CHAPTER FORTY SIX: MARKED FOR FATE

I sat alone, fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms. My head throbbed, but it wasn't from any physical wound—it was from the weight of my own thoughts.

What the hell have I been doing?

My reason for being alive is to kill Steve Nazar. To make him suffer for what he did to my mother. But what have I accomplished since arriving at this damn school? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I've been playing student, pretending like any of this matters, while Selena—Selena—has surpassed me.

My jaw tightened, and I bit down hard on my lower lip. The thought of her standing there, strong, powerful, the new Sage of the Shadow Realm, made my blood boil. Not at her—no, this wasn't her fault. It was mine. I let myself get comfortable. I let myself forget my purpose.

A bitter laugh escaped me. I deserved this.

I slammed a fist into my gut, hard enough to make me gasp. Then again. And again. Pain blossomed, but it wasn't enough. I needed to feel it. Needed to remind myself of who I was. Of what I swore to do.

I gritted my teeth. No more distractions. No more wasting time.

Nicole's voice cut through the storm in my head, gentle yet firm.

"Are you okay?"

I didn't answer.

"Liam, what's wrong?"

Still nothing. I kept my gaze fixed ahead, my jaw locked. She sighed, but instead of leaving, she sat down beside me. The silence between us stretched—long, deep, and heavy. I could feel her presence, but she didn't press me for an answer.

Good. Maybe she'd take the hint and go away.

"I don't need company," I muttered eventually, not looking at her.

She only nodded. But she didn't move.

That annoyed me. I turned to snap at her, to tell her to leave me the hell alone, but before I could get the words out, she spoke first.

"Why are you here?"

I froze. Not because I didn't know the answer—but because I did. And I hated it.

I let out a long sigh, rubbing a hand down my face.

"I'm not here by choice," I muttered. "Sage Henri threw me in here when my father attacked the Shadow Realm. He didn't want me clashing with that dickhead, and Helen won't let me leave."

Nicole stayed quiet, listening.

"So, unlike you guys who actually want to be here," I continued, my voice laced with sarcasm, "I'd rather be out there looking for my adorable father."

Nicole stared deep into my eyes, like she was searching for something. Her gaze was soft, yet unwavering, and for some reason, it pissed me off. Before I could tell her to quit it, she muttered under her breath, almost like she was speaking to herself.

"Maybe I can help him…"

I scoffed. "The fuck are you staring at?"

She only shook her head. "Nothing," she said simply. Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she added, "If you really want to leave, you can just accept Helen's proposal."

I scoffed at her suggestion. "Why the hell would I want to help people I don't even know?"

Nicole, unfazed, simply shrugged. "You don't have to help anyone. Just use it as a way to escape Helen. She won't stop you if you're out on a mission."

I narrowed my eyes at her, considering it. It wasn't a bad idea, but before I could say anything, she added, "To go on missions, you need to be in a team. You can join me and Ken since we were together during the tournament."

I let out a sharp laugh. "Why the fuck would I want to be in a team with that stupid, trigger-happy bastard?"

Nicole smirked, her voice carrying that knowing edge. "Because with Ken and me, you wouldn't have to worry about carrying dead weight."

I scoffed but didn't respond immediately. She had a point, not that I'd ever admit it. If I wanted to leave, this was my best shot. Helen wouldn't just let me walk out the front door, but if I was on an official mission? Different story.

Nicole watched me, her smirk fading into something more thoughtful. "You don't have to decide now," she said. "Just… think about it."

I clicked my tongue, looking away. "Whatever."

She didn't push further. Instead, she stood up, dusted off her skirt, and stretched. "Well, I should go find Ken. He'd probably want to hear about this."

As she turned to leave, I muttered, "I didn't say I was in."

She only glanced back with a knowing smile. "I know." Then she walked off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sat there for a while, staring at nothing, my mind a storm of bitter thoughts. Nicole's words lingered, no matter how much I tried to push them away.

Joining a mission meant freedom—an opening to leave this school and finally get back on track. But it also meant working with Ken, and the idea of dealing with his smug face every day made me want to punch something.

Still… what other option did I have?

I clenched my fists. If I stayed here any longer, I'd rot. I'd already lost sight of my goal once. I wouldn't let it happen again.

With a deep breath, I got up. If I was doing this, I needed to be ready. I had to get stronger, sharper. No more distractions.

It was time to move.

Nicole spotted Ken down the corridor, his hands in his pockets, posture relaxed as he approached his dorm. His usual smug expression was absent—probably exhausted from everything that had happened.

"Ken!" she called out, quickening her steps to catch up.

He turned slightly, raising an eyebrow. "What now, princess?"

She rolled her eyes at the nickname but didn't let it deter her. Stopping beside him, she took a breath before saying, "I talked to Liam."

Ken leaned against the doorframe, interest flickering in his eyes. "And?"

"He's considering joining the missions," she said, watching for his reaction.

Ken smirked. "No shit? Didn't think he'd go for it. What's the catch?"

Nicole crossed her arms. "We'll be in a team together."

Ken blinked, then let out a sharp laugh. "I was gonna pass on this whole thing, but since Blondie's in, I can't pass up an opportunity to be a pain in his ass." He chuckled, clearly amused at the idea.

