Chapter 17
Seventeen
LILITH
As I struggle to open my heavy eyelids, confusion washes over me. My body feels as sluggish as my mind, making it difficult to sit up.
The room around me is unfamiliar, and it takes a moment for me to realize I’m lying in a bed with cold stone walls. A cart filled with healing supplies catches my eye in the corner.
So, I must be in the healing quarters. It seems I’m still alive after all.
Shifting slightly, I wince at the ache in my side. Ah damn.
Moving the covers aside, I look down to see a large bandage wrapped around my wound, confirming my memory of the attack. I turn my head and spot Simon sitting beside me in a small wooden chair, asleep and clearly uncomfortable. He looks too big for the chair, his long legs straight out, arms crossed, and his chin rests on his chest. Strands of his blond hair dangle on his forehead, his long lashes fanning over his cheeks, and for once he doesn’t look serious and in control. Seeing him like this, innocent and vulnerable, does weird things to my heart.
“Simon?” I croak, my throat feeling like sandpaper. It’s rough, and my voice sounds strained.
When he doesn’t wake up right away, I reach out to him and wince at the pain that shoots through my side. The moment my fingers brush against his skin, though, Simon’s gorgeous brown eyes fly open. He shakes off the sleep, now alert. I catch a small grunt from him, which hints that he might be nursing some injuries too, but I can’t see where.
“Lilith,” he breathes. “You’re awake.”
“It would seem so,” I reply softly, still sounding a bit raspy. “Could you grab me some water?”
He nods, quickly getting up from his chair but not without a wince. “Sure. I’ll check over by the sink,” he says, moving toward the small area across the room.
I watch as he rummages through a cupboard, finally pulling out a glass. He’s wearing his usual fitted black academy shirt and training pants, but he looks clean and fresh. He must have changed at some point because I now notice I am most definitely not clean and fresh. My shirt is missing, replaced by the massive bandage covering almost my entire torso and my pants are… yep, also gone.
After Simon fills the glass with cold water from the tap, he carefully brings it back to me. The cool liquid soothes my dry throat, and I can’t help but let out a satisfied sigh. Simon just watches me silently, back to his serious and stoic self.
Once I’ve had enough to drink, I clear my throat and glance at him.
“How are you holding up?” he finally asks, genuine concern written all over his face.
“I feel like I’ve been swallowed, then chewed and spat out by darkness,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood, but his expression stays serious. “I’m in pain, but I think I’ll manage. Hopefully. And you? You were there too… right?”
“I’m fine,” he reassures me as he settles back down next to me, gesturing toward my side. “It’s nothing compared to what you went through. Do you remember what happened?” he whispers, leaning in a bit.
I take a moment, trying to piece together my jumbled memories and trying to decide what to tell Simon. He was there, so I’m sure he saw most of it. Can I trust him?
The last thing I clearly recall is being swallowed by this suffocating darkness in the forest. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.
“Yeah, I remember wanting a little space and thinking you’d follow me. But when I turned around, you were... gone.”
“It all happened so fast,” he murmurs, his gaze distant. “One second, you were right there, and the next, you vanished. What happened?”
I shudder at the memory, and decide to tell him and see how much he knows. I clearly need the help. “There was darkness all around—not simply a lack of light, something way deeper. It’s tough to explain. I know the forest is dark, but this was different. It felt like some kind of presence that I couldn’t wrap my head around.” I swallow hard, pushing aside the nagging question that haunts me: why did it choose me?
Focusing on what happened next, I say, “So, whatever that thing was attacked me, I fell onto a branch, and then my fox showed up… with a deer? Honestly, though, the memory of the deer feels blurred, I might’ve imagined it. I think there was more but…” I trail off, unsure if I should keep going.
“You summoned a Prey, too,” Simon confirms. “Your fox was protecting you and the deer, it’s what saved you. It managed to heal you enough for me to get to you and take you to the academy. Our healer, Tanya, has been caring for you ever since.”
“What?” I gasp.
“You were on the brink of death, Lilith, there was black acid goo dripping out of your puncture wound,” he says, his voice strained. “I think your deer bought you enough time to make it here. And Preys are notoriously hard to control, let alone tapping into their healing abilities which adds another layer of difficulty. But somehow, you did exactly that.”
My mind races and I struggle to process everything. When I first arrived here, my goal was simple—blend in and complete my education at the academy. Maybe be good enough to follow in my dad’s footsteps and become a Protector. The last thing I wanted was to stand out in any way.
