"Zebediah wants to talk to you."

Nish glanced sideways, startled that someone was addressing him. He'd been using his gift to stay invisible, avoiding anyone who might recognize him. His best friend was acting like he didn't exist, and Nish cursed himself for drinking so much two nights ago that his memory of the evening had been wiped clean.

All he remembered were fragments of the party. Mostly Kris's eyes—blazing with anger.

Something had broken that night. Something he didn't know how to fix.

"Don't ignore me."

There was a dark undertone in the Rhino's voice. Romeo. Not long ago, Nish had thought about going to him, hoping he could make his feelings disappear. Now he was glad he hadn't, even if he hated the mess of emotions inside him. He was sure Romeo would have turned him into a walking zombie—numb and completely hollow.

"Why?" Nish muttered. He realized Romeo must have picked up on his emotions and tracked him down.

A smirk tugged at Romeo's lips. "You'll find out. Meet him at the old willow in an hour."

Nish scoffed. "What kind of idiot do you think I am? I'm not meeting that psychopath in some secluded spot."

"Fair enough. You'd rather cross boundaries in public, where everyone can see, hmm?"

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him. "I never—"

Romeo's laugh cut him off. It was sharp and cold. "That's the difference between a Buffalo and a Rhino. We don't hide from what we do. The old willow. In an hour."

With that, Romeo walked off, leaving Nish staring after him, his mind churning with questions.

What boundaries had he supposedly crossed? A voice whispered in the back of his mind, pleading to stop. Stop what? His stomach twisted. The gap in his memory itched like a wound he couldn't scratch.

Trying to shake it off, Nish went to the math classroom. He was the last to arrive, and the only open seat was next to Kris. Of course—it made sense. People still assumed they were inseparable.

Just like during the lessons earlier today, Kris ignored him completely. He didn't look good. His face was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Nish wanted to ask if they could talk after class, but the words stuck in his throat. He couldn't bear it if Kris would ignore him.

The class dragged on endlessly. By the time it ended, Nish felt sick. He wasn't sure if it was more from the looming meeting with Zebediah or the ache of losing Kris as a friend.

Even though he hated giving in to Zebediah's demands, Nish found himself standing beneath the old willow. Its hanging branches created a hidden alcove, shielding them from view.

"I'm here," Nish announced, though Zebediah had surely seen the branches rustle. He wasn't about to drop his invisibility. As long as Zebediah couldn't see him, he couldn't take over his mind.

Zebediah leaned against the tree trunk, his gaze sweeping in Nish's direction—just past him. "So, you've finally figured out what Kris is really like."

That itch in Nish's memory flared up again. What had he realized about Kris? Was his blackout really from the alcohol, or had Kris tampered with his mind somehow? Could he have done that? Maybe by embedding some kind of crystal shard in his brain?

"What do you want from me?" Nish asked.

"Information. That's all. He's the reason I'm in constant pain. He dropped you the second he met that stupid Lion. I showed him I'm not someone to mess with. You should do the same."

Nish bit the inside of his cheek, doubts clawing at him. Was any of this true? Should he really go that far?

"You know him better than anyone. There must be things he's done—things he's kept hidden from everyone else."

Nish clenched his jaw. He knew exactly what Zebediah meant. Kris carried a secret, one that would get him expelled if the board ever found out. And if that happened, it wouldn't just mean exile—it would mean death.

A pang of guilt knifed through him. Did Zebediah seriously think he'd be okay with that? The guy was insane! And yet... Nish thought about the gap in his memory. What had really happened at that party? Had Kris done something to him?

His gaze lingered on Zebediah. He could ask, but how could he trust the answer? Zebediah was a master manipulator.

"I don't need you to make him disappear," Zebediah said, his tone calm but menacing. "I can get anyone to testify against him." He tilted his head, studying Nish. "But I imagine you'd like some revenge. He threw away your friendship, your trust, you, like you were nothing."

Nish's throat tightened. Was he right? Why... why did that gap in his memory itch so much now?

"I'll think about it," Nish muttered.

Before Zebediah could respond, Nish turned and walked away. The nausea hit him harder now, the world spinning wildly. He bent over, bracing his hands on his knees, squeezing his eyes shut.

I don't need you to make him disappear.

This day had been a nightmare, especially with Kris's cold silence. What if Kris never spoke to him again? What if he was really gone forever?

A bitter taste filled Nish's mouth.