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

36.1 The Personal Vendetta

"Hmm!" Tyrell said, cracking his knuckles and stretching, "what a perfect evening. The sun is setting, owls are hooting, dried leaves are falling...damn, freakin' war is in the air. "

At his insistence, we roamed around the territory to start to build a plan and talk about strategy. Celina had the upper hand as always. It was absolutely necessary to have an edge over the entire clan from the outset. Tyrell practiced his Formations with the four of us to get the hang of it in a jiffy. He needed to get back on track and work in a five-way partnership, the updated Combined Formation now that it was going to be. Later, unable to bear the looming blizzard, Pruthvi sealed us up within four walls and I spiraled up the flames around us.

We took a break from practicing. Celina and Leena quickly got immersed in their conversation. They were giggling and laughing at some unknown joke. Eventually, Pruthvi joined them and conversed. Hardik, carrying the casket, was slowly gliding above our heads. Everyone seemed to be in a jubilant state of mind, seemingly confident that it was indeed going to be today, August the fifth. They have taken my word for it, but the horrid wait was grating terribly on my nerves.

"Hayden," Tyrell said, seeking my attention. He pulled up the hood of his jacket and adjusted his long hair. "Did you happen to have my caps safely stashed with you?"

Aah, that's right. Tyrell and his beloved colorful caps. That rekindled a lot of memories.

I was shuddering inwardly, for the time was quickly slipping away and none of the beasts showed up. So instead of blurting the awkward truth, I took a moment to choose a few wise words to be as polite as I could. "No. Everything's burnt when you despicably blasted the academy." Yeah, wise words.

He gazed at me sympathetically, as if mourning for his caps. "Not even a single one's alive?"

I shook my head, pulling up a puppy dog expression.

"How could you?"

I raised my brows. "Well, if it isn't against my better judgment Tyrell, I thought your soul was more important than your caps."

He put a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Hayden, buddy, I'll always be very thankful to you for giving me my life back, but have you ever realized that my soul is like my appendix, I don't use it as much as my caps?"

I burst out laughing. Pruthvi broke his conservation with the girls and walked towards us. It was a great opportunity, I thought, to be a cunning monkey between two foolish cats. "You should ask Pruthvi," I said, "He was the last person to rummage around your bedroom."

"Say what?" Pruthvi gasped.

"Where are my caps, you son of a bitch!" Tyrell attacked him at once, bright silvery sparks flying off his fingers.

Pruthvi gaped at me for help, but I innocently shrugged and stepped back. "You should have asked your sleeping soul to protect them, moron!" He retorted, and walls around us vibrated.

"How can I ask anything to do when it was sleeping, jerk face!"

"You know what your problem is, you got your head up your unmentionables."

I was standing behind them, laughing at their banter turning my head to and fro like a tennis ball. The girls were hearing the conversation too and they did feel the need to comment which I couldn't ignore.

Celina said, shaking her head. "I can't believe I'm back to live with these idiots."

Leena twisted her face and added, "They became idiots-er since Hayden joined them."

I gasped dramatically turning my focus towards them. Her allegation was definitely out of nowhere. "Excuse me!"

"Don't you 'excuse me' me," she snarled stepping upfront. For a moment she looked scarier than Almourah. "I thought you were a decent guy, Hayden Mackay, but you have a complete ruined dirty brain of a perv."