Cold Light

CHAPTER 9 Dormitories

"You alright?"

Kateryna glanced at Raiden, startled out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." She struggled to keep her voice light and cheerful, but failed.

After Seraphina had told, and shown, Kateryna Avalon's story, she ordered Raiden to show Kateryna around. So they left the headmistress to reminisce the past, and were currently walking through the main building of the academy, towards the dormitories.

Raiden looked dubious. "I don't think so. Usually when people say they're fine, they're really not. You don't have to pretend around me."

He was greeted with a moment of silence.

Kateryna gave him a small, rueful smile, before looking away. Her voice was soft, nearly inaudible. "I've been caught."

"What did the lady tell you?" Despite Kateryna's reluctance to talk, Raiden couldn't help but be curious.

Kateryna was hesitant, giving a vague answer. "...She told me about my mother, the celestial competition, and... how she disappeared and left only a wind message."

Raiden seemed to understand, and decided not to push her for any more information. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Kateryna smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

She stopped walking and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, then opened them again, back to her normal state.

She grinned. "Let's go, we don't have all day."

Though Raiden could see right through her, and wanted to point out that they did have all day, he decided to go along with it.

"Alright then, Ryna, follow me."

They walked into an outdoor hallway that connected the main building to the dormitories.

"Anyway, once I drop you off at your room, I'll inform the lady about the prophecy situation... Hey, you listening? Kateryna."

At the sound of her name, Kateryna snapped her head to look at Raiden. "Wha... oh, yeah. I'm listening. It's just, the view is so beautiful."

The sunlight shone through the large arched windows casting pools of light on the ground. Gold vines wrapped around the pillars and across the ceiling of the hallway. Griffin statues stood on either side of the entrance.

Outside, birds chirped merrily, and a few students bustled around. Kateryna reveled the sound of nature in the background. A breeze made her hair billow out to the side.

Raiden laughed. "This isn't even the most beautiful scenery here. This is just the academy."

"Oh, well, from what I remember of the human dimension, nothing is as beautiful as this place. So naturally, this must be the most beautiful scenery I've seen, besides the lake."

They entered the dorms, Kateryna turning her head this way and that, trying to take everything in all at once.

"This is the lobby, hangout, whatever you want to call it. The dorms are separated by gender. The hallway and stairs on the left leads to the girls' dormitories, the right to the boys'. Clear enough?" Raiden gestured around the room, looking bored.

Kateryna nodded.

They were in a room with high windows, a fireplace, and many couches and armchairs, along with coffee tables. The normal lobby room.

Raiden went up the stairs on the left, and Kateryna furrowed her brows.

"People can just go to the other gender's dormitories?"