ShadowBound: The Need For Power-Chapter 640: She’ll Be Alright

After leaving the courtyard behind and weaving through several quieter paths of the academy grounds, Percy eventually led Liam toward one of the less frequented stairwells that connected the upper levels of the surrounding buildings. The climb itself was uneventful, consisting mostly of long stone steps and narrow passages where the sounds of the academy slowly faded the higher they went. By the time they reached the final landing and stepped out onto the rooftop, the distant noise of students moving through the grounds had diminished into little more than a faint murmur carried by the wind.

The rooftop itself was wide and open, bordered by a low stone wall that surrounded the edges of the structure. From there, the view stretched far beyond the academy grounds, revealing the sprawling expanse of Grandeur City below. Countless buildings extended across the horizon, their rooftops layered one after another in a vast display of architecture that reflected the city’s wealth and influence. Roads carved through the districts like veins, while towers and guild halls rose prominently above the rest, catching the golden glow of the late afternoon sunlight.

A soft breeze swept across the rooftop, carrying with it the faint scent of the city and rustling gently through Percy’s hair.

It was quiet there.

Peaceful.

Exactly the kind of place where no curious ears would linger nearby.

Liam walked toward the edge of the rooftop and rested his hands lightly against the stone barrier as he looked out over the vast cityscape before them. For a moment he simply observed the distant streets and buildings, letting the calm atmosphere settle around him.

Then a small, almost amused thought crossed his mind.

He had to suppress the faintest hint of a smirk.

Just minutes ago, Dylan had tried dragging him along on one of his spontaneous "adventures" across the academy rooftops. Liam had refused since he had to find Percy. Yet somehow, despite declining that invitation earlier, here he was standing on a rooftop anyway.

The irony of it was almost amusing.

"It’s funny how they call you ’Prince’ when you aren’t even in the Crescent Kingdom," Liam said evenly as he stood near the edge, his gaze still fixed on the city beyond the academy walls.

Percy stepped beside him, leaning slightly against the stone barrier with his hands resting inside his pockets.

"As much as I dislike it," Percy replied calmly, "it’s not something I’ve been able to stop."

His tone carried no pride.

Only mild resignation.

"I’ve tried correcting people before," he continued, glancing briefly toward the skyline. "But the title tends to stick regardless of where I go. Eventually I stopped bothering."

"I see," Liam replied simply.

For a brief moment neither of them spoke, the quiet wind moving softly across the rooftop.

Then Liam glanced sideways toward Percy.

"Anyway," he continued casually, "how exactly did you find me? Were you just wandering the grounds and happened to run into me in the middle of those third-years?"

Percy cast him a brief side glance before answering.

"No," he said simply.

His eyes returned to the city.

"I was actually looking for you."

Liam raised a faint brow.

"Though that wasn’t my original plan," Percy added. "I expected you to still be recovering from your Ascension yesterday."

That made Liam turn slightly toward him.

"How did you know I was awake?" he asked, a trace of suspicion slipping into his voice.

Percy remained calm.

"Let’s just say that after yesterday’s duel," he said evenly, "I became familiar with your myst."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"When you moved within range earlier today, I picked up on it."

Liam watched him silently.

"Although," Percy added thoughtfully, "for a few moments it felt like you were in three different places at once."

The moment those words left Percy’s mouth, Liam understood immediately what had happened. His expression did not chang, but internally, his mind sharpened.

Percy had sensed Smoke and Nyxie.

Both of them had been moving through shadows across the academy while searching for Percy, their existence tied directly to Liam’s myst. If Percy’s myst perception was refined enough to detect that connection, it would explain why he had briefly felt as though Liam was present in multiple locations simultaneously.

’So somehow he detected Smoke and Nyxie even while they were traveling through shadows,’ Liam thought quietly.

The possibility itself was unsettling.

’I know there’s always a chance that someone with strong enough perception could notice them... but did he actually sense them while they were inside the shadows? Or did he only detect the moments they moved from one shadow to another?’

