Kyle Ethan’s POV
“I’m sorry, son. But none of them is the one we’re looking for. I haven’t seen anything suspicious in their past or even in their thoughts,” Dad’s face showed disappointment.
“It’s okay, Dad. You already did your part. You should go back now to the palace and take some rest. It will take some time for you to regain your strength again.”
He nodded and gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder. I then turned to Althea, who was growing weaker in a corner, supported by her twin sister, Athena.
“You too, Althea. You’ve used up a lot of your powers already.”
She just managed to give me a weak smile.
Our companions, the protectors and royal guards, escorted the students back to their respective rooms after which they will lose some of their memories again.
“Is Nicole still not back? Too bad, I haven’t seen her today,” Dad looked around, and I did the same.
I sighed when I realized she hadn’t returned yet. “Seems like she’s enjoying her chat and hanging out with Steph somewhere. Don’t worry, I’ll look for her later.”
He scanned the surroundings again. “I think it would be beneficial if we tighten the security throughout the academy, including the screening of students.” His fist clenched. “We should know better.”
“We’ll work together, Dad. History should not repeat itself,” I said seriously to him.
His jaw tightened. “You’re right. But all of this wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me.”
I furrowed my brow at his statement.
“What do you mean by that? You’re not at fault.”
He sighed, and a sad smile appeared on his lips. “No. You don’t understand, son.”
I became even more confused by his response. “Then let me understand, Dad. I’m listening.”
He placed his hands behind his back and started walking. I quietly followed him.
“There are times when you no longer need to know everything, and there are words that are better left unsaid.”
There were many things I wanted to say and ask, but I chose to simply nod. I know Dad. He’s not the type you can force saying or do something he doesn’t want to.
But I hope that when the right time comes, he will still open up to me.
Dad and I had a brief conversation before he bid his final goodbye, accompanied by the Stanford siblings. Until they left, Nicole and Steph were still nowhere to be found.
Where could those two have gone?
I’ve been looking for them since earlier, searching the entire academy, the entire mansion, and even the edge of the forest. But I haven’t caught a glimpse of them. Even Mikan was looking for her before she fell asleep. I thought she had gone back to class.
“Could your girlfriend have left the academy?”
Vincent asked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His eyes were devoid of emotion, focused on me.
I was taken aback. I didn’t consider that possibility. Moreover, I had told her not to leave the academy without anyone from the royals accompanying her. It’s not safe for her, even if she’s with her protector.
“You’re right. I have to go. I’ll just look for them outside. Take care of things here,” I said, looking at each of them.
“I hope you find them quickly. It’s already getting late,” Miley said, concerned.
I stood up, about to leave, when Vince suddenly spoke up.
“I’ll come with you. I’m getting bored here at the academy.”
I looked at him with suspicion, but my clever cousin managed to avoid meeting my gaze.
If there’s anyone among us who doesn’t like interacting with people, it’s Vince. So, what’s with the sudden change in mood?
I couldn’t help but grin as I remembered that Nicole is with Steph. Now I understand the reason behind it.
“It’s not what you think it is. So, please stop smirking like an idiot,” he blurted out of the blue.
I shook my head, amused. I noticed that the other royals were also grinning at him, which annoyed him even more.
“Fine! You better go there alone. I’m not coming with you!” He was about to walk away, but I quickly tapped his shoulder.
“You’re really funny, cousin. We’re not saying anything. Stop being so guilty.”
We all burst into laughter as his cheeks turned into red.
“Wow! When did you learn to blush, big brother?”
He gave Rei a disapproving look, but Rei seemed unfazed, still laughing while playfully hitting poor Hiro, who was now glaring at her.
“Enough. We both know that you really want to come. So let’s go.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond any further. I swiftly grabbed his arm, and we both vanished into the wind.
***
Nicole Jane’s POV
Steph and I decided to go downtown after our walk and discussion about her and Vince. But before we left, I made sure that everything was in order at the academy. Besides, I knew that Kyle and the others would be back soon.
We took a brief stroll around the mall earlier, but now we find ourselves in an ice cream parlor. Ice cream is one of my comfort foods, and Steph’s as well. I thought that maybe we needed this little treat right now.
We sat in silence while devouring our ice cream. Both of us looked outside the window, observing the familiar sight of people walking down the streets and the constant flow of vehicles.
To be honest, I missed the life outside the academy. I rarely left during weekends, as my parents were often not home, and I had become quite lazy.
I let out a deep sigh, still struggling to believe everything Steph had told me earlier.
“What’s really going on between you and Vince? I mean, why do the two of you seem so distant and aloof towards each other? I’ve noticed that you’re close to other royals, except for him,” I asked after a minute of silence, causing her to stop in her tracks. I also came to a halt and looked at her.
