章節 113: Liora - Chapter Two
I glared at Felix, my frustration bubbling over. "I hope you're happy, Felix," I muttered, my voice low but sharp. "You might have just killed us."
Felix didn't flinch, his calm demeanor infuriating me even more. "We need a plan," he said, as if we weren't already painfully aware of our situation.
"Yes, but first, we need information. And to find my inside man."
I raised an eyebrow, skepticism coloring my tone. "Since when do we have an inside man?"
"We don't," Felix corrected, his voice annoyingly steady. "I do... and he's more of a kid."
Guy, leaning against the cold metal wall, couldn't hold back his scoff. "Great, we're imprisoned with Felix's imaginary friends."
I shot Guy a warning look, but Felix was already ignoring him, his focus shifting inward. His expression grew serious, the playful arrogance I was used to seeing slipping away.
"I need to split my consciousness. Stay sharp while I'm gone."
"What exactly are you planning to do?" Guy asked, his voice laced with concern, mirroring the unease I felt.
Felix's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw the resolve behind them—the determination that had both drawn me to him and driven us apart.
"I'm going to scout the facility," he definitively said, "Our bodies might be locked in, but they can't cage my mind."
I watched him close his eyes, his form growing still as he prepared to do whatever impossible thing he was about to attempt. Part of me wanted to reach out, to stop him and demand a better explanation, but I knew better. This was Felix's way—reckless, brilliant, and infuriatingly effective.
I paced around in the limited space of the cell, the walls closing in on me with each step.
"How can he still conjure?" I demanded, feigning frustration while carefully studying Guy's reactions.
"I don't know mon cher." Guy replied, his voice calm.
I paused, turning to face him, letting a hint of worry slip into my expression.
"Why do we get stuck in the prison while he is free?"
Guy shrugged, meeting my gaze with a steady look. "I don't know mon cher."
"What if the agents come?" I pressed, the fake anxiety in my voice blending seamlessly with the genuine concern I felt.
"I don't know mon cher." Guy repeated, his voice steady, but I could hear the tension beneath.
I clenched my fists, giving in to the frustration if only Guy was not here, "We are defenseless and he's a sitting duck!"
Guy sighed, leaning against the wall. "We have to trust him, Liora. Felix knows what he's doing... or at least, he always seems to."
I nodded, forcing a small, tense smile.
Guy finally broke the silence.
"Liora," he said softly, "do you really think Felix can get us out of here? This plan of his… it's risky."
I paused, turning to face him, carefully weighing my words.
"Felix thrives on risk," I replied, my tone measured. "He's always been like this, diving headfirst into danger without a second thought."
Guy frowned, pushing off the wall to stand beside me. "That's exactly what worries me. We're not just gambling with our lives—we're gambling with forces we barely understand. And Felix… he's changed. You've noticed it too."
I nodded, letting a small sigh escape, as if reluctantly admitting the truth.
"He's different, yes. But he's still Felix. He's still the man who can pull off the impossible."
"Liora, I've known you long enough to see through the masks you wear." He stepped closer, his eyes searching mine. "You're holding back. If there's something I need to know—"
A sudden clatter outside the cell door interrupted him. We both froze, turning our attention to the small glass viewport. A patrol, heavily armed and clad in black tactical gear, marched past, their steps heavy on the metal floor. The cold, blue light from the corridor outside briefly illuminated our dim cell, casting sharp shadows against the walls.
I held my breath, watching as they moved by, their faces obscured by helmets. One of them paused, glancing through the glass, and I felt a cold knot tighten in my stomach. I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my expression neutral, as if we had nothing to hide.
After what felt like an eternity, the guard moved on, the patrol continuing down the corridor until the sound of their footsteps faded away.
Guy let out a slow breath, tension visibly draining from his shoulders.
"We're running out of time," he muttered, half to himself. "Felix better know what he's doing."
I nodded, my mind already racing ahead, considering the possibilities. "He will," I said, more to keep the conversation focused on Felix than to reassure Guy.
"Liora," he said quietly, his tone softer now but still probing, "I know you care about him. But this… this feels different. You've always been protective of Felix, but now… it's like you're on edge. What aren't you telling me?"
"Guy, we're in a containment cell, surrounded by wolves who could come for us at any moment. Of course I'm on edge."
Guy didn't seem convinced, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall. "It's more than that, and you know it. I've seen you under pressure before, Liora. This is different. You're different."
"I'm just trying to keep us alive, Guy," I said, letting a hint of weariness creep into my voice. "Felix… he's always been unpredictable, and it's getting harder to keep up with him. I'm worried, okay? We're in deeper than we've ever been."
