"So, she’s not coming back?" Noah asked.
"Obviously." Arlo answered.
"Huh." Noah blinked. "I’ve been too busy thinking about other things to even realize that."
But in hindsight, it was obvious. Why would Ines return to the academy, when she was now the ruler of Calot?
It would not only dean her standing, but it was not practical.
From what he’d heard, her coronation was being planned, so she’d soon beco Queen and resu office.
"So," Arlo crossed his hands, leaning back in his chair. "What is our plan going forward?"
"No sneaking out of school." He said imdiately.
"What?" Arlo blinked.
"I promised Professor Cecilia that I’ll be a model student for the duration of this sester."
Arlo eyed him skeptically. "I see."
"We’ll have to investigate on weekends. That’s the only ti we’re allowed out of school grounds."
Arlo exhaled. "Alright. It’s settled."
And so he stood. They both stared at each other for a few seconds, the air turning awkward. They might be working together, but that doesn’t an they were close friends again.
Arlo cleared his throat. "See you... I guess."
Noah gave him a nod, watching him leave. When the door clicked shut, he stood, heading to his bed.
He flopped down on it, exhaling loudly. And it was at that mont that he heard loud knocks on his door.
He frowned, standing. He headed to the door and pulled it open before the person could knock again.
"You’re in." The second year student standing there blinked. "Good."
He selected one sheet from the small stack of papers in his hands and handed it to Noah. "Your class schedule"
Then he left before Noah could slam the door in his face.
Noah closed the door and moved to his table, taking a seat.
Then he studied the class schedule.
It showed the first four days full of classes, two days for personal instructor sessions, and the seventh day left free. He folded the sheet and smoothed it with one hand.
So things had changed.
Spellcasting was gone. Enchantnts and Alchemy were gone too. In their place were Applied Healing Techniques, Agrarian Magic, and Battlefield Simulation.
Cecilia had not let everything go. Pedigree & Etiquette still sat in the list, and Diplomacy & Rhetoric had stayed. He chuckled low at the realization.
’Professor Cecilia is making proper,’ he told himself. ’If I am to be a model student, I might as well do it in style.’
He tossed the schedule onto the table, then moved to the bed.
The mattress sagged where he fell. He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling.
For a long minute he let his breath slow. Then he blinked, and his room did not look like his room anymore.
He sat up with a jerk. The light from the window was gone. In the space of an instant, it had turned from afternoon to night.
He blinked. The whole place was wrong.
Weeds had broken in through the window, overgrowing around the room. His wardrobe was open and spilled clothes lay in a heap. Pages from a book were stuck to the floor with mud.
It looked as if no one had set foot here for weeks. The room slled of rot and old rain. His skin crawled.
"Good evening, Noah."
He froze. He snapped his head towards the sound of the voice.
Standing beside the window was a familiar figure dressed in a black hooded cloak.
Lady in Dark.
He did not need to think.
He surged from his bed, attacking her. His fist passed through her shoulder as if she was made of smoke.
She laughed at his attempt, the sound oddly bright. "You’re always so eager."
He straightened, teeth bared. "Where are we? How did we get here? What do you want?"
"You don’t recognize this place?" She chuckled. "We’re in your head right now, Noah. You’re dreaming."
"Get out of my head," he snarled.
"Oh, co on. Don’t be like that." She joked. "Is that any way to speak to a polite guest?"
"What do you want?" Noah snarled, fighting the urge to attack again.
"Oh, yeah." Lady in Dark chuckled as if she just rembered. "Your friend, Arlo. Tell him to stop digging into dangerous places."
This ti, it was Noah’s turn to laugh. "So, Arlo’s getting close and you want to stop him from digging into your little cult? Dream on."
"Arlo will never stop. And guess what. I won’t stop him either. If you want him to stop, go tell him yourself."
Lady in Dark tilted her head, silent for a few seconds. Then she spoke.
"Unfortunately, I cannot tell him myself," she said. "Those eyes of his. They see too much."
"Then I guess you’re out of luck," Noah said.
"I wouldn’t be so quick to celebrate," she said. "If your friend doesn’t stop poking around, the consequences would be too dire for you all to handle."
Noah stepped forward, voice cold. "Is that a threat?"
"Ha!" Lady in Dark laughed. "Trust . If this was a threat, you’d know."
And it was at that mont Noah felt a sharp pain in his heart.
"Urk!" He clutched his chest, falling to his knees.
It felt as if soone was driving a nail into his heart without rcy. The pain kept going and did not stop.
"What are you doing to ?" he tried to ask.
"This is not ," she said. "Not really. That’s your subconscious trying to tell you sothing."
He coughed then. Blood hit the floor. He gagged, one hand still pressed to his chest, the other bracing on the floor. The pain pooled into his limbs.
"Stop it," he said, but it ca out as a broken sound. "Stop it now."
The pain simply got worse and his vision blurred.
Lady in Dark stepped forward to crouch in front of him. He looked up, trying to see through the darkness of her hood, but the strength began leaving his limbs.
"Goodbye, Noah." She said cheerily. "I’ll look forward to our next eting."
Then everything went black.
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