In the Open Cage

Chapter 42

Royle quickened his steps, making sure to stay under the shadow of the buildings as he made his way towards the shed where Misa would be waiting. Everything had gone downhill tonight, and all he could think about was getting to Misa, to make sure she was okay, that she was safe from Nisha's cruel hands.

Nisha.

His chest burned, more than it had ever burned before as if the mark was a branding iron permanently searing into his skin. He could still feel the painful beat of his heart when he heard the smack of skin against skin and the desperate pleas of the witches asking Nisha to let 'the girl' go.

That bitch!

Rage boiled in his blood. Nisha touched her. No. She hurt her. The wretch hurt Misa, and Royle could do nothing about it. The moment was still clear in his mind. He could still hear the clunk of Misa dropping to the ground, the desperate gasps for air she had taken. It didn't take much more for Royle to piece together what had happened, and all he had focused on was getting her out of there before Nisha could do anything more.

There was no way he could share blood with that monster. He couldn't believe it. He refused. And his mother...

No. Nisha was a liar. It would be stupid of him to believe something so outrageous coming from her poisonous lips. It was impossible. His mother would never betray her kind. Not like Nisha.

Royle turned a corner, immediately catching sight of the warm glow of a lantern illuminating through the ragged curtain billowing in the wind. His heart clenched, and he was practically running the last few meters. He drew back the curtain, peering inside.

Misa sat against the table, her face buried in her arms that hugged her knees. Royle felt something shatter at the sight. He thought he would be relieved or even glad to see her, but only guilt and sorrow ripped through his heart.

"Misa."

She lifted her head, and Royle noticed she had already changed into her uniform. He stepped over the threshold, letting the curtain go behind him.

"Royle." She sniffled, wiping her face before she rose from the ground. She moved towards him, and before she could say anything more, Royle wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him.

His fury melted away, replaced with a dull ache in his heart and the pang of regret that he could do nothing but listen from where he stood. Listen as Nisha held Misa by the throat.

"She hurt you," he said, his voice wavering. "She hurt you, and I couldn't do anything about it. I'm so sorry." Royle squeezed, burying his face into the crook of her neck, the gesture holding more than the sorrow of being useless when Misa faced Nisha alone. More, because they had failed.

Misa let her tears run as she returned the embrace. "It's not your fault."

Royle didn't reply. He couldn't. Because it was his fault. He had dragged her into this mess. Everything that had happened since the day he met her, everything she had to go through was because he was too selfish to realise that his actions would hurt the people around him. He had planned for Misa to join the witches, to get close to Nisha. He had taken Misa to Tika in hopes that she would gain more magic. And he had forced her to become a cadet, raising the risk of her losing her life should she get caught.

His plans. His stupid, selfish plans had pulled her into the chaos that was his life. Royle wasn't sure he could do it anymore. He wasn't sure if he could ever kill Nisha. Not if it meant throwing Misa to the lions to be ripped to shreds.

Because the moment he heard the smack against Misa's cheek, the moment he heard Misa gasping for air, he knew his only goal was to get her out, and he hadn't thought twice about changing the bargain if it meant Misa would get away from Nisha. Every revelation from the meet, his mother's alleged betrayal, his blood relation to Nisha, everything had been so trivial when Misa got hurt.