(Book 5) Hayden Mackay and The Pride of Haima-Endira

34.2 Persuasion

"I can't believe you did that!" yelled a shocked Leena, her focus completely off our friends who were neck and neck in the fight.

Tyrell and Celina lunged back furiously, grunted with effort and collided down against the ground. Heaving and panting, both of them sat upon their knees, taking a moment to catch their breath. Celina then charged, a visible wind swirling inside the closed space. Tyrell was quicker, he flipped and threw a few bolts at her, however in vain. She easily got away. None of them were getting caught in either of their Formation. Tyrell had been much fiercer with me, but today something was hindering him from being more tactful in getting a hold of that dagger.

"Well," Pruthvi said, clearly taking my side, "Whatever he did ain't surprising as your out-of-character antics with Archit."

Leena gave him a cold shoulder and asked me, "So? Did she let you in?"

I nodded. "She let me in."

Celina fixed a steaming cup of coffee. The strong scent helped to erase the fragrance coming from this bizarre unusual indoor garden. There was a three-inch-long gash on her hand, I noticed, similar to the ones I had on mine. On keenly observing I spotted a yet to be healed bite mark.

"Dang, mine hasn't completely healed yet," Pruthvi said watching his wound that was now turned into a slight wheatish trace.

Taking her cup, she stepped back and sat on a chair placed in front of mine. Surprisingly, she never asked me about the status of Almourah. Speaking of which, neither had Pruthvi and Leena. We took a few sips in silence. There was a slight awkwardness lingering between us. And why not, how dare I kill my teacher and now sitting inside her house as a guest.

I quickly ran my eyes over. One heck of renovation work had been done in this place. The numerous lanterns, brightly lit window sills, every corner of the house covered with foliage and showy colorful blossoms. I deliberately inhaled the aroma of the coffee that kept me from having allergies. A couple of parrots flitted from plant to plant, making irritating chirping sounds. And that was it, I couldn't maintain the silence anymore.

"Quite a sanctuary you have built for yourself," I said, flashing a faint smile.

"I haven't," she said, "This was a birthday gift from..."

"From?"

She hesitated for a second. "I don't know actually. Some secret admirer?"

I gave a single nod and flicked my eyes aside. "That hand-drawn picture came with all of this?"

She watched Tyrell's painting as if watching it for the first time. "Yes," she said, "That one too."

That instantly aroused suspicion. "And you really have no idea who could have painted that?"

She placed her cup down on the floor and asked politely. "Didn't you say you wanted to talk?"

I took a sip, feeling unsure of where to start from, but the words didn't stop from blurting out. "Did you kill Jyran Kerenza..."

She glared at me. A flurry of feathers and a parrot flew by from between us.

"...and all those people who were spying on Pruthvi?"

She seemed to be searching for a way out of her predicament. "Are you here as my friend or as a potential king?"

I sighed, keeping the coffee cup on the table. "I ain't no King. Yet. He just wrote it off a Will under my name 'cause there was no one else available for an entry-level King position. And you know whatever circumstances it might be, I'll always be your friend first."