"I wish my bed were big enough for the two of us," Luke cackled, shifting closer to Chast. One wrong move and he'd fall off the edge.
Chast laughed, then turned his back, giving Luke more space.
It was already late at night, yet neither of them could sleep. It wasn't because the bed was small or because sharing it was uncomfortable, but both were lost in their own thoughts.
Chast was still thinking about Professor Valkiery's reaction to Burthry, something he couldn't quite explain. It was odd. And more than that, he couldn't shake off what the elves had said earlier—it made his stomach twist.
Dark? Danger?
What did they mean by that?
Meanwhile, Luke's mind echoed with his aunt's words.
"Listen carefully, Luke. From this moment on, you'll keep an eye on them—the boy and his mother. Every detail. Every whisper. Everything about them. Report to me daily."
Why does she want me to spy on my friend and his mom?
Chast and Luke both turned to face each other, sighing deeply. They locked eyes for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.
"Can't sleep?" Luke asked.
Chast heaved a sigh. "Yeah. My thoughts keep echoing in my head."
Luke sat up. "What were you thinking about?"
"I don't know," Chast murmured, using his hands as a pillow. "I don't even know what to say."
"Me too," Luke said, ruffling his hair before sighing and collapsing back onto the bed.
"You know, Luke..." Chast paused, hesitating whether he should open up—but then made up his mind. He trusted Luke; he was his friend, after all. "I always find the elves odd. They keep giving me riddles."
Chast chuckled. "It's like they're trying to tell me something important, but I just can't figure it out."
Luke stayed silent, listening intently.
"Like earlier," Chast continued. "They said four words." He cleared his throat. "Burthry. Dark. Chosen. Danger."
"Burthry. Dark. Chosen. Danger," Luke repeated, rubbing his chin. Then again, silently in his head.
Both of them fell quiet, trying to solve the riddle.
"Do they mean you're in danger?" Luke finally asked. The only answer that seemed to make sense.
"That's what I thought!" Chast exclaimed, sitting up.
"But what do they mean by dark?" Luke wondered aloud, still trying to connect the words.
Chast shrugged.
"What do you know about Burthry?" Luke asked. He had never heard of that bloodline before.
"Nothing," Chast answered bluntly.
"Maybe it's connected to the dark part—like Burthry has a dark story, a dark legacy... or maybe dark magic?" Luke suggested, waving his hands for emphasis.
"Hmm." Chast rubbed his face. This riddle was giving him a headache.
"And as for the Chosen," Luke said, pointing at him, "that's you. The elves call you Chosen, which I actually find weird."
Chast chuckled. "Me too."
"If Burthry has something dark, and you, the Chosen, are in danger, or—" Luke gasped as a thought struck him mid-sentence.
"Or what?" Chast asked, impatient now.
Luke hesitated. It might offend his friend, but the thought refused to leave his mind.
He took a breath. "What if the Burthry was dark... and you, the Chosen, are one of them? Which makes you... dangerous."
Silence filled the room. Both tried to digest what Luke had just said.
Then Chast laughed, jabbing Luke's shoulder.
"Do I look dangerous to you?" he said between chuckles.
Luke froze. Before, no. He'd always thought Chast was just a hopeless, defective idiot. But after seeing the Aether Crystal react to his magic, everything changed.
"...Yes," Luke blurted, correcting himself.
Is that why Aunt Valkiery wanted me to watch him? Because he's dangerously powerful?
Chast stared at him, stunned.
Wait... What!?
He thinks I'm dangerous? Do I look like a killer now?
Luke panicked as he noticed Chast's expression shift. He immediately tried to ease the tension.
"Not like you're that dangerous," he said quickly. "What I meant was you... You're powerful."
Chast furrowed his eyebrows, snickering.
"What!? I'm defective. You know that. We all know I don't have magic."
Idiot! Luke facepalmed inwardly.
Powerful but an idiot. What a perfect balance in life!
He just ignored what Chast said. There was no point in arguing. It wouldn't make sense to explain how powerful Chast really was if the guy himself refused to believe it.
Luke leaned back against the headboard. "How's your dad?" he asked casually, changing the topic. The shift in tone was subtle, but his mind was already slipping into spy mode.
"He's good, I assume," Chast replied.
"I meant, how is he as a dad?" Luke pressed, his tone light but deliberate. "I don't know anything about you. You're this mysterious guy from the ordinary world."
His voice was easy, almost teasing, but every word was measured, probing, searching for details.
"Oh, well." Chast grinned. "I'll tell you, but you have to tell me about Valkiery first."
Luke froze for a split second, his smile tightening.
Of course, he'd say that. Of all things, that.
Chast had always been curious about the Valkiery bloodline. He wanted to know the connection... if there was one.
Luke forced a laugh, raising a thumbs-up. "Deal," he said brightly, though his stomach felt tight.
His face gleamed with a friendly smile, but behind it, his thoughts were a tangled mess.
"Honestly, we were just living a simple life. No magic, no Celestials—at least, that's what I thought."
Chast chuckled softly, leaning back against the headboard beside Luke, using his arms as a pillow.
"My parents were normal. You know, just your typical couple, ordinary, in love. My dad is an amazing husband, but not as a father." He smiled faintly at the memory.
"I had no idea my dad belonged to this world," he continued. "And my mom... she's just mortal. No magic. That's what I was told."
He paused, exhaling slowly. "So, I figured I was just a half-breed, a defective Celestial like everybody calls me."
Luke stayed still, pretending to relax, though every word Chast spoke carved itself into his memory.
His aunt's voice echoed faintly in his head: Every detail. Every whisper.
He glanced sideways at Chast, who was staring blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought. His expression was open, unguarded, and trusting.
"What do you mean, not as a father?" Luke mumbled, his face filled with worry.
Chast pressed his lips together. "I don't know. I've always been an obedient son. I did everything he asked, but there was still this gap between us... like I was nothing. You know what I mean?" He sighed, his chest tightening.
Sometimes, he wished he were adopted, just to have an excuse for the way his father treated him. The thought stung, but it was easier than believing he'd done something wrong. Thankfully, he'd always had his mom by his side, and that was enough to keep him grounded.
Luke swallowed the lump in his throat.
"You know," Chast murmured, "I always think maybe I don't belong here... or even in the mortal world."
Luke forced a small smile. "You do belong here. You just haven't realized it yet."
Chast chuckled. "You sound like my mom."
Luke laughed. "I'm your dad!" he joked.
"Dad!" Chast exclaimed, laughing. "But Dad, all I want is a home I can belong to. I don't care where, as long as I can call it home."
Author's Note:
Sometimes, it's not the battles or the magic that hurt the most — it's the feeling of not belonging anywhere.
What did you feel in this chapter? Did you sense Luke's guilt too, or were you more drawn to Chast's longing for home? Tell me in the comments below.
Thank you for reading! :)