Tainted Rose

by Yumoyori Wilson

  “I...I failed the group exam. The headmaster gave me the chance to take a mock-up exam, but I need a female shifter to go with me. The exam is in Minato, just on the outskirts! It won’t take long, but I need a female partner,” he revealed.

  “Are you telling me that the female population suddenly went extinct and I’m the lone survivor? Geez, what have I’ve been missing?” I mocked.

  “I’ve asked everyone! Most of the students are preparing for next semester, or they’re on vacation. The remaining female shifters are too busy with their boyfriends!” he stressed, those beady, little eyes pleaded for Mako’s help.

  I was about to insist he fuck off, when an image of the blonde, demon shifter Rose humiliated flashed through my mind.

  “What about that Brittany girl?” I suggested, coldly.

  “She won’t do it! I’ve begged her. She doesn’t want to be anywhere close to the headmaster. Something about him being a scam artist! I have no one. I’ve been searching for two rotations, since the exam results came out. If I don’t—”

  “You get kicked out,” I finished, bluntly.

  He nodded, his head bowed once more to the floor. Makoto, please I can’t deal with this. I’m a centimeter away from just ending his misery.

  “Fine, Switch.”

  ~MAKOTO~

  “Yup, you are beyond pathetic. You’re telling me you had the guts to come here and beg for my forgiveness only because no female in the Knightwood population would dare take an exam with you? I hope you understand how bad you look right now.”

  Not only did Leo leave us the day of the final exam, going ahead of us on his own, but then it’s revealed that he sold us out to Blair Aspen, gave him vital information of our arrival. None of us had seen Leo since we’d returned to Knightwood.

  “I know, but I’m desperate. I don’t have any other friends. I get it, I was an idiot and it was because of me you got hurt...over my cowardliness. I know my actions weren’t knightly, to say the least, but I’m willing to change!” he insisted, still kneeling before me.

  “Elias almost died. I almost died. Do you understand any of that?” I took a step closer, trying to contain the anger that flooded my system.

  “We could have died – all of us – and that blood would have been on your hands. Do you understand that?” I felt my body heating as I stood before the person who almost cost me my freedom, my life, my knights.

  “Yes. I understand and cannot say enough how sorry I am. But, I’ve dreamed of being a knight my entire life and I want to give this everything I’ve got. I promise you won’t need to do much. I’ll do all the fighting to prove myself. It won’t be hard. All I have to do is find the object like the last exam. They’ll be focusing on my performance, so it won’t impact your score or rank. All mock-up exams need a male and a female, so I can’t go without you...please Makoto,” he begged. His voice cracked. “Please allow me to show you I’ve changed.”

  “Everything he said was with truthful intention. He means it,” Hope sang, still awake compared to the others who weren’t present.

  Do we leave him, like he left us? Or do we help him?

  “No.” Four sets of voices proclaimed.

  Ryder, Marcus, EliaseAnne and Kai announced their disapproval. I looked at Daniel who was silent.

  “And you, Daniel?” I wanted to know how he felt. He seemed to be the only one not completely against helping Leo.

  “You can hear the truth in his words. Doesn’t mean I don’t despise and wish for his downfall, but we shouldn’t put ourselves on his level. We won’t be here much longer anyways.” He mumbled the last sentence; his voice low enough that I doubt Leo heard his comment.

  I turned to face him.

  “As much as I’d love to kick your ass out of here and never see you again, Daniel is right. I’m not going to allow myself or the others to fall to your level. We aren’t as selfish as you. As a knight, you put yourself last and make sure the people around you are safe and secure before worrying about your own needs. What you did at the exam was wrong and far from knightly, but seeing as your life was at risk, I’ll brush your actions under the rug. I’ll help you with your exam. BUT, after that we’re done. We aren’t friends, Leo and I don’t foresee us ever getting along after this. The boys can decide if they want to continue being friends with you, but you and I are nothing once the exam is over. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” he responded, looking up to face my stern gaze. Relief poured off of him in waves and I could see the tension and stress drain from his face and eyes.