That distinction mattered.

If Percy could truly perceive his shadow summons even while they were hidden within darkness itself, then his myst sensitivity was far more dangerous than Liam had originally assumed.

Another thought surfaced.

’If I recalled them right now... would he notice?’

The question lingered in Liam’s mind for only a moment before he dismissed it entirely.

Right now, it didn’t matter.

There was a more important reason he had sought Percy out.

"I see," Liam said after a short pause. "I suppose I should thank your senses then."

A brief silence settled between them again.

Then Percy spoke.

"About the condition you gave me for our duel," he said calmly.

Liam shifted his attention toward him.

"I’ve already fulfilled it."

Percy’s voice remained steady.

"I spoke with Sheila."

Liam watched him quietly.

"I told her everything she needed to know about my actions."

Liam cast him a brief side glance.

"However," Percy continued, "I don’t believe she will be as helpful to you as you seem to think."

His gaze drifted slightly downward.

"My honesty... affected her far more deeply than I anticipated."

He paused before finishing the thought.

"To be honest, I don’t believe she’s—"

"You don’t need to worry about that."

Liam’s calm voice interrupted him before he could finish.

Percy stopped speaking and turned slightly toward him.

Liam’s gaze remained fixed on the city beyond the academy walls.

"Your truth might have shaken Sheila," Liam said evenly, "but she’s already being helped."

Percy frowned slightly.

"Helped?" he repeated.

Liam nodded faintly.

"Someone is currently helping her understand what she actually wants."

Percy watched him closely.

"If things go well," Liam continued, "there’s a good chance you and your sister will reconcile before you leave the academy."

He paused briefly.

"That is, assuming you aren’t planning to leave immediately after the graduation ceremony tomorrow."

The moment those words left Liam’s mouth, several questions began forming in Percy’s mind.

Most of them he could already guess the answers to.

But one stood out far more than the others.

"What do you mean she’s being helped?" Percy asked as he looked toward Liam.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"And the way you’re speaking... it sounds like you know exactly how my conversation with Sheila went last night."

Liam shrugged faintly.

"I suppose you could say that." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Percy’s brows furrowed.

"I do know how things played out."

"And how exactly do you know that?" Percy asked.

Liam’s expression remained calm.

"That," he replied casually, "is something I can’t tell you. At least not yet."

Percy stared at him for several seconds.

Then Liam continued.

"As for what I meant about Sheila being helped..."

He shifted his weight slightly against the stone wall.

"A friend of hers is currently doing her best to pull Sheila out of the storm of emotions you dropped her into last night. I can’t guarantee she’ll succeed," he admitted. "But there’s a very high chance that Sheila will eventually push past the confusion and decide what she truly wants."

Percy remained silent.

His gaze slowly drifted back toward the city stretching out before them.

Though his expression did not change, a quiet wave of relief passed through him as Liam’s words settled in his mind.

He knew exactly what kind of state he had left Sheila in the night before.

Her confusion.

Her anger.

Her pain.

Even after she had released some of that emotion toward him, she had still run away before he could attempt to explain anything further.

And Percy had known then that he no longer had the right to chase after her.

Hearing that someone else was now helping her navigate those emotions brought him more comfort than he was willing to openly admit.

After a while, Percy finally spoke again.

"I see," he said quietly as he nodded once. "That’s good to know."

Then his gaze shifted back toward Liam.

"Anyway," Percy continued, "you did say that if I fulfilled your condition, you would explain exactly what you intend to do with Sheila."

He studied Liam carefully.

"I believe now would be the appropriate time for that conversation."

Liam remained silent for a moment, the wind brushing softly against his clothes as he stared out over the distant rooftops of Grandeur City.

Then he finally spoke.

"My objective is very simple," Liam said in his usual calm tone, but with his eyes still fixed on the horizon.

"I intend to use Sheila as leverage."