Chapter 29

Cain

That same day, Kael was sitting alone at one of the side tables in the Grand Library, surrounded by piles of books that carried the faint scent of old parchment. The wooden chair creaked slightly beneath him whenever he shifted, but he barely noticed. His face was tense, his brows furrowed in concentration, yet despite the effort, his eyes kept drifting away from the words, wandering somewhere into the void. There was a slight tremble in his fingers, as if his body couldn’t decide whether to fight or flee. He could feel the thick air filled with secrets that could not be brought into the light.

The Amaltea Library was as quiet as usual, yet today a strange kind of tension hung in its air. The silence wasn’t soothing — it was watchful. The tall windows of the grand hall let in cold, diffused light that slid across the dusty spines of books and the outlines of pillars. Shadows stretched longer than they should have, lending the space an almost unreal stillness.

Kael’s hands were clenched around the open tome, as if he were desperately holding onto the last scraps of hope. His knuckles were pale from the pressure, the pages slightly crumpled at the edges. He was looking for a mention, a fragment, a key—anything that would shed light on what he had heard a few days earlier. Every sentence he read seemed on the verge of giving him what he sought, only to dissolve into ambiguity. What he had learned from Cain had changed everything. His whole life, his beliefs, his plans—everything was about to be turned upside down. Prophecies. Curses. Manipulations. And most of all—the truth about his own origin and the role that had been assigned to him, without his knowledge, without his consent.

The anxiety grew with every passing minute. It coiled around his chest, stealing the air from his lungs. Even the library, which usually served as a place of refuge, was now merely a space that reminded him of his helplessness. Its quiet no longer comforted — it echoed. And of the fact that the key answers he was looking for were out of reach. He knew that Ms. Ravenwood could help him, that the restricted section held the answers he needed… but she had vanished somewhere. The librarian standing in for her had only shaken his head: “She’s busy, only she has the key.”

Kael sighed and returned to the text, though his vision blurred again halfway through the sentence. His shoulders slumped, a heaviness had settled in his mind, making it impossible to focus. Thoughts collided in his head like fragments of broken glass, none sharp enough to give clarity. Then he heard a familiar voice. It cut through the silence like a blade. He didn’t even lift his head.

– So why are you sitting here like that? – Cain struck up the conversation, his voice laced with a lightly ironic tone, but with a hint of understanding. His words carried that casual confidence Kael had always found both irritating and dangerous. – You think you’ll find something different? – then, in a changed tone – Have you found anything at all?

Only then did Kael look up. Cain. Casually leaning against the edge of the table, with that same slightly mocking but intent gaze Kael could never quite decipher. There was something too steady in his posture, too deliberate in the way he looked at him — as if he had rehearsed this moment.

– I think it’s time you started believing me – Cain went on. – I got that information directly from the elders. I have no reason not to trust them.

Kael closed the book and looked at him with a weary expression. His eyes were heavy, but behind them simmered a storm he couldn’t put into words.

– I see you’ve found me here too – he muttered. – Honestly… I’d just like to get a moment’s rest from all this mess. I need to sort it all out in peace. Haven’t you already turned my world upside down enough during our last meeting?

Cain smiled faintly and sat down across from him without being invited. He folded his hands in front of him, like someone preparing for a conversation that was going to last longer than it should. There was something gleaming in his eyes that Kael didn’t notice at first.

– Not my fault I’m the one they sent to you – he replied calmly. – Maybe if you hadn’t isolated yourself from the family, you’d have known earlier. Maybe you wouldn’t be so… surprised now.

Kael didn’t answer. He traced his fingers along the edge of the page but didn’t turn it. The subtle tension in his jaw betrayed more than he intended. Cain narrowed his eyes.

– Besides… it’s pretty clear your mind is busy with something else entirely.

Kael raised an eyebrow. The look he gave him wasn’t sharp — more like tired resignation.

– Don’t think I haven’t noticed you playing the unofficial guardian of that Raphael kid.

This time Kael sighed, reluctantly. He felt a slight twinge in his chest but tried not to show it. The sound escaped more like a breath than a sigh. He definitely didn’t want to talk about Raphael with Cain. He knew that any conversation he entered into could be used—and this vampire was good at that.

– I’m looking out for him because someone has to – he muttered quietly. – He’s new. Lost. That’s all.

– Hm – Cain smiled again, but this time differently. Too smooth. Too gentle. There was a trace of something unspoken behind that curve of his lips. – Say what you want, but you have to admit he’s… intriguing.

– A lot of people say that – Kael replied neutrally.

Kael didn’t answer, so Cain went on. His voice dropped a little deeper, as if deliberately trying to add intimacy to the whole thing. It wrapped around the words like velvet.

