Word Count: 1788

~Akara

Whatever headspace I was in before I lost consciousness cannot have been a good one.

But I've never been more grateful for my own self preservation.

Pacing back and forth through my room, the warning I wrote for myself is scrunched up in my hand. My instincts have failed me. I thought I could trust Grey, that he was nothing more than a victim to my incessant need to get back to find Marek.

Marek and I spent the rest of yesterday afternoon checking every inch of that motel room, only to find nothing. The girl at the desk wasn't very helpful either, claiming she had only just started working there, and couldn't confirm whether I was alone that day with Grey, or whether I indulged where I was going.

"Akara..."

I turn, having already felt the cool breeze coming through my opening window, heard the soft footsteps fall onto my bedroom floor. I knew he was coming tonight.

Advancing on Grey, I slam my hands against his shoulders, sending him hurtling back a few strides. His eyes widen, but he doesn't retaliate, even as I press him up against the wall, blade of my knife, of Marek's knife, against his neck.

"Don't move, or I kill you," I hiss lowly.

His eyes are wide and frightened as he holds his hands up. "Wha...what is going on?"

"Have you been lying to me?" I snap.

"About what?"

"About...about everything? I left myself a note in the motel room we were making out in, and it said not to trust you," I growl, dropping the scrunched up note to the floor. Grey's eyes follow the movement, swallowing uncomfortably.

"Huh? We made out in a lot of motel rooms," he says, making me wince. Great, more unwelcome imagery that will haunt me later.

"Answer me. Why didn't I think I could trust you?" I push, pressing the knife closer to his skin. Even though he trembles with fear, he doesn't otherwise appear to believe that I'm ready to kill him if I catch him lying.

I'm done with untrustworthy people. I want them gone from my life.

"How do you know it was written by you?" he questions.

"I know my own handwriting dumbass. And does it even matter?" I snap. I must have known I would lose my memory, and must have hoped I would come back for that note, all those weeks later.

"I don't know why you would think that. I was the one that had doubts about you, and perfectly valid one's too," he retorts, shifting in my grip, but it remains firm. The moment I let him away from the blade of my knife, the moment he can turn on me, and make good on whatever his ultimate plan is.

"You're lying," I growl.

He shakes his head. "I'm not lying, I swear! I came with information."

"What information?"

"Can you get that knife away from my neck?" He turns his head to avoid the blade cutting his skin. I grit my teeth, before stepping away, giving him some space. It's how desperate I am for this supposedly information that I told him to gather for me.

"Fine," I grumble. "Tell me."

"I met a guy in the local village, told me he's friend's with someone who Tai hired to shoot you," he mentions, rubbing his neck where the knife was, before nodding at my once wounded shoulder.

I blink. "What?"

Grey taps his chin, remembering his encounter with this man. "This may not be credible, but the man was drunk off his ass, claiming his friend brought the whole bar drinks because he made so much from that one job. Even I got a-"

"Shut up. Get to the point," I growl, as it dawns on me what Tai has done.

"He said the King paid his friend to have you shot. He didn't say if he knew why, though," Grey admits, rubbing the back of his neck.

I step away, turning around. I should have known about this, should have figured. It was too convenient for Tai to have me be in danger, so I would be more willing to marry him with no complaints. Even though I've never trusted him, I even had thoughts about how I would manage my once I escaped...All for it to be revealed that Tai was behind this entire time.

"I know why...He wants to scare me into being with him. He doesn't want me running away," I say, starting to pace back and forth.

He shot me. He could have killed me.

"Makes sense. I asked around and no one even knows you're a Summoner or anything. They thought I was the crazy one," Grey explains. So they don't know how I survived? They probably didn't even know I stepped into the river in the first place.

"Great...this is just great," I mutter, throwing my hands up.

Grey takes a tentative step toward me. "Well I means you can run away now, right?"

"No. He's poisoned...he's poisoned my friend, so now I can't leave until I can get the antidote." This is about Marek now, not about me. He's the one who needs saving, even if he doesn't yet know it.

Grey's nose scrunches up. "Yeah, that's no good."

I eye him carefully. "I still don't trust you."

