Chapter thirty five
Draped in sheets after our night together, I was wrapped around his warm body and our legs were tangled. I raised my head to look at him, and found him already awake, staring at nothing in particular.
I mumbled. "Good morning."
He smiled, and traced his hand down my body. Brushing the tips of his fingers, aligned all the way down. Heat rose across my form and I peered at him with concern. "Are you okay?"
He muttered. "I don't know. I just want to stay in your arms and forget everything."
I pressed myself even closer, settling in his arms and cradled the corners of his face in my hands. His eyes finally turned to look at mine. "We can't keep hiding from the real world."
He watched me tiredly. "This is my dad. What am I supposed to do?"
I didn't answer. This wasn't something I would figure out for him. "Where did you run off to yesterday?"
"To see an old friend."
I grinned. "You have friends? Thought you were one of those lone wolves."
He grinned back, squirming closer to me. "I had friends. Before my life became complicated. I have friends now too."
"I'm glad you found someone to seek comfort in. It's a guy, right?"
Levi began to laugh. "Would it be a problem if it were otherwise?"
I elbowed him. "Whatever. At least, you got to clear your head."
He admitted. "I did and I was able to rethink things. I'm going to choose my happiness for once. After we rescue the members of our Clandestine, I'm going to work hard to lead a normal life."
He needed that. He had given up a lot, and I was happy he made such choice. "I'm in full support."
"In the past few months, we've done questionable things we wouldn't have done before. I want to be me and I also want to let go of the past."
I nodded. "To let go of the past means we have to move up to phase three. Are you up for it?"
He let out a slow sigh. "I wasn't sure I was before, but I need it now to become a better person, even if it hurts."
"I want to be better too. Unfortunately we let our circumstances push us. Well, not anymore." I said in a hushed tone.
I could feel his tense form against me. I watched him worriedly, but his face had glowered. "I already have something in mind."
.....
Vikram Caden raised an eyebrow. "You sure you don't want breakfast?"
Levi narrowed his eyes. "We'd rather skip that and go straight to why we came."
"You already told me why and I already said no yesterday."
Levi responded evenly. "Only difference is that I have something that could ruin everything you've worked hard for. What do you think would happen if the world knew you weren't a Radiant? It would ruin you."
Vikram Caden cackled a laugh. "So that's your last resort. Blackmail."
"What can I say, I learnt from the best."
I added. "It's not like we have much of a choice. You're the one making it harder for us."
Vikram Caden gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll help you. What do you specifically want?"
Levi lifted out four fingers. "We have four requests."
"Now you're pushing your luck."
Levi smirked. "It's a big secret that needs big requests."
"Let me hear your requests first, then I'll see if it's worth agreeing to."
Levi sent me a nod, and I listed our requests out. "Firstly, we need."
A thick rumble of laughter escaped Vikram Caden's lips. "You mean me to agree to helping Tunde Oye, a man I certainly don't like and Professor Madu, the ex husband of one of my enemies. You must be delirious."
Levi shrugged. "Small price to pay for a dirty huge secret."
"Aren't you even curious what would make me do something like that?"
"I know what you're doing, dad. It's not that much of a distraction. After this, I want nothing to do with him. You are a liar and you manipulate people whenever you feel like it. You've done plenty good things, but a lie of this magnitude can't be brushed over, like dirt. This is serious. Have you wondered what would happen if the council found out? Or the backlash we would receive because of you. It's not okay to pretend to be someone, you're not. If this gets out, it gives Kree Badmus the upper hand."
Vikram Caden said eerily. "That's why it's important that none of this comes out. Your brother understood this, why can't you?"
Levi seethed. "If there's anybody in the world that's more understanding of all the things you've done, it's me. I have overlooked your flaws and defended your methods, even when the whole world tells me the truth."
"The world sees what they want you to see. Everything is all about what we want in the long run. Think about it."
Levi rolled his eyes. "I have thought about it, but there's no use. I'm keeping your secret. Not because you deserve it, but because my people would suffer from such great loss. They wouldn't want to have anything to do with you and there's no one else as wealthy as you are, that can do what you do. So I'm going to give you a warning. After this, stay in the background. I don't want to hear you go around patronizing Radiants, like you're one of us. It is insulting and disrespectful."
Vikram frowned and said nothing.
I mused. "I wonder how you were able to keep that up for over four decades. That's sick."
Ignoring my words, Vikram Caden shifted his gaze back to his son. "So what's your fourth request?"
"Huh?" Levi blinked.
"You mentioned only three and now I'm curious what the fourth one is all about."
I swallowed. This fourth request had to be the hardest he'd ever willingly agree to. Levi too seemed hesitant to say it, but we were desperate. It was our last choice.
Levi answered icily. "When we rescue our friends, we need access to Neo Zoar, or as the rest of the World Secret Society knows it as, Radiants Island. We need to hide out in Radiants Island."