The Royal Magister 【Harith/Harley】

three.

［ 3. ］
HIDDEN SECRET

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༶•┈┈┈♛ ♛┈┈┈•༶

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note: please don't hate me for
this chapter :")

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The room was filled with silence the moment Other Harith entered the house. Harley and his other self turned their heads to look at the visitor, and they were both stunned when they saw Harith standing next to another leonin, who looked exactly like him but had slightly different characteristics. His hair may be blonde, and his clothes may be black, but the way he was standing exactly like Harith proved that they both had some kind of connection with each other.

They spent minutes staring at one another, allowing the air to soon be gradually filled with tension, but thank goodness Harley managed to break it the moment he stood up.

"Are you..." Harley sounded thrilled as he motioned towards the newcomer, and his eyes were wide as he scanned the other Harith from head to toe. "Harith?"

Other Harith looked like he was trying to comprehend with all of this, and he kept darting his eyes back and forth from Harley to the other one. "Harley...?"

There was a large grin plastered on the Mage Genius' face, and he bobbed his head excitedly. However, the moment he glanced at his other self, his face instantly turned solemn, and he moved to the side to allow Other Harith to check on his other self. His voice was low when he said, "Your Harley though..."

Other Harith seemed to realise the wounded state his Harley was in, and a grim look made its way to his face. As he took a step closer towards the couch, the colour seemed to be draining from the injured mage's face, and all of them watched as Other Harley moved away when Other Harith got closer.

"Harley," Other Harith said, his ears drooping as he knelt onto one knee. He placed a hand over the mage's leg, and his face couldn't look any more dejected when he saw his Harley flinching. "Harley, I–"

"I'm sorry," Other Harley whispered, his head lowering. His hands trembled as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, and his voice was wavering when he said, "I didn't mean to–"

Other Harley was silent when Other Harith threw his arms around him, and his body stiffened when the leonin tightened his grasp. Other Harith was shaking as he embraced the mage, and his voice was quiet when he spoke, "Why are you apologising? It's my fault for leaving you."

Other Harley had his mouth opened to speak, but Harley had beat him to it. "Leave?"

Other Harith slowly released the mage in his arms, and he looked at Harley with his face full of remorse. "I just returned from a mission, actually." He then glanced at his Harley sadly, and his hand was curled into a tight ball. "I wasn't there to protect him when they punished him again. I've tried to stop them many times before, but they still give him these punishments. It's sickening."

"Can't you leave the place?" Harith asked, stepping forward. "Run away? Hide somewhere perhaps?"

Other Harith shook his head. "It's not that simple. The queen knows where we are most of the time, and there will be consequences for each time we disobey her."

Harith's eyes widened at his other self's statement. That could only mean one thing. "She knows that you're here then?"

"Yes," Other Harith said, nodding. "She was the one who sent me here."

No wonder Other Harley said that he couldn't quit the army. His queen was keeping an eye on him and probably on Other Harith too. Harith could only imagine what would happen if she finds out that they tried to make a run for it.