Chapter 23

Lake ran through all of the information he already had.

According to Nix, his cousin only just recently passed, and it happened before he'd signed onto the app and created a false account. That meant Lake hadn't been on planet, so it couldn't have been him Nix was after.

Still, that left West and Yejun…

If it turned out Nix was here for revenge against them, Lake couldn't allow him to stay. No matter how badly he wanted him, the Demons came first. Always. As far as he was aware, neither of his friends went out of their way to harm females, but that didn't mean it never happened.

"I know what you're thinking," Nix cut into his thoughts, "but you're only partially right."

"Enlighten me, Songbird." He wanted to warn him to make it convincing, but that wouldn't be fair to the others. Just because Lake wanted to be lied to at the moment so he had an excuse to hold onto Nix, that didn't make it the right call.

"I did come here to find out who hurt my cousin," he said. "But I had no idea about any of you before I arrived. I know she was speaking to one of the Kings, but…That could be anyone."

"Anyone?"

"Not you," he corrected. "The timeline doesn't add up. I don't think it was Yejun either since he was busy with—"

"He told you about that?" Lake was surprised. Yejun typically didn't share personal things. The fact that he'd let Nix in like that must mean he liked him more than he'd let on before. "He doesn't have many real friends. When he found out she was helping the hacker get to us and using him…"

Lake had tried getting on the first spaceship back home once he'd found out, but he'd been ordered by the Emperor not to return. He'd been furious and would have gone against her if Yejun hadn't gotten wind of his intentions and called to tell him not to.

When it came to the throne, it wasn't just him on his own who'd been fighting for it all of this time. West and Yejun had been there with him every step of the way. Inciting the Emperor's ire meant throwing all their efforts down the drain. That, and the knowledge that West was there and would take care of Yejun were the only reasons Lake had held off.

"How did you guys find out that she was sent by the hacker?" Nix asked.

"Another time, Songbird," he stated. "We're still talking about you."

"I don't know about West."

"It wasn't West."

"How can you be sure?"

"He doesn't do girls." Lake shrugged. "Neither of us do. Yejun is pansexual—if he's attracted to them, he'll fuck them. West and I are both gay, and the only people he has any interest in getting to know are those who've joined the school's fight club or frequent the gym."

Nix rubbed at his forehead again. "She wasn't into either of those things."

"Then it wasn't West." He pulled open the desk drawer on the left and took out a bottle of painkillers, shaking a single pill into his palm. He leaned forward and held it out to Nix, picking up the water to present that as well.

"I'm fine."

"Take the medicine, Songbird." He'd force it down his throat if he had to, but he'd rather not.

Grumbling something under his breath that Lake couldn't catch, he snatched the pill and popped it into his mouth, then took the water and gulped down half of the glass's contents. "Good?"

"Golden."

Nix blew out a breath. "Are you mad?"

"That you suspected us?" He shook his head. "No. I would have as well."

"You're mad."

Lake frowned. "I'm not."

"Whatever you say." Nix clearly didn't believe him, but he moved on. "That's it. That's the real reason I broke into your app."

"You're looking for a King." He steepled his fingers. "That's why you were curious about the others."

"If there are seven of them, and we make up four, that leaves three. Any one of them could be who I'm looking for."

The way he so casually lumped them together like that did something odd to Lake's chest, but he carefully kept his composure so as not to let on.

"You said this took place last year?" he asked. "That means it could also be any of the Kings who graduated. Once they do, they're removed from the top tier to make way for active students."

"So how many Kings were there last year?"

"I don't know." He hadn't exactly been around to help manage things.

"But West and Yejun do."

"Why haven't you asked them then, Songbird?"

"The same reason I didn't want to tell any of this to you," he stated. "I don't trust you, any of you. Look where I am right now." He motioned to the room. "I came here for my cousin, not so I could become a fuck toy."

"You're more than that," Lake said.

"What if the hacker never approaches me?" It almost appeared as though Nix was hopeful that would be the case. "What then? Will you let me go?"

"We have until Demons Passing," he reminded. "There's still plenty of time for him to take the bait. It's only been a week. As long as we focus on being seen with you, it should draw him in. He'll want to warn you off of us."

"Like whoever left me that package." Nix shuddered. "We're really sure it can't be the same person?"

