I couldn't remember my last words to Kai. What I did remember way too clearly however, was that they had not been kind. 

I made my way to the Academy as fast as I could. I remembered his room, but even if I found him, there was no way he would help me. Why would he? With everything that had happened? But he was my last hope, my only hope. I couldn't just sit around and expect Sienna to follow through with her word. 

Each of my steps felt heaver than the last when I made my way to his room. But there was no time to stop and panic. Each second lost was one step closer to losing Zeph forever. And there was no way in hell I was ever going to let that happen. 

I knocked on the familiar white door a few times and a few moments later, heard the shuffling of footsteps. My stomach turned nervously when Kai finally opened the door slightly. He peered through the crack, his eyebrows furrowed when he realized who it was. 

"Kai..."

"Aster," he nodded in a surprisingly even voice. "How are you?"

The forced calm in his voice, the formality. It was clear that he hadn't forgotten what had happened. Of course he hadn't, and I didn't expect him to. 

"Kai, there's no time. I..I have to cut straight to the chase. Can I come in?" I implored. He seemed to think about it for a while as he chewed on his bottom lip before finally nodding. He stepped back and I gratefully followed him inside, shutting the door behind me and turning to face him. 

"Kai...I know you and I have...have had quite a history and that I've said some mean stuff to you. But.." I took a deep breath, swallowing my pride. "I need your help."

He remained quiet, leaning against the closet, his eyes fixed on the floor. Was it a good sign that he was atleast willing to listen?

"It's Zeph. He's...still captive and well..." I took a shuddering breath. "He's...set to be executed tomorrow."

His eyes widened and he looked at me, standing straight. "Exe...cuted?" 

"I've talked to some friends of his and...well they're going to try to get him out. But...just in case...I need you to...cause a distraction of some kind. Use your powers. Something."

He gazed at me steadily before he nodded. "Why are you...telling me this? Because I'm your only shot?"

I bit my lip, shaking my head. It was true that he was my only backup,  but somehow, a naïve part of me felt like he would understand. And I decided to be honest with him in desperation. 

"Because you told me how you feel about it. And...if its even an ounce of what I feel for Zeph..." I couldn't speak, the back of my throat suddenly warm. "I...I would go to the end of the world to save him." 

I felt my face heating up when my voice cracked on the last syllable. He nodded. "Okay. I'm probably an idiot but..." he shut his eyes and sighed, "I'll do it." 

"Kai..." I took a deep breath, relief flooding through me. I didn't yet know what he had planned, hell I didn't even have any reason to trust him really. But somehow, I couldn't help but do it anyway." 

"I don't know how to thank you," I said, ashamed of the hot tears now prickling the back of my eyeballs. 

He opened his mouth before shutting it again, tethering on the edge of words. He shook his head, "Its fine. Its...not your fault how you feel about me. And..." He stuttered aimlessly for a bit before he sighed again. "You're welcome."

*

That night, I couldn't sleep. My mind kept cooking up the ghastliest scenarios. One in which Sienna and Kai both messed up. One in which I lost Zeph. 

No way. That thought was unbearable. 

I tossed and turned the entire night. The thought of losing him making my breath cease. Worse comes to worst, maybe I could cause a distraction instead? Maybe streak naked through the city or something? 

Ridiculous as the idea was, I was desperate enough to try it. 

The hours trickled by and I could feel ever single grain of sand falling through the hourglass. I got dressed while it was still dark outside. The house looked quieter than it ever had before. Although that probably had something to do with it being empty for the most part. Ever since dad had been stripped of his title, the idea of which still made guilt bubble in my stomach.

A public execution was just their way of showing their own power. To show that anyone who dares to oppose them, would be crushed. 

My heart was beating somewhere near my throat as I slipped out from the front door. I lowered the hood of my jacket over my head, walking briskly through the dawn lit street. I glanced around at the posters hung on the walls, every few feet and recognized the painfully familiar face. The declaration that Zeph had been caught and would be punished for his anarchy. 

Victory to the light. 

If they did go through it, there was no way there would be any hope for the shadowcasters whatsoever. Without someone to form them into a unit, they were in too much of a disarray. Sienna had to pull through. She knew what was at stake. 