Fuck. I’m messing it all up.
A lump forms in my throat and tears threaten to spill from my eyes. “I’m scared,” I admit, my voice shaking. “I still don’t understand what happened out there. But I know I never want to feel that helpless again.” I take a deep breath before continuing, more firmly this time, “I need you to train me properly. Every day, Simon. Something is wrong, and it seems like I’m the target. I can’t defend myself if I’m not properly trained. With both Shadows. And I trust you. I don’t think anyone else can help me.”
As soon as the words leave my lips, I realize they’re true. I’ve actually come to trust him. I just hope it doesn’t end up biting me in the ass later.
Simon’s eyes soften as he reaches out and takes my hand, and I try to ignore the weird tingle that spreads through me at his touch. I can’t really explain it. Maybe it’s just the comfort and security he brings when he’s around—I’m not totally sure.
“I’ll train you as much as you need,” he says gently. “But there’s nothing wrong with you. We’re still digging into what happened. It could be connected to the Rogues, but we don’t have all the details yet. Now that we know something’s off, we’ll keep a closer eye on you. I’ll protect you.”
“Rogues?” I repeat. “I know they usually attack the academies to thin out the number of Protectors each year, but do they really have enough power to pull off something like this?”
Simon’s silence says it all.
My breath catches in my throat, and I shift uncomfortably on the bed. “Why am I the target, though?”
“You have the ability to summon both a Predator and a Prey,” Simon explains.
“I get that’s a big deal, but I don’t see why they’d come after me when I can’t even control either of them yet.”
“Yet,” Simon emphasizes. “Just having that ability makes you really rare and super valuable.”
“But how could the Rogues even know? I only discovered this ability yesterday...” I trail off, my confusion clear in my voice.
“Three days,” he corrects me, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. “You’ve been out for three days, Lilith. And I’m sure they had their ravens in the forest. They always do.”
Three days?
The realization slams into me, and I blink, searching his face for any sign that he’s messing with me. But his expression is serious and sincere. I’ve seriously been unconscious for three whole days.
“Has anyone contacted my parents?”
Simon shakes his head. “No, Headmistress Bennett thought it was better to keep everything quiet—for your safety and the academy’s. Especially considering your father’s... status.”
I remember the look Bennett gave me before I went into the forest. It wasn’t concern, not really. It was cold and calculated, like she was more interested in what I’d do than whether I’d be okay. It’s hard to believe she’s looking out for me.
Despite all the mystery surrounding my father and his work, one thing’s certain: he’d move heaven and earth to help me. He’d know exactly what to do. He always has.
“My parents have a right to know,” I say firmly. “I need to contact them.”
“I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t make any promises.”
I glance down at our hands, still clasped together. We both tighten our grip a little. It’s strange how in all this chaos, that small connection feels like the only thing I can rely on. I lean back into the pillows and take a deep breath.
If my parents can’t be here, Simon’s the next best thing I suppose. Well, after Tony. Speaking of which…
“Has Tony been able to come see me?”
“No,” Simon replies softly, his expression turning sympathetic. “Bennett’s kept you isolated from everyone, so Tony hasn’t been allowed to visit. But he asks about you twice a day, at least. One night, he even camped outside the healing quarters, hoping to sneak in before Bennett found him and kicked him out.”
A smile tugs at my lips. Of course, Tony would pull something like that.
“Can I see him now?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. Simon’s face shows hesitation, but I can tell he’s wavering. “Please…” I add, the desperation creeping in more than I intended.
He lets out a heavy sigh and finally releases my hand, standing up. “All right, I’ll go get him.”
It feels like a huge victory, even though it’s such a small gesture. In this whirlwind of chaos, at least one tiny thing in my life is going right.
After what feels like an eternity, the door finally swings open, and Tony rushes in. Without a word, he flings himself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug. A sharp pain shoots through my side, but I bite back the groan, not wanting to ruin the moment. He’s clearly relieved to see me, and honestly, I feel the same.
“I can’t believe I finally get to see you,” he says, pulling back just enough to adjust his glasses, trying—and failing—to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.
“Don’t start crying on me now,” I tease, managing a weak smile through the pain.
He sniffs, doing his best to hold it together. “You scared the hell out of me!” he blurts. “I heard you were attacked, and then no one would tell me anything. I thought… I thought I’d never see you again,” he rushes out in one breath, as if afraid he won’t have enough time to say it all.