"You know we aren't. But it wouldn't make much sense."

"He could have given up."

"It's possible."

"And you're all right with that?" Nix eyed him down. "If there's no hacker left to find, you can't complete the task that's been given to you."

"It'll complicate things," more than he wanted to admit or share, "but I'll make due if that happens."

He licked his lips. "And me?"

"What about you?"

"What exactly was written in that contract you had me sign, Lake? How long do I have to do this? Be here? You said it was until Demons Passing. What happens if you can't find who you're looking for by then? Do I still get to walk away?"

He would never be allowed to do that, but it was obvious now wasn't the time to say as much, so Lake kept that to himself as well. Whether Nix liked it or not, he was a part of their world now, and once someone was let in, they weren't given a simple pass if they wanted to leave.

"You don't have access to your cousin's chats," Lake said instead of answering, and even though Nix had to catch onto what he was doing, he let him. "If you did, that would solve everything. You'd find the person you're looking for."

Would he leave afterward?

He could try.

"What?" Nix pulled back slightly. "What are you mad about now?"

"I'm debating whether I should help you or hinder your search," he replied cooly.

"Why would you do that?"

"Prevent you from finding this King?" Lake hummed. "Oh, I don't know, perhaps it's because chasing after you would be a tedious waste of my time. Are you going to deny that you'd make a break for it the second you've settled what you really came here for?"

Nix cursed under his breath, but Lake heard it.

"Exactly. Since it's pointless for me to pretend, as you've already proven you can see right through me, do you want me to even bother?"

"Bother with?"

"I can give you another false sense of security, Songbird," he offered. "If that's what you need."

He considered it and, in a small voice, said, "I just need to solve this thing for my cousin."

"Then I'll help you," he held up a hand, "with the understanding that you're trapped, no matter what we find. The contract, using you to find the hacker, these were mere excuses to keep you around. This will be no different."

"Why?"

"Truthfully? I don't know." Lake hated that he didn't, but it was what it was. If he were Yejun, he'd understand, but he'd never been as good at sorting through and naming his tumultuous emotions. "Does it matter? Having an answer won't change anything. For now, you're mine, Nix Monroe; that's the only answer I need."

He sighed and got up, clicking his tongue when Nix braced himself at his approach. Lake was sure to be gentle when he pushed on his shoulder, easing the other guy back onto the bed. Once he had him lying on his side, he pulled the comforter up.

"Are you seriously tucking me in right now?" Nix grunted. "Would anyone else on this campus believe it if I told them?"

"Probably not." He didn't exactly have a reputation for being the caring sort. "I'll speak to West tomorrow about getting you access to your cousin's account. We'll just need her username."

Nix settled more comfortably against the pillow. "Okay."

"That's it?"

"Why would I fight you on this?" he asked.

"I could be lying to you," Lake suggested, mostly to gauge his response.

Nix snorted and closed his eyes. "You could be, but eventually, I'd find out. Nothing can stay hidden forever, Lake, and you aren't the only one who's good at getting what they want."

All of the teacher reports Nix had received since grade school said roughly the same thing.

Determined, driven, and hyper fixated on his future.

"I'll help you get what you want, Songbird," Lake promised. "So long as you help me get what I want in return."

Even though he didn't mention what that could be, Nix's eyes reopened and he gave him a small smile.

"Deal."

* * *

Nix must have been exhausted because, despite his present company, he was out like a light in less than half an hour.

Lake waited just to be sure, giving it an extra ten minutes before he stood and carefully undid the strap of the Songbird's multi-slate. It wasn't that he didn't believe Nix's story about his cousin, he did, but he couldn't rely solely on his instincts, not when there was a very solid way to collect physical evidence.

He used Nix's finger to unlock the device and then perched on the edge of his chair, glancing back and forth between it and the sleeping Nix. There was no Branwen in his contacts list, and a spark of uncertainty came alive in his chest. Not wanting to feed it further, he opted to check out his messages, scrolling through them until he came to one that fit the bill.

Planets Best Cousin: Don't come. You were right. This place is hell...

Lake clicked on the chat feed, opened it, and scrolled up, stopping at a random place in the log. The two of them spoke frequently, but a lot of it was just general pleasantries and check-ins. It seemed like more often than not it was Nix reaching out first asking how his cousin was doing, and him receiving a pretty generic response.

