Page 54

Keahi

I just got off the phone with Flint, and apparently, I’ll be getting a partner.

The person’s former partner died, and Flint thinks it’ll be good for me.

I already hate it. I’m not a team player and I’ve made that very clear from the beginning.

It never was a problem before, but I guess he doesn’t trust me as much as he used to, and damn that pisses me off.

All thanks to Malia.

Fantastic! Flint didn’t tell me more about the person, so I’ll just have to find out this afternoon when I meet them how bad this collaboration will be.

A bunch of people lost their partners in the past few weeks, and I guess it’s an uneven number of people left over.

If the whole thing with Malia hadn’t happened, I would have put up a fight against the decision, but I don’t think I’m in the position to do that now.

I clean up the mess I made last night to kill some time before leaving for the assigned café to meet this mystery person.

It’s a small establishment at the edge of the city, and while it isn’t designed for the guards or under the management of Arcane, it has long since become overrun by us.

It’s a good deal, we keep them in business and they don’t question our uniforms or the topics we discuss.

I push through the glass door, triggering the quaint bell above it.

I sigh, intending to go to the counter to order a coffee before looking around for my supposed partner.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!" a voice exclaims from behind me before I can even place an order.

I turn around to see none other than Malia’s former best friend.

"I should have guessed it would be you," I mutter while rolling my eyes.

Just my luck.

"There is no way on earth I’ll be your partner!" they go on, ignoring my comment entirely.

"Be my guest!" I retort.

As if I wanted them to be my partner.

As if I wanted a partner at all.

"What on earth was Flint thinking? Besides, I thought you didn’t work with a partner.

That’s what you were so insistent on at the academy, isn’t it? Big bad Keahi would never deign to bless another guard with his help or cooperation," they go on, mocking me.

"If it went according to my wishes, that’s exactly how things would be," I snap.

Some people turn their heads to look at us, but I couldn’t care less about what they think.

"Then why are you here?"

"Not by choice, I can tell you that much."

"Did Malia send you?" Wystan narrows their eyes while I choke out a bitter laugh.

Of course, they quickly pick on that, like a lion sniffing a steak.

"What, trouble in paradise?" they taunt.

"Look who’s talking.

Why don’t you go back to your boyfriend?" The words leave my mouth with a bitter aftertaste, but I don’t try to backtrack.

No matter how far below the belt that was.

Wystan doesn’t reply anything, and I know it takes them everything not to lunge at me right where we stand.

Instead, they whip out their phone and dial a number.

There’s a slight tremor in their hands that I ignore. Other than that, they don’t show me how affected they are by the reminder of their loss.

"Flint, hi.

Yes, he’s here with me right now.

That’s why I’m calling. I can’t work with Keahi, so if you could just assign me another partner, that would be great." They’re quiet for a moment, listening, but I can tell from their grim expression that it’s no good news. "There has to be another- Alright." They sigh in defeat and hang up the phone.

"I’m guessing we’re stuck together?" I ask.

They glare at me but nod slightly.

"Brilliant, let’s go to a training room, then. I think we know each other well enough.” I’m still no fan of small talk, especially now, given the tension between us.

The walk to the facility is a quick and quiet one.

I feel no need to fill the silence, and I sense that Wystan is still mad at me for what I said before.

Maybe I shouldn’t have pissed them off before training, but oh well. I always used to be better in one-on-ones, so I should be fine.

I was wrong.

Wystan and I have been fighting for an hour and I’m regretting ever having opened my mouth about their dead partner.

"Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?" I wheeze after they slam me back – first onto the ground.

"Dustin taught me," they answer curtly.

Again, there’s a noticeable stiffness to their shoulder at the mention of the dead man.

"I’m sorry.

For earlier and in general," I say as casually as I possibly can while getting up.

My new partner narrows their eyes at me.

"I don’t need your pity.

The only reason I’m still here is that I’m forced to be your partner.

Don’t mistake us for friends," they hiss.

"I don’t want to be your friend, but if we’re stuck together, we could at least try to be civil.

We’re supposed to have each other’s backs out there."

"How come you couldn’t get out of this mess, anyway? Aren’t you and Malia heroes now?" Wystan’s words are laced with annoyance and an expression of loathing spreads over their face at Malia’s name.

The instinctive urge to defend her surges up quickly, but I stomp it out before the idea can fester.

I still remember when the two of them were as thick as thieves at the academy, running through the corridors together, laughing loudly.

My chest tightens.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to those times. Everything was a lot simpler then.

"Maybe I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart," I deflect, but my partner is apparently in no mood to joke around because they just roll their eyes at me.

"If you’re not going to give me serious answers to my questions, I’d like to get back to kicking your ass." I weigh my options and quickly come to the conclusion that I’d rather get my ass kicked, how they phrased it, than talk about Malia.

Out of nine more duels, Wystan wins six.

I endure one more loss before giving up.

Seriously, their stamina is outrageous.

"I think that’s enough for today." I wipe the sweat off my forehead with a towel while my partner grins cockily.

"Who would have thought that this was how it’s going to be after school?"

"Be a little more specific," I tell them.

I guess they’re talking about beating me in a duel, but honestly, who would have seen any of this coming?

I bet Wystan wouldn’t have guessed that they would hate their best friend, had lost their boyfriend, and be my partner now if someone had asked them a few years back.

They seems to follow my train of thought since their expression turns grave.

When our eyes meet, though, theirs turn icy, and they scowl at me again.

"Since you apparently have had enough of losing, I’m going home.

Tell Malia I said hi." They leave after one last eyeroll.