Malakai instructed Nyx to carry him back toward the base. He could go back on his own, but he'd rather avoid the chance of Grunde catching up to him. He was a synergy stage evolver after all. Same with Laila.
The movement with Nyx was far shorter than before. They went through the secret passages and reached the base after a few moments.
"Are you okay, M-Malakai?" Nyx asked with a worried gaze as soon as she dropped him. "I-I'm sorry. I thought you had sensed—"
"It's fine, Nyx. Don't worry," Malakai cut in before she could blame herself.
"Truth is, I should've seen and felt the attack coming. It was my fault. I got too carried away," he said and nodded reassuringly toward Nyx. "Thank you for the warning."
Nyx couldn't bring herself to smile, despite the praise. She had watched the Gor'Mekhai girl sneak up on Malakai.
She had allowed it because she assumed he knew. If anyone knew of Malakai's perceptive nature, it was her.
She had only seen the urgency when Malakai hadn't acted as the Gor'Mekhai attacked.
Malakai sighed. He could basically feel the anger radiating off Nyx. He didn't know what to do.
'That's not right,' Malakai pondered. He had seen this scene a few times before.
When numerous warriors in the Sanguine clan tried to console seven-year-old him after his parents' death. When the instructors tried to lift the spirits of the students whose talents were subpar.
Malakai stared at his hands. They were shaking.
It was annoying, but honestly, he couldn't blame himself. This was the first time he was doing something after his parents' death, after all.
He focused, steadied his hands, then placed his firm palm on Nyx's shoulder. The sudden touch made her whole body freeze just as she looked up to meet Malakai's gaze.
"Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
Nyx stared, stunned, for long seconds, before absently nodding her head.
"Good job today," Malakai said, giving her a curt nod. He turned and entered into the base and into his room.
Nyx stood outside for a few long moments, staring at nothing in particular. She could still feel Malakai's warmth on her shoulder. A smile couldn't help but form on her face.
Malakai wasn't the cold person everyone thought he was. He was capable of cold things, only when it was necessary, and when he was crossed. He wouldn't admit it, but Malakai had a big heart.
Otherwise, she hadn't seen any reason why a bloodthirsty boy would help his maid that tried to spy on him by saving her sister.
Malakai was opening up, and Nyx liked every bit of it. With a smile on her face, she vanished from the entrance of the base and into the shadows, her guard alert. There was only more danger coming. She had to be ready.
Malakai luckily didn't meet anyone on the way to his room. He locked his door the instant he entered, slumping down against his bed. It had been a long night.
'What do you think?' he suddenly asked.
'About this Romeo and Juliet thing?' Valentine responded after a second.
'Yeah. Some story during my time. Two lovers from opposing sides. It didn't end well.'
'What does that have to do with this?'
'Nothing,' Valentine chuckled. 'I'm just saying.'
Feeling Malakai's silence, Valentine cleared his throat.
'I don't know how they met, but it seems genuine to me. It might actually be nothing more than lovers meeting.'
Malakai didn't know what to make of that. If that was the case, he wasn't sure how to proceed.
'Do you think he'll come after you?'
Malakai's gaze flashed. Even if it was for a brief moment, that Gor'Mekhai girl had seen him.
His features were painfully easy to describe. How many red haired, red eyed kids were in the city? A lot, actually, but if Grunde had even the least bit of a working brain, he should be able to narrow down who followed him.
'He might,' Malakai said after a second. Whatever was going on in that lake was obviously a secret. One that mustn't get out.
Malakai wasn't sure how far Grunde would go to keep that secret.
'I'll have to be cautious about him,' he concluded, then allowed his thoughts to drift as he lay on the bed. There was a lot to do.
Time went by quickly. And Malakai had been wrong in his assumption that Grunde might return immediately after finding out he was spied on.
It wasn't until after midnight that Nyx informed him the big guy had finally returned.
Malakai waited for a knock on his door. A blatant barging in. He even considered the possibility of Grunde smashing the door open. Regardless, he waited. He expected him. But after a full hour… no one came.
'Had he not figured it out?'
That thought followed Malakai through the night as he slept. Had Grunde really been so stupid that he hadn't realized it was him?
Morning came quickly, and Malakai got his answer on his way out of the base.
Grunde had just stepped in through the entrance, arms crossed. He stood there, staring at Malakai with a look the latter had never seen on him before.
'He knows,' Malakai confirmed.
He didn't say anything, just gave him a short nod and kept walking, brushing past him.
Their interactions continued like that as the days passed. Grunde didn't speak to Malakai, and the usual free and bubbly energy he carried had vanished.
Laila even had to ask him a few times what had happened, but he would always respond with a shake of his head.
It was obvious something was wrong. The big man wore his feelings right on his face, which only made it harder for Malakai to imagine him as a spy.
He looked incapable of uttering a single lie. He would rather shake his head than say a word that was untrue.