Her Sickness, His Cure

Chapter 8 (Part 2)

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My smile widened when I heard a sharp cry. Yes! I scared her. Looking for the source of that sound I turned and walked towards my left, into India's small living room.

The second I stepped in, whatever I was feeling seconds ago flew away. The energy I was saving to yell at her turned into something else. I was completely caught off guard as I stared into those chocolate brown eyes.

India was sitting on her couch, hugging her knees to her chest. She was dressed in a thick black sweater which practically swallowed her small frame.

Small.

An adjective I would never use to describe the witch. I noticed how she gripped the cotton pants that covered her legs. She looked like a panic-stricken child.

Her eyes were hollow, her cheeks were sunken. She was so thin.

"Wh...what happened?"

"Rexamus sure missed me!" Alex barged in just like I did. That's when I saw India flinch and coil back into her couch.

"India!" Before Alex could blindly run towards his dear friend, I grabbed his hand. He didn't really look at her so he didn't notice the apparent gloom in the house. Alex turned to me curiously. My eyes flicked towards India. Leaving my brother behind I slowly walked towards her. She looked so beaten. I have never seen her like this and so I didn't really know how to react or what to do.

"India look at me." She had a faraway look in her eyes. Like she was somewhere else. "India look at me." I tried again, softer this time. Her eyes focused on me after a fleeting moment. There were fading bruises on her knuckles and her cheekbones. My anger flared up but I knew controlling myself was most important now.

Judging by the silence in the room, Alex was beginning to understand what was happening.

I cupped her face in my hands and stared at her.

"What happened to you?" My voice was nothing more than a whisper. I saw her eyes fill up with tears and she stared at me. Before I knew it she threw her arms around me and wept.

I hugged her too but my heart rate picked up its speed. There was an unsettling feeling in the pits of my stomach. Who hurt her? Who even had the power to do so?

I felt Alex come closer. He then took a seat beside her on the couch. Alex rubbed her back soothingly, hoping to find out who was responsible for her current state.

India cried for a long time. Rexamus heard this and came to stand by the front door. I bet he too hated listening to her cries.

"India talk to us, darling." I said softly and carefully.

"Why didn't you look for me Kyle?" She said in between her sobbing. I raised a brow and thought about what to say to that.

"Hey...you know I did. I did try to find you."

"Why didn't you notice that there was something horribly wrong?! You always knew when something was wrong! Why didn't you look for me?" She cried, more upset than before.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." That was all I could say to her at that moment. She was crying and it wasn't the time to say anything else.

"I'm so sorry India. Honest." The uneasiness increased in me. Spreading like a virus. I needed an explanation. Why was everything going so wrong so fast?!

Our dear friend quieted down after some time. Alex helped her to lean back on the couch. She was completely drained and her hollow eyes were now puffy.

"You need to talk. Now." Alex commanded.

"You remember the night you came to my h..house? The last time you saw me?" I nodded and sat on the floor in front of her.

"That night, I took Rexamus and rode to the castle. I...I confronted King Zenas." She said solemnly. I closed my eyes hoping this wasn't going where I thought it was.

"I demanded to know what was going on in Red Kingdom. All those deaths, the mysterious sickness. So many people were dying Kyle." The look on Alex's face was nothing less than speechless. He was taken aback. I could see the worry on his face.

"It escalated huh?" I stated dryly. Of course it did. Zenas had been in a shitty mood for months. And we knew exactly why.

"Yes it did and...and I didn't back down. So as punishment he threw me in the dungeons. He said I needed to learn my place."

"f**k him!" Alex spat out with venom in his voice. "He's the reason for all these deaths!"

"How much do you know Alex?" India weakly asked him. I vaguely heard his reply. No doubt he was explaining what we saw on our way here. I couldn't concentrate because I couldn't believe he lied to me.

Why would be lie to me? He lied to my f*****g face while my friend was captured.

"Kyle?"

"Kyle?"

I came to when they wouldn't stop calling my name.

"He knew. Tim knew." I stated without emotion. India looked away regrettably.

"That little brat knew everything! I asked him about your whereabouts and he lied to my face!!" I yelled out feeling beyond frustrated.

India flinched again. She looked at me with sad eyes. "Kyle it wasn't Tim's decision to throw me in a cell. It was Zenas'. Tim made my days bearable and he was the one who freed me."

"And what about it India?! I should fall on my knees thanking him?! He lied to me! He said you were fine and completely hid this ugly truth from me! Not only did he toy with Lilian, he toyed with all of us! I'm going to the castle."

"Wait what did he do to Lilian? Is she okay?" India tried to get up but she was too weak so Alex held her down.

After I told her all that has happened. Both India and Alex prevented me from meeting Tim.

"He's more powerful now Kyle. Don't confront him with all this anger." India warned me. Alex tried to pull me back but I slipped out of his grip.

"I don't care what he does to me! He shouldn't have gone after the ones I care about." I gritted and left for the castle.

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Third Person's POV

The young man huffed and let out heavy breaths when he reached the castle steps. He hunched over and tried his best to calm his ragged breathing. Underestimating the distance, he regretted not bringing Rexamus along. Sweat dripped down his forehead and there were sweat stains all over his shirt. Thankful he chose a dark shade of blue. Not thinking much about it, he  ran inside until he came to the stairs that would lead him towards Prince Timothy's chambers.

Taking a deep breath he slowly walked up. Kyle did not want to start the conversation with anger. As he was contemplating on how to start, he heard light footsteps coming from the top of the stairs. Thinking it was one of the servants he blocked out the noise out and searched his brain for the right words.

Should there even be any right words? Why? If he was my friend I will confront him however the f**k I want. Kyle bitterly thought.

Making up his mind he looked up and almost tripped. The source of those soft footsteps were non other than the young prince's.

One look at those striking baby blue eyes and Kyle understood that his friend knew exactly why he was here.

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That's all for now! Till next week.