Unstable

Chapter 27

--- Fox's POV ---

My Hawks and the Hornets trial was finally over. After three long days, I was free of Heat Fever, forever.

Holy shit, that makes me so happy.

Xander and I walked to the dining hall for breakfast, and the hallways were curiously empty. The guards usually posted outside my chambers were nowhere to be seen.

The night before, we had gone to my bedroom after changing into pajamas. I had borrowed one of Xander's oversized shirts. His bed was dirty, so we went to my bedroom to sleep instead.

I had left my glasses in my room, Xander told me to trust him to be my eyes. I was practically blind without them, anything more than a few feet away appearing as a blurry blob.

We rounded to corner to enter the dining hall, but it was empty. There was no one at any of the tables, no guards, or even servants.

"Where is everyone?" Xander asked. He looked at me and I shrugged.

"How would I know?"

"Maybe we're early?"

I looked out one of the windows, narrowing my eyes at the bright noon sunlight. "No, we're more late than early."

"Then where'd everyone go?"

"Let's check Aither and Raiden's rooms."

But both rooms were empty. The castle was too big to search through normally, so I decided to use a spell.

"What are you doing?" Xander asked.

"I'm gonna try to see if there's anyone in the castle with magic. I'm bored of searching." I shook out my hands, getting ready.

"Let's try looking some more first," Xander said quickly.

"But it would be so much easier to just use magic."

Xander thought for a second before saying, "I want to walk with you."

"Uh, okay?"

What's his deal?

We looked through the long corridors for another couple minutes, but the result was the same.

The castle was abandoned.

"Xander, can I use magic now?" I asked, worried.

He glanced at me, startled. "No."

"Why not?" I was starting to get suspicious.

Ahead of us, someone was rounding the corner. I gasped, and pointed excitedly. "We can ask them!"

The figure looked up from the silver object they were carrying. When they spotted me, they froze.

Xander grabbed my arm, twisting me around to face him. The older boy pulled me into a fierce kiss.

Shocked, I didn't react. I pulled back, "What-why'd you do that?"

He stared at me intensely. I looked down, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

Xander released me, and I stumbled backwards. I cast him a wary look, and turned back toward the direction I had seen the fuzzy, person-shaped blob in earlier.

But they were gone.

I groaned, "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Let's check outside," Xander said, his voice rough. I frowned, watching him run a hand through his dark hair.

"Okay."

There was no one outside either. The sun was covered by clouds, casting a shadow over the castle grounds. I stomped a foot pettishly.