  “Anyone disagree with my decision?” I asked the others. They were my knights and I wanted to make sure I had their full support with what I was deciding.

  “It will be in Minato?” Ryder questioned.

  “Yes. The headmaster said two of you can be in the exam area. You just can’t interfere with helping me. I don’t know why he’s allowing you to come, but he said something about special circumstances. I guess because of what happened last time,” Leo confessed.

  “Sounds safe enough. Elias and Daniel will go with her. Tell the headmaster, I approved of her companions and will not change it,” Ryder ordered, walking away from the bookshelf to stand on my other side, facing Leo with a blank expression.

  “When is it?” Kai questioned, setting his pencil down as he got off his stool, walking towards us.

  “Five days from now,” Leo answered.

  The boys looked among one another, clearly talking within their knightly communication.

  “Fine,” all five of them announced in unison.

  “Thank you!!! May Starlight bless you! I’m grateful for your help.” He thanked us over and over again.

  “Alright, Leo. Now get out, you’re going to ruin our floor,” Marcus hissed.

  He flinched before bowing and thanking us once more, the remnants of water from the storm still dripped onto our floor as he rose, scurrying away and closing the door gently.

  I sighed, my shoulders slumped. I needed to sleep.

  “Mako babe, are you sure about this?”

  I looked to Marcus; his worried eyes made me smile softly at him as I reached out to stroke his cheek.

  “Forgiveness is one of the Starlight gods’ mottos. We can forgive, but we don’t need to forget what he did. I’m almost back to normal, and I won’t need to do any magic, so we don’t need to worry about me exerting myself. It’s also in Minato so no Jeffrey or the Owner. Elias and Daniel will be nearby, too. We’re leaving for Heila that evening, so it works perfectly,” I reassured him, leaning up and kissing him lightly.

  He smiled, before nodding. “If you’re fine with it, Princess,” he whispered.

  “I guess it would be a good time to tell her,” Kai announced.

  I turned to the phoenix shifter, raising my eyebrow. Tell me what? I noticed them all smirk, before surrounding me in a circle.

  “Seeing as we’re going to be busy the moment we reach Heila we decided we’d give you one more gift.” Daniel’s pleased expression made me excited. These moments seemed to be growing fewer and fewer with him and it thrilled me when excitement shone in his eyes.

  “She did earn it,” EliaseAnne pointed out. Her eyes glowed which clued me in on Elias’ interference.

  “What is it?” I tried to hide my excitement.

  “Well, I know you said you need to sleep, but you think you have enough energy to pack?” Kai asked.

  “Pack? For what? Where we are we going.”

  Marcus laughed, the others chuckled at my excitement as I could barely stand still.

  “Earthala, Firefly.”

  Five Days Later

  “Mako are you falling asleep?” Daniel questioned.

  I opened my heavy eyelids, lifting my head up slightly.

  “No. I’m not...sleep...” My statement trailed off as my eyelids closed; my head leaned forward. So fucking tired.

  We’d arrived back from Earthala early in the morning. I’d been on such a sugar rush the whole tri
p. I finally crashed the moment we walked onto the transport ship. I think Daniel had to carry me to our designated seats; his lavender scent was the last thing I smelled, before falling into a deep slumber.

  Those five days had been the happiest I’d been, and the boys and Eli were to thank for the loving opportunity. I even got to meet Scarlet and Junho, the friend Marcus always talked about, before her other teammates, who I presumed were more than just partners in crime.

  Now, I was sitting on my stool as Daniel did my hair, readying me for Leo’s exam which was in an hour. We’d already packed and sent our stuff to Heila, our coloured stools and only a few pieces of furniture remained in an empty housing complex.

  Ryder assured me the stools would be joining us at Heila; they were still working on renovations in the castle. I didn’t know what our living arrangements were going to be, but Kai and the others wanted to get a place near the castle where we’d all be able to return to once everything settled.

