Every Broken Part (Series)

Chapter Twenty Three.

                                                           D E V I N 

    "Thia, Jesus. What the hell are you doing in here?"

I caught my breath as I pushed Graizen's arms away from me.

"I was finding you. You disappeared."

"You could've gotten lost or found a way to the outside. Are you insane?" He was fuming with anger as he said this. I instantly felt hurt at his words.

Found a way to the outside? Do these woods connect to above ground? I looked around, unsure of what he meant.

"I'd say pretty I'm pretty insane, for going after you." I spat back. Graizen's hard façade didn't change as his eyes remained on me.

"Can't you just leave me the hell alone?" He barked back.

"Gladly."

Guilt flashed through his eyes. It was gone as quickly as it came. I let out a sigh as I ran my hands through my hair.

"Thia, you're hurt." Concern filled his voice as I turned my head to face him again.

There he goes again with that damn nickname.

"What?"

I wasn't the least bit concerned about my well-being. I was too focused on how much he infuriates me. Graizen grabbed my hand and pulled it to him. A large cut ran across my arm. My eyes widened as I noticed blood trailing down my arm and falling to the ground.

"Who did this to you?"

There was a fire behind his voice as the words fell from his mouth. His eyes were locked on mine as he demanded an answer.

"A tree." I said with a bored tone. "Are you going to go rip it from the ground now, so your masculinity remains intact?"

He didn't answer me as he started walking back towards the elevator doors. At least I'm hoping that's where we're going, I have no clue where these woods ended. Graizen didn't say anything as he pulled me through the woods. I tried to pull my hand away a few times, but he wouldn't let me. He put pressure on the wound, which eventually stopped it from bleeding. As we made it back to the elevator, the pain slowly started to register. I was given a few questionable looks as we made our way into the main house. He pulled me straight into my room as he sat me down onto the bed. He quickly gathered a few items as he cleaned off my arm.

"Can't you just heal it with your magical powers?"

Graizen shot me a glare as he continued to clean the blood from my arm.

"What do you think I am? A wizard?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"Yes." I countered, no hint of playfulness in my voice. He took out a brown bottle and poured some of it on a cotton ball. I winced in pain as he dabbed the cotton ball on my skin. I pulled my arm back.

"Whatever that magical potion is, I don't want it."

I held my arm protectively to my chest. He raised an eyebrow as he held the bottle in the air.

"It's hydrogen peroxide, drama queen."

Heat went straight to my cheeks. "Oh."

I didn't say anything as he continued to clean my arm. He wrapped some gauze around it, before applying a bandage around it.

"What are all your powers then?"

"Air, Earth, Fire and Water." Graizen simply stated as he tended to my arm. His eyes didn't leave my wound as he answered me. This was the longest encounter we've had since that day in the forest.

"The four elements." I whispered. "But, you can make each other pass out, break each other's necks." I pointed out.

"Over the years, our gifts have expanded and adapted from the four elements. But everything we can do is still connected to them." Graizen explained. He finished bandaging my arm, as his silver eyes met mine once again. I shivered in delight.

"How do you die?"

Graizen didn't say anything as he cleaned up the room.

"Graizen." I demanded. "How do you die?"

"Old age." He simply stated.

I shook my head. "How else? Henrick was murdered today, and he's your age."

"You really think I'm going to tell you?" He almost laughed. I didn't say anything as I sat back down onto the bed.

"I mean, yeah. That's why I asked." I stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You know, you've got quite the attitude, Thia." Graizen let out a laugh as he leaned against my closed door. My eyes widened as I stood up from the bed.

"I've got quite the attitude?" I took as step closer to him. "Have you met yourself?"

"I have actually, I'm quite charming." Graizen smirked as he took a step towards me. The space between us was disappearing with each word that left our mouths. I could feel the tension rising in the room as we slowly approached eachother.

"You're quite the narcissist, too."

I ran a hand through my hair, only to find a green leaf tangled into it. Graizen gently pulled it out before I could, as he held the leaf in his hands.

"Can I show you something?"

I nodded. Turning down that question would be impossible. I was eager to share these moments with Graizen, get to know the person behind the façade he puts up. The longer I spend with him, the more he opens himself up to me.

He closed his eyes as he held the leaf in his hands. In an instant, the leaf began growing into a small vine. Red petals sprouted at the end of it, the deepest red I have ever seen. As he opened his eyes, I was staring down at the most beautiful rose I had ever seen.

"That's how I made my forest. It took years, but whenever I was a kid, I'd go in there each day and add something every day until it turned into what it is now."

I looked down at the rose. I like to believe it's symbolic for how far the two of us have come since the day we've met. Our connection started out as only a leaf and has sprouted into a beautiful rose. One day I hope it will be a garden filled with endless flowers and trees.

One day.

His eyes didn't leave mine as he placed the rose into my hands. We were challenging each other with our eyes as I suddenly noticed we were merely inches away from touching. I didn't back down as he tilted his head down to my ear. I almost melted as his breath fanned against my neck. I closed my eyes as I could almost feel his lips against my ear.

"I should go." He whispered. As I opened my eyes, he was gone. My room was completely empty, the rose no longer in my hands. As I looked around the room, the rose Graizen created was nowhere to be seen. It was if I had just imagined the whole thing in my head.