RHEIN'S POINT OF VIEW
For the third time, I was about to shut the door, but he stopped it again.
"How was the kiss?" His expression turned serious once more.
My brows furrowed at his question. "Why are you even asking that?" I let out a bitter laugh, though my discomfort was obvious. He had been there, after all—he saw everything. "There was nothing romantic about it, Brother Dylan. I had no choice. External healing didn't work, so I had to do it internally. If I had known just how much damage that attack would cause him, I never would have done it in the first place."
He didn't answer. Instead, my thoughts drifted back to what happened during dinner earlier. "I was planning to tell the truth. Why did you lie for me?"
"Just be grateful I did," he said, his eyes narrowing as he smiled. "And if there's ever a next time, don't use that... 'mature' kind of healing again. Remember, you're the master of your mnarill. It will follow you no matter what, especially since you're different. Anyway, that's enough for tonight. Good night."
His words and tone were almost brotherly, making me smile despite myself.
"Good nigh—wait!" He was already turning away, but I grabbed his arm, yanking him back. My eyes narrowed in annoyance as I remembered something. "You! I should be beating you up right now! You—you kissed me twice! On the neck! You pervert! How could you—"
"Maybe this will shut you up." He pulled out his phone faster than lightning and showed me a video already playing.
And it worked. I fell silent at once, eyes widening as I nearly went cross-eyed watching the clip. At first, I thought it was just some random joke video, but no—it was a recording of me and Justin kissing earlier. He had actually filmed us.
"Delete that garbage." My voice came out low and threatening. But he didn't look even slightly intimidated. He just held his phone higher, out of my reach. "Don't make me force you."
"They already told us not to use mnarill inside the palace except in the training grounds," he reminded me, grin widening. "Straight from the rah himself."
"Brother Dylan, delete it." My tone sharpened.
"Not happening. This is my insurance. If you tattle on me, I'll tattle on you. This world is sensitive to things like this, Rhein. If your parents find out, who knows what they'll decide? You don't want an early marriage, do you?"
A chill ran down my spine at his words. The thought of marriage had never crossed my mind—not even once.
"I did it to heal Justin. There's nothing wrong with that. No malice."
"Then the same goes for what I did."
I glared. "The same? Was that your idea of healing?"
"Okay, here's the thing. Let me explain."
I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to be calm, then nodded. "Fine. I'm listening."
"The first kiss—on your neck—was to slow down your mnarill. At that time, the flow was too strong, and your body might not have handled it. The second kiss—also on the neck—was to shock you, so you wouldn't be able to clearly see my face. You would have only been more confused if you had recognized me in the forest. Sorry if you felt I crossed the line, but hey—I'm not the type to kiss a girl just because I want to." He sighed after finishing.
His explanation made sense. He did it for my own good. Oddly, it made him feel more like an older brother than anything else.
"I won't report you. Just delete it," I pointed at his phone with a small smile. "That video could ruin me more than it could help me."
My sudden smile caught him off guard. "You really won't tell?" he asked, almost doubting me.
I shook my head. "No. I keep my word."
"I keep mine, too." He flashed the phone screen at me as he deleted the file. "But if I find out you lied, better prepare yourself for my revenge." He even had the nerve to wink before walking off. "Good night."
Once inside my room, my feet carried me straight to the large mirror by the wardrobe. My eyes stared back at me through the reflection—no longer green, for I was now a full-fledged hwizta mnarillaza.
Like earlier, I felt the fleeting surge of mnarill in my eyes. I watched in awe as their colors shifted swiftly before settling again.
Ash gray.
RONA'S POINT OF VIEW
"You!"
My light sword shot forward, its glowing edge inches from Dylan's face as he rounded the corridor. His eyes went wide, almost crossing as he stared at the blade near his skin. He swallowed hard several times before daring to meet my gaze.
"What's this for, Princess? Are you planning to kill me? What kind of punishment is this supposed to be?"
"Rona, calm down," Natre's voice chimed in my head. "You might kill the only meithi mnarillaza left in existence. Well, unless he already has a child, of course." His tone was so unclear that I couldn't tell if he was stopping me—or encouraging me.
I narrowed my eyes at Dylan, scrutinizing him as if I could see through his soul. "I told you not to harass my sister, didn't I? And yet I hear you kissed her earlier while she was screaming?"
His eyes grew even wider. "Y-you heard that?"
"Of course I did. Where did you kiss her, huh? And why did she stop screaming all of a sudden? Did you kiss her again?"
He stepped back, shaking his head, eyes shutting tight as he let out a weary sigh. "You really are siblings," he muttered. "While she was traveling, I kissed her twice—for her own good."
"Explain yourself." My voice was sharp, commanding. I lowered my weapon but kept my glare fixed on him.
"The first kiss—on her neck—was to slow down her magic. The second, also on her neck, was to keep her from recognizing me. When I appeared to her in the forest, I didn't want her to see my face. She managed to remove my mask, and I had no other choice but to shock her into forgetting. That way, she wouldn't remember my 'handsome' face." He stressed the word handsome shamelessly, even in such a serious conversation.
I frowned. "And why did she stop shouting earlier?"
A sly grin spread across his lips. "That's for you to know."
And then, just like that, he vanished—time froze around me as he escaped.
Frustration surged, and I kicked the wall hard. "You're dead tomorrow."
"Calm down, Rona. You might give yourself a heart attack," Natre teased. I shot her a murderous glare, and wisely, she said no more.