“I need a gun and a lockpick set.”

Hermann stared at him. The school shop owner had gotten him plenty in exchange for gemstones—mostly booze and cigarettes—but a gun was pushing it, and Kris knew it.

But he had no choice. He’d spent the entire night thinking of another solution, but everything was too risky or would take too long. Watching his boyfriend fight the pain was unbearable.

“You know what you’re asking is insane.”

Kris clenched his fists. “Yeah, so I’m not here for fun.”

Hermann looked him up and down, trying to hide it, but Kris noticed a spark of fear in his eyes. Ratting Kris out to the school board wasn’t an option; he’d go down just as hard. And he knew Kris’s abilities could be lethal.

“I don’t want to threaten you,” Kris sighed. “But I’m about to lose someone if I don’t do this, so I don’t have a choice. I need those two things. I’ll make enough diamonds for you to quit this crappy job and live comfortably for the next few years. No one will ever know.”

“And what are you gonna do with the gun?”

Kris shrugged. “Give it to someone who doesn’t even need one to hurt or kill.”

After all, Zebediah could just tell someone to hang themselves.

“I need it in two days.”

“Two days?” His usually deep voice went shrill.

“Yeah. Two days.”

Kris turned away. He’d have to push himself hard too, if he was going to make pure diamonds in two days. Especially when he was this worried about Fox.

. . .

Pain coursed through his body like waves. It always started in his gut, scorching as if his insides were on fire, then spread to the rest of him. Breathing was hard, though that could’ve been from the panic. When the pain briefly dulled, he was tormented by terrible nightmares. He kept trying to get out of bed as if it would help him escape the horrors, but it was no use.

Something cold and wet was placed on his forehead. Through the fog of agony, he saw Kris’s eyes. They were glistening with tears. If Kris was crying, then things were really bad.

“Am I going to die?” he whispered.

“No, love, of course not.” Kris’s lips felt cold on the corner of his mouth.

“I’m scared.”

His fingers ran through Fox’s curls. It gave him some comfort. “I’m here. You don’t need to be scared. And I’m going to make sure you get better, okay?”

Fox winced as a new wave of pain hit.

He heard the door open. Was Kris leaving? In panic, he reached out until his hand found his friend’s. “Don’t go,” he croaked.

“I’m not going anywhere. I pro—”

“He needs to go to the infirmary.”

“He can’t.”

Fox twisted on the bed as a sudden surge of pain tore his attention from the conversation. No position eased the pain; it drove him to despair, and he began to sob again.

. . .

The entire House could hear that Fox was in agony. Fire glared furiously at the boy who refused to take him to the infirmary. “Why can’t he go there?”

“Because they won’t find anything.”

Kris had pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind him. Ghost had come to him a while ago to say that Fox wasn’t doing well.

“What’s going on, Kris?”

“I’m handling it.”

Kris was already turning away, but Fire grabbed his arm. “I want to know what’s going on.”

Kris’s gaze was icy. “I don’t trust you.”

“You don’t trust me?” Fire snapped. No one had ever said that to him. “If anyone here isn’t to be trusted, it’s you!”

Kris brought his face close to Fire’s. The heat scorching his face didn’t seem to bother him. “I know you hate me,” he said bitterly. “And that you’ve tried to keep Fox away from me like some overprotective mother hen. But if you haven’t realized after three years that I love Fox and that it hurts me just as much when he’s screaming in pain, then you’re a blind fool.”

For a moment, Fire didn’t know what to say; he wasn’t used to words like that. He could see the tears in Kris’s eyes, and maybe Kris was right—maybe he needed to accept that Kris really did love Fox.

He sighed. “Okay, you’re right. Let’s not argue. Why can’t he go to the infirmary?”

Kris gave him a piercing look. “You’re a smart guy, and you’ve been here as long as I have. You shouldn’t trust the school. If they can’t figure out what’s wrong with him, they’ll write him off. And I know they won’t find anything.”

“So what’s wrong with him?”

“Like I said—I don’t trust you. Nothing personal. When it comes to keeping secrets, I can’t rely on someone who's unable to lie. You just have to trust me. I’m handling it.”

“You’re being pressured,” Fire concluded.

Kris’s expression soured, and his jaw tightened. “Stop digging. The more you know, the greater the danger for Fox. I’m handling this. With any luck, it’ll be over by tomorrow. I’ll ask that Panther girl to at least ease his pain until I’ve done what I need to do.”

Fire felt something heavy settle in his stomach. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots. Kris wasn’t the kind to be manipulated easily. Someone had figured out that Fox was Kris’s weakness and was using it to get things done. He could think of an entire department that was twisted enough for that.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked hesitantly.

“Make sure no one realizes how sick Fox is. It’s better if no one else catches wind of it.”

So he had to lie to his classmates. That was quite a task for someone who couldn’t lie. Still, he gave a tentative nod.

“Good. I’ll go drag that Panther out of the dining hall.”

Kris turned and soon disappeared.

Fire stood indecisively at the door. He could still hear Fox crying. After a moment’s hesitation, he stepped inside and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Kris?” Fox whispered.

“Kris is getting help for you.”

Fox stared at him with teary eyes. “Why can’t I go to the infirmary, Fire?”

“Because Kris has a better plan.” He surprised himself with his own words; he hadn’t known he actually believed that.

A faint smile curled on Fox’s lips. “If you’re agreeing with him for once… then it must be true.”

His eyes drifted shut again.