Monday morning dawned cold and bright. Fidelis glared at the sky. His weekend was frustrating. He'd been unable to reach Sera. Al refused to answer his calls or texts, leaving Fidelis despairing and raging in turns. He couldn't shake the vision of Sera's punishment at the hands of her family.
He knew she was alive, but the state of her body and mind was a different matter. He couldn't reach her. It was as if a barrier kept them separated. Fidelis had offered prayers to Autem in the hope that his god would protect his fated one. No answer was sent via the priests.
Here he was going to school, worried about what he would find when he saw Sera.
"Please be alright," he mumbled. He sped toward school, his fists clenched on the steering wheel until it groaned in protest.
"Your Highness, you must calm your mind," advised Blainel from the front passenger seat. "Being worked up helps no one," he chided.
Fidelis sighed. He knew the captain of his guard was right. It didn't mean he had to like it or entertain it. They arrived at school in record time. Fidelis was out of the car and speedwalking toward their meeting spot inside the gym. He heard Blainel's and Sodalitas's footsteps behind him.
He went inside, scanning the sea of faces. No Sera. His heart clenched. Was she still hurt? Was that why she wasn't here? He wouldn't panic yet. Maybe she was running late.
He didn't realize how tense he was until Blainel squeezed his shoulder. A gentle reminder to calm down. Fidelis took a steadying breath. He opened his fated mark and reached for Sera.
For a dizzying second, he felt the faint flicker of connection before the barrier slammed into place again. His frustrated growl earned him a raised eyebrow and a concerned expression from Sodalitas.
"Nothing yet?" whispered Blainel. His eyes, too, were scanning the crowd for signs of Sera.
"No," admitted Fidelis. He had to stay calm. He couldn't panic yet. It wouldn't help Sera.
"Hey, isn't that Al?' Sodalitas to the water fountains at the back end of the gym.
Fidelis's gaze snapped to his right, zeroing in on Al casually chatting with a group of freshmen. He was in motion before he thought about it. His goal: find Sera. He reached the group, crossed his arms, and glared at Al until the other boy shooed away his admirers.
"Romeo, can I help you?" Al's sarcastic tone rubbed Fidelis the wrong way.
"Yes, you can. Where's my girlfriend? You always ride together. Yet, I don't see her now."
Al shrugged. "We aren't joined at the hip, you know."
A disbelieving laugh escaped Fidelis's mouth. Was Al being serious right now? If the other boy didn't start being truthful, Fidelis had no qualms about beating the information out of him.
"Funny, the way you usually act says otherwise," countered Blainel, his gaze sharp and assessing.
"Sorry if you got that impression," drawled Al. "Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, moving to go around Fidelis and his guards.
Fidelis's patience snapped. He reached out, grabbed Al's arm, forcing him to halt.
"Do you think I'm playing games? Where…is…she?" snarled Fidelis.
"Better let go before I break your hand," snapped Al.
"Romeo!" hissed Sodalitas, his tone urgent.
"Not now, George!"
"Incoming," added Blainel.
"What, Danny?" growled Fidelis.
"Hello, boys."
Fidelis recognized that fake, sultry voice. He released Al. He turned to the new arrival, his angry expression not fazing the unexpected addition to their conversation.
Amy stood there in a skintight scarlet shirt and black miniskirt. She wore black stilettos and an insincere smile.
Great! Just what I need. More trash interfering with my search. He glared at Amy. "This is a private conversation. Uninvited guests should leave," he stated rudely, hoping she would take the hint and leave.
"Well, you know I'm not one for following the rules," she chuckled.
Hearing her voice was abrasive to his ears and soul. He knew her part in hurting Sera. He'd seen it through Sera's eyes after all. Not that he could use that against Amy without sounding like a madman.
"Besides, I thought I should keep you company since my sister's not here."
Fidelis stiffened when Amy stroked his arm after dropping her announcement. How dare she! He jerked away from her grasping fingers.
"Don't touch me. I don't need your brand of filth on me."
Amy flushed in anger at his words. "What did you just say to me, Romeo?"
"I said greedy, ugly-souled girls shouldn't taint me with their filth."
"You, bastard," she hissed, glowering at him, the red on her cheeks growing brighter at his insults. "You will regret talking to me this way."
Amy flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Romeo, you'd better recognize who is right for you and who's wrong. You will be forgetting about my useless twin pretty soon," she retorted with a huff.
"Never!" he snarled.
"We'll see," she replied, flouncing away in a huff.
Fidelis turned to say something scathing to Al, only to find the other boy was gone. He turned to his two guards, who shrugged.
"Don't blame us!" Sodalitas said. "I didn't see him slip away."
Fidelis growled in frustration. Could this day get any worse? He stomped off toward his locker. He would text Sera and wait for a response. It was the only way he could calm down.
~***~
Several class periods later, and still no response from Sera. Fidelis angrily clenched his fists. Despite repeated attempts to get Al to divulge where Sera was, he was still no closer to an answer about her disappearance. He sat at lunch surrounded by his closest friends and guards and brooded. This whole situation was maddening.
"…we can look up her home address and go there."
Penelope's voice jolted Fidelis from his thoughts. "Say that again?"
Penelope sighed. "Look, Romeo, I know you're worried. We're all worried. You have to focus. I said that we should look up her home address and go there after school since Al is being unhelpful."
"Hmm, that's a thought," he agreed, pondering the implications of barging into her house. At this point, he didn't care what Mr. Holland thought of him. Sera was his top priority.
Suddenly, a surge of pain lanced his back. He flinched, doubling over as the first pain was followed by a second. It took his confused mind a moment to realize that he'd felt this before. It was when Sera's father had whipped her. He felt his soul trying to fully connect with Sera.
I can't! Not here at school! His thoughts raced. He gripped the table and forced himself to his feet.
He mumbled, "Bathroom," before fleeing from the cafeteria. The burning agony was increasing while his hold on his awareness was quickly fading. He had to get to a stall before the bond forced him to completely lose his grip on reality.
He stumbled inside the boys' bathroom and into the closest stall.
"Sera," he groaned, her pain flooding his senses, overwhelming his thoughts, and sending him to his knees.
As his vision swam, he knew this was going to be rough. He felt the yank on his consciousness, and then he was falling into Sera's thoughts.