Chapter 263 - § AZKIN §

CHAPTER 010

In the compact room, there was a small bed above a thin mattress, two piles of flimsy pillows, and a worn-out faded red cotton blanket. On the walls, picture frames were hanging—not images but certificates and rewards from the academy. A cabinet was located beside the small circular window that cannot be unlocked. It was dusk, and the sunshine that the window provided was no longer available. Below there was a table with some books aligned at the top, the lantern illuminating yellow light was in the middle of it. A shadow of a woman was frantically moving on the wall, it was Tiana. She was pacing back and forth while anxiously biting her nails. 

She could not believe it, in a day, her perfect life was all ruined! She was exposed and worst of all, by the most hated person in the entire academy. She was certain that most of her classmates didn't care about everything Yanarym had accused her of, but of course, some of them would have agreed with that bullshit too. Luckily, she managed to convince everyone not to spread rumors, or else, it would tarnish her reputation in the town. 

It was true, she was not an azkin. She made it all up and people doubtlessly acknowledged her. She couldn't bear telling the truth after acquiring all of their attention and affection. She was terrified of losing everything she gained from pretending to be an azkin.

Her life was never a fairytale. She was the seventh daughter to some mediocre family. They were not rich or even blessed with magical abilities. She was neither special nor smart and beautiful. What else could be worse than being at rock bottom and poor? Nothing. Since she already considered her life a curse, why not claim it as one? 

Tiana believed she was born to be something more, to be someone above everyone else. She wanted to have the power and popularity that she deserved. Her shortcomings weren't enough to stop her from having the best life she had dreamed of, where no one would disregard her and make her feel insignificant. 

She was finally living the life she had always wanted… Until some crazy bitch came wrecking her life! That trivial woman thought she could do anything she liked just because she was beautiful, smart, and rich? She might already have everything Tiana didn't have but never… NEVER IN HER WILDEST DREAMS, SHE WOULD LET YANARYM RUIN EVERYTHING!

She would make Yanarym regret messing with her! After how she treated that outcast nicely even though she was a bitch to her, how dare you, Yanarym do this to her?! Yanarym should be thankful that she was being given some spare attention!

Tiana nibbled her lower lip as she looked outside the window and took a deep breath. It was raining hard as if the sky could tell how distressed she was.

First of all, she had to talk to Kraig tomorrow. He was bothered by Yanarym's accusations against her earlier. As he was walking her home a while ago, he was just like the usual. However, he was a bit disappointed that his replies were kind of off.

She couldn't lose Kraig to that woman. Tiana knew Yanarym still had feelings for her man, the reason why Yanarym was acting like that. That desperate bitch! She pretended she didn't care about Kraig anymore when she hardly craved Kraig's attention all to herself.

She looked for her communicator and found it under her bed. She contacted 'him' and patiently waited but no one answered. He was mad at me. But, he was the only person she relied on whenever everyone turned their back on her. He was the one who deeply understood her and the person she knew the most. But they haven't talked to each other ever since Kraig came to be part of her life. 

After a few attempts of calling, Lyndon's face was projected in the air. He was not in his room, not even glancing at his communicator. Tiana could see how cold his green eyes were while his lips were pressed together. He still seemed annoyed about her yet he answered her call.

I knew it. Tiana rejoiced, Lyndon could never resist me.

"What?" he asked derisively. 

"We need to talk," Tiana uttered. He glanced at her for a second and then looked somewhere else. "Please. I need you," she nibbled her lips, unconsciously biting her nails.

"We're already talking. So, speak." Tiana's forehead wrinkled. 

She disliked being overlooked, it irritated her seeing he wasn't even paying attention to her. This was the treatment she hated the most. She was mindful of the fact that he was mad at her but couldn't he, at least, look at her? 

"Lyndon, I know you're mad about me choosing Kraig over you but please don't ignore me like this." Her eyes finally met his but the coldness of his stare was still there.

She left him with a broken heart, she knew that. She was remorseful from turning her back on him. But, Is that my fault? She simply yearned for her happiness. He was the one who made things complicated. He made her choose between Kraig and him when he knew well how she liked Kraig more than him. 

He ended the call. Tiana stared at the communicator with devastation. How could he do that? She needed him. How could he dismiss her without hesitation? Her tears could not help but fall from her eyes. Why was everything so awful to her? Can't she just be happy like everyone was? Why was this even happening to her? She never wished to live like this! 

Dejected, she sat on the edge of her bed and buried her face on her pillow. For instance, Lyndon's voice from before echoed in her ears… 

"Keep your distance to Kraig. Don't associate with him. He'll just hurt you, he will make you cry and feel despair!" He was angry, and she could see that. "Tiana, did you hear me?" The stillness was all she could respond to him. "You're not choosing him over me, aren't you?" She pressed her lips together and inhaled sharply before turning to face him. 

"Lyndon, you don't have to make me choose. We can be friends—"

"We're friends, Tiana but that bastard is not!" He roared. 

"But Lyndon, Kraig is not that bad—"

"He is my enemy, Tiana! Isn't that enough reason for you to distance yourself from him?!"

"He's your enemy, not mine! Lyndon, please be reasonable. You can't be this controlling over me. This is my life, I can be with someone I want to be!" She was simply justifying a fact but that was not what Lyndon wanted to hear. 

"What about me? What about us?! Are you abandoning our friendship for that bastard?!"

"That's why I am asking you to be complacent about it! I can still be your friend! You can still be my friend! It's not the end of everything if Kraig is included in my life—"

"No, Tiana. That will be the end of it. I can't be in the same frame as Kraig! Why can't you understand that?!"

"Then, what do you want me to do?!" She snapped. "I like Kraig, Lyndon! I like him and I think he likes me too! You can't force me to reject him just because you don't find him friendly to you!" 

"You like him?" His voice became deep as if his irritation was brewing to be more chaotic—destructive. 

"I do, I like him a lot." But Tiana can't back down. She decided if he wanted her to choose then...

"Then, what about me? Who do you like more?!" 

"What? Lyndon… I told you I can't choose. You can't be this cruel."

"You can't have both Tiana, who do you prefer to stay by your side? Me or him?" 

"Lyndon, don't make me choose, please..."

"It's him? You want that bastard instead of me?" She dropped her head. "Fuck! Fuck, Tiana! Fucking hell! How long have you known him?! He just appeared in your life. I've been here for a very long time!"

"I'm sorry, Lyndon… But if you insist on making me pick between you and him. I have to choose Kraig." 

"You will regret this. He's not the man that will make you happy." 

"Yes, that may be true. But It's also not you." Recalling that day, Lyndon was right. Kraig did not make her feel happy. She was always conscious and afraid to be found out. And it happened, she was exposed by that vermin Yanarym! 

The communicator in her hand vibrated, when she looked at it, it was blinking green lights; it was Lyndon's default color. She immediately swayed her palm over the crystal to answer his call. 

"Lyndon!" She sniffed and wiped away her tears. His eyebrows were creased and hardly stared at her before inhaling sharply as if he was mad but refraining to get driven by emotion. He swore under his breath before redirecting his eyes to her. 

"Tell him you are Azkin's reincarnation.. Not an azkin but Azkin herself, the goddess is in you."