Element Restraint

Chapter 9: Acantha

I whip open my door ready to give Valence a piece of my mind, but to my disappointment, the room is dark and empty. I step farther into the room and close the door behind me. I whisper Valence's name but am answered by silence.

I stomp over to my study, but when I open it, it is empty. There is absolutely no trace of Valence or Caz anymore.

I stand in my darkroom feeling relieved they are gone, but strangely disappointed I did not get to give him a piece of my mind. At least I have my room back to myself. Now I can sleep peacefully without the presence of a wanted criminal in the other room.

I change out of my day dress, into my nightgown, and pull my hair back. Just as I am walking over to my bed to go to sleep I see a shadow move through the curtains of my balcony door.

I pause in my path, my heart pounding. Why do I keep having situations like this happen to me?

A small tap comes to the glass. I try to make out who is on the balcony, but all I see is the hand of the person.

I roll my eyes when I think of who else would be sneaking around like this at four in the morning.

I grab my robe and wrap it around myself. The knocking continues without pausing. I roll my eyes and move faster towards the balcony.

"Oh, my stars Val-" My voice trails off when I step outside my balcony. Even in the dark, I can recognize my brother standing before me.

"Who is Val?" Rawr asks, holding back a smile. I open my mouth to speak but nothing but sounds come out.

"Are you going to let me in?" Rawr chuckles after a moment of standing outside. My brain finally registers that he is standing in front of me and I wrap my arms around him.

"I...How are you...Rawr" I stumble over my words trying to speak.

"You are not crying are you?" He asks jokingly. I do not answer as I try to swallow my sobs.

"So can I come in?" He asks, waiting for me to release him. I finally let go of him and quickly turn away to hide, wiping my tears.

Rawr follows me into the room and closes the door behind him. I turn back to him and smile, bouncing on my heels.

"I am very happy you are here," I say, my voice cracking.

"Is this Realm that bad?" Rawr laughs as he jumps into the air landing hard on my bed. Rawr ignores my silence to his question and lays down. "Your bed is bigger and comfier than mine." He grabs one of my blankets and pulls it over him. I sit down on the floor next to the bed and lean on the nightstand. I look up at Rawr as he continues to speak.

"I share a room with three other guys, and we sleep on bunk beds, and my room is smaller than yours."

"Having roommates at the academy can't be that bad," I say, rolling my eyes at him.

"It isn't bad. It's horrible!" he exclaims. "They are all jerks, except for one guy. His name is Paxon, and he is probably the only one I do not mind talking to."

"That is great that you made a friend." I nag. He shoots up and yanks the pillow off the bed, whacking me in the head so hard I see stars.

"I am trying to be serious." he pouts. I roll my eyes at him once again. How I missed this.

For the next few hours, we joke around and laugh until we are lying on the floor clutching our stomachs gasping for air.

"How long are you going to be able to stay?" I ask later. We lay in the middle of the room on the hardwood floor. I turn to him wrapped in the blanket from my bed.