"Connor and I talked about it," I admitted.
"Just like Finnick and I," he confessed. "Yet, we've stalled this long because?"
"We can't control Brianne's feelings, Kaito," I voiced and sighed. "That's why I'm not going to lose my shit on her."
"I can't guarantee that unless I see it."
"Why are you pestering..." I trailed off as if the thought clicked. I groaned and pinched my nose. "You saw something."
"Sadly."
I decided to try and calm down, my anxiety regarding Brianne worrying me a lot more than the idea of her potentially still having feelings for Elijah.
"I'm delaying simply because I know Brianne's safe," Kaito voiced. "But I need to confront this now because Brianne's health depends on it. Physically and mentally."
I slipped my hands in my pockets, debating on how we'd confront this, but just like that, I was out of control as my lips lifted up in a sinister smile while my head lifted up to acknowledge Kaito, whose eyes narrowed at my entrance.
"If you have something to say to me, just say it, Kaito." My voice was deeper now that Jaxsin had taken the wheel. He uncrossed his arms as he stared at our friend, and I could feel a bit of his annoyance as well as the brewing anger and impatience boiling in the pit of our stomach.
"You can't get mad at Brianne or Marianna in regards to Elijah."
"Hmmm, doesn't that depend?" I inquired. "I don't deserve to carry feelings?"
"You can't blame her for having a kind heart."
"A kind heart that caused her to die in my arms with our unborn child," I muttered and narrowed my eyes at him. "And now she’s taking care of the very man who shot the arrow.”
"Elijah isn't the same. Sure, they're reincarnated, and one is obviously evil, but the good Elijah is innocent and you know-"
I was in front of him before he realized it, but his sword was at my neck.
"You know what annoys me the most about everyone?" I whispered. "That everyone assumes I'm an idiot fool with anger issues."
"Jaxsin," Kaito muttered.
"I'm gone." He pulled right out and I was back in control, my eyes blinking a few times before I groaned at the pounding headache he left behind.
"Jaxsin, really? Just have to give me a headache," I grumbled and looked wearily at Kaito. "Can I not get my neck sliced today?"
Kaito pouted his lips before lowering his sword. "He went to sleep."
"Basically," I replied. "Kaito, you know I wouldn't hurt Brianne."
He slowly nodded. "I know. It's just what I saw I didn't like."
"Did we get in a fight or something?"
"Sort of," he replied. "I think that's what the Shadow Kingdom wants."
"They know where Elijah's located?"
"No." Kaito shook his head. "I don't think so."
"What's bothering you, Kaito? This is the first time you're bringing this up."
Kaito walked into the room and moved to sit on the edge of Bri's bed. I closed the door and turned to give him my full attention.
"I think we're missing a huge piece of this puzzle and may have fucked up."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember at the trial they said something about Elijah's birth certificate? That there were two, which confirmed that one twin was being used by the Shadow Kingdom and the other was completely innocent?"
"Yes."
"I think that's inaccurate."
"As in there's only one?" I inquired. "Did you see something from the future?"
"Yes, but it was in my dream," he answered my second question and ran his hands through his hair while he seemed deep in thought. "In my dream, it was like we were having a final showdown. The good Elijah was there as well as the evil one that Brianne had tainted during our last confrontation."
"Yes," I encouraged. "Did they duke it out or something?"
"No." Kaito shook his head. "A girl I've never seen before announced some sort of code, and it triggered a huge explosion that seemed to wipe out everything. Nothing could prevent it, and when the light dimmed, everyone was gone."
"A bomb," I whispered.
"No. Some sort of spell or trigger...but-" He paused to bite his lip.
"You can tell me, Kaito," I whispered.
He met my eyes that were filled with understanding and slightly nodded.
"Only the girl remained in the dream, but then she began to change. Her skin, her hair, everything about her body, like she was a shapeshifter. Then, there was Elijah, standing there. The one who was tainted, but it seemed impossible because the one that was tainted was with good Elijah before the explosion."
"Have you told anyone about this?"
He shook his head. "Finnick's woken me up a few times this week since that's the only dream I've had."
"How many times have you seen that specific dream?"
"Seven times."
My eyes widened as my stomach sank at the idea.
Fuck. This isn't an unavoidable thing.
"You need to tell Professor Phoenix and Witchling Star, Kaito. You have seer powers. If you're having a dream consistently, it could be huge."
"But there can't be three Elijahs."
"Why not?" I inquired, which left him a little stumped. "Twins were a lot more common back in the day, and if Elijah's parents couldn't even keep track of one, imagine if they took two?"
"Jax. That would be literally a zero-point-five percent chance."
"It's still a chance," I offered. "Until Elijah wakes up and tells us what he knows, we may never figure things out until it's too late."
"If that's true...how the hell are we going to know who's who?"
"Brianne," I answered. "He was her best friend. She'd know."
"What I worry about is if you want her to know," Kaito muttered.
Instead of getting offended by his comment, I took a deep inhale and let it out. "Why do I feel like you’re gaslighting me on purpose?"
"I overheard Sebastian and Katsume talking the other day when I went by my house to grab one of my training swords since I broke mine," he began. "They're worried about the past repeating itself and that the Shadow Kingdom is going to attempt to trigger you by doing the same thing that killed Bri the first time around."
I didn't say a word, and Kaito studied me closely to see what my reaction would be. "So the Shadow Kingdom is aiming to keep their end of the bargain, like the bloody message left on the wall," I calmly concluded.
"They think they may use Elijah as the target to get Brianne where they want her, and killing her would trigger Jaxsin and kill everyone."
"Well, I guess it's a slightly smart plan."
"Jax."
"I'm not going to fall for it," I huffed. "Did I lose my shit when Brianne was consumed by darkness and you had to save her during the exam?"
"No, bu-"
"Kaito," I cut him off. "I need you to have more faith in me."