A frown creased my forehead, confusion taking over as my eyes dropped to the floor, where I found her feet still on the ground.
Obviously, she couldn’t have left without her feet moving, which only meant one thing.
“Look now! She’s trying to get our attention!” I scoffed. “Of course, she didn’t just pass out. She saw I was angry and decided to fake fainting.”
Is this how she managed to fool both Emmet and Maximus?
I could believe Maximus, sure, but Emmet? The guy who hates everyone suddenly feeling pity for someone he barely knows?
“What?” Maximus followed my gaze. I quickly shifted my attention back to my brother, trying to gauge his reaction.
He didn’t look shocked, nor was there a hint of concern on his face. If there was, I needed to squash it before it grew.
“Helanie!” Maximus rushed past me, and I had no choice but to follow. My steps were heavy, my entire body radiating exhaustion. I was so tired of this girl constantly demanding attention.
“I think she’s passed out,” Maximus said with a trace of concern, kneeling beside her and lightly patting her cheek.
Ew!
How could he even touch such a disgusting creature? She was her mother’s daughter, surely just as manipulative.
“Hey, get up!” I nudged her foot with my shoe, trying to rouse her. I had a strong suspicion she was playing us-until my gaze fell on her hand, and everything changed.
I wasn’t sure if Maximus was concerned, but I sure as hell was.
“She… she’s holding the Dream Rose,” I lunged toward her hand, snatching it to inspect the rose before turning to check the envelope next to it.
“Maximus, she smelled the scent of that rose,” I tried to stay calm, but I couldn’t. This wasn’t good.
“What? You brought this today. What is this?” Now Maximus looked genuinely shocked because he knew I didn’t just bring him random flowers.
“Maximus, tell me right now-what does this mean? This rose! What is it for?” Of course, my brother knew I often brought herbs for weapon preparation. But that particular rose? That was something I’d carried for myself. I was going to take it back home and keep it safe, but I left it on the table when I got caught up in an argument with him about Helanie.
“The person who smells it gets sent to an alternate reality-not exactly a reality, but their ideal dream world,” I explained briefly, still contemplating what I’d done. I should never have left it out in the open.
But how was I supposed to know my brother would have this annoying girl here with him? Maximus never touched anything I brought in until I told him what the herbs did.
“Okay!” Maximus stood up, running his hands through his hair, trying to keep calm. “Let’s wake her up from her perfect dream.”
Maximus placed his hands on his waist, staring at me. I didn’t respond right away because I was still wondering how to explain, in the simplest terms, that it wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought.
“I, umm…” I looked away, my hands limp at my sides, my body frozen.
“What? I didn’t hear what you said,” Maximus stepped closer. We both stood over the unconscious girl.
“I can’t bring her back,” I finally admitted. As I turned to face my brother, I saw his expressionless face staring back at me.
“You can’t bring her back, or you don’t want to bring her back?” Maximus frowned, his face flushing with frustration.
“Kind of both,” I shrugged.
I understood the desire to help those trapped in their dream worlds, but I also didn’t want her to come out. It seemed fair, considering she forced her way into our lives.
“Kaye, listen to me,” Maximus’s panicked voice made me raise an eyebrow. Just then, we heard the distant rumble of a motorcycle, and he slapped his forehead.
“The food delivery guy is here. We need to get her out of sight before anyone sees her lying here.” My brother was right to panic. If someone saw him with a girl passed out on the floor, rumors would spread, and they’d eventually reach our father.
Not that Maximus would get into trouble. He never does. But Maximus had a reputation to protect, just like the rest of us.
“Fine.” I stepped aside, watching him groan in frustration. “You can carry her yourself.”
Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms and rushed toward the small room next to the bathroom, where he usually rested after working all day. I stayed behind, collected the food, and then walked back to check on him.
“I was waiting for you,” he groaned, watching me stand in the doorway, arms crossed.
“Help me out. If she doesn’t show up at the candidate shelter, I’ll be questioned. I don’t even know who she told before coming here, but if she told someone and doesn’t return, everyone will be looking at me. And when I have to explain what happened, not only will I be in trouble, but so will you.”
As he laid out his concerns more clearly, I felt a bit relieved. He wasn’t worried about her-just our reputations.
“But I’m being honest with you,” I said, my tone more serious now. “I found that rose with great difficulty only to keep it away so that no one touches it, and I don’t know how to bring someone back from the dream prison.”
The moment I said that, my brother’s face paled. He grabbed my collar, pulling me close so I couldn’t avoid his intense gaze.
“Then we’re in big trouble.” He shook me slightly in his panic, and in the process, accidentally ripped open my shirt.
Norman:
“Where are Maximus and Kaye? They were supposed to arrive and discuss the candidate list with us,” I paced back and forth in the office, frustrated at how careless my brothers had become.
“I don’t know. I called them, but they didn’t pick up,” Emmet replied, lounging back with his legs propped up on the table, looking entirely too comfortable. Sometimes I wondered why he was like this. Why couldn’t he act more responsibly?
He had so much potential, yet he was wasting it all.
“Emmet, this is important. The tests start next week, and we haven’t prepared anything yet. The students will be back at the academy soon, and those two haven’t even submitted the syllabus for training and subjects,” I was the only one feeling this much pressure.
Emmet sighed lazily and muttered, “I’ve submitted mine. As for them, I’m not sure what they’re up to, but I sent my guy to check. He told me they’re at Maximus’s garage.” He casually showed me his phone screen, where the message from his so-called ‘trusted guy’ was displayed–someone he always talked about but never revealed.
“If they’re not picking up the phone, I’ll go fetch them myself.” That was it. I couldn’t sit around in my office any longer, waiting for them to show up.
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