– Sure. Most people say it because he’s good-looking. But I’m saying… there’s something about him. – Cain narrowed his eyes, as if analyzing something he couldn’t yet name. His tone grew quieter, more focused. – And you know… since you spend time with him anyway, I thought maybe you could give me a few tips.

Kael raised an eyebrow, not taking his eyes off the text. His fingers drummed once on the table before stopping.

– Tips?

– You know – Cain leaned slightly over the table, a glint of amusement in his eyes. – What he likes. How he spends his time. Can he be invited somewhere. Does he get offended easily. Or maybe he’s one of those who act all aloof but underneath, they’re boiling.

Cain smiled, and Kael felt his blood start to stir, as if the entire topic was putting him into a light daze. There was something manipulative in how Cain lingered on each word.

– He caught my eye – Cain continued. – Handsome. There’s something in his eyes. A sort of vulnerability… or maybe a strength he doesn’t know yet? – He leaned in a bit closer. – Tell me something about him. Anything. What does he like? What’s he like when he’s not pretending to be tough?

Kael stayed silent, glancing uncertainly at Cain, not understanding where this conversation was heading. There was an edge to it now — something he couldn’t quite name.

– You know… I’d like to make a good impression. Ever since I saw him, I can’t stop thinking about him.

– Cain… – Kael exhaled in slight frustration. He rubbed his temple briefly, as if trying to press the whole conversation out of his mind.

– What? – Cain smiled innocently. – I’m asking like anyone would. If it were a girl, you’d give me pointers too.

– That’s just it. He’s not a girl.

– All the more reason to find out a few things before I say something stupid. – Cain shrugged. – Maybe he likes poetry, and I hit him with some cheap line and it’s game over.

– Seriously, Cain… – Kael ran a hand down his face. – What’s with you. Don’t tell me you’ve run out of candidates to be your one-day accessory or one-night fling? Now you’re flirting with boys?

– Who said I’m flirting? – Cain leaned back comfortably. – I’m just curious. Surely you’ve got enough info to give me something. What’s he like? Trusting? Cautious? Likes to be praised? Or does he prefer distance?

Kael leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment. He knew that talking with Cain was always a balancing act on the edge of his patience.

– Raphael is… special – he said quietly at last. – But I’m not his spokesperson. Ask him yourself.

– Special – Cain repeated, nodding. – So sensitive, intelligent, with a strong personality, and maybe a little too easy to fall for?

Kael opened his mouth, as if to deny it, but no words came.

– See? – Cain chuckled softly. – I already know something.

– I don’t find this amusing.
– I do. – Cain looked at him from under his lashes. His eyes sparkled with mischief, but there was a calculating edge beneath the amusement, like someone throwing bait and watching it float. – But fine, at least tell me… what does he like to do? Any hobbies? Odd habits?

– He likes to read. He likes… silence. Open space. Nature. But he can be surprising too. – Kael spoke reluctantly, but with a faint softness in his voice, as if despite himself. His gaze flickered downward, briefly, as if remembering something he wasn’t ready to share. The corner of his mouth twitched — not quite a smile, not quite regret.

– Sounds like someone worth talking to. – Cain smiled, then tilted his head. His voice dropped, too casual to be innocent. – And in bed?

Kael froze. His entire body tensed in an instant, shoulders pulled back slightly, a flash of disbelief crossing his face.

– What?!

– Oh come on, don’t act like a saint. I’m just asking. I want to know if I even stand a chance, or if I should give up right away. – Cain’s tone was light, teasing, but the way his eyes narrowed betrayed a sharper intent. He leaned back slowly, as if enjoying the reaction more than the answer.

– Cain, for fuck’s sake. – There was a sharp edge in Kael’s voice now. His tone cut through the air like a whip, low but fierce. – I’m not going to talk to you about the intimate details of his life.

Cain raised his hands in a defensive gesture, palms out, as if mockingly surrendering. But the amusement didn’t leave his eyes — on the contrary, it deepened. He was clearly unfazed.

– Fine, fine. I’ll shut up. But… you kind of reacted like someone who’s hiding something. – His smirk lingered, just enough to make the words land heavier than they should have.

– No. I just don’t want to talk about it with you. – Kael’s reply was cold and firm, but he avoided eye contact for the briefest of moments. His fingers curled slightly against the edge of the table, his jaw tightening.

A brief silence fell, but Cain didn’t seem offended. On the contrary—he seemed even more intrigued. He studied Kael like a puzzle he was almost finished solving, tapping an invisible rhythm on the table with one idle finger.

– You know what I keep wondering? – he said finally. His voice softened again, but this time with a false curiosity that barely concealed something darker. – Do you really think it’s strange that I’m interested in him?

