Chapter 365 – Elijah (Part 2)

Chapter 365 – Elijah (Part 2)

Kai jumped to his feet to cover Elijah, expecting to see the door thrown open. “Who’s coming? Did the academy find out you’re here?”

The wards weaving through the thick walls muddled the hallway outside from his senses. He retracted Mana Observer. His clumsy touch risked revealing more information than he’d gain. His sweaty fingers clutched at his sides.

Oh fuck! My sword.

Moonlight gleamed on the steel blade where he’d let it clatter by the balcony windows. He dashed to grab it. A pair of boots tripped him—damned Rob. Landing with his hands on the hardwood floor, he stretched to store his sword in his ring and stood up. The plaster sported a slight bump where his head had bashed the wall—nothing that he could fix now.

Lucky I have a thick skull.

Blood would have been harder to hide.

He spun back to Elijah. “You need to go.”

How do I explain a cloaked man in black in my living room?

The butler lounged on the couch, showing no concern or hurry, arm slung over the backrest. His eyes narrowed at the blue tiles of the kitchen wall, focused beyond. “One of your roommates is back.”

“One of my…” Kai exhaled a breath. The releasing tension loosened his shoulders. “You said they’d be out longer.”

“So I thought.” Elijah took his boots off the coffee table as if each movement were an insult and a chore. “But people are terrible at following plans.”

“I see… You still better go now. Think you can use the window? How did you get in here?” Kai hovered over him, tempted to lift him out. Worry halted his fidgeting. He caught his wrist. “You’re not going to disappear again, are you?”

They’d barely had time to catch up. And the man owed him more answers.

Elijah blinked, looking at the hand gripping his wrist. His faint surprise didn’t stop him from pulling free with overpowering ease and gruffly ruffling his hair. A smirk tugged on his lips. “I’ll contact you.”

“When—“

The crisp click of the lock cut him off. The door began to open. Kai angled himself back to cover Elijah—half a head short to be effective. Curses choked in his throat. Excuses spun in his mind.

Messy hazel hair entered first, followed by a burnished yellow gaze that swept the room. Rob halted. Light spilled in from the hallway. His unbuttoned coat revealed a damp patch on a silk shirt that matched his eyes. “Hey.”

“Hey…” Kai waved, arm held too close to his chest. Why did his voice sound so guilty? He risked the tiniest glance back—Elijah was gone. No rustle of paper, no door or window left ajar. Simply vanished from the apartment.

How did—

Realizing his look had lingered too long, he turned the movement into a yawning stretch and sank onto the couch. “You’re back early.”

Yeah, really smooth and casual.

“Had to. A jerk spilled a drink on my best shirt.” Rob shut the door with his heel. “Why are you sitting in the dark? Feeling broody?” Brushing the control array, he lit the crystal in the living room.

“No, just a headache.” Kai rubbed his eyes with his index and thumb, palm hiding his expression. “The dark helped. Probably overdosed on potions.”

That and someone rammed my head into a wall. Take your pick.

“That sucks. Want me to turn them off?”

“It’s fine.” He slumped deeper into the couch. “It’s already better. Just too lazy to reach for the lights.”

“Yeah, got you there.” Rob threw his coat on a chair with a chuckle. His gaze lingered on the kitchen table and Hobbes’ snoring before heading for his room. “Tell me if you need anything. I gotta grab a new shirt.” The half-closed door muffled his voice. “Want to come with me if you’re better? I have a few open invites we can check out. The best parties don’t start before midnight.”

Note to self: always blame laziness.

“Thanks. I’m good for tonight.”

How did that slippery butler get out? Unless… is he still here?

Kai curbed the impulse to scan the room again as Rob sauntered back. He wore a midnight-blue shirt with silver embroidery on the collar and cuffs, and a smoky gray hat reminiscent of a fedora. The black-and-silver band wove into the felt, and the asymmetrical brim missed a chink on one side.

“Sure, you don’t wanna come?” Rob inspected himself in the mirror beside the door—one hand fumbling with the last button, the other wrestling with his hair. “It’s rare we get to wear something other than burgundy. You must enjoy the breaks while you can. Moons know we don’t get many.”

“I’m too tired for anything besides sleep. Maybe next time. Might have overdone it in the Trials.”

“I can believe that. I already had five students approach me about you. Even a second year!” His mouth drew in tight focus as he adjusted his hat and winked in the mirror. “Don’t worry, I told them nothing about the elusive and enigmatic Mat! Truly congrats, man. I expected Alden would rank high. When you two said it went well, I didn’t imagine first-and-second-rank kind of well. The patricians are losing their minds. How did you pull it off?”

