"You're quiet, Kan," Stellare pushes me in the shoulder.

Your brother kissed me, and I've been in shock for half a day. He knows I'm not Luappo Isengard, and he's a huge problem of mine. So yeah, I have no reason to shut up and think at all.

"It's alright. Just a little tired," I lie. "I have to go to the headmaster's office to find out about punishment."

"I'll come with you."

"Stellare..."

"Look, this is all partly my fault. You protected me, so if he wants to punish you, I'll share the punishment with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Let's go. Yeah, besides, what can he do? Make us scrub floors or rewrite the bylaws? I don't care," Stellare shrugs with a smile and takes my hand. The guys go to the free classroom to discuss our ball, and Stellare and I go to the headmaster's office.

When Stellare and I show up in the headmaster's office, both Ellior and Seraphus are already there. They fall silent at our appearance. My gaze immediately meets Ellior's and I want to hide behind Stellare. I don't know why, but I've begun to fear him. Whether it's that he might tell about me or that he's already done so. Or that he kissed me. Why? Why did he touch my lips with his? What kind of games was he playing with me? To make Seraphus angry? So clearly he has succeeded in doing so. Or maybe he wants to get rid of me so I won't get in his way. I don't know, but I look away immediately and look at the headmaster.

"Stellare, I didn't call you out."

"I know, dark lord, but I'm here to take my punishment equally with Lua. If you want to punish him, then punish him, but I'll help him fulfill his punishment. That is my decision," Stellare says firmly, and I'm so proud of him. Proud that he didn't lower his gaze in Ellior's presence. Proud that his voice rings with confidence. Proud of him and I smile softly at him and he smiles back at me too.

"I see. Well, if that's the case, then good. Luappo, you're punished for three days. You'll wash dishes for two hours a day in the dining hall. Is the punishment understood?"

"Yes, dark lord."

"Washing dishes?" Stellare croaks.

"Something wrong?" The headmaster grins.

"No, it's okay. Fine, I'll wash dishes too," Stellare snorts.

"Do you even know where the kitchen is?" Ellior smirks.

"Even if I don't know, I have a friend, I'm sure I won't be lost with him. And who do you have?" Snarling, Stellare storms out of the headmaster's office. Biting my lip, I now stand alone. I'm ashamed to look into Seraphus's eyes. Ashamed of what I said to him in a rage. Ashamed that he saw Ellior kiss me. Just ashamed to stand here and get punished.

"If that's all, dark lord, then I'm off to fulfill my punishment," I utter.

"Wait, Luappo," the headmaster rises from his chair, and I tense up all over. What an asshole. He told them about me not being Luappo. "I think you deserve to know what kind of punishment those who attacked you got."

Oh, thank Mother. That's what he's talking about. I pull on a smile and nod.

"Well, both are deprived of their powers and sent to the abandoned lands to do farm labor for the next fifty years."

"Okay, only it won't change anything," I whisper bitterly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because their anger will only get stronger. And they'll be back. Not only that, but now they'll be much more cautious about attacking Seraphus. They won't leave a trail behind them, so they won't be found and punished. So this punishment won't change anything. We need to deal with the cause of the problem, not the effects."

"That's reasonable. That's what I was talking about," the headmaster smiles, glancing at Ellior. "Luappo is very wise and reasonable. His words always make sense. You're right, Luappo, that's why we've increased the security of the House and now there will be assigned guards on duty. They will check the corridors at night to prevent a repeat."

I nod, not even knowing what to say.

"Also, I wanted to ask you to tell me what you saw. Seraphus explained to me such a sudden reason for Ellior's appearance here. And we have a problem. Ellior can't go home because some forces won't let him. They are keeping him here."

I look at Seraphus, and he nods at me, confirming what the headmaster said. Oh, damn it.

"Can you detail everything you saw, Luappo? Every little thing, every even unimportant detail. Your visions are still young, so they're chaotic and inconsistent. They are confused, and we must understand them to save both Ellior and Seraphus from death. Will you help me understand them?" The headmaster asks ingratiatingly.

"Yes, sure."

I'm going to start from the beginning. Every step I take. Every breath. Describing every object I saw. I also confess, embarrassed and ashamed, how I felt about Ellior's death. I stare at the floor so I don't see any reaction to my words. And I finally, by the end of my story, feel like hiding and never leaving my bedroom again. Never. I hate these visions.

"Okay... okay, Luappo. We'll think about what you've told us and try to reconstruct the chronology of happenings, as well as the likely threat. One more thing, I didn't believe you that day and that was my mistake. You didn't believe yourself, but you had a feeling something was going to happen. You saw a crowd of the dead and you couldn't sit in your room, right?"

"Yes."

"I apologize for not taking your worries more seriously. But if you feel something again and you are uncomfortable with something, you must report it to me or Seraphus or Ellior immediately. There's no need to discuss it with the other teachers. Just keep it between us. Okay?"

