The King's Obsession ✔️

THIRTEEN

The moment the door closes, Tai is talking. "I can't believe you're alive. Everyone told me you were dead."

"I thought I was, but I survived. There's a good chance I'm turning into a Tani," I tell him, looking down at my hands as if I can see myself changing right this instance.

Tai is watching me when I look back up again, a grave look in his eyes. I wonder if Zavian and Nakoa weren't standing so close by, he would try to hug me, or even kiss me. Thankfully he hasn't, too stunned by my sudden arrival. I wouldn't want to have to push him off, because the thought of me touching him right now makes me shudder.

"So you did drink from the river?"

I inhale slowly. "Yes..."

Tai's emerald eyes flutter closed, and he rakes his hands through his curls. "Oh...right. This is really happening."

I frown, watching him start to pace. He knows something that I don't, I can see it written all over his face. He knew I would end up drinking from the river, considering the ring, which also means part of him suspected I would survive it.

"Tai, what is going on?" It's Nakoa who asks, seeing what I'm seeing in him as well.

"You're not going to turn into anything like the Beast," Tai explains, wincing as he looks at me. My heart plummets, knowing whatever he is about to say isn't going to be good. "I've made sure of that."

"What do you mean, Tai?" Zavian demands.

"I figured that if Vaia ever got her hands on you, she would do exactly that...force you to drink from the river, I mean," he tells me slowly. I blink, still confused. He didn't know for certain, but he figured? My throat tightens with panic.

I almost don't want to ask. "And?"

"And I was working on a cure for the river. I mean, it's not like Vaia just got the idea out of nowhere," he admits, his gazes sweeping over all of use to gauge out reactions. Each one of us is just as confused and mortified as the other, trying to piece together the reality of what Tai is telling us.

"You made a cure?" I ask, not wanting to believe my own words.

The Tai I knew would have told me. But there no longer is the Tai I knew. That person kept secrets from me, lied to me often, and made me think Vaia's belief was unfounded and random, coming from her own crazed ideologies.

"Sort of," he says quietly. "With modifications."

"And you didn't tell me?" I question.

Tai steps forward, but I match is back, not wanting him close enough to touch me. He frowns, not yet understanding why I'm being so cold him.

"Akara, how could I? You would have panicked, maybe not even trusted me." His eyes are wild as he explains. He's made a mistake, a large one, and he knows I would have never sided with him had he told me earlier, and now, I feel sick. "It was my fault. Vaia raided my workshop and thought she could give it a go."

"How long have you been working on it?" Zavian demands. In those big blue eyes of his, I can tell how hurt he is, like he is losing his best friend like I'm losing my lover.

"Years now, I suppose," Tai shrugs. "I never intended on using it on anyone..."

"Accept your brother. That's why he's dead." It comes out of my mouth before I have a chance to rethink. I should have brought it up later, when I have more information, I'm just so frustrated, and all this anger is getting hard to keep under control.

Tai stiffens, eyes widening. "I..."

"We went through your workshop ourselves, Taius," Nakoa says coldly.