The memory of that day in the ancient forest lingered in my mind like a festering wound, one that no amount of rationalization could truly heal. I kept pacing, my steps restless, and it was clear Guy wasn't going to let this go.
"Liora, you've been different ever since Felix..." Guy began, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right words. "Ever since he died."
I stiffened at the mention of Felix, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral. "We all changed after that," I replied, my voice deliberately steady. "We lost someone who was like a brother to us."
"Don't give me that," Guy shot back, his frustration finally boiling over. "You and Felix were more than that. And don't think I haven't noticed the way you've been acting since we lost him. You're holding something back, Liora. And I need to know what it is."
I stopped pacing, turning to face him fully. The concern in his eyes was genuine, and for a moment, I felt a pang of guilt. But I couldn't afford to let him see through the facade, not when everything was so precariously balanced.
"I was there, Guy," I said, my tone laced with just enough bitterness to sound convincing. "I saw what happened. I saw the Morrigan tear through him like he was nothing. I fought beside him, tried to save him, and it wasn't enough. That's what's been haunting me."
Guy's expression softened, and I knew I had struck the right chord. "It wasn't your fault, Liora. Felix knew the risks, just like we all do. But I get it—being there, seeing it happen… it's not something you can just walk away from."
I nodded, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "He was always so reckless," I said, my voice lowering as if the weight of the memory was dragging it down. "And in the end, it was his recklessness that got him killed."
Guy sighed, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back against the wall. "We all knew Felix's way of doing things would catch up with him eventually. But I just wish…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
I looked away, pretending to be lost in thought, when in reality, I was calculating my next move. "I wish it could've been different too," I murmured, the words bitter on my tongue. But the truth was, Felix's death had been inevitable—perhaps not exactly as I remembered it, but inevitable all the same.
Guy was quiet for a long moment, and I could sense he was still processing everything. I needed to shift the conversation away from Felix, away from the past that could betray me if Guy dug too deeply.
"We can't dwell on it forever," I said, forcing myself to sound more resolute. "We have to focus on getting out of here, on surviving. That's what Felix would want."
Guy nodded slowly, but I could see the gears turning in his mind. He wasn't entirely convinced, and I knew I would have to keep playing this game carefully.
"Yeah," he finally agreed, though his tone was subdued. "You're right. But just… don't shut me out, Liora. We're in this together, and I need to know I can count on you."
"You can," I said, meeting his gaze with what I hoped was the right mix of determination and sincerity. "We'll get through this, Guy. I promise."
"It's not just that he died, Liora," Guy said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's what he became when he came back. He's… different. Cold. Like he left part of himself behind."
I stiffened, not expecting the conversation to take this turn. "People change after something like that," I said carefully. "Death isn't something you can just come back from unchanged."
Guy nodded, but his expression remained troubled. "It's more than that. He used to care, you know? About us, about everything. Now… it's like he's just a shell. All logic, no emotion. No empathy. The Felix we knew never returned from our summer in Ireland."
I swallowed, forcing myself to meet Guy's gaze. "Maybe that's what it takes to survive what he's been through. Maybe it's his way of coping."
"Is that what you really think?" Guy asked, his voice tinged with doubt. "Or is that what you're telling yourself?"
I hesitated, feeling the weight of his question. The truth was, I wasn't sure. Felix's return had been a shock, but what had come back wasn't the Felix I'd once known. He was colder, more calculating—a man driven by logic and stripped of the emotional connections that had once defined him.
"He's still Felix," Guy said finally, "He's just… different. We all have to adapt to survive, and this is how he's doing it."
Guy studied me for a long moment, and I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.
"I just don't know if I can trust him anymore," he admitted. "Not the way I used to."
"I trust him to do the remarkable and hurt us along the way," I forced a smile, trying to reassure him. "We don't have a choice, Guy. We need him, especially now. Whatever he's become, he's still the best chance we have of getting out of here."
Guy nodded slowly, though I could see the doubt still lingering in his eyes. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But we keep an eye on him, Liora. He changed when he died. Changed when Manon passed. What he did tonight... I can't imagine."
"I will," I promised, though the words felt hollow.
A sharp jerk and deep gasp signaled Felix finished whatever he set out to do.
"What did you find?" I asked, keeping my tone steady, masking the turmoil within.
Felix's eyes, cold and calculating as ever, locked onto mine.
"The core of the DEVIL," he said without hesitation. "It's heavily guarded. We need to free the being that counters sorcery. I also have a lead."
Guy, who had been silently watching, leaned in, his skepticism evident. "And how do you plan to get out of the cell and past the guards?"
Felix's lips curled into a faint, almost humorless smile.
"Like always," he replied, "With a bit of luck and a lot of sorcery."
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