"Yes, dark lord."

"Good, then go. Three days, Luappo. Three days, and I haven't punished you hard enough still. Do you realize that?"

"Yes, dark lord. Thank you."

I rush out the door and slump against the wall, realizing I've been holding my breath the whole time.

"Kan?" Stellare touches my shoulder, and I shift my gaze to him. "Everything's fine, besides the punishment, of course?"

"Your brother is staying," I inform him grimly.

«What? Why?" The elf casts a glance at the headmaster's office door, but I move him away from it. We've had enough scandals for today.

"I don't know. I just found out that he'll be staying. The headmaster demanded to behave with him... um, tolerably. I'll avoid him," I lie.

"But what the hell, what does he want? Ellior never does anything for nothing. I bet he got bored and decided to get Seraphus. Ellior is selfish and greedy. All elves are like that, though. They won't let go of what they hold in their hands for anything. But they're also corrupt. Do you know how many Elves willingly shared their power during the war? A lot. And they were also whores of the dark ones."

I stare at the guy in bewilderment. Is he serious?

"Sorry, my thoughts are racing ahead of me. Let's go find the others and tell them everything. We're not the only ones who have to suffer."

Stellare drags me behind him. I don't care. I just wish I could be alone and think. Surely it's a good thing that an unknown force is keeping Ellior here and reminding each of them that they have a problem to solve. They have to admit that... the feelings aren't gone? Yes, Ellior brings up some terrible feelings in me. Yes, I'll probably hate him more tomorrow and the day after that. Yes, I'll probably behave badly, wrongly, and rudely to him. But Seraphus loved him for something. I know he did. Otherwise he wouldn't have risked himself, his connection to his family, his status, for that love. Seraphus isn't a fool, and it's unlikely that he was in love solely with Ellior's incredible appearance. Seraphus found something in him that caused a strong, deep love for the elf. And could such a love be destroyed, could it be sucked out, broken or ruined? No. I don't think I would ever fall out of love with Seraphus. Yes, maybe my feelings would fade, but the love would remain somewhere deep in my heart. Because even now, I block my own feelings; I block the tsunami of pain, passion, desire, and emotion that I actually feel. I've always done that. Learned early on to block anger and rage and disdain as well. Only sometimes I showed real emotion to Lua. But if I had opened that door inside me, I would have killed many for Lua's pain, for his suffering, and it would have done no good. It's the same now.

"Don't have to, you can just stay here," I intercept Stellare's hands as he reaches for the mountain of dirty dishes in disgust.

"I have to," he whispers. "I have to, Kan. You won't suffer alone. It's what it means to care for someone else you value. So it's okay."

I look carefully into his eyes and nod, letting go of his hands. Handing him the gloves, I put mine on and start washing the dishes. I'm lucky today, the water's warm, I have gloves, and the soapy water doesn't burn my skin. Throwing a glance at Stellare, who isn't washing, just smearing the leftover food, I shake my head with a smile. Taking the plate from him and placing a clean one in his hands for him to wipe them off. At least this way it'll be less work.

"You're good at this," Stellare remarks as I hand him a clean plate.

"It's not my first time," I snicker.

"Did Isengard make you work like a servant, a slave?" He asks quietly.

"Yes. I've been doing a lot of things. Worked in the stables, in the fields, scrubbing floors, plowing the field, carrying water, chopping wood, washing dishes, feeding cattle, and more."

"But why? Why did he treat you like that? You are his son," Stellare croaks. "I've seen the other children of Isengard, and they hardly even come close to the kitchen."

I can't tell him the truth. The reason is so simple: I'm a servant and a slave, born of the same servants and slaves. It was my job for food and for the place where I slept. This was my life, and I knew no other. If I hadn't had Lua, I doubt I would have remained sane and alive by this time. I would have died... yes, I would have killed myself and not care about the consequences.

"Because I didn't show him I had powers. I cut my hair off, I tanned, I did everything to piss him off. I just hate him and I'll hate him for the rest of my life. Not everyone needs a reason to hate at all. They just do," I dryly reply. My parents hated me for no reason. They sold out the other kids, helped them in life, as they proudly claimed. And what were they? Whores, suckers, slaves. The same fate awaited me. They despised me. They gave me the hardest jobs. They abandoned me. They didn't feed me. They didn't even look at me as their son, like I was a foundling. And that's what I hoped for my whole life. Sometimes I even dreamed that my real parents would find me, take me away, avenge me, and I would drown in their love and care. But as the years went by, nothing changed.