– You’ve always been into girls – Kael replied dryly. The words came out more like a statement than an accusation. – You never had trouble attracting them.

– That’s true – Cain admitted with a smile. His expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something distant in his eyes, a shadow of thought he didn’t name. – But maybe… I just hadn’t met anyone who really intrigued me. Until now.

His gaze hardened for a moment, as if something inside him cracked, but then he covered it up again with a lighter tone:
– Maybe it’s time to try something new.

Kael didn’t answer. The previous fatigue vanished from his face—replaced by a tension he wasn’t even fully aware of yet. His throat tightened slightly, though he tried to maintain his composure. There was something about Cain’s shift in tone that unsettled him more than the words themselves.

Cain fell silent, but for a brief moment his eyes turned sharp, focused. Almost predatory. They held Kael’s for a second too long. Then, after a moment, he stretched his lips into a neutral smile again and reached for one of the open books, flipping a page without reading it.

– You know… I might still be useful. If you ever want to talk about curses – he said offhandedly, almost as if tossing the idea away like a coin. – Or maybe… about things Raphael doesn’t yet know about himself.

Kael flinched, but said nothing. His brows drew slightly together, but he kept his mouth shut, refusing to give Cain another opening.

Cain smiled again.
And said nothing more.

A moment later, Cain finally stood up from the table, stretching theatrically, as if this conversation had been nothing but a passing stop on his way to other affairs. He rolled his shoulders once, letting out a dramatic sigh, his every movement exaggerated just enough to irritate.

– All right, I won’t bother you anymore – he said with a light smile. – I’ll head back. Maybe we’ll talk again… or maybe I’ll get the chance to talk to your protégé myself.

Kael didn’t reply. He just watched Cain walk away with an easy stride between the shelves, vanishing into the shadows like someone who never leaves a trace, though he always leaves behind a sense of unease. The echoes of his footsteps faded quickly, but the disturbance he caused remained.

Kael sat motionless for a while, trying to return to the text in front of him, but the letters blurred before his eyes. Everything he had heard spun in his head — Cain’s words, his tone, the unnervingly precise questions. They scratched at something deep inside him that he couldn’t quite reach. He still couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but something about that conversation had left a mark.

At last, with a sigh, he closed the book.

– Guess this won’t get me anywhere – he muttered to himself.

At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a movement. A soft rustle, a commotion — something drew his attention toward the restricted section.

Most students had no idea where the entrance to that part of the library even was, but Kael had been there before. Ms. Ravenwood, for reasons known only to herself, had once placed her trust in him and granted him access to resources that rarely saw the light of day. Although as a respected and distinguished resident he had the right to such access, he knew that without the head librarian’s approval, he wouldn’t have gotten far.

From where he sat, he had a perfect view of the corridor leading to the hidden entrance — himself unseen, able to observe what was happening without revealing his presence.

And what he saw made him furrow his brow.

Four students emerged from the restricted section. Raphael was pale as a sheet, looking as though he had seen something that would stay with him forever. The three other boys, whom Kael didn’t immediately recognize, appeared completely shaken — emotional, almost giddy, and at the same time somewhat scared. They exchanged glances filled with awe and something that resembled admiration bordering on reverence.

Every so often they glanced between Raphael and Ms. Ravenwood, who followed them out with an expression Kael had never before seen on her face.

Astonishment. Excitement. A kind of vivid animation that didn’t suit her usually cool and businesslike demeanor.

As soon as the four boys crossed into the main hall, the librarian approached her substitute and whispered something in his ear. After a brief exchange, she immediately turned around and disappeared once more through the doors leading to the restricted section.

The boys left the library together, speaking in hushed voices, clearly thrilled.

Kael didn’t move from his place. He watched them go with growing unease.

Finally, he stood and headed toward the exit as well, his thoughts still caught on Raphael’s face. Something was wrong. Very wrong. And even if it was just a feeling, he couldn’t ignore it.

Just outside the entrance, he ran into Liam.

– Hey – he stopped him briefly. – Have you seen Raphael?

– We passed each other a moment ago – Liam replied, raising an eyebrow slightly. – He left the library with some boys. He looked like he was in shock. Didn’t even notice me.

– Exactly… – Kael hesitated, then leaned slightly toward Liam. – Could you follow him discreetly? Just to see if he’s all right? I don’t want to come off as overprotective, but… something feels off.

Liam looked at Kael closely, then nodded.

– Sure. No problem. I’d like to make sure he’s okay myself.

– Thanks.

Kael stayed in place for a moment, watching as Liam walked in the direction Raphael had gone.

He felt that something had just happened. Something that would change the course of many things. And even though he didn’t know what yet — he had a bad feeling he was about to find out.