Her face showed surprise at my question, but she quickly composed herself and avoided eye contact.
“We... We...” She bit her lower lip, and her eyes started to well up with tears.
I mentally scolded myself for being so insensitive.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. You don’t need to answer it anyway. Maybe it’s best if we just head back to the academy.” I reached for her hand and began walking.
“We used to be best friends back then,” she finally spoke up.
I blinked and raised an eyebrow at her. What the hell?
I didn’t respond immediately, giving her the space to continue.
“To be honest, he was the one I was closest to. We used to play, hang around, and talk about everything. We knew each other’s secrets. We trusted each other so much, and that’s when I learned about the human he loves,” she said, a tear escaping from her eye.
“I found out that the girl he loves is also the daughter of a protector. I warned him about it, but he didn’t listen. It’s strictly forbidden to have a relationship between a vampire and a protector, especially when he’s a high-class vampire. Besides, they were still young back then,” she explained, and I nodded in understanding because I was aware of the complications surrounding vampire-protector relationships.
She wiped away her tears, and I could see the pain in her eyes. I wanted to comfort her, but I knew she had more to say. So, I remained silent, giving her the space to continue.
“Being his best friend, that’s also why I chose to keep my feelings for him,” she confessed, stunning me. Although I had already suspected it, it still surprised me.
“I served as their protector, finding ways for them to meet, be together, and talk. Even though it hurt me. I did it for him and his happiness,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.
“Not until I found out that the girl was only using him. I accidentally heard her talking to her parents about that matter, though I didn’t catch up with the other details. It turns out she only approached Vince because they were planning something against the Clarkson’s. Vince was her target because it was really difficult to win Kyle’s attention during those times.” She took a deep breath.
“That’s why I didn’t hesitate during those moments and immediately told it to the beloved king. Their actions were swift, and they were quickly apprehended. However, they fought back, leading to the death of their child, the girl Vince loves. Meanwhile, the girl’s parents escaped with the help of someone we didn’t recognize. We haven’t seen them again to this day.”
Oh. So, there’s a possibility that they’re just wandering around, watching and waiting for the right time to show up.
“That’s when he started to hate me. He blamed me for the death of the girl he loved. He blamed me for the chaos in his life. He was blaming me for everything. Since that day, he changed. Although I know he’s also guilty because he made mistakes too, but he can’t accept it himself. Until now.”
She started to break down, and I immediately rushed to her side to hug her. I was dumbfounded, still trying to absorb all the information she had just shared.
“Nicole?”
I blinked as Steph snapped in front of me. “Huh?” I asked absentmindedly.
“Are you not going to finish your ice cream? It’s already dripping on your hand. You’ll get sticky.”
That’s when I suddenly snapped back to reality and quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe my hand. I just ended up throwing away the melted ice cream since there was no point in keeping it anymore.
“I’ll just go to the restroom. After that, let’s go home. They might have been looking for us since a while ago. It’s already late.”
I must have been too drowned in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize the time. I’ll be in trouble with Kyle again for this.
“Okay. It’s not safe for you to stay outside for so long as well. I’ll accompany you.”
I shook my head. Her protective nature was kicking in again. You’d think she hadn’t just cried intensely earlier.
“No need. Just wait for me outside.”
She looked hesitant at first, but then nodded afterwards.
When I reached the restroom, I quickly washed my hands and freshened up. After finishing, I hurriedly exited, not noticing the man who had just walked out of the adjacent door, causing me to bump into him.
“Sorry!” I apologized, but the guy was just looking down at the floor. He was wearing a hoodie, so I couldn’t see his face clearly.
I shrugged and was about to walk pass him when he spoke, making me freeze in place.
“Be careful. Don’t easily believe. Get to know who is true and who isn’t around you.”
I swallowed hard due to the depth and coldness of his voice. Slowly, I turned around, accompanied by a strong gust of wind. As expected, he was now gone in front of me.
My mind was still in a haze as I made my way out, so I was slightly startled when someone suddenly embraced me.
“Nicole! You make me worried so much! Didn’t I tell you not to go out of the academy without us?”
I couldn’t help but smile upon hearing Kyle’s voice. I noticed that Vince was also with him, standing some distance away from Steph.
“Sorry—” I didn’t finish my sentence when I saw the same guy I had bumped into standing behind a post from afar. Even from that distance I knew he was looking at me.
I knew it. I wasn’t mistaken. His voice was surprisingly familiar.
But I couldn’t help but wonder about what he said earlier and who he was referring to.
Dave Croven is truly one hell of a mystery to me.