“Edia!” Xxx cried, slamming the door open.

Edia jumped at the sound, her shoulders tensing. She accidentally touched the rim of the basin of water in front of him, causing ripples to destroy the image of the future she had been looking at.

“Your habit of barging in without knocking will be your downfall one day.” Edia grumbled, tilting the basin and letting the water spill out over the floor.

The water washed over Xxx’s bare feet as he rushed to Edia. He grabbed her upper arms and his knees seemed to go weak at once. He collapsed against her, pressing his cheek against her stomach as he wailed, “He took him!”

Edia looked down at the mass of black curls rubbing against her stomach and pale arms around her mid-section. She sighed, “Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that you failed to take him?” She patted his head twice before pushing at his shoulders to make him let her go.

Reluctantly, Xxx let her go. But rather than stand up, Xxx stayed down at a crouch, hugging his knees to his chest, and looking up at Edia aggrieved, “Where’s the comfort and compassion? You’re the worst best friend.”

Edia snorted coldy, “Who agreed to be your best friend?”

Xxx cried out as if her words physically pained him, “You’re so heartless!”

“The boy is alive though, right? And who do you have to thank for that?” Edia scowled, “get up off the floor. Stop whining.”

“But Shisu has him now. What if he hurts him cause he’s angry at me? Or poisons him against me?” Xxx looked up at Edia with tear filled eyes. ‘Pity me’ was written on the bruise forming on his face.

“Then you should blame yourself for having ever loved such a dark-hearted vengeful person.”

*

After having Shay led away by the girls, Shisu’s face went red and angry again. “What the hell does he think he’s doing?” Shisu glared at the spot that Xxx had been standing and swung his leg in a strong kick. The face Xxx made when he punched him flashed through his mind; the joy, the swelling cheek. With a sigh, Shisu put his foot down.

“Imoha!” Shisu called out. A young woman with long, brown hair that spilled over her bare shoulders like melted chocolate, sun-kissed skin, and dark eyes that seemed to sparkle when the light hit them, stepped out of the palace into the alley way Shisu stood in, “Yes?”

“Go take some bruise ointment to Edia.”