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She muttered under her breath. “They only like looking at me.” Her tone wasn't bitter. It was hallow, as if she'd accepted it long ago.

“Use it.”

The tears began. “I’m sorry, I’m so weak.”

“Why would you think that?” I asked in a soft voice.

“Because I’m crying.”

“There’s no shame in crying. It doesn’t make you weak.”

“Do you cry?” she whispered.

I wiped her cheek with my thumb. “Sometimes,” I admitted. “If this ever happens again, you will tell me, yeah?”

She slowly nodded .

“Good girl.” I smiled.

I don't know why I did it, but I brushed my lips against her hairline. She wrapped her arms over my neck, and pulled me back towards her, her grip desperate for me to ground her and keep her from breaking completely.

Our foreheads rested against each other, eyes closed. Our breathings synchronised, and I swore to myself to always listen to my gut feeling.

“Hyacinth.” I turned to the nurse’s voice behind me. “You shouldn’t be in here. Please go back to class.”

I nodded and left.

***

“Hyacinth.” A teacher called my name as I was exiting the school with Celestine. “You have detention, where do you think you’re going?”

“Detention starts half past, I’ll be there in a bit,” I told her, dismissing her disapproving stare.

“You don’t have to walk me out,” Celestine mumbled.

I ignored her comment knowing the twins were waiting for her just outside the school gates, but she was injured and vulnerable. Wearing their helmets, the twins turned towards us as we approached. Sterling took off his helmet and got off his bike, but Leo stayed on his.

“You were supposed to protect her!” Sterling shouted, getting up in my face.

“Sterling, there are people around us,” Celestine warned.

“Let them hear! Let them hear how the notorious Vul–”

I clasped my hand over his mouth, shutting him up. “I need you to lower your volume.”

Sterling smacked my hand away. “Why did you let her go home on her own?” he growled, lowering his voice.

I shook my head, not having an answer to it .

Sterling let out an irritated noise. “You have as much responsibility for what happened to her as the ones who hurt her.”

“Sterling,” Celestine started. “It’s not his fault, don’t make him feel guilty–”

“Guilty? He can’t feel that.” Sterling spat. “He can’t feel anything.”

I shoved my hands into my pocket, rubbing my thumb against my index finger. Without a reply, I turned and headed back into the school.

***

I came home to the smell of a fresh apple cake baking in the oven. I glanced over at the kitchen to see Renee and Niko, bits of flour on their faces, laughing with one another as Niko grabbed Renee from behind, lifting and twirling her around.

“Niko, Cinth! Cinth is here!” Renee giggled.

Niko carefully set Renee back on her feet before turning to me with a large smile. “You’re just in time!” The small timer dinged.

I set my bag down in my room and went over to them. “What’s the occasion?”

Renee opened the oven, releasing the sweet scent in a wave, pulling out her famous apple cake. It takes her hours to make, and the recipe has been passed down to her going back to her great-grandmother. “What do you mean, Cinth?” She beamed, setting it down on the counter.

Niko took out three plates and poured each of us a glass of milk. “It’s your birthday, Cinth! Don’t tell us ageing has already affected your memory.”

It’s not really my birthday, it’s the anniversary of when I was dropped off at the orphanage. Though, I guess legally I am eighteen now.

“Right,” I muttered.

Renee cut a large piece for me, before serving one for Niko and herself, then we sat around the table to eat. “Happy birthday, Cinth!” she exclaimed. “Do you have plans with your friends tonight? ”

I shook my head. I couldn’t think of celebrating when Celestine was injured because of me.

“Why not?” Renee asked. “You have the night off, don’t you?”

Niko nodded in confirmation.

“I need to visit Silias, Niko,” I told him. “I’m going to stop training Celestine.”

He paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. “Why?”

I told him about her injuries, and he called Silias to let him know we would be visiting him later in the evening.

“You must really care for her to stop the training,” Renee said, comfortably rubbing my back.

I didn’t reply.

Renee pursed her lips. “Well, was there anything you wanted for your birthday?”

I want to know who the two behind the masks were. Instead, I met Renee’s eyes and smiled.

“The cake was all I wanted. Thank you.”

***

That night, Niko drove through the gates of the Kokkino Estate and parked in front of the door. He got out, meeting me at the steps. I didn’t want to go inside without him, even if Celestine was in there.