Just as Ken's laughter died down, footsteps echoed down the corridor. I appeared at the end of it, my usual scowl in place as I approached them.

Ken noticed me first and smirked. "Look what the cat dragged in. A blonde, angry teen." He chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.

I didn't take the bait. I barely spared Ken a glance before turning to Nicole. My jaw tightened like I hated what I was about to say, but after a brief pause, I muttered, "I accept."

Nicole's lips curled into a satisfied smile, while Ken raised a curious brow.

"Wow," he mused, crossing his arms. "Did hell freeze over, or did someone finally knock some sense into you?"

I shot him a glare. "Don't push it, trigger-happy bastard."

Ken only grinned. "Too late."

Nicole, ignoring our exchange, clasped her hands together. "Alright, then it's settled. The three of us are a team."

I scoffed. "Don't make it sound like a friendship bracelet moment, Princess. This is just temporary."

She shrugged. "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night."

Ken smirked. "Speaking of sleep, I was actually planning to get some. But now that Blondie is part of our little adventure, I might celebrate instead."

I rolled my eyes. "Do whatever you want. Just don't expect me to hold your hand when things go south."

Ken chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. But you might want to keep up, Blondie. Wouldn't want you slowing us down."

I turned, already walking away. "Just don't get in my way."

Before I could walk off, Nicole's voice stopped me.

"Wait. We need to go see Helen and officially register our team."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Of course we do."

Ken clapped his hands together. "Well then, let's not keep the headmistress waiting. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear that Blondie here is finally playing along."

I shot him a look but didn't bother responding. Nicole, already expecting my reluctance, simply grabbed my wrist and started walking.

"Come on, let's get this over with," she said, dragging me forward.

Ken chuckled, falling into step beside us. "This is going to be fun."

I highly doubted that.

We made our way to Helen's office in silence. Nicole led the way, while Ken walked beside me with that stupid smirk plastered on his face. I ignored him.

Once we reached the door, Nicole knocked firmly. A moment later, Helen's voice rang out from the other side.

"Come in."

Nicole pushed the door open, and we stepped inside. Helen sat at her desk, surrounded by stacks of papers, probably still sorting through the tournament results. Her eyes flickered up, scanning each of us before settling on me with mild surprise.

"This is unexpected," she said, leaning back in her chair. "What brings you three here?"

Ken stepped forward, crossing his arms as he leaned slightly against the desk. "We're here to let you know that the three of us are forming a team for the missions," he said casually, like it was just another day.

Helen's gaze shifted between us, her expression unreadable. "Is that so?" She glanced at me, probably wondering what had changed.

Nicole nodded. "Yes. We're officially a team."

Helen studied us for a moment before exhaling, setting her pen down. "I'll admit, I didn't expect this combination, but it's not a bad one." Then, turning her full attention to me, she added, "And you? Are you actually committed to this, or is this just another one of your games?"

I met Helen's gaze, my expression unreadable. "Does it matter? You wanted me to be useful, right? Well, here I am, volunteering."

Helen sighed, clearly not convinced. "Liam, this isn't just about being 'useful.' If you're doing this just to get away from the academy, you won't last out there."

Ken smirked. "Oh, don't worry about him. Blondie's got enough rage to keep him going for a lifetime."

I shot him a glare, but he just chuckled. Helen, however, remained focused on me. "Liam, I need your word that you'll take this seriously."

I scoffed. "Fine. I'll take it seriously."

Helen still didn't look convinced. She leaned forward, her tone softer but firm. "Your mother cared deeply about helping people, Liam. Even if you don't want to do this for yourself… do it for her."

I bit down on my lower lip, a familiar sting of frustration burning in my chest. She always had to bring up my mother. As if that would magically change things.

"I hear you," I muttered, not meeting her eyes.

Helen exhaled but didn't push further. Instead, she nodded. "Then it's settled. The three of you are officially a team."

Nicole smiled slightly, while Ken just gave a lazy salute. I remained silent, already thinking ahead.

Helen reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a small, intricate metal pin. She placed it before us and gestured toward it.

"Press your thumb against it. This will register you as an official team."

Ken went first, pressing down without hesitation. A sharp prick, a single drop of blood, and then—just for a brief moment—a sigil glowed on his skin before vanishing. Nicole followed, wincing slightly but saying nothing as her sigil flickered and disappeared.

I was last. The pin bit into my skin, and for a heartbeat, I felt something—an odd warmth, like a brand imprinting itself deep beneath my flesh. Then it was gone, leaving nothing behind.

Helen nodded in approval. "It's done. From this moment on, you're bound to each other in this mission."

I stared at the spot where the sigil had appeared, my mind turning over the process. Why this? Why draw blood? Maybe Helen was up to her usual antics. It wouldn't be the first time she pulled something without telling us the full story. But without any proof, I kept my thoughts to myself.

Helen, on the other hand, only smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes as if she was aware of my suspicion—but no one else seemed to notice anything.

"Well then," she said smoothly, folding her hands on the desk. "Wait until I call for you. Dismissed."

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