Nefarious

C173 - The unforged truth

Reluctant to trust the stranger, I decided to stay in the practice room. If something had been urgent, then Alex would've come to tell me. I had to believe that to keep myself from running straight to the third floor. Above everything, I knew I had to put my trust in Alex.

A while after the lesson started, I couldn't help but think Vera was burdened by something or someone. She kept exchanging looks with Nikita and seemed to lose confidence in her tutoring skills. Automatically, I directed my eyes in the orange-haired girl's direction only to be met by her nodding head. The supposed rumours must've reached Vera for sure.

I'd had enough. The look on Vera's face, as well as Nikita's, ensured me that what I was feeling wasn't pure paranoia. Something was off, and Alex hadn't come to inform me personally. That made me further suspect that he was busy handling something else. With all that in mind, it only seemed reasonable for me to leave to check what was going on.

Frankly, it surprised me that no one questioned me leaving as early as I did. Nonetheless, it was a question that swiftly left my mind effortlessly. I was too stressed about Alex, and whatever was causing a fuss.

Before I was able to reach the staircase, I was dragged with great strength around some corner. Initially, I thought to yank my arm back to push the person away. However, once I saw the familiar face beneath the hood, I felt my racing heart calming down. "You can't go up there. Trust me, you don't want to get involved in the ongoing conflict," Xavier said. "Why is everyone so muted all of a sudden? I don't understand," I frowned. Lips parting, he let out a sigh before showing me his phone. "You see that? My sim card is gone, and there's no access to the internet. Clearly, we're being kept from contacting anyone outside the castle. Xylan works subtly, but effectively." Telling Xavier I was still lost seemed to discourage him, or stress him even more. Perhaps I did both. "I want to leave the castle, Valerie-" he paused, "but I can't. Guards are watching at all times. I heard Xylan telling someone that he had to make sure Jace truly regretted his final words. I'm nothing but a means to get revenge at this point. With the current rumours and the election being moved back and forth, I eh-" he stopped.

As though completely synchronized, Xavier and I slid down the wall beside one another. His head turned in my direction like he wanted to say something, but he remained quiet. I could see his pupils dilating a lot due to him averting his eyes from light sources. By the look of it, his eyelashes were incredibly longer than mine and a whole lot darker. Also, beneath his left eye, he had a beauty mark which worked as a charming facial feature. As shallow as it might sound, his whole face was a mesmerizing sight. I suppose I could understand Eugene's comment about Xavier looking somewhat androgynous now.

"Realistically thinking, who do you think will win?" he asked. "Despite all of what's going on, I'm gonna repeat to myself that Alex will win," I answered briefly. Leaning his head against the wall, he kept the eye-contact as he nodded in agreement. "You might just be that lucky," he said softly. I was still clueless about the rumours, but somehow I wasn't as stressed. It might've been the subdued mood or the calm atmosphere, but in some way, I believed it was Xavier's voice that made me let go of the anxious thoughts. It was almost like his voice had a soothing quality to it, and perhaps it actually did.

"I didn't bring you here to talk about the election, Valerie," he said after a short pause of silence. With piqued interest, I leaned closer to reduce the risks of others hearing about his plan. Shortly after, he informed me of a hidden room with documents which could work as evidence. My first thought was to kindly remind him that Jace's discharge was a decision which couldn't be remade, but the look on his face somehow prevented me from saying anything along such lines. Instead, I agreed to join him on his quest. I didn't take into consideration whether or not that would be a smart move, I just agreed.