  It made me and my spirits happy to see how important it was to them, for all of us to be together. I enjoyed living with them and even if we had to live separately I predicted it would be short-lived. My sleepwalking self would not agree to such terms and conditions.

  “Stay awake long enough for this angel to finish your hair.” Midnight nudged into my mind, warning me of her presence for once.

  I’m awake. I’m just resting my eyes. But, if by chance...I fall asleep, which I won’t...don’t...cause...tro-

  ~MIDNIGHT~

  Unbelievable.

  I let out a sigh, before lifting my head, the hands in my hair paused.

  “Midnight?”

  I glanced over at EliaseAnne who was eyeing me, a smile formed on her face.

  “MakoBear fell asleep. Hi, EliBear,” I pointed out before greeting her, compassion flowed off my voice which sounded off to me.

  I still hadn’t opened myself up to feeling as I had before, but whenever EliaseAnne was around, it was if I couldn’t stop myself from feeling something for her.

  I glanced down at the new bracelet filled with different coloured bears; Mako’s pink bear had Elias’ green bear on the left, Eli’s yellow bear on the right and next to hers was a dark blue bear – my bear. Eli’s bear was next to mine before the remaining guys evened out on the bracelet. EliaseAnne had created it and gave it to me during our trip. I absolutely adored it and would cherish it. Thus, the new nickname for Mako – MakoBear.

  “Hey. I don’t blame her for being so exhausted. I’m surprised you’re not tired,” he pointed out. His hands were no longer in my hair, and I heard the tension coating his words as he stepped back.

  I shrugged. “I didn’t stay up all night watching that thing called Netfight,” I admitted.

  “Netflix, Midnight,” Eli corrected, giggling.

  “Weird name. Netfight sounds more exciting. Anyways, she’s asleep. I’ll wake her up when we reach the exam. I can’t stand that whiny human. Friend me not,” I complained. I felt the air shift only moments before the angel spoke.

  “Midnight, why do you hate angels?”

  Everything seemed to go quiet. I froze as Eli’s giggles stopped; her eyes widened before she began to frown.

  “Daniel.” Her tone wasn’t her normal high pitch sound, but low, as if she was giving a warning.

  “I need to know,” Daniel argued.

  I turned to face him. For so long, I could tell this was building inside of him. The way he had begun to act since my awakening. The distance he seemed to put between himself and Mako. It was only a matter of time before we ended up at this moment. I kept my expression blank.

  “Why? I’m not going to answer the question just to appease your insecurities,” I bashed, grabbing Mako’s rank card from the table and slipping it into the pocket of my combat pants.

  “You can’t hate me when I’ve done nothing to you!” he argued.

  I glared at him. He was right…he hadn’t done anything to me personally, but he had done something to Mako.

  “You lied to my host’s face saying nothing was wrong, KNOWING we hate when people lie to us. You can’t just demand me to tell you my reasoning for hating you, Archangel, when you won’t tell her what’s bothering you! You can’t even confidently stand there and say you love Makoto!” I yelled.

  He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. I waited for his response and was thankful to Starlight that Makoto was knocked out. She didn’t need to see his hesitation. She didn’t need to see his inability to refute my accusation against him. She loved him, yet he couldn’t say the same for her.

  “Exactly. You don’t know what you feel. One minute your head over heels for her, the next, you’re pulling away. You’re just like Samuel. So indecisive of what you want, yet have no shame in using that godforsaken gift and alternating our emotions, huh? How am I to believe you didn’t use your gift to make Mako love you?” I accused.

  “I’d never use it on he,” he barked back, rage sank into the lines of his face.

  “That’s not who I am. I would never do anything that would hurt her,” he defended.

  “Yet here you are…constantly shutting her out. You say you’d never do anything to hurt her, but every time you refuse to let her in, to let her know what’s going on with you – you’re hurting her. If you think I’ll allow you to play with Makoto’s feelings, think again,” I warned.

  “You can’t decide what she wants for her!” His words cut through me and red clouded my vision.

