Chapter 7
Linsea
Shame burned my gut as I caught myself yet again glancing at the door. It was dumb of me since Kayog often attended class remotely. But I couldn’t help hoping he’d show up against all odds. I still didn’t know how to feel about the event that went down yesterday.
“He’s not going to come,” Tala said in a soft voice after I peered at the door again.
My cheeks heated with embarrassment that I’d been so obvious she noticed.
“Ugh. I’m so pathetic,” I muttered.
“No, you’re not,” Tala said firmly. “You’re very drawn to Kayog, and it’s clearly reciprocal. Shit happened, and it’s only fair that you would be confused about it. But he’s not a violent male.”
“Huh?! You didn’t witness what went down!” I exclaimed disbelievingly.
“I didn’t need to. Kayog protected Celeste from a group of bullies,” Tala said in a calm and self-evident manner that threw me for a loop.
“By dumping that idiot through a tree?!”
She shrugged. “It slowed the said idiot’s fall. His ego is a lot more bruised than his body. And he deserved it.”
I shook my head, unconvinced, a shiver coursing through me as I replayed the whole scene in my mind.
“There’s more to it, too. Kayog’s eyes glowed, and I think that his hands did as well. He was like…” my voice trailed off as words failed me.
“Like what?” Tala insisted softly. “Like he was possessed?”
I shook my head. “No, but…”
“But what?”
I heaved a sigh and shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. All I can say is that, for a brief moment there, he really scared me. I wasn’t really scared for myself, but I didn’t know who I was looking at. Maybe possessed isn’t a bad word after all.”
“Talk to him,” Tala said firmly.
I scrunched my face, feeling torn. “Or maybe I should just listen to his advice and run while I can. And yet, another part of me doesn’t want to.
Above all, I really want to understand what happened, what triggered that reaction, and why the fuck his eyes glowed.
Temerns don’t have abilities like that. But he really feels like a lot of trouble that I might be wiser to steer clear of. ”
“Girl, talk to your man. You owe both of yourselves to at least find out what’s going on so that you can make an enlightened decision. No one writes a song like this about a female they just met if they weren’t serious about her. Give yourselves a chance,” Tala said.
“Yeah, assuming he ever shows up again,” I said in a grumpy tone. “For all we know, he might have gotten expelled. Acadia has strict rules regarding violence.”
She made a dismissive gesture. “Nah, he won’t be. We would have heard about it by now. Plus, everyone hailed him as a hero. The school would have a lot of disgruntled people to deal with if they punished him for protecting someone in danger.”
“Hmmm, okay,” I said in a non-committal fashion, just as confused now as I was at the beginning of this conversation.
Although I expected it, I still felt utterly disappointed when Kayog didn’t show up. Focusing on the lecture rivaled the most grueling Olympian feat. By the time we were dismissed, I’d changed my mind on my next course of action at least a billion times.
“Excuse me! Are you Linsea Kenna?” a soft female voice called out the minute Tala and I walked out of the lecture hall.
I turned my head in the direction of the voice, stunned to see a slender, young human woman swallowed up in a long robe with runic symbols that I recognized as representing most of the main religions observed by the various species members of the UPO.
She had long, dark blonde hair, olive skin, and dark green eyes that examined me with kindness.
And yet, intense nervousness radiated from her, as if she feared my reaction to her approaching me.
“Yes, I am,” I responded, curious.
“Could you spare me a moment to talk?” she asked, her nervousness cranking up another notch.
“Sure,” I said, fully turning to face her.
“It is for a private matter,” she added, casting an apologetic glance at my friend.
Although clearly bummed out to be excluded, Tala nodded and gave me a friendly smile.
As much as she shamelessly loved good gossip, my best friend was also the most trustworthy person I knew.
She would never pry about private matters and would never reveal a secret that had been confided in her without express consent.
“I’ll be in the eastern garden when you’re done,” she said before walking away.
I gratefully smiled at her before turning my attention back to the stranger. She waved towards a discreet alcove where we could speak more freely, and I followed in her wake.
“What can I do for you?” I asked, intrigued when we stopped.
“My name is Isobel Biondi. I am Kayog’s closest friend.”
