CHAPTER 48: THE ONE YOU TOOK FOR GRANTED

The world outside Haven City Jail blurred into a haze of sunlight and static as Hermes walked.

No destination. Just movement. As if his body thought motion could distract from the ice forming in his stomach.

He stopped in an alleyway, leaned against a wall, and breathed.

Deep in. Hold. Out.

Didn’t help.

He clutched the stolen drive tighter in his hand, knuckles pale. It felt heavy. Too heavy for a piece of plastic. Like it was filled with a thousand sharp edges and every one of them pointed straight into his heart.

He had taken a copy of the recording of Eirwyn interrogating and torturing Trivia, and saved it in this thing. It’s crazy how technology has come so far where we can hold a piece of truth in our hands.

’He used Cryoshift. My power. He used it to hurt someone.’

Hermes wanted to scream. Rip out his throat. Tear off the blindfold he had willingly worn for so long.

You idiot.

"You should’ve known." He muttered to himself. "You should’ve known someone that perfect was hiding something."

The beast in his head stirred again. Its voice was quieter now, more composed.

’He violated your trust. That is unforgivable.’

Hermes closed his eyes. "I know."

’You gave him power. He twisted it. The only answer to treachery is death.’

"I said I know!" Hermes slammed his fist into the alley wall, the concrete scraping skin. Blood welled, but he barely noticed.

"But not now."

A pause.

’...Explain.’ The beast prompted.

Hermes sucked in air, gritting his teeth. "Nobody would believe me. Not yet. He’s the golden boy. The HR angel. Everyone loves him. I’m just a... glorified intern who got lucky."

He looked down at the drive.

"This isn’t over. But if I move now, I lose. I need to be as callous as him. Beat him in his own game by playing the oblivious fool."

He laid out his plan in his head for the beast inside him to hear.

Silence.

Then, grudging approval.

’...Very well.’

Hermes pocketed the drive. First, he’d hide this somewhere safe. Then—he needed to fill the missing nine days in his memory. Needed to know how Eirwyn even got the chance to take Cryoshift.

And that meant starting with the person who used to know him best.

Somner.

***

Hermes opened his phone. He hadn’t contacted Somner since he got ’transferred’ back to the Sixth Department. Not by choice.

He typed Somner’s name.

Blocked.

Hermes stared at the screen, breath caught.

Somner had blocked him.

No way...

That didn’t make sense. Somner was clingy, dramatic, and hopelessly devoted to him. Even if they had a falling out—would he really just cut him off?

He needed answers.

And unfortunately, that meant asking the rest of Cloud Nine.

***

Hermes found them at the Golden Apple training grounds. They were lounging on beanbags while watching a training replay on the big screen. Fiero cheered as past footage of him punted a villain into a dumpster.

"Brooo! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!" Fiero howled, tossing popcorn in Cam’s face.

Cam rolled his eyes. "You missed the follow-up punch, you dumb slab."

"Shut up, it was cool!"

Victorina, dressed in a flowy tutu, a track suit shirt on top with rhinestones spelling "JUICY", waved at Hermes the moment she saw him. "Babe! You’re alive! We were starting to think the Void got you~"

Vera just continued etching pentagrams on the floor with her nails. "That was only a 32% probability."

Hermes walked over, avoiding Cam’s eye. "Hey. Uh. Can I ask something?"

"Uh-oh." Cam leaned back, smirking. "He’s talking to us? Planning to trash talk us next?"

Hermes ignored his teasing. "I’m trying to find Somner."

Victorina perked up. "Ooooh~? Trying to patch things up with your ex, huh?"

Hermes blushed. "He’s not my ex—"

"Oh honey, he sure acted like he was!" Victorina slapped her knee, guffawing. "We’re not blind, girl!"

Vera finally glanced up. "You’re referring to the incident from last Saturday, then."

Hermes froze. "Wait. What incident?"

Fiero frowned. "You don’t remember?"

Cam gave a sarcastic gasp. "Oh no! Did you get hit in the head so hard that you got brain damage?"

Hermes hesitated. "...Maybe. Just tell me what happened."

The squad looked at each other.

Victorina spoke first. "So like, last Friday, you got knocked out during a sparring session with Ymir. He slammed you into the mat so hard, we all gasped like it was a telenovela cliffhanger."

"I didn’t even remember the walk back." Hermes murmured.

Vera added: "You suffered a minor concussion. I recall Somner panicking and requesting six medical professionals. You only needed one."

"Then what happened Saturday?" Hermes asked, heart hammering.

Fiero scratched his head. "Dude, you woke up, marched into the kitchen, and totally roasted Somner."

Cam grinned. "Told him he was a clingy brat who never respected your boundaries. Said you were transferring departments just to get away from his stupid flirting."

Hermes blinked. "I said that?"

Victorina looked genuinely heartbroken. "He looked like you smacked him with a breakup letter. Baby had tears in his big green eyes."

"He locked himself in his room for hours." Vera added. "And you didn’t even check on him. Just packed your things."

Hermes ran his hand down his face. "Oh my god..."

No wonder Somner blocked him.

"But I wouldn’t... I wouldn’t say something like that. Not to him. I don’t even remember—"

Cam tilted his head. "Okay, so maybe the concussion did a number on you. But like, how do we know this isn’t just buyer’s remorse?"

Hermes looked at him. "I’m not lying. Something happened to me. Something bad."

Cam squinted at him, but didn’t push further.

Victorina, meanwhile, reached for her phone. "If you really wanna make it right, I can send you his address. But it’s not easy to get in, girl. This is the Somner’s residence, his posh family would be there. Good luck convincing them to get you past the gates.."

Hermes felt something loosen in his chest. "Thank you."

Victorina winked. "Tell him his glam squad misses him."

"Yeah, and tell him to stop moping and come to karaoke night." Fiero added.

Vera muttered. "He still has my eyeliner..."

Cam shrugged. "And tell him I still think you suck."

Hermes managed a weak laugh. "Noted."

He took the address Victorina texted him, heart pounding. This was his first step.

If he wanted to know what happened during those nine days, if he wanted to reclaim his memory, his power, his agency—

He had to start with Somner.

The one who was truly kind to him this whole time... who he took for granted.