“Best behaviour,” Niko reminded me.

The twins opened the door, and it felt like déjà vu. Sterling’s hard eyes glared at me, but Leo stared straight ahead.

Only candles illuminated the walls as the twins led us to the dining room.

Silias sat at the very end of the long table that seated a dozen people. Rayne sat on his right, Sterling on his left, Leo next to Sterling, and Oremus next to Rayne.

I glanced around but didn't see Celestine anywhere .

“Please, sit.” Silas gestured.

Niko took the seat next to Oremus, and I sat across from him, next to Leo. Just as we sat down, chefs entered the room with dishes that were served in small portions.

This was certainly not going to fill me at all.

Silias was the one to start the conversation. “So.” He lifted his glass for a server to fill with wine. “Cel tells me the training is going well, but she doesn't go much in depth with it.” He met my eyes. “How do you think she's going?”

“It's fine,” I muttered. What else do I say? “She works hard.”

“Care to elaborate? I'd love to hear the stories of her training.” Silias sipped his wine. “You know, Cel's so shy, but I'm sure there are some interesting things that happen.”

“Stories?” I repeated. “Not really. Just typical training sessions. I teach her techniques and she mimics me.”

“Hm,” Silias said. “Surely there are some things that shock you?”

“She's quick,” I stated “I don't usually need to show her how to do things more than once.”

“And do you ever get frustrated with her?”

I shook my head.

“Hyacinth understands how young and novice she is,” Niko said. “So he wouldn't get so easily angry at her.”

That’s a lie, I get angry at her in every training.

“Ever?” Silias questioned.

I replied. “I may be harsh, but that's just how I talk.”

“You know, with your reputation as Vulture, I always thought you'd be colder to Cel, but ever since she's begun training and doing her assignments with you, she comes home without a scratch on her. ”

“Just because you don't see any injuries on her, doesn't mean she hasn't been working,” I said. I let out a breath, knowing I needed to get this over with. “Speaking of training Reaper, I would like to stop.”

There was a long silence of utensils against plates before Silias looked at me. “And why is that?”

“There's a reason why I don't allow people to get near me–”

“Because you're a dog?” Sterling muttered.

I shot him a glare. This was not the time nor the place to start something with me. I ignored him and continued, “she's become a target.”

“Target?” Silias repeated.

“I'm sure Reaper told you, the reason she was attacked was because they were interrogating her about me.”

Silias pursed his lips and exchanged a look with Rayne. “No,” he said, slowly. “She conveniently left that part out.”

I glanced at Niko, hoping I didn't just get Celestine into trouble. Though, he gave me a reassuring nod, letting me know soundlessly that they should know this.

“Wouldn't it be best that you train her so that she can take care of herself?” Leo asked.

I shook my head. “This is for her safety.”

Rayne circled the tip of her finger on the top of her wine glass. “It sounds as though you've gone soft, Vulture.”

Don't taunt me.

“Perhaps…” Niko intervened before I said something I wouldn't be able to take back. “A solution to this could be if you allow her to live with us, while we train her. It would accelerate her training and lower her risk of being attacked as there would be no travelling. ”

“You will be training her as well?” Sterling rose a brow. Celestine would be only the second person he'd train in his life.

Niko nodded. “I had a chat with Celestine a while back, but we haven't had the chance to start just yet.”

“No,” Silias immediately said. “She stays here.”

“It wouldn't be permanent,” Niko explained. “Simply… Until she's ready to be independent.”

“And how long would that be?” Silias asked.

Niko turned to me for an answer, having not yet trained her.

“I would assume maybe a couple months,” I said. “She has training already and improved a lot in such a short amount of time. With the holidays approaching she should be independent by the time it ends.”

“What if you two move into the estate instead?” Rayne suggested.

Niko shook his head. “No, I’ve made myself very clear multiple times to Silias, I even told Ender no.” Associating with a single clan or person would limit our work and put more targets on us. Niko would never budge on that.

Silias bit his cheek. “I’m surprised you care so much about her.”

You and I both.

He pondered over the option for a moment more before answering, “you aren’t doing this because you've fallen for her, correct?”

“She's a liability I can't afford to ignore,” I said. I don’t quite understand the relationship between her and Silias, but it would be best to keep whatever relationship we have a secret from everyone, especially him.