celestial vengeance

|chapter three| - kai

concede (verb): admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it

Kai had decided one of the most unsavory rooms in the Estate was the infirmary. The room had initially been an astronomy tower but since the start of the war, had been converted into a makeshift hospital. Past nightfall, the sphere-like room's glass ceiling allowed for the sold illumination to be directly from the stars.

He absolutely hated it.

There was a sound from the bed next to him as Diana moved in her sleep, sheets shifting to expose her shoulders. A sudden flare in his foot took his attention from her, as he gingerly turned his foot over to inspect it. The medics had removed the bullet, and a black cast encased his foot, with a cocoon of metal stilts wrapped around his thigh and knee to take pressure off the limb.

It was unbearable, but soon enough the pain subsided and Kai shifted backwards until his back met the headboard. Between the pain in his leg, the prattling nurses who couldn't seem to leave him alone, and the stern threat from Elias about the safety of Diana and himself, it was no surprise when the start of a headache formed near his temples.

Turning his head skywards, Kai's attention was once more on the stars. He scowled.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Diana said, sitting upright as she too turned to stare.

"I find them revolting."

She sent him an exasperated look, "You're only saying that to annoy me."

"By some miracle, I'm not. I hate the stars," he tried to ignore the heaviness in his throat. "Always have."

She didn't make eye contact but Kai felt her attention was on him now, waiting for him to continue. He didn't, instead his hand drifted to the space above his heart, where his tattoo seemed to burn with remembrance. A black feather, inked high on his chest, just under his collarbone.

Diana looked down, and he watched her lips form a frown. "Kai, you have a horrible way of looking at things."

"So I've been told."

Diana's head remained tilted downwards as she spoke. "What else...have you been told?"

Her gaze was entirely focused on him now and Kai found himself slightly uncomfortable at the scrutiny. The moonlight shone in her eyes as she stared at him.

"Word gets around, I was going to find out your real name, Diana. It really was inevitable."

She shook her head, "I don't care about the name, back at the lake you didn't deny you knew more about me. What do you know?"

"You can't possibly believe I would tell you that."

"It's the least you could do after stabbing me in the chest," she drawled, tucking her legs under her as she turned to fully face him.

"I have resources around the Estate."

Kai didn't say another word after that, instead out of the corner of his eye he watched a resigned sigh escape Diana's lips. She laid down again, still turned towards him as she bunched the sheets till they were just under her neck, and closed her eyes.

Yet again he found himself staring at her. Her dark hair had been released from the usual tan ribbon the servants wore, and instead pooled around her shoulders. Even while she slept, her eyebrows were slightly arched, lips parted. There was a small cut right above her cheekbone. Hours passed but Kai didn't notice, her soft breaths almost hypnotic.

Then he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. The unmistakable click of a cane paired with heavy footfalls. It couldn't be-

Kai was up in an instant, ignoring the pain in his leg as he bent down, shaking Diana's shoulder. She was up in an instant, squinting at him. "Kai, what-"