Kris cursed the fact that Nish had acted like such a jerk yesterday because he could've really used his powers right now. Especially after what happened last night, he didn't want to scare Yrla by walking up to their table out in the open, but he had no choice. He walked over to the girl sitting on the bench with her breakfast in front of her and stopped at the head of the table.

"I need your help."

He didn't know her name, but his look said it all.

She glanced up at him. Her smile faltered a bit, and she nervously glanced at a girl who looked so much like her that she had to be her sister. But the sister didn't notice. "My help?" she repeated hesitantly.

Kris gestured impatiently with his head, not planning on wasting any time. She gathered her things and gracefully slid out from the bench. Holding her tray, she gave him a small nod. "Okay. What can I do for you?"

"Come with me," he grumbled as he headed for the exit. With powers like hers, she had to know what he needed her for.

The girl nodded silently and followed him out of the dining hall. They stepped outside, and he walked towards the Lions' campus.

"I'm Fayr, by the way," she said softly. "And you are?"

Kris had walked a bit ahead and looked over his shoulder. He wasn't in the mood for exchanging pleasantries, but she'd probably cooperate better if he didn't act like a jerk. "Kris." He slowed his pace. "My boyfriend's been poisoned, and if I go to the infirmary, they won't give me the antidote. So if you could ease his pain a bit or maybe put him to sleep, I'd owe you big time."

"Poisoned?" Fayr looked shocked. "But... That's not how my gift works," she said softly. "I can't remove it." She took a deep breath and forced a reassuring smile. "But I'll do everything I can."

Kris just nodded and walked into the Lions' campus. "For your own safety, you'd better not talk about this," he said as he headed upstairs. "Unless you want to end up like him." He opened Fox's bedroom door. Fire was sitting next to the boy on the bed and gave him a brief look before getting up to make room. Kris took his place. Fox's eyes were closed, and his breathing was labored.

"It comes in waves of pain, starting from his stomach," he explained to the girl.

"Hey," Fayr said softly as she sat down on the edge of the bed. The boy didn't even open his eyes, and a sinking feeling shot through her chest. That was not a good sign. "I'm Fayr," she kept talking to him soothingly. "I'm here to help."

She glanced at Kris for a moment, almost as if seeking permission to touch the sick boy. Her fingertips were already tingling as she tried to wake up her powers and direct them there. It hadn't gone wrong in a while. She gathered just a little bit at first. She wasn't very good at this new trick yet, but her mentor had said she could learn from every moment. And even if it didn't work, it would still do more good than harm.

Fayr steadied her hand and then placed it carefully but firmly on the boy's stomach. It immediately felt unsettling. The spark that jumped from her fingertips collided with a chaotically moving wall of... darkness? Even Fayr felt a bit nauseous from it, and she suddenly understood why Kris had already said she probably couldn't heal him, only ease the pain. Because for this... for this you'd need about ten Fayrs.

Pulling the spark back was more exhausting than just dropping a drop on the glowing ember, so Fayr sent her piece of light toward the darkness. She gathered the rest of her power too, until the tingling in her fingers almost hurt. At the last moment, she decided not to fire it at the monstrous wall but instead directed it to the areas where the darkness hadn't spread too much yet. Where things could still be fixed by her powers. It didn't fight the poison, but it strengthened the boy's resistance.

Kris had mentioned an antidote. So, the only thing Fayr could do for him now was buy him some time. Reverse the worst effects of the poison, neutralize the darkest outbreaks. And that was it. Fayr pulled her hand away. She hadn't even been out of bed for an hour, but she suddenly felt exhausted. She felt his forehead with her wrist for a moment, then stood up. "I couldn't neutralize the poison, like you said. It's... too aggressive. So, instead, I bought you time. The worst symptoms will probably fade temporarily, but you don't have long before they come back. He needs an antidote. Or... more healers."

Kris hadn't taken his eyes off Fox's face. There wasn't much change; he still looked like he was in a lot of pain. But he understood that the girl's power needed time to take effect. He held Fox's cramped hand, stroking his fingers and knuckles hoping his touch would help him relax a little. He had no idea how much Fox was aware of what was happening.

Eventually, he tore his gaze away from his friend to look at Fayr. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For the relief. I owe you one. If you ever need help, I'll be there."

Fayr shook her head. "I don't need anything in return—anyone would've done this. I only helped a little, that's all." She glanced sympathetically at Fox and then back at Kris. "I hope he makes it. That you find the antidote." She hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the door. "Good luck."

Zebediah had been clear, and the pain Fox was in left little to the imagination. But hearing it confirmed by a healer's mouth made it even harsher. Kris gave the girl a nod, then turned back to Fox as soon as she left. He ran his fingers through his thick brown curls, leaned in, and kissed his forehead.

"Don't worry, Foxie," he said softly. "I'm not going to lose you."

