IN FULL COLOUR - Dark Fantasy
Chapter 21

Gabrielle

“What just happened? What made you change your mood so suddenly?”

Axel pulled his brows into a deep frown as he carefully studied me from across the room. I could see the gears in his head turning and the energy around him shifting, moving and constantly changing colour. It had changed right in front of me, within seconds, from a navy blue to a dark forest green. A little better, but still cold and hostile.

“What do you mean?” He asked keeping his frown fixed in place.

I examined his face for a moment before answering, “just now, your mood shifted. Why?”

He just stared at me. Didn’t even bother to reply. The energy around him silently changing again. Sea green, teal and just a touch of violet now swirled around him almost as though it was seeping from his skin. Not as hostile as before, but not friendly either.

When the servants brought in our food, I finally snapped back to reality and realized that I had been staring at him, quite openly, so I quickly looked away, and broke our eye contact. He did not look away though, because I could feel his unnerving blue orbs still burning into my skin.

An awkward silence fell as soon as the waiters left. I had no idea how to fix it and I didn’t want to risk peering at him, so I kept my face down and pulled my plate closer. The man hated me. Nothing I could possibly say would change that. AND what made matters worse, was the fact that I knew Locke was witnessing everything and seemed to be utterly amused by it, judging from the bright electric yellows emanating from where he stood.

He was invisible to the eye, but I could make out that he was leaning against the right wall from the silhouette of energy projecting his shape.

In uncomfortable silence, I decided to busy myself with my food, as it gave me a reason not to speak, nor to look at either of them. While I ate, Axel’s energy kept changing. His mind was busy all the time and somehow, something must have angered him again, because the colour I saw from my peripheral vision had changed into a deep, blue-black.

I had no idea what kept on making him so angry or was it sadness that I saw? Jealousy? Annoyance?

His face did not give away clues and if it weren’t for my special gift, I would probably not even have realized there was anything wrong at all. He was a master at wearing masks. Showing no emotion. Acting strong.

Finally, I heard his spoon clinking against his plate, and I let out a quiet sigh of relief. As we ate, his energy shifted yet again, but for the first time since he had arrived, it turned a light blue, almost the colour of his eyes. I couldn’t help the tiny smile from tugging at my lips, although I concealed it quickly by taking another bite of the delicious, warm stew. I guess he liked the food. A glimmer of hope. It was by no means a victory, but a small beginning at least. Maybe he could still replace happiness here?

For a while, I kept quiet and enjoyed the light, cool colours that sprang from him and swirled slowly around his end of the table. I wanted this calm to last longer. I wanted him to enjoy his food and everything else Dire Mountain had to offer. I had no idea why I felt that way. He had been a jerk to me from the very start, but still, he intrigued me, and I wanted to know more about him.

“Did you hurt your hand today? During training?” I finally managed to ask, keeping a watchful eye on that everchanging colours of his.

“No,” he simply said and kept on eating.

He didn’t sound mean, but he didn’t sound friendly either. The colours around him darkened a shade or two. Damn. Not the effect I was hoping for.

“Do you need a doctor?” I tried again.

“No.”

His voice sounded harsh and arrogant this time and my wolf barked a warning in my mind, protesting the way he had spoken to us.

I felt it too. In my veins and in my bones. The way he spoke down to me like I was some servant girl had pulled on my restraints. The restraints that kept me from acting out and not acting like the lady I was expected to be.

Locke’s deep, manly chuckle rumbled to my right, where he had now pushed himself off the wall and began sauntering lazily towards Axel. The latter’s eyes travelling over the emptiness where Locke had once stood.

He had heard him.

The colours around Axel darkened in the blink of an eye and spurt out like tendrils, looking for something to devour.

Damn it Locke don’t do this! Just leave! He was making the situation worse and seemed to be enjoying it.

Axel constricted his fingers around the spoon and lifted only his eyes to face me, his knuckles turning white.

“Could you kindly ask your PET to leave?” He growled out. Low and deadly.

Wait, what?

I glanced down at Nero and couldn’t help but smile. Axel thought it was Nero who had made the laughing sound. It probably made the most sense to him, since there was no one else in the room or at least no one else he could see.

“He doesn’t really take orders from me,” I replied, and bent down to pull my fingers through his thick coat. As soon as I did, the blackened tendrils around Axel exploded, shooting out behind him in a great blue-black mass.

“There, it happened again,” I couldn’t stop myself from blurting out, “your energy, it changed.”

“My what?” He bit out angrily.

Oh shoot, I should have said ‘mood’ instead. People understood that term better. Didn’t question it.

“I mean, your mood,” I quickly corrected, “your mood changed again.”

Axel eyed me suspiciously. His energy still wafted around him in darkened angry tendrils. Distrust?

“What is the deal with that DOG at your ankles?” He asked at last, jaw tight and muscles rigid.

I bent down again and pressed my fingers into Nero’s plush fur. He picked his head up and started licking my hands.

The blackness around Axel erupted violently and seeped through the room like a deadly beast of mist and fury.

Shit.