*buzz buzz* *buzz buzz* My comms link rang. I ignored.

*buzz buzz* it kept buzzing.

*buzz buzz* I groaned before reaching over and picking it up.

17 messages. 17!!

6 from Jimmy, making sure I was awake. 6 from Lucas. Shit, I haven't killed Lola yet. The other 5 were either the Assasins Guild begging me to join them, or condolences from bitches I talked to when I was 10.

I went back to sleep, knowing I had a long night ahead of me.

- - -

I wiped the tears from my cheeks as I trudged up the steps into the castle. My knee bled out and my hair was matted with twigs and leaves. Once I was inside, I ran upstairs to my brothers room.

The door was locked, so I knocked on the door in our rhythm, so he knew it was me. [(IT takes two to tango)] He flung the door open and led me inside.

"What happened?" He said, pulling the twigs out of my hair.

I looked up into his face, his eyes, darker than before, more narrow. "Xornoth, he pushed me into the bushes."

"Who's he?" Xornoth asked, red magic pulsing around the purple and black horns coming from his head.

"The council. The kid of the leader." I cried into his shoulder as he wiped the blood off my knee.

"I'll sort them out. The council won't have a say in how Rivendale is run any more." He hugged me close, running his fingers through my hair. I leaned into the touch, slipping into sleep.

He whispered into my ear. "They can't hurt you anymore..."

I fell asleep

- - -

I awoke with a jolt. It was just before sunset. Perfect timing, but my mind lingered on the dream.

Corrupted Xornoth.

Corrupted Xornoth, taking care of me.

It did happen.

I was just forced to forget it...