“Got lucky.”

“Lucky… I’m sure.”

“That, and teaming with Alden. Mostly him.” Kai sprawled on the couch, arms folded behind his head. Now that was a great idea. Who better to deflect credit than a scion from a Great House? Alden would understand. “I have no idea why they gave me first place. Truly lucky. But hey, you did well too.”

Uhm… What was his rank? I must have checked… right?

“Three hundred and eighteenth,” Rob provided with an easy grin. “I was quite proud until I saw my three roommates in the top five. Not a shred of mercy for me. Next Moon Trials, I’m sticking to you. Maybe I can get some of your luck to rub off on me.” He dipped into a perfect bow. “I’m at your disposal. Think I could get your autograph? Or a couple. I promised one to my classmates too.”

Kai threw him a pillow.

“Ouch!” Rob shielded his face with a hand to catch it. “Hmm… Velvet. A gift from Raelion’s most famous first-year?”

“Shut up. I just scored high in a test. Nobody cares that much.”

“Yeah, you just won the Mid-Term Trials. I’m sure they’ll forget in a blink.” He grinned, then laughed when he saw Kai’s serious look. “Hey, do you know the last time a commoner won a first-year Trial? Especially one from Winter Intake.”

“No?”

His smile widened. “And neither do I! It was that long ago, if it’s ever happened.” Rob strolled to the balcony windows and threw the pillow back in his face. “Your mysterious identity only fans the flames. The Martial Studies brutes seem to know you better than our classmates.”

Kai crumbled into the couch with a groan—only half acting. Elijah’s ambush had put his other problems into perspective, though he could still feel a real headache rising.

“Cheer up, man! Fame’s not so bad. Now, unless you wanna come, I gotta run.” He tapped his hat. “I’ve got a spilled drink to repay. I might keep my mouth shut, but voices always spread. You might not get many chances to celebrate before people learn your face.”

“They can’t learn if I don’t leave this couch,” Kai grumbled.

“Can’t argue with a solid plan,” Rob said, and with a last flourish, he was out the door.

At least he noticed nothing. I think.

Stretching onto the cushions, the crystals in the ceiling painted dim halos in his vision. “Hey… Elijah? Are you still here?”

Long silence answered, long enough even for the butler’s crooked humor—likely also too late to catch any clue.

If he disappears for another four years, I’ll throttle his smug face. I don’t care what grade he’s reached.

Kai let out a painful breath. Each twitch reminded him of the tapestry of bruises on his back.

No task half-finished my ass. Why couldn’t he heal me fully? I can’t trigger Nature Healing for eleven more hours.

Truly, no mercy for him. With a groan, he began to order his thoughts with Mnemonic Mastery. First the dean’s enigmatic summons, then Elijah’s rough handling, not to mention the hordes of students apparently hunting for him.

Maybe I can patch the wall with Earth and Water Magic. Just ten more secon—

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The lock of the room clicked again before three passed.

No rest for the wicked. Who is it now?

Kai pushed himself up on his elbows to look past the couch armrest, a smile plastered on his face. “Hey—“

“Hi!” Rain strolled inside, hands filled with bags that he raised with a proud smile. “I brought you food samples! Flynn helped me pick them.”

“Oh… nice. You’re back.” Early again. Kai sat up, concealing a wince. “Why don’t you carry those in your artifact?”

“I wanted to experience the bags. They’re quite handy, you know?”

No mercy at all.

“Yeah. You didn’t need to come back for me. Or bring me anything.”

“Ah, no worries. The saleswoman said they were free.” He set the bags beside the pillow where Hobbes still slept, gently drawing circles in his fur. “Uhm… did Rob stab our table again?”

“Yep,” Kai said without a shred of guilt.

“He should ask Flynn if he wants to learn knife tricks.”

“I do keep telling him that.”

“What of the ruined plaster? Did he punch the wall?”

“No, that was Alden. Miscast a spell.”

Sorry, bud.

Rain accepted the explanation, too busy with his bags. “Though… It’s odd.”

“What’s odd?”

He wrinkled his nose, sniffing the air like a hound around the table. “There is an odd scent. Not like the other students.”

“Could be someone I brushed in the Wing Aurea? Plenty of other people there.”

“That’s not quite it. Humans smell slightly differently with each advancement.” The crease between his pale brows looked worryingly deep. “Feels high grade. But strangely faint. Not old, just…”

“Could it be the dean? I did go see him earlier.”

“Mhmm… Maybe. It—”