After their little "session", Henry left the villa.
Eric got dressed and wandered into the kitchen to brew himself a cup of coffee. He took his time, dragging out every movement before finally returning to Andrew.
"You're pretty good-looking… It's just too bad that you're such a blockhead!" Eric said with a smirk as he stared at Andrew's blank face.
'You're the blockhead, you freak! You twisted, fake-ass, genderless mess...' Andrew cursed inwardly.
He wanted to slap Eric so badly, but he held back. He kept his calm while his mind raced, trying to figure out how to get Eric to leave with him willingly.
However, using force would trigger Henry. Once they teamed up again, Andrew could be thrown right back under hypnosis. So for now, he had no choice but to sit still and wait for the right moment.
After sipping his coffee, Eric began another round of hypnosis. He sat directly in front of Andrew, and once again, those hypnotic spirals flickered in his eyes.
A strange sensation immediately wormed into Andrew's mind. Drowsiness swept over him like a wave, and his consciousness began to blur. Thankfully, just like before, the token in his pocket flared up with intense heat.
The searing pain jolted his brain awake. On the surface, he appeared dazed, but inside, he felt a surge of clarity. Now, he was sure the token Jerome left behind was not just luck. It was the exact counter to Eric's Phantom Mirage.
The first time might have been a fluke, but this second time sealed it. That realization filled Andrew with energy. If he could fully figure out how to use this thing, he would never have to fear Eric's hypnosis again. When the time came, he could turn against Henry and fight his way out of Goldridge.
Andrew was not the forgiving type. Now that the conflict was this deep, if he had a shot to kill Henry, he would take it without hesitation. After all, they were enemies now. It was kill or be killed.
Besides, Henry was only the seventh son of the Fischer family. There were still plenty of other powerful figures hidden in that family.
Taking one out would be a great start.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)