But there were moments when things became insightful and every time he encountered them, he paused and paid close attention.

Nix: Will you be home for the holidays this year? I miss you.

Planets Best Cousin: Sorry, no. I promised a friend I'd spend it with him. Don't tell my parents! They'd be so annoyed with me for choosing a boy over family.

Nix: Are you seeing someone? Congrats! Why didn't you tell me sooner?

Planets Best Cousin : It's…complicated. We're not officially together, but we see each other every day and we talk just as frequently. I've never felt this way before, Nix. I think you'd really like him.

Nix: He's a student?

Planets Best Cousin: Sometimes we sneak off to the history section of the library for lunch, just the two of us. No one goes back there because the textbooks are so dated, so it's like our own little world!

Nix: That's great, but if things are going so well, why aren't you officially dating?

Planets Best Cousin: We will, when the timing is right.

Nix: What does that even mean?

Planets Best Cousin: You wouldn't understand, you aren't a Foxglove student. Things operate differently here.

Nix: You mean because you're so close to Club Essential's base of operations?

Planets Best Cousin: Something like that.

Nix: He's not like, a member, is he? Do you have classes together?

Planets Best Cousin: We met on an app! It sounds strange, but everyone here is doing it.

The rest of that particular conversation was just more of Nix trying to pry answers out of her and her mostly deflecting or divulging snippets. It was pretty apparent that she was hiding something, and considering how smart Nix was, there was no way he'd missed that.

Lake moved on to another lengthy chat.

Planets Best Cousin: Do you ever wonder what you'd do if you found your soulmate, but it was the wrong place and the wrong time? I didn't believe in that type of thing before, but now…Nix. It sucks. Should I give up?

Nix: What's wrong? What happened?

Planets Best Cousin: I just feel like I constantly have to prove myself. Why can't he just accept me as I am? Am I not good enough?

Nix: You're literally the best person I know. If this guy can't see that, he isn't worthy of you. Dump him and move on.

Planets Best Cousin: You wouldn't understand. Thanks for saying that anyway, though.

There was a span of about two weeks between that and the final conversation, where the feed was filled with one-sided messages sent by Nix that had all gone ignored.

Nix: Are you feeling any better? How are things going with the guy?

Nix: We missed you this weekend. I know you said you were busy, but the festivities just aren't as fun without you. Call me later, yeah?

Nix: Hey, your mom mentioned yesterday she hadn't heard from you in a bit. You aren't getting back to me either. Can you just text me so I know you're okay?

Nix: Seriously, Tulniri to the world's best cousin?

Nix: Where the hell are you?

Nix: That's it. I'm hoping on the first plane to you.

That last one seemed to have done the trick, because afterward his cousin had finally responded.

Planets Best Cousin: Don't come. You were right. This place is hell. And even if you do, I won't be here when you arrive. I'm sorry, Nix. I'm really, really sorry.

He'd sent a slew of text messages after that begging her to explain, but she never replied again. Lake assumed she must have taken her life shortly after this. There was no mention of the Enigma app by name or anything about a King, but he recalled Nix talking about a letter he'd received early on. Was that where he'd gotten the rest of those details?

If that were true, then all of this checked out. He really was here in search of the man who'd hurt his cousin's feelings badly enough to make her want to end it all.

Lake watched as Nix burrowed deeper into the pillow and sighed. This whole thing had clearly hurt him deeply, enough that he'd upended his life to come here for justice. If Lake were a better person, he'd probably feel bad for the cousin and all that she'd gone through. As it were…

Since her death had been the driving force that had brought him and his Songbird together, Lake's time would be better served visiting her grave and thanking her cold, decaying corpse.

"You'd probably say that makes me a villain," he murmured to the sleeping man in his bed.

In his bed.

In his clothes.

In his home.

His.

His.

His.

Lake liked the sound of that more than he should. Liked the thought of keeping Nix there, forever. If the rest of his future were already set, Lake would probably do just that. He was confident he could find a way to convince Nix this was where he belonged. But for now, there was too much going on. Other things that needed his attention.

"Soon," he promised, though it was unclear who he was making the dark pledge to.

Nix.

Or himself.