  “Oh yes I fucking can! I’M HER OTHER HALF! I’ve witnessed and felt everything she has in the shadows. I’ve felt her pain and cried her tears for six cycles. I know her better than anyone and one thing I won’t tolerate is her facing heartbreak like I did. I won’t let her succumb to such painful experiences over your indecisive nature. Mako needs a man who can say how much she means to him. Not a boy who’s afraid to face whatever happened to him in the past.”

  “You know nothing,” he snarled.

  I saw the colour glowing in his eyes. The healing nature of an archangel, trying to overpower the wrath of an internal demon.

  I felt Hope’s power swarm me in an enraged wave. I’d been so caught up in the heated argument I hadn’t noticed her entrance. All I knew was she was angry. Her gift flowed into me. The chance to see all his secrets within reach.

  “I know nothing? I can take one glance at you angel, and I would know EVERYTHING. How tempted I am to do that right at this moment, but do you know what stops me? The respect and love Makoto has for you. I know even your spirit has urged you to come forward and reveal your true self to Mako. Will you remain as Mako’s knight or become one of her lovers? If you want to become the latter of the two, then you need to reveal yourself to her, tell her about your past, and tell her that you want her in your future. Do not hold anything back and DO NOT LIE to her again. I’ll be watching,” I vowed before turning and heading for the door.

  “Midnight, wait!” Eli called out, grasping my arm in an effort to stop me.

  I swallowed the fear that gripped at my heart as I decided to do something crazy. I opened up the box I swore to keep closed forever after Samuel. I opened up my heart for just a moment.

  I turned, moving fast enough that she didn’t see it coming – my lips pressed against hers. They were as soft as I had imagined, and I felt the moment she allowed herself to return the kiss.

  She was frozen, and her eyes remained wide as I pulled back.

  “I’m interested EliaseAnne. I don’t care if you’re a boy or a girl. I don’t care if you may never return to being a male. This body is merely a vessel; your soul is what determines who you are. You’re special to me and Makoto, and though we may get busy in the coming weeks, you just let me know when you’re ready to take our friendship to the next level. I’ll be ready. I won’t cower away from my feelings any longer. That’s all,” I announced confidently.

  I stared at her shocked face. My eyes turnes to Daniel. The fury had drained from his face and shock had
taken its place.

  I turned around; my hand slipped out of Eli’s loose grasp.

  “I’m heading to the exam. I’ll see you guys there.”

  I opened the door, closing it behind me as I continued my speed walk.

  “You think we were too harsh on Daniel?” Hope’s voice questioned, sadness leaked off her melodic voice. I knew how she felt about his angel and could feel her worry.

  He needs to make a decision. I’ve been watching silently. I know he loves her; I can see it. But, something is holding him back. I won’t risk Mako entering an uncertain relationship. She needs to know for sure that he wants her...that he’ll love and commit to her as both her knight and lover. I’m not asking him for perfection, but faithfulness. I know how it feels to care for someone and not have them feel the same. I won’t watch her suffer the way I did. She deserves more. She deserves better.

  I knew Mako told me not to stir up any trouble, but I wanted her to be happy. I didn’t want her going down my path – to fall in love with a shifter who didn’t truly love her. Maybe Samuel had loved me at some point. But, that didn’t matter in the end. His betrayal and lies destroyed all of my happiness and caused me to close off my emotions.

  In the end, all that was left was my heart shattered and his heart ripped out. I wiped at the tears flowing down my cheeks. What was done was done.

  He has it in him. He can love her wholeheartedly. I just hope my words didn’t ruin everything.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  ~MARCUS~

  “Karen and I will make sure everything goes smoothly with the check-in. All of you will need scans and re-evaluations to make sure you’re fit to go back on duty. As for the royalty mark, Arthur can easily rid her of it, replacing it with her rightful birthmark. I don’t think Mako will disagree with pledging to her father.”

  I listened in to Winterlya’s statement. I sat on one of the desks in Matthew’s office. Kai and Matthew stood on my left, conversing with Karen and Winterlya of the plans in place for when we returned to Heila.