Chapter 20: A Deal with the

  TheodoreWe returo the hidden house, but it no longer felt like a refuge. The air was thick with tension, our thoughts weighed down by Maki’s reckless escape. The sileween us spoke louder than any words—uainty, frustration, and an unshakable sense ency.

  Akira paced the length of the dimly lit room, his fists ched, his face a mask of frustration. "I told you she’d do something like this!" he snapped, his voice sharp with anger. "She never listens. She apulse, and now she’s running straight into a death trap!"

  Taki, seated on the edge of the table, sighed and leaned forward. "Akira, I know you're angry. But think about this—if we abandon her now, what does that say about us? About the kind of people we are?" Her voice was quiet but heavy with emotion.

  Akira ched his fists. "She did this to herself, Taki. She ran off without thinking. Again. And now we’re the ones who have to up the mess? Why should we put ourselves in danger for her?"

  I stepped iing his gre with a calm gaze. "Because surviving in this world isn’t just about strength—it’s about alliances. Every ally we lose weakens us. If we leave Maki behind, who’s to say the same won’t happen to us one day? That’s how people like us get picked off—one by one."

  Akira gritted his teeth but said nothing.

  I tinued, "And if we find her, it means they’ll find us, too. Do you really think we afford to split up when we’re already being huhe more scattered we are, the easier we are to take down."

  Taki pced a hand on his arm. "Akira, I know you're tired of always being the oo fix things, but you care about her. And you know leaving her isn’t an option."

  He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Damn it... fine. I’ll go. But if she pulls something like this again—"

  "Then we’ll deal with it together," I assured him.

  Akira turned away, stepping outside. A moment ter, his form shimmered, t into the massive shape of an eagle. With a powerful beat of his wings, he vanished into the night sky.

  Taki and I waited in tense silence. She fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve, her worry evident. "Do you think she’ll be okay?"

  I hesitated before answering. "Maki’s strong, but she’s walking into something dangerous. If she gets caught…" I trailed off, unwilling to say the rest. We both knew what it would mean.

  Miretched into hours. The flickering ntern cast restless shadows against the walls as we waited for Akira’s return. Finally, a sharp gust of wind signaled his arrival. The rge eagle swooped down, nding outside the house before morphing bato Akira’s human form. His expression was grim.

  "Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "Not a sirace. It’s like she vanished."

  Before we could decide what to do , an unnatural stillness filled the air. The kind that made the hairs on the bay neck stand up. A sed ter, I heard it—a faint sound, like footsteps on dry leaves.

  "Do you hear that?" Taki whispered, eyes darting toward the door.

  I did. And I reized it.

  My stomach twisted as I realized what was happening. "It’s them," I muttered. "The Elthias special forces."

  Akira’s expression darkened. "How the hell did they find us?"

  Before we could move, the door was bsted open. A dozen figures in dark uniforms flooded in, their movements precise ahal. I knew who they were instantly—handpicked elites of the Elthias royal family, traio elimihreats.

  Taki barely had time to react before one of the soldiers locked eyes with her. Her body stiffened, and I knew immediately what was happening.

  "Damn it! Don’t look at him!" I shouted, but it was too te.

  That guard had already activated his blessing—an ability that deactivated the blessings of anyone who met his gaze. Taki’s power was gone. Akira’s power was gone. My power was gone. We were defenseless.

  "Drop your ons!" one of them barked.

  Akira snarled, his body teh resistance, but I pced a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don’t fight," I murmured. "We ’t win this."

  Relutly, Akira lowered his stance, his hands g into fists. The soldiers wasted no time iraining us. etal cmped around our wrists, their grip unyielding as they bound us tightly, ensuring we couldn’t resist.

  One of the soldiers stepped forward, eyeih a knowing smirk. "Theodore. I was hoping we’d cross paths again. You’ve made quite a mess for yourself."

  I gred at him but said nothing.

  "Take them," he ordered.

  We were dragged out of the house, forced onto our knees in the dirt as they bound us with s. My mind raced, but there was no escape. The blessing-nullifying guard kept his eyes trained on us, making sure none of us could use our abilities.

  "Where are you taking us?" Akira growled.

  The lead soldier smirked. "Where else? The underground prisoh the capital. The royal family will decide what to do with you soon enough."

  The dest into the underground prison was suffog. Cold stone walls lihe narrow corridors, and the air was thick with dampness. The guards led us past rows of cells filled with criminals, rebels, and fotten souls. Then, at the deepest level, they stopped.

  A man stood there, waiting. And the sight of him made my breath catch.

  Prince Marshall Elthias.

  But something was different.

  Gone was the reckless, arrogant prince who had once cshed with his father. The man before us was posed, his presence exuding intelligend authority. His gaze was sharp, observant, as though he could see through our very thoughts. He stood with a fidehat was her boastful nor brash—it was trolled, deliberate.

  I swallowed hard. "You ged."

  Marshall’s lips curved into a knowing smile. "ge is necessary for survival. My kingdom depends on it."

  He turo the guards. "Uhem."

  The soldiers hesitated, but Marshall’s word was final. The s fell from our wrists, though the blessing-nullifier lingered close, his watchful eyes never leaving us.

  "Follow me," Marshall instructed, leading us through a maze of hidden tuhat wouh the capital. We emerged within the grand chambers of the Elthias castle. The t marble ns and intricate goldeails spoke of old power, of authority that had stood the test of time. The doors shut behind us, and Marshall gave a subtle nod. "Leave us."

  Even the blessing-nullifier hesitated, but a single pierg gnce from the prince dismissed him. Now, we stood aloh him.

  Marshall csped his hands behind his back, his voice smooth, posed. "You must be w why you’re still alive. The answer is simple: We might be able to help eatch other."

  Silence filled the chamber, thick with unspoken tension.

  "We overheard fragments of your versations," he tinued. "The ones in the hidden house. The protective spell made it difficult, but not impossible. We gathered enough to know that one of you is a blessing stealer. And that you know about the universal curse."

  A cold weight settled in my stomach.

  Marshall took a step closer, his expression unreadable. "The universal curse is real. And if it activates, none of you will survive. However, with my help, you may have a ce.."

  We exged uneasy gnces, none of us willing to speak first.

  Marshall's gaze sharpened. "So, tell me—" his voice carried the weight of authority, of certainty. "Who among you is the blessing stealer?"

  At that moment, the doors behind us burst open. Maki was shoved inside, bound, thrashing against her restraints. Her voice rang through the hall, furious and wild.

  "Let me go, or I’ll kill you!" she snarled, fighting against the guards holding her.

  The timing was impeccable. As she stumbled forward, everyone’s gaze slowly turo her.

  The silehat followed was suffog.