The Chronicles of Soraya Thenayu: Darkwood Academy

Chapter 20: Darkwood Radio

Rhys' face blushed as he looked down at the table. "My brother wants me to perform with my instrument live on the school's radio station."

"Oh wow!" Soraya gasped, startling several students nearby. "Everyone's going to love hearing you play!"

"That's right!" Ujuu declared. "And it was technically Jacquelle's idea. While she was being a total brat last night, she mentioned her cello playing being heard around our country. I work for the school radio, so I figured there was no reason why my brother couldn't also play on the air."

"That's very clever!" Soraya exclaimed before turning towards Rhys. "You should be famous for how well you sound."

The boy's face glowed like the fading embers of a campfire as he smiled sheepishly down at his plate.

"The best part is, our school broadcasts to several news stations across Azakua," Ujuu added, his candy apple eyes growing ever larger while he chattered away. "It's not just Matumi who'll be listening in, but Batilde, Umberlu, and even as far as the towns of Pinakua and Makina in the neighboring Province of Paleo!"

Moiya and Soraya noticed Rhys' black, cat-like ears lower. He twisted his long braid around his thin fingers and stared at the table in thought.

"Just do what you did last night," Soraya encouraged him. "You were so amazing. I know you can do it again."

"I've heard you play many times, and it's always a treat. Everyone else will enjoy it too," Moiya added.

"Thank you both," Rhys' face was almost as red as his crimson colored eyes. "Let's just finish breakfast and get going before I change my mind."

"Bro, you got this," laughed Ujuu while firmly patting his twin on the back. "There's literally nothing for you to worry about. I'm the one who has to figure out how to capture your crisp and clean sound."

As the four friends downed their food, Moiya cleared her throat, catching Soraya's attention, then eyed the Casmerahn book, Altera No Mundus Ex No Amicusi.

She's serious about me asking them for help.

Soraya spoke up. "Say, guys?"

"What's up?" Rhys' cat ears perked up, and he put his fork down next to his plate. Although Ujuu was in the middle of chewing his last piece of bacon, he turned his full attention towards her.

"I was wondering if you would both like to help me translate this," Soraya pulled the red book out from her blue bag.

"Cool!" Ujuu managed to say in between bites. He swallowed and added, "Heck yeah!"

Meanwhile, Rhys glanced curiously between the novel and the girl. "Demons. Friends from the other side," he murmured thoughtfully. "Can I see it?"

Soraya handed the book over, and the boy flipped open the hard cover to read who had checked it out prior to her. "Is Tishva Thenayu a relative of yours?"

"Yeah, my father."

"Ah."

"He graduated from here," Soraya explained. "There's actually a painting of him hanging in one of the hallways along with his best friend, Yosef Athan."

"Alright, good to know," Rhys' eyebrows knit together in thought as he turned the page and read through the prologue. "Do you mind if I borrow this?" he asked without looking up. "I can translate a couple of pages for you tonight, if you'd like."

"I can help too!" Ujuu offered. "I didn't even know the library carried something like this."He pointed at the book cover, where a drawing of a demon lay in the center. It had four slits for eyes on it's shadowed face, and there were several stretched out and grotesque human faces bursting from its right arm like boils that had popped open. "That thing looks super creepy. Is this a horror story?"