes — a greedy gaze that looked all too familiar. "All I want is a peaceful life, away from the corporate's pressure. I'll help you, and you'll help me."

I glanced at Sylus. At a glance, his face was placid, emotionless almost. But, the corner of his lips twitched momentarily, his eyebrow raised slightly. "We'll see."

It was vague, though Matthias visibly relaxed into the chair he sat on, despite the fact he was still restrained and half naked in front of his enemies. "After Casimir Co's downfall, I'll make sure to return your land and everything that's already built on it will be yours to keep."

"That reminds me," Xavier exclaimed, catching everyone's attention. "That land is the exact same land those wanderers were banished from," his gaze lingered on my eyes, a smile lighting up his face.

A sudden force pulled me by the waist, and without batting an eye, I could tell that Sylus had his hand wrapped possessively around me. "Another good reason we should behead a man."