136 You’re Evandrus

AUTHOR'S POV

"Yea, they don't do anything without a good trade", Andrew replied as she watch the red light of the flames flicker on Helena's charming face. He thinks Helena is too gullible to give everything the witches ask.

"They asked me for protection and…", Helena figured how Freya and Tobias were too kind towards her from the beginning. It's almost too bothering, but she never doubted their generosity. "Oh…", then she remembered that Agalea is being hunted by Argus, a witch who keeps the Iaso's stone. All of them three were known to be too close.

"Oh? Ring a bell?", Andrew tried to be unfazed with Helena's reactions. He kept his flawless facade to mask his infatuation on her. "Why do you need the traveler's stone for? And Brandenburg? Geez. I say you're bold. You're in luck the spelled walls are messed up lately", he said as he look away.

"I don't know how to use it exactly, but I think the traveler's stone will make me soul travel even with a broken crest", Helena assumed.

"Oh, I get it now. Since you can't find the stone, we're travelling this far to Caluso to jump start your crest in the leccy instead?", Andrew thought.

"It's nice of you to use that brain of yours", Helena chuckled softly that almost made Andrew's heart skip a beat.

"Glad you're impressed", Andrew leaned back with his hand. "Ugh.. Brandenburg? Really? Either you're insanely desperate or you've got some nerve to go into the enemy's den. The people in the kingdom abhor soul travelers. You couldv'e been killed on the spot, you know. You're like the sheep among the wolves", Andrew said. He can't imagine that the girl he's fallen for is fierce and savage.

"Desperate times, desperate measures", Helena replied as she extended her legs, and kept them crossed.

"So", they both said at the same time.

"Okay, you first", Andrew chuckled as he wet his lips.

"How did you ended up with the rebels?", Helena uttered which she has been curious to ask.

"I thought you'd ask how did I found out that our blood is a drug to them?", Andrew looked at Helena whom he thought is starting to put her walls down.

"I can't imagine", Helena suddenly felt saddened. It is still fresh in her memories how horrifying it was to be cut multiple times for the rebels to drink her blood.

"Hey listen", Andrew reached out on Helena's hand on the floor. "I won't do that to you again. I promise", he said with his eyes looking fixedly on hers. Then, he moved away, afraid that Helena might put up her walls again. "Have you ever woke up and felt like you never belong to the place where you were born and raised?", he asked. Helena gazed upon Andrew as he start to share something about him. "I was the eldest son of a noble family in Hesam. It's a family of great paladins and long line of knights. Our home always smell of blood, sweat and you could hear everyday fights.", Andrew continued. Helena felt her ears turned up when she heard Hesam. "My father… he was tyrannically obsessed with us gaining powers. He tried to wring out the paladin out of me and my brother.", he said.

"That explains the closet", Helena remembered how Andrew panicked in the dovehole. His tremendous fear got into him, that he was too afraid to crawl out.

"That explains the closet", Andrew nodded. "I carried the burden on my shoulders with my father's great expectations that I will inherit his legacy. Years later, my younger brother showed signs of acquiring the paladin magic. I thought his eyes would be off from me, given that finally, my father could reap what he sowed in his other son. But, I was wrong.", he eyes lowered. "My father continued to beat the paladin out of me until I felt… nothing. To the point that I got used to it as if it is a part of my everyday routine. After one of the several nights my father beat the shit out of me, my wounds started to heal on its own. I even tried to cut myself to see if it's real. Eventually, like an instinct, I learned to soul travel. I didn't bothered to ask anyone, I just did it whenever I can", he continued.

"Wait.. how about your crest?", Helena asked.

"A maid", Andrew replied. "She gave it to me and told me it could bring me to places… At first I thought the crest is some magical piece that gave me powers… eventually I learned that the power is within me and the crest is part of my unclassified identity", he said.

"No one told you about anything?", Helena asked.

Andrew shook his head to sides. "No one in the family is like me. I felt different and isolated. And even in the room full of family members, I felt alone", he said. "Then one day, I found my way out of Hesam. I discovered a hill with a pristine view and the scent.. it's immaculate. I even made a hut there. At first, it was just my sanctuary. A place where I can go to after a tiring day in the castle. While I was in the hut that I made, there were people who suddenly crashed in my personal space. I stayed in one of the cupboards, and waited until they all leave. Then, that was when I learned about our blood", he said. "I heard one of them talking about the traveler's blood. How precious and rare it is.", Andrew couldn't hide his regret in the tone of his voice.

Helena's eyes went big as an orb thinking Andrew did what she thought he did. "You didn't", she said.

"I didn't miss the chance. My head went ultimately dim, that I stepped out of the cupboards and offered a deal to trade with my valuable blood", Andrew said. "Valdemar. That bloody selfish son of a bitch with a distorted mind killed all of his men and decided to make a deal with me alone", he revealed.

"He wanted your blood all for himself", Helena thought.

"We planned ahead. He said he'll come back, and he'll take me. He'll give me protection, power, and treat me like a son. And no one has to know that I am a traveler", Andrew said.

"You just made the sheep among the wolves to a different level", Helena said. She felt bad for Andrew, that he chose to become a personal bloodbank to a rebel, just to get away from his old life and to feel he belong.

"A couple of days later. I snuck out of the castle… Unfortunately, of all the nights that I go alone, my brother suddenly decided to tag along. He had this fondness in that hill. He even thought I built the hut for him. I told him several times that we could go next time… but, he was too stubborn that he wanted to go that very damned night..", Andrew noticed the change in Helena's expression. She dropped her jaw in astonishment, as she keep her eyes on Andrew. "What?", he asked while staring at Helena.

"I've been unsure at first. But then now, I am positive that I have heard that story before… only it was a different version", Helena said as she sat upright. Andrew squinted his eyes on Helena, who seemed to be greatly surprised. "You're… you're Evandrus", she said.

"You know me?", Andrew couldn't believe Helena would utter his real name. In a sudden, he got confused with where Helena was looking… as if she was staring right passed him.

"Stellan", Helena said as she look at Stellan standing drenched by the doorway of the shack.