The Forgotten Paladin

Chapter 27: Provoking Danger

Some hours have past, and I am still on the training deck, trying to defuse my rage, and fear. Even after punching a metal machine for hours on end, I can't seem to stop the crimson magic from escaping from my eyes. 

What if they all think I'm a monster now? Maybe I should just leave the paladins, it would be safer for them, then maybe Zarkon wouldn't find them...

I drop my battered sword and walk towards the bridge, I'm hesitant to go back, they all probably are scared of me now. I sneak through the door and stand in the corner of the room. 

ALLURA: "There's no point debating this further, Zarkon is clearly tracking us through Y/N."

PIDGE: "That's not possible."

ALLURA: "Why would that be so hard to believe? Zarkon's forces found us on Arus once she arrived."

LANCE: "I don't understand, how would he track Y/N?"

ALLURA: "I can't explain it, but I know something about those symbols she has, I just can't remember what."

KEITH: "It's not her Allura, it's me."

HUNK: "Because?"

KEITH: "Look I just think Zarkon must've imprinted on me during our fight or something."

I observe from the side, I see Keith place his hand on something in his pocket, it looks like, a blade? I feel like I've seen it before.

PIDGE: "Look, the fact is, we don't know how Zarkon is tracking us. It could be through the Black Lion, everytime Zarkon gets close to it, Shiro has to fight for control."

CORAN: "That's only when Zarkon is nearby. No paladin has ever been able to connect with a lion over a vast distance."

HUNK: "So, what are we going to do?"

SHIRO: "Look, it doesn't matter how he's tracking us because we're going to take the fight to the galra soon enough. They've been chasing us from galaxy to galaxy. The last thing they expect is for us to come after them."

LANCE: "The hunter becomes the hunted. Hmm? Awesome! That's the tag line from like six of my favourite movies."

Maybe Allura is right, Zarkon found them because I turned up there. Ellaria was wrong to send me there, all I did was put the only thing that can defeat Zarkon in danger. 

I slowly move to sit behind one of the chairs on the bridge while most of the paladins leave, luckily they don't see me. I'm too afraid to face any of them, or maybe it's the other way around.

SHIRO: "Is everything okay?"

KEITH: "Yeah, why?"

SHIRO: "You just seem a bit anxious."

KEITH: "I'm fine. Just tired. Like you said, I should get some sleep."

Okay so that interaction was totally weird on Keith's part, I should follow him and see what's wrong.

I start standing up, ready to follow him when someone pulls me from the ground. 

SHIRO: "You're not going anywhere Y/N."

Y/N: "Oh heyyy... team leader." I smile awkwardly as he looks back with a stern, serious expression, "Do ya need something?"

SHIRO: "Want to talk about what happened in the bridge earlier?" 

Y/N: "Oh thatttt, well let's see..." I try to bolt out but his hand remains firm on my shoulder and he pulls me back to face him. "Dangit."

SHIRO: "I'm not letting you leave until you explain what happened." I don't say anything, I just look at the ground, thinking. "Y/N, come one, what's going on?"