Chapter 4 What Are You to Him?

Evelyn's POV

As soon as the words left my mouth, the training ground fell silent for a few seconds. Then I felt those strange looks from others.

But I just stared at Kane's face, ignoring everyone else's eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Kane was silent for two seconds, then nodded.

I walked over and stood beside him.

This empty space in the northeast corner of the training ground suddenly became the focus of the entire field.

I could feel those gazes stabbing into my back like needles, but Kane seemed long used to this kind of attention - his expression didn't change at all.

"You go first or should I?"

"You first."

I stepped forward and closed my eyes, trying to sense that "core energy."

Honestly, I had no idea what it was supposed to feel like. I just stood there like an idiot.

"Relax."

Kane's voice suddenly came from across, interrupting my tangled thoughts.

"Don't think about 'what you should be feeling.' Just quietly sense it with your heart, listen to it."

Hearing this, I started trying to empty my mind.

Then something deep in my chest felt like a string being gently plucked, and a warm sensation spread from my heart to my limbs.

I opened my eyes.

"You felt it?"

"Yes."

He tried sensing it too.

"Your core energy is awakening, though it's very weak."

For eighteen years, I'd always thought I was just an ordinary person.

Now suddenly someone was telling me there really was something inside me.

This feeling was like someone who'd been walking in darkness suddenly seeing a distant point of light.

"Your turn."

I looked at Kane.

Kane stood in place, hands in his pockets.

Then the light around him distorted, and a scorching energy released from within him - a pure, undisguised power.

My hair blew up, my face felt hot from the heat.

But he only released it for three seconds before pulling the power back.

"Did you feel it?"

I nodded.

What he released felt more like a pressure that made you instinctively want to kneel.

"Your power is very strong," I said.

Kane lowered his eyes, didn't respond.

For the rest of the time, we took turns practicing.

I could feel that weak fluctuation slowly getting stronger.

After the bell rang, Emma ran over and grabbed my arm:

"Are you crazy? Didn't I tell you to stay away from him!"

"Why?"

"Don't you know what people say about him? This will drag you down too!"

Emma was getting anxious.

"I don't want to judge someone based on other people's prejudices."

Emma opened her mouth, then finally sighed and walked away.

I didn't pay attention, just suddenly thought of Kane's figure.

I walked through the stone corridor and saw Kane by Starlight Spring.

He stood there, his silver-white long hair glowing in the light mist.

"Most shapeshifters either fear me or submit to me."

He didn't turn around, just kept talking to himself.

"But you don't."

"So what are you supposed to be?"

Hearing his words, I was a bit confused.

"I don't know."

I was silent for a while.

"Well then, I'm kind of looking forward to finding out."

Kane turned his head, looking at me calmly.

Those golden eyes were completely still - I couldn't read any emotion in them.

"Are you hungry?"

The atmosphere was getting awkward, so I had to ask him something else.

"Let's go eat then."

I happily pulled Kane toward the cafeteria.

In the cafeteria, Kane and I found a corner to sit with our trays.

Looks and whispers came from around us.

"Do they always talk about you like this?"

I took a bite of meat and looked up at Kane.

"Yes."

He nodded.

"Why don't you argue with them? What they're doing isn't right."

Kane's hand paused, but he didn't speak. The scene fell quiet again.

"Do you know about Magpies?"

"There's a species among shapeshifters whose instinct is to collect shiny things. They have a terrible reputation - most shapeshifters think they're greedy, sneaky, untrustworthy."

I changed the topic again.

Kane hummed in acknowledgement.

I kept talking: "I'm guessing I might be a Magpie."

I suddenly remembered Ambrose's disgusted tone when mentioning Magpies, and got a bit worried.

"Do you think I'm a Magpie?"

I leaned closer to Kane, trying to see some different emotion in his eyes, but he was still terrifyingly calm, even leaning back to create distance between us.

Seeing him stay silent, I played with my fork and kept talking: "Growing up, I heard so many bad things about my parents."

"Some said they were liars, some said they deserved it. That's when I learned one thing."

As I spoke, my body unconsciously leaned forward a bit more.

"What others say is their business. What kind of person I am, only I can define."

After I finished, Kane glanced at me.

"You're not like your parents."

I suddenly froze, looking at him in surprise:

"You knew my parents?"

"There are records in Thornwick Academy's files."

"How did they die?"

Kane looked into my eyes and was silent for a few seconds: "An accident."

I gripped my fork tightly.

An accident? What kind of accident could kill two young shapeshifters at the same time?

"What else do you know? Can you tell me?"

I excitedly reached for his hand, but he dodged.

"I don't know."

My instinct told me it wasn't that simple.

But Kane clearly didn't want to say more. I could only pull out my phone: "Can we exchange contacts? In case I have questions for you."

Kane didn't refuse.

We exchanged numbers, and I saved his name as "K."

Great, I had a friend here now.

The next morning, I deliberately waited for Kane at the entrance of the teaching building.

There was no one within 9 feet around him - everyone was deliberately walking around him, like avoiding a piece of red-hot iron.

But I ran toward him.

When I got there, he was looking at his phone.

"Morning." I greeted him with a smile.

He looked up, put his phone in his pocket, but didn't say anything.

I cheerfully invited him to go to class with me.

Walking through the central plaza, I heard whispers, even harsher than yesterday.

"Isn't that Kane? Who's that girl next to him?"

"A freshman, right? The one who actively partnered with him yesterday."

"Is she crazy? Daring to get close to that Phoenix Clan psycho?"

"I heard he almost burned down the entire training ground last time, and burned a Lycan Clan student who provoked him into serious injury."

My steps slowed down.

This time not because of fear, but because of anger.

After yesterday, I already considered Kane my friend, and I wouldn't allow anyone to talk about my friend like that!

I stopped and turned around.

Three girls were talking excitedly. Seeing me walk over, they exchanged mocking glances.

"What did you just say?"

I stood in front of them fiercely.

"What's it to you?"

A Lycan Clan girl raised her chin.

"You're talking behind my friend's back, of course it's my business."

"Friend?"

Another Vampire Clan girl laughed.

"You call that thing a friend? Do you know what he is?"

"I know. He's Kane, the 'bad omen' you mentioned."

"And you still—"

"And I'm still friends with him?"

I interrupted her.

"Because I think everything you're saying has no basis."