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Sorry for the late update!
I'll try to get more chapters out before school starts up again.
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The morning carried with it an overcast wash of grey, a seeping chill forcing Káel to seek the shelter of his thin covers. After Vera had returned from her father's brief tour, their conversations couldn't shake off the awkward pauses, nor the monstrous amount of questions Káel bit back asking. It was an atmosphere soured with defeat and worry that neither wanted to linger in, and so, Vera departed back to her room when she was certain she wouldn't cross paths with her father, and Káel turned in early.
But even with the dimming weather, morning brought the usual fresh perspectives to Káel. The pounding pain rattling his knuckles was now completely numb, and his scratches were more on the itchy side of sore. He opened his eyes with a drawn yawn, turning his head to the side to meet the usual grunting warble from Puff, Phantom pretending to sit on the chair in the corner.
Today was a good day to free Phantom.
"Morning," Phantom chimed, making Káel aware that his stare had lasted a little too long.
Káel leaned up, suddenly feeling his ribs with a wince of pain. There was a crisp fold of parchment on the small bed stand, its corners fluttering in the breeze like a set of delicate wings.
Like a butterfly.
The ethereal light of the butterfly from the maze filled his thoughts. Illusion or not, it had been his hopes to look up the creature. The bugs clearly existed on the alien planet, a myriad of the usual colours, yet none even came close to the entrancingly strange creature that had lured him into a trap with ease.
The smallest groan sounded from the floorboards, the careful and calculating step of an unknown guest tearing Káel from his thoughts to whip the door a wide eyed stare.
Truvius flinched, a painful wince drawing his hand from the doorknob he'd nearly gotten a hold of.
Káel soaked in the freeze frame atmosphere. The look was uncanny.
A cat burglar, frozen by the flashlight of his gaze.
Truvius steadied himself, dipping his head as a strange gesture of courtesy to his sleuthing stunt. "I was trying not to wake you up."
"Obviously."Káel replied, a smile haphazardly tacked onto his flat tone as he relaxed his shoulders.
He hadn't seen Truvius since Sev dragged him down to the nursing quarters, and with the utter terror Truvius was desperately trying to mask before him he had a pretty good idea as to why. It wasn't the usual nerves of being put on the spot, nor a fear to admit he was wrong.
It was something else.
It was horribly clear with the way it had his roommate nearly melting in fear, and a little heartbreaking to think about. Somewhere along the line of their budding friendship, Truvius had grown utterly terrified of him.
Káel calmly checked the clock, trying to lighten the room with a relaxed smile as he stared down Truvius. "I don't bite, the worst I'll do is growl if you accidentally wake me up.
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COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)
Fantasy[Featured: EDITOR'S CHOICE] Káel didn't think his life could get worse after being abducted by an alien posing as a Russian exchange student. Until that 'one day' turned into three months, and he was forced to get cozy on a post-war planet fresh out...
