Rhea rose to her feet in one fluid motion, setting her laptop aside, and she noticed her intruder took a step back. He had his hands raised halfway like she might lunge at him or something, but she remained where she was, arms folded as she continued to glare at him.
"You're not planning on punching me again, are you?" He asked, noticing she hadn't made any move yet. She was super quick with it too, hence, he knew he had to monitor her steps, just in case she tried anything he had to be ready for. However, Rhea only raised a contemplating eyebrow, and her expression was unsmiling.
"I'm thinking about it," she admitted. "What are you doing here? And what do you want from me? I thought kissing your face with my fist was enough hint that your presence isn't appreciated in mine. Were you busy stalking me?"
"I'm not a stalker," he cut her off right there, interrupting her smoothly. "Besides, I'm just as surprised as you. This is one of my favorite spots. I come here occasionally to clear my head. But what about you? What are you doing out here so late at night? Are you by chance the stalker amongst the two of us?"
Rhea narrowed her eyes, dissecting him with a clinical sharpness that bordered on unsettling. He was dressed in nothing but black joggers and a loose gray shirt that clung to his well-built frame– making him look effortless, casual and almost annoyingly innocent.
He looked like someone who'd wandered sleepily out of bed to pet a cat or water a plant. And yet, beneath that relaxed exterior of his, she sensed something coiled tight, like a violent storm pretending to be a harmless breeze. He has to be some two-faced master planner, cause she knew this game and has played it far longer than anyone else ever did. He even had her contemplating to be honest.
But she would not lower her guard. Not even a millimeter. Not with him. Especially not with him. She didn't know how much he'd overheard from her call, and until she fully figured that out, every word had to be measured like she was stepping through a field of landmines.
"I could tell you," she said coolly. "But frankly, I don't owe you any explanation. I'm borrowing your so-called favorite spot for the night, so find somewhere else to rest your lazy bones. I need privacy."
Kael simply glanced around the garden like he was about to argue with the moonlight. He then paused, and his tone came out more gently than he actually intended. "The garden's clearly big enough for two," he said, sounding frustratingly reasonable. "Why should I leave my spot for you? If you can't handle sharing, then you should be the one to leave."
His eyes drifted back to her as he pointed toward the exit, and his gaze lingered on its own. She wasn't wearing her glasses tonight, and without them, her features looked deceptively soft. Her crimson eyes were in full, unapologetic view, and they glowed faintly like cursed rubies. He was certain– dead certain– those weren't contact lenses.
"Rhea Ashbourne," he murmured her name like a spell. There was something disturbingly sweet in the way he said it. A shadow of amusement curled at the corner of his lips as he stepped forward, almost closing the distance between them, and Rhea had the urge to step back, but for some reason, she couldn't do that.
He then leaned in, his voice smooth like velvet as he asked. "Did you come here with some objective in mind? Or do you like wandering into danger zones for sport?"
"Isn't that a bit nosy?" She tilted her chin defiantly, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. "Do you always interrogate strangers about their motives, or am I just unlucky?" She took a step back, not out of fear, but to stop herself from doing something she might enjoy too much, like landing another punch on his face.
She simply turned and carried her laptop. "You can keep your favorite spot for all I care, I'm going back to bed."
She brushed past him without hesitation, but her escape was short-lived. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist with quiet force, halting her in place, and she immediately sensed his strength. She turned sharply from the effect, genuine shock flickering across her face from what she sensed the minute he grabbed her.
"Kael Millers," he said, as if the name should mean something. His smile was disarming but laced with something unreadable. Something that made her uneasy all at the same time.
She stilled for a moment, and the name scratched at the edges of her memory. Someone had mentioned that name to her earlier today, no? But when? Where? Why can't she remember?
Not liking the energy she felt from the person in front of her, she freed her wrist from his grasp with a cold tug. She exited the garden without another word, barely sparing him one last glance.
Kael stood there, his eyes lingering on the fading image of her retreat. That's when he noticed it, the faint mark on the side of her neck. His expression shifted, and he shook his head, as though warning himself not to draw conclusions too soon.
But that mark… the resemblance was undebatable.
—-
The following morning, Elira had gotten dressed in her uniform, and she fastened the last button on her shirt with a soft sigh. Her braces clicked into place as she secured them over her legs, wincing slightly at the foreign weight.
It wasn't easy, each step still felt like a trial, but it was better than being confined to the dorm, missing lectures, and letting the world move on without her. She owed Callista a great deal, since the girl had not only gone out of her way to fund her medical bills, but also had the braces made for her. A kindness Elira would never forget.
Just as she reached for her crutches, a cheerful voice pierced the stillness of the room.
"Hey there, roomie!"
Elira's heart almost escaped from her chest when Rhea appeared out of nowhere with that same unsettling, yet pleasant smile on her lips. She was fully dressed in the Novarion uniform as well.
Her midnight blue blazer with silver trims hugged her frame perfectly, and it was paired with a crisp white shirt and a short pleated skirt that brushed her mid-thigh. A soft, silk tie with the academy's sigil hung neatly beneath her collar, and the whole look was sleek and professional.
The only odd thing was the glass shades she was putting on.
"Mind if I tag along after orientation?" She asked, helping Elira grab her crutches and handing it to her. "Callista mentioned we're in the same class. You resumed earlier than I did, so maybe save me a seat in case I join you, will you?"
"You're not…. wearing the golden crest?" Elira accepted the crutches, blinking at her roommate. Rhea had to think about what she was referring to before she responded.
"Oh, you mean that?" She shook her head. "I already told you guys that I didn't want it. You know that reminds me, I should take it with me and return it to the mistress. Since neither you nor Callista want anything to do with it, she can hand it out to someone more worthy I suppose."
Elira barely had the chance to say anything else when Rhea exited the dorm. She wished she could also leave the dorm with such freedom and not having to worry about running into Nesta.
"I should avoid breakfast today," she murmured to herself, knowing for sure that Nesta would be there with her gang. She would not be able to handle another session of maltreatment if they catch her again. Her parents did so much to get her enrolled into the academy, and she could not give up. She wanted that golden certificate, and she was going to get it, no matter how much it hurt.
Squaring her shoulders and pushing the burden in her heart aside, she exited the dorm.
Meanwhile, Rhea stood near the academy's entrance, and she watched as sleek black cars rolled to a stop. Students dressed in perfection stepped out, and they were chatting in clusters.
Almost everyone was busy darting her glances her way, but Rhea barely noticed and kept humming to herself as she walked to the where her orientation would be held. She was still unaware of the photo that had been uploaded, hence, everyone assumed that she did and was only acting proud.
"I still have an hour to kill," she murmured, checking the time on her phone. "Might as well grab something to eat before orientation."