I recoiled, shock and betrayal slamming into me. “You’re his girlfriend?!” I blurted out, immediately annoyed by my stupid mouth running away with me.
She burst out laughing and shook her head. The sincerity of her reaction and emotions instantly crushed whatever doubt I might have had. This further increased my mortification that my mind should have gone straight there when he had given me no reason to suspect foul play.
“No,” she said in an amused tone while waving at her outfit.
“This robe marks me as a doctorate student in the galactic clerical program. As part of our training, we must remain celibate for five years. This is only the second year. So no, there’s no romantic involvement between Kayog and me.
He’s just a really good friend, who I consider pretty much a brother. ”
“I see,” I replied, although I didn’t actually see anything. “Did he send you to talk to me?”
Seeing her flinch took me aback.
“No, he didn’t. In fact, he’ll probably kick my butt once he finds out,” she said sheepishly.
I frowned, always instantly suspicious of anyone who would betray or act behind the back of someone who trusted them.
“Then why are you?” I asked, my voice a bit cooler.
“Because he’s my friend, and he’s in an incredible amount of pain. In the six years I’ve known him, he’s never spared any female a second thought. The moment he met you, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
My cheeks heated, and I shifted on my talons, feeling both flattered and embarrassed.
“Kayog says you’re the one, his soulmate,” Isobel continued with a conviction that left me reeling. “But he also believes that he’s not worthy of you.”
“What?!” I exclaimed, flabbergasted by both her statements.
“He thinks he’s crazy, but he’s not,” the priestess said in a tone that brooked no argument.
“He said as much,” I conceded pensively. “Why does he think that?”
She hesitated then gave me an apologetic look. “As much as I would love to answer your question, it is not my place to say. He needs to tell you himself.”
I clicked my beak in annoyance, even though I appreciated that she would extend him that respect.
“As an empath, I can sense that you mean every word you’ve just spoken.
But Kayog doesn’t know me. So his claim that I’m the one seems extremely farfetched.
After all, we spoke for barely an hour for the first time yesterday,” I replied, choosing my words carefully not to say that it in fact sounded crazy.
She smiled in an indulgent fashion. “With anyone else, I would agree that such a statement would be outlandish. But Kayog sees and hears things in a way that no one else can. I assure you that he’s not crazy. He’s just unique.”
“You mean the same way that autistic people can perform insane mathematical equations in seconds?” I asked.
She pursed her lips as she weighed my words for a couple of seconds before hesitantly nodding.
“It shares some similarities, I guess. But like I said, Kayog is unique in a way I’ve never seen before,” Isobel replied carefully.
“So he is autistic or neurodivergent?” I insisted.
The priestess shook her head firmly. “He’s not. Kayog has simply been misdiagnosed his whole life.”
I nodded slowly. “Considering that he was raised in a Darwandir colony, I can definitely see how that could happen.”
Isobel recoiled, and her eyes widened in the strangest mix of shock and hope.
“You know about that?!” she exclaimed.
I shrugged. “Yes, he told me.”
“Everything?” she insisted, her gaze intense.
“Not about the specifics of his illness,” I conceded. “He only mentioned that the one time he was seen by a Temern doctor, there was reason to believe that he might try to hurt him.”
“Not hurt him but flat out kill him,” Isobel corrected, her voice and expression hardening with lingering anger towards the doctor.
It was my turn to recoil. “What?! Why in the world would someone sworn to heal people want to harm them instead? And especially one of our own?!”
I didn’t want to believe what she said, but the emotions swirling around her made it clear she was totally being honest based on the facts she knew.
Isobel opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before sighing with frustration.
“I’ve said as much as I can on this matter. All I can do is beg you to please, please talk to him. You are well-connected. Maybe you can help get him the medical assistance he needs,” she said in a pleading tone.
I ran a nervous hand over the soft feathers on my head and shifted my wings to release some of the tension building in my back.
“I haven’t seen him since the incident yesterday, and he rarely comes to class,” I said.
“He will do his canoe training tomorrow,” the priestess replied swiftly. “It helps him focus. Please, I don’t know how else to help him. This whole thing is breaking him both physically and mentally. I believe with all my heart that the Maker sent you here to save him. I can feel it in my bones!”