The streets were eerily empty as I turned into an alleyway and took a shortcut. An absence of noise from the usually bustling streets could only mean that the entire city was at the square, spectating what would be...

No, I couldn't let myself picture that. 

Sure enough, the closer I got to the city square, the thicker the crowd became. Throngs of people flocking near the make-shift wooden stage in the centre of the city. My blood ran cold- it was a dystopian scene. The noose hanging menacingly above, a man in plain black robes standing near it on the high stage. 

 A spectacle, that was all it was for them. 

My stomach churned uncomfortably and I almost threw up, making a conscious effort to keep the contents of my stomach down. I glanced at the sky, still remnants of twilight in shades of light blue. The sun would be up soon, and by their orders, Zeph would not be allowed to see it. 

I stood near the very back of the crowd, barely managing to hold myself straight as a vaguely familiar man, one of the Elders, stepped on the stage and spoke in a bellowing voice. 

"Citizens of light, today is a very remarkable day for our city. The age old conflict between the wielders of light and casters of shadows is to come to an end. The shadowcasters shall officially be granted citizenship of our great nation. And with it, all anarchy and discord shall be banished."

A loud cheer rang through the crowd, almost shaking the very skies above. I glanced around, looking for any signs of Sienna, or Kai- but saw nothing. They had to be here somewhere, right? One of them had to. 

"Before we embark on this new voyage however, we need to address something more important. Today, we have managed to capture the deadly- Zephyrus Shadowcaster of The Hawks. A notorious gang that has been involved in a lot of robberies. Zephyrus himself, has previously been accused of murder but managed to escape. However-" he lifted his hands up in triumph, "-today, the injustice ends!"

My heart hammered as another din rose to the skies and Zeph was escorted on to the stage. His hands were bound in front of him, but other than that, he looked stoic, if a little pale. No sign of fear whatsoever. 

I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest. And for a second, I prayed to the Light I had never believed in for me to be in place of him. I wouldn't have handled it nearly as well, but anything was better than seeing him this way. 

I watched, my senses benumbed as the speaker placed the noose around Zeph's neck. I had never seen a  public execution happen before, but knew enough to know that the false flooring would be giving away. I couldn't watch it, there was no way. This couldn't be happening. Kai? Sienna?

I turned away shutting my eyes. I wasn't thinking, wasn't rationalizing. This had to be a nightmare. There was no way this was true. 

"Only Light shall prevail!" the man yelled loudly behind me and then, it felt like the very earth stood still for a few seconds. 

Before exploding in a deathly ring of fire. 

I was blasted away with what felt like an invisible, sonic force and found myself face own on the road, blood in my mouth. I got to my feet quickly, ignoring the soreness in my body and staggered backwards. Deja vu. Like it had been on the Carnival. Only this time, there seemed to be no still bodies, just hellish chaos as people started running and screaming. It took me a few more seconds to realize what was happening- light. Cascades of light seemed to be falling from the skies itself- coupled with smoke from some unseen fire that made me cough and splutter. 

I glanced up at the stage, my eyes watering. I could still see two bulky figures hunched over, inebriated. 

Before I could do anything, I felt a strong grip on my hand and was pulled away. I turned to see Kai, his face grimy, his eyes sunken. "He left?" 

It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking to me. "I...don't-"

Before I could complete my words, a loud hissing sound made me turn to look at the city square again. Fire brigades had now added their loud sirens to the screeching sound, hissing jets of water onto the disoriented crowd. 

Kai's question was answered soon enough as the speaker who had been gloating a few seconds ago, screamed into the mic in frustration. As the water made the smoke settle just enough, I saw that Zeph wasn't bound where he had been minutes earlier. 

Heavenly relief flooded through me and I swayed on the spot, my head dizzy. I grabbed Kai's shoulder, spluttering what sounded like a nonsense apology to him. 

"Lets get you out of here," he spoke softly, leading me away from the disaster. I glanced back at the destruction behind me, and maybe it was a trick of the light or my yearning heart- but I saw a silhouette I would recognize anywhere standing somewhere near the mouth of the alley.