Damn it, Tony. The tears I was holding back a few minutes ago, threaten to reappear and then we’d both be sobbing messes.
I reach for his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “I’m okay,” I try to reassure him, even though I’m not entirely sure how true that is. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
Tony pulls up the chair next to my bed, scooting it closer, and he sits down. His eyes lock onto mine, searching for answers to questions neither of us knows how to ask yet.
“I was attacked,” I confess, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. “I’m not entirely sure what it was, but Simon said they’re working on figuring it out.” I pause, watching Tony’s face carefully. His brow furrows and his lips tighten in a way that tells me he’s holding back a million questions, but he stays silent, waiting for me to say what I need to say.
“There’s something else,” I add, hesitating. I probably shouldn’t spill everything before I fully understand it myself, but Tony’s one of the few people I can really talk to. “I also—”
“Summoned a Predator and a Prey,” he finishes for me, his voice quiet.
My eyes widen in shock, and I stare at him, completely taken aback. "How did you know?" I ask, confused. I wasn’t under the impression that this was common knowledge.
Tony shifts uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze—never a good sign. He’s usually so upfront about everything. “What is it?” I prompt, feeling a knot form in my stomach.
He lets out a deep breath. “I need to tell you what’s going on,” he says, clearly uneasy. “I don’t know how it got out, but ever since the other students found out about your ability to summon both a Predator and a Prey, things have gotten... bad. Some are calling you a freak, Lilith. And worse, there’s talk—real talk—about kicking you out of the academy because of the whole Dual myth.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Kicked out? For something I barely understand myself? Why didn’t Simon mention anything about this?
I frown, trying to make sense of Tony’s words. Growing up, we’d all heard stories about the Dual—a mythical figure said to have brought chaos, destruction, and imbalance to the world. It was a legend that most of us brushed off as a scare tactic for kids. Almost no one I know believes the Dual was ever real.
But it sparks a familiar memory from my childhood, one where I overheard a conversation between my dad and my mom late one night, when they thought I was asleep. My father, who’s been on countless missions, mentioned something about accidentally stumbling upon someone who fit the description of the Dual. After that he was obsessed, searching for answers.
But as far as I know, he never found the Dual—at least not officially. But hearing Tony bring it up again sends a shiver through me.
Tony’s expression hardens as he leans forward. “Don’t worry about what people are saying, or the students getting all worked up. I’ll be by your side every day, all day. Hell, I’ll even sneak into your room to watch over you while you sleep if I have to.”
I raise an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at my lips. My best friend is the most loyal person I know. It’s too bad he’s scared of almost everything. “And when exactly will you sleep?”
He shrugs, flashing a quick grin. “Haven’t quite figured that part out yet… but we’ll make it work.”
I sigh. Even though everything around me feels like it’s crumbling, at least I have my best friend back.
“That’s really sweet of you, Tony, but you can’t stay with me constantly,” I protest.
Tony shakes his head firmly. “Yes, I can and I will. Lilith, we have to stick together through this. There are a lot of awful rumors flying around about you, and I want to back you up every step of the way. I know you’d do the same for me...”
He’s right. I’d never let him face something like this alone. “We’ll figure things out once I’m out of here, okay? I still don’t know how much longer they’re going to keep me in here and—”
Suddenly, the door slams open, and a tall woman with fiery red hair storms in. She spots Tony sitting next to me and her face clearly shows her disapproval. He stands up nervously, determined to stay by my side like he vowed a second ago, but he’s shaking like a leaf.
“What are you doing here?” the nurse, who I assume is in charge of my recovery, scolds him. “You know you need special permission to visit her, right? And I know for a fact you don’t have it, because I would’ve been the one to issue it.”
Tony shuffles past her, shooting me an apologetic look as he stammers, “I-I’m sorry. Simon said I could come see my friend…”
She shakes her finger at him. “Simon doesn’t make the rules here. I do. Now go, before I decide to report this.”
In a flash, Tony makes his escape, leaving me alone with the healer. So much for his brave streak. That lasted all of two seconds. I brace myself for a lecture, but instead, the nurse turns to me with a surprisingly calm expression.
“Now, let’s give you a thorough check-up to ensure you’re recovering properly, and then we can get you out of here,” she says.
I nod and push myself up into a sitting position, wincing at the pain that shoots through my side. The thought of leaving this place feels like a lifeline—exactly what I need right now.