Though he wanted nothing more than to crawl in next to him and hold him tight, he forced himself to look away. He was asleep now. Besides, he still had a lot to do; he needed to make quite a few diamonds. The worse his concentration was, the harder it was to create pure ones. He turned his back to Fox, channeling his power to his fingertips, searching for the right composition, pressure, and heat, and then started making the gems.

He had worked through the entire night. There was no feeling left in his feet, which were covered with a transparent layer halfway up his calves, and walking was difficult. That always happened when he overused his gift. Fox's breathing had become heavier again; he was still asleep but whimpered and sometimes his body would seize up completely. Every few hours, Kris pulled him from sleep to give him something to drink and some porridge to eat–it was all he could keep down. Kris was always relieved when he drifted back off, so he didn't have to see those big brown eyes looking at him with such panic.

As soon as the sun rose, he went to the shop. He let the man test a diamond and simultaneously asked, "Do you have the goods?"

It seemed too fast, yet the man was greedy. He likely had his connections. He probably wanted the diamonds as quickly as possible before anyone caught wind of their agreement. He gave a curt nod and shoved a black bag into his hands. Kris opened it and indeed saw the requested items.

He would have loved to throw it away right then and there, but that wasn't an option. He had no choice but to give it to Zebediah. He thanked the man briefly and left his diamonds with him, then walked towards the Rhino campus with a grim expression. After pulling open two doors, he found Zebediah, who was getting dressed.

For the first time, he looked like a normal person.

Which he wasn't. The fucking lunatic had poisoned his boyfriend.

"I've got it. Give me the antidote."

Zebediah tilted his head. "But the best part is yet to come. If I'm right, the poison will soon reach his brain. That's when the real fun begins."

Kris clenched his hand into a fist. The grin immediately vanished from Zebediah's face, and he reached for his leg as the shards that Kris had left there years ago shifted, grew, and moved beneath his skin like something alive.

"Now, asshole. I've kept my end of the deal."

"Fine," Zebediah grumbled, realizing that he shouldn't push Kris any further. And rightly so, because Kris wasn't sure how much longer he could keep himself in check. Two nights without sleep weren't doing his self-control any favors, and he had to focus all his thoughts on Fox to avoid turning Zebediah into crystal and shattering him into a million pieces. He didn't dare gamble on the antidote being somewhere in this room.

"I'll bring it to you soon. If I'm still able to walk."

"Don't count on it," Kris sneered. "And don't ever pull this on me again. If you so much as threaten Fox's life one more time, I'll blow your brains out, and I won't give a damn if I get expelled or even executed. I'd die gladly for him."

Zebediah rolled his eyes. "What a cliché."

"Not a cliché that you'll ever get to experience. Now bring me that fucking antidote. Now." He sat down on the edge of the bed, unwilling to wait for that bastard to bring it over to the campus. Fox had suffered long enough.

Zebediah stumbled out of the room, half-dressed. Kris stayed and waited. Every minute felt like an hour, but eventually, Zebediah tossed a syringe to him.

Without saying another word, Kris snatched the needle and left the building.

Fox was no longer in bed when he returned; he was leaning over the sink, hands pressed against it. Waves of vomit spilled out. There was blood in it too. Kris rubbed his back and turned on the tap to wash the mess away.

When Fox stopped throwing up, he was so weak that he almost collapsed. Kris caught him and laid him back on the bed. Fox immediately started shivering again, his eyes looking at him with fear.

Kris grabbed the syringe, placed it beside the pillow, and gently brushed the curls away from Fox's face. "I've got medicine for you. Close your eyes. It'll all be over soon."

Fox stared at him helplessly for a moment, then nodded and squeezed his eyes shut.

He rolled up Fox's sleeve, tightened a stone band around his arm to make the vein more visible, and injected him with the antidote. Fox's eyes flew open as the needle pierced his skin, but he didn't make a sound.

Carefully, Kris withdrew the needle. Then he lay down on his side next to Fox, took his hand, and stroked his knuckles. Fox looked at him, tears still visible on his cheeks.

"What was it?" Fox asked in a small voice. "Why – why am I sick?"

"You'll feel better soon." He lifted Fox's hand and kissed all five knuckles before looking at him again. "It was my fault. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" Fox lifted his frail hand and brushed it against Kris' cheek.

Kris didn't want to tell the truth because he didn't want Fox to be afraid, to start distrusting people out of fear that they would hurt him because of Kris.

"This is one of those things you're better off not knowing."

Fox seemed like he wanted to protest, but they'd had similar conversations before, and in the end, he nodded silently. "Okay. I trust you."

Kris slipped an arm around him and rested his head on Fox's chest. "I love you, Fox. Don't ever forget that."

He felt a soft kiss in his hair. "I think about that all day long."

Kris' lips curled into a small smile. Then he closed his eyes and listened to the beating of Fox's heart, which had returned to a steady rhythm.

"I love you too, Kris. Forever."

It sounded like both a question and a promise, and Kris kissed his collarbone before looking up at him. "Forever."