"You should know as well, that Tai has started injecting his soldiers. I'm not sure what with-"

Striding forward, I grab his shoulders, shaking him a little. "You need to leave, okay? Get as far away as you can, and never come back."

I'm still not sure about what my motivations were when I first met Grey, but there has to be a reason I wouldn't think to trust him. But as he stands here now, he's essentially harmless, and I want him as far from here as possible, away from me and what Tai has planned for this Province.

He frowns. "I'm not leaving you here."

"You can't stay, Grey. You're in danger if you keep digging around. You need to leave," I snap.

"But what about us?" he asks softly, voicing breaking a little. I barely have the paitence to feel sorry for him, although I am regretful for my past actions in making him think him and I ever stood a chance of being together.

"I'm doing this because I care about you. I'm sure our paths will cross again," I tell him, trying to soften the blow, although I'm not sure if I mean any of it.

Grey eventually sighs, backing away. "Okay, I'll miss you."

I nod my head, watching him climb right back through the window. ]

Now, to deal with the real problem.

***

Summoning a deep breath, I knock promptly on the door.

"Tai?" I call out.

At the sound of my voice, he opens the door immediately, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, Akara, what are you doing still up?"

I swallow uncomfortably. I've obviously woken him, considering he is shirtless and his hair is messy. Now is the best time to accomplish what I have planned, as by tomorrow, I may come to my senses and think otherwise.

"I wanted to talk to you," I say, straightening.

He steps aside, letting me wander into the room. "Everything okay?"

I look around the space, trying not to let old memories flood back to me. It's so similar to how it once was, which shows how disturbing Tai's mindset is. He wants things back like nothing has changed.

"Have you found who shot me yet?" I ask, sitting on the end of his bed, trying to bait something contrary out of his mouth.

He doesn't look at me as he sits down also. "Not yet, but I believe we are close."

"I'm starting to have nightmares about it...I can't sleep," I exclaim, resting my head in my hands. Tai can lie to me all he likes, this is about him trusting me, so I can get what I want. Even if doing so isn't going to be pleasant...

He tentatively rests his arm around my back. "You're okay...You're safe here."

"I need to get away from it, even if it's for a couple of days," I murmur. I have another plan in mind, that may be my only chance at stopping Tai from killing thousands of innocent people.

"You're safe in here, I promise."

"But don't you remember that Summoner who tried to kill me last year? It was in here, where I thought I was safe," I bring up. Tai frowns, remembering with as much horror as I do those days events. That Summoner, Elan, could have killed me.

Tai sighs, rubbing my back now. "That won't happen again."

I turn my head, pretending to be surprised at how close we are. But I don't look away, keeping eye contract as he stares back at me with just as much intensity.

"Tai...please," I whisper.

The moment his gaze flickers down to my lips, I lurch forward, clutching either side of his face as I pull him in to kiss me.

I can feel how tense he is under my touch, shocked at my sudden change of heart. But after a few moments, he's kissing me back.

I only allow a few seconds to pass of him kissing me back before pulling away, turning my head coyly. At least appearing regretful isn't the difficult part, I just hope he believed the lie that I wanted to kiss him in the first place, because right now, I'm contemplating whether I wash my mouth out right about now.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that," I whisper, getting to my feet.

"Hey, its okay Akara. I'm not mad." He sounds stunned. I can practically see how his mind races, trying to make sense of what happened.

"I know, it's just I've sworn to hate you, and I love Marek." I pace back and forth, digging my hands through my hair.

"Things can change."

"Just give me a few days, Tai. Zavian will protect me, and maybe I can make him see your side," I offer. Time with Zavian will allow me to plan, without Tai breathing down my neck, or having an eye on me the entire time.

He sighs deeply. "Alright-"

All of sudden, the sound of glass smashing from downstairs, accompanied by a loud bang, and a few shouts from guards.

"What was that?" I question, exchanging a wary glance with Tai.

He frowns. "Nothing good."

💚••💚

Remember that you can always find this story 10 chapters ahead on Radish (:

You will find it under King's Possession Season Three!!

~Midika 🐼💜