Ailes comes into the kitchen, then Vox. They push me away from the sink and wash the dishes themselves. They're surprisingly good at it. The guys joke around, trying to distract us from the mountain of unwashed dishes, and I'm grateful for that. Together, we finish cleaning up and walk to our classroom so I can recolor the invitations and then we're going to send them off. The evening goes perfectly. Even our classmates who were silent before are smiling and helping us with the ball preparations. Um, only the two elves who arrived together with Stellare cringe and leave. Stellare's explanation is that they are too pampered, and they expected Stellare to spend more time with them. He's a prince too, after all, and being friends with a prince is advantageous. But Stellare himself likes attention, but not that kind of attention. That's why he refused to be friends with them from the beginning, and his relationship with the demon and the fairy complicates things. And I'm worried about Mor's suspicious silence. He doesn't speak to me. Fima assures me that he's fine, just a peculiarity of the beast. But I think he resents me because of helping Stellare in class. And maybe even jealous. I don't like that, because I wouldn't want to lose him as a friend. So I decide that I'll leave him alone for a while and then we'll talk.

When I get back to my room, I'm exhausted. I take a bath and sit down to study, but my mind is a mess. I fall asleep, but I don't let myself. And at some point, my eyes close.

Startled, I open my eyes and stare bewilderedly at someone else's bedroom. A feeling of sadness, misunderstanding, and doubt fills my head. It's Seraphus's bedroom. I lower my gaze and see his hands holding a spell book. He's underlining different protection spells. What's going on? I don't know. It's like I'm in Seraphus' body. Or rather, in his head.

"Ellior, get out," Seraphus says dryly, not even lifting his head from his book.

"I've been quiet," comes the elf's voice resentfully, and he plops down on Seraphus's bed. "You always knew when I was coming up. See? The artifact didn't work."

"Oh, Mother, what do you want?" Seraphus looks up at him tiredly.

"To discuss everything. Hello," Ellior snaps his fingers mannerly and flips back his thick hair, now gathered in a braid.

"We discussed everything in Nock's office. There's nothing more to discuss."

"Well, of course there is. You didn't tell Nock that it wasn't Luappo Isengard in front of him," Ellior snorts.

"You have proof?" Seraphus barks angrily at him. "No. It's simply your aversion to the boy. Leave Kan alone. And don't you dare go any closer to him. Don't you realize what you're doing, Ellior? You're not at home."

"I'm at home everywhere. I'm a prince. I'm a future king. And I'm not leaving that insolent little brat alone. You should hear the way he talks to me!" Ellior's outraged.

"Then you deserve it," catching the resentment in Ellior's eyes, Seraphus sighs and sets the book aside. "Would you deny that you often acted disgustingly? How many friends have you had here? Zero, Ellior. You've only had your admirers, but you still have made no friends. That's because you're an arrogant asshole. Everyone hates you for your behavior, and that hasn't changed. Plus, you haven't told Nock the truth. You didn't tell him what the real reason for Kan's aggression towards you was, but I know what it was. So keep quiet, Ellior, you'll look nicer."

"Stop telling me off, Seraphus. I'm an adult."

"And you're acting like a child. Fighting with a kid. You should be ashamed of yourself. And you're the reason Kan is distant from me. I didn't deserve to be treated like that. I just made him feel comfortable, just got close to him, and you ruined it." Seraphus points his finger angrily at Ellior.

"And that's right. You are mine, not his. You belong to me. Me."

"Stop it. You haven't owned me for a long time. I haven't belonged to you since the moment you turned your back on me, ran away, lied to everyone."

"You begged me to do it yourself! You told me to do it!"

"And you agreed so easily. So easily, Ellior. I loved you, so I protected you. I did, but I still don't know if you loved me. I don't think you did. You don't know how to love, so leave me and Kan alone. You have no place in our lives anymore. You've lost that right."

"It's not fair." The sadness in Ellior's eyes touches Seraphus' heart, but he immediately turns away, so he doesn't fall for it again. It's hurtful. "You have no right to blame only me for your exile. You made that choice yourself. You were offered to marry me. I was ready to accept it."

"And die. We're killing each other, damn it. Even now, we feel bad around each other."

"But we have a way out. We can try..."

"No," Seraphus barks. "I won't let you use the boy. No. Don't even think about it."

"And there's nothing you can do about it. This isn't my choice or yours, Seraphus. It is Mother's choice. She has found a way out for us. And I'm sure that little brat likes me. He just doesn't want to admit it. I know he's turned on by me. I know he called me for a reason. And I felt him. I've felt him die. This all happens for a reason."

"Ellior," Seraphus growls threateningly. "Don't you dare."

"What are you going to do to me?" With a squint, Ellior jumps up from the bed. "What, are you going to stop me like you did today? Uh-oh, no, I'll take him away from you. I'll take him from you. I'll turn him to my faith, and then you'll come to me. You will, Seraphus."

"Ellior!" Seraphus's furious scream rings into my head.

I open my eyes abruptly and nearly fall out of my chair. What was that? Seraphus's memories? Or happening now? And how? Why was I seeing this? Why would Ellior want me? Why did Seraphus abandon Ellior himself?