Kaden | ✓

part twelve ♚ kaput

The anger was stronger than the pain.

It raced through my veins, curled deep in my bones. It cried for more than just blood and suffering--it wanted destruction. It wanted to take whoever had hurt Emmaline and crush them not politically, but mentally and physically. I'd never felt an anger like that before then, and some deeper part of me hoped I never did again.

I knew that it would scare her, so I hid it. I tucked it away and locked the door to the room it was in. I brushed hair back from her face and kissed the side of her forehead that wasn't bandaged. "I need you to let me know who they are," I murmured.

She shook her head, her face still hidden in my jacket. "I can't." She replied, voice muffled by the fabric. "I swore I wouldn't tell anyone vocally."

"In writing, then. Write down their names."

"I swore off of that, too."

"Can you give me their initials and maybe their provinces?"

She pulled back slowly. She didn't bother scrubbing at her face. "They never mentioned that..."

I took a notebook and a pen from the table in front of us and handed them to her. In neat, careful print, she wrote down five initials and provinces. I read them carefully over her shoulder and tried to match them to faces. I studied the list.

-V. C., Allens

-S. B., Dakota

-C. A., Honduragua

-N. T., Midston

-K. M., Ottaro

She set a hand on my shoulder. "Worry about that later." Her hand was trembling, and I immediately dropped the distraction and turned to her. "Should I go back to my room?"

"No." I shook my head. "Not when they have easy access to you. I'm going to let my father and Officer Leger know really quick. Do you want to come with me?"

She shook her head.

"Then go to Eadlyn and explain what's happening. Tell her that you need some clothes to sleep in. She'll understand." I kissed her forehead. "Everything will be all right."

♚

After determining who was doing it, my father and Officer Leger agreed it would be a good idea to directly address the issue tomorrow. For the time, it was best to go to sleep and wait.

When I returned to my room, Emmaline was dressed in a short, thin blue nightgown. She was perched on my couch, and her cheeks turned pink when I entered the room. She chewed on her lower lip. "Eadlyn said that she was going to keep my violin in her room."

"That's good." I said.

"Where am I staying tonight if I can't sleep in my room?"

"You're staying in here." I said. I unknotted my tie and tugged it off.

"Maybe I shouldn't."

"Why?"

"Um, Kaden," she said hesitantly, "you do know what generally happens when two people that are attracted to each other share a room, right?"

I grew uncomfortably hot. "O-oh." I stuttered. "I didn't--If you're not comfortable--" I swallowed hard. "I, um. I wasn't planning on sharing the bed with you or anything. I can sleep on the couch. I just figured you'd be more comfortable in here with me, and I'd rather have you in a place that I can make sure you're okay, and--"

"Kaden," she giggled. "I was just making sure you weren't planning on doing that kind of thing."

I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair. "I didn't even think of that, Emmaline." My face was hot, and I twisted the tie in my hands. "Honestly I've never, uh, thought of it." I stared down at my shoes.

"Really?"

I nodded. "I'm always too busy. I've never been in a relationship or anything, and I rarely have free time. When I go to sleep, I'm out before my head hits the pillow and I'm asleep until my alarm." Talking about it felt weird--I hadn't discussed anything like it since my parents gave me the full talk when I turned twelve.

Emmaline seemed surprised. "I didn't realize that." She shook her head. "You're so different from every guy I've met."

"Because I'm a virgin that only just recently had his first kiss?"

"Okay, so there's that." She laughed. "But in general. I've never even had a friend that's a guy that's like you. It's a good thing, I promise."

"Good." I said. I checked my watch. "It's getting late. You want to go to sleep?"