The next morning, I found Ryan in the gym. His chest was bare and glistening with sweat. He was exercising with a wooden mace. Where he got that was beyond my imagination.

"Aren't you going to use the machines?" I asked him.

"I have never used one before," Ryan answered lowering the mace. "And I find this more useful." He shrugged.

"Oh," I said, "Anyway, are your parents okay with you staying here?" I asked him.

"They would have been if they were here, but they have already gone to my Kingdom."

"Oh...your Kingdom?" I asked scrunching my nose. "Where is it?" I thought his parents too had gone to Southampton.

Ryan walked over to one corner of the room and placed the mace there. I looked at how graceful every stride of his was, and took in a deep breath. "It's—you need a portal which is connected to our land and your land, to go to my world." That I had asked him something was completely out of my mind, and I stood there bewildered by what Ryan said.

"Spark?" Ryan raised a brow. I looked at him, muttered a clumsy 'I see' and was about to exit the room when he called. It was so sudden that I was about to stumble upon the door sill—thank the Gods I got hold of the door frame in time.

I turned back and there stood Ryan, a few inches away from me. His right arm was extended infront of him in the air, and without thinking anything I grabbed it with my left one. Ryan stepped closer and brushed the strands of hair from my shoulder.

I released a deep breath before saying, "You enjoy this, don't you?"

His fingers brushed mine. "Enjoy what?"

"Shocking me out of the blue."

There was the barest trace of a smile on Ryan's face as he said, "You certainly make it enjoyable."

I sighed. "So, why did you call me?"

"I—you really don't need to know," he said. I looked up at him.

"What were you going to tell me?" I hoped it was not something bad.

Ryan sighed. "That you should exercise, too. I mean, I like what I see..." one side of his mouth curled upwards, "...but a little bit of exercise now and then doesn't harm, does it?"

Ryan was so annoying. He wanted to tell me that?! I stepped aside from him. "It doesn't but you don't get to tell me whether I should exercise or not."

***

After freshening myself up, I searched the internet and went to a florist to buy some primroses and daisies— those things were supposed to protect humans from fey magic and at times, also helped to keep faeries at bay. I hanged the daisies over the mantle and decorated the entrance of our house with primroses.

I knew Ryan was helping me, still, he was not human and as much as I had to trust him due to my circumstances, it was impossible for me to trust him fully. So, I tried to do as much as I could for protection against any kind of faerie magic. I turned and saw Ryan casually leaning against the door of my bedroom. His gaze was fixed on me which made me somewhat self-conscious. I took my backpack and was about to leave the room when he blocked my path.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Blocking your way, of course. Spark, I know we are being watched. Going to school, all alone is too dangerous now." Ryan casually crossed his arms, flexing his muscles.

"I have to go." I never thought my voice could be that much hoarse, but whenever I was with Ryan, it seemed I was getting to know myself for the first time— I acted in a way I would not act normally, sometimes I could not stop talking to him, while sometimes I had nothing to say— I had never been like that before.

"Then I'll go with you."

"You can't." It would be a total disaster if he went with me. I had to go because school provided a much-needed distraction. I could not just stay at home until the weekend, until Saturday— which was the next day — cutting out everything from the normal life I had before everything changed. I wanted some normalcy, even if it was only for one day, otherwise I knew I would grow insane. But Ryan did not need to go there. He was a constant reminder of what happened to my family.

"I guess I can," he winked at me. "Now, aren't you getting late?" Ryan said and stepped aside.

"Annoying, irritating, smirking son of a faerie," I muttered under my breath and went to the staircase.

"I can hear you," Ryan called out from behind.

"Good for you," I yelled. I could almost feel the smug smile in his face.

_____________________

Hope you liked CHAPTER 10 of "A World of Treason and Tides". 

As I said before, this chapter is a bit short and uneventful. But the next chapter will be of regular length, I promise 😁

I think this chapter is kinda cute. What do you think? 🤔