Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Thirty-Three ۞ Trouble

However, perhaps it would be better if he didn't know anything. Valemnia was too chaotic to involve him in it already.

He wouldn't want to be bothered like this. He loved his video games after all.

Jareth. Mom. Earth. Boston.

She sighed again and relaxed the muscles around her face.

Her fingers traveled down her neck to reach into her shirt, pulling out the key to the tomb of the First King. It had been with her for a while now.

Perhaps Courtney was the one who took care of it before?

The others had their own keys to watch over and they sure did make a good job of making their hiding places inconspicuous to others.

It was the highest of all protocols. 'Do not let any other person, not even the Twelve, touch this key.'

She traced the smooth and sharp curves that made up its shape, the deliberate patterns on its surface.

Light hit it, blinding her slightly but drawing her attention to the smallest engraved letters on the shaft.

'Signos.' It said.

She sat up in wonder. This had been with her for so long yet she only noticed this now. She refused to take it out too often as she could not risk having the others see it.

This could mean something, right? If this came from the ancient language of Valemnia, it must have a translation.

Powered by the urge to find out what it meant, Valeriana stood up and ran out of her bedroom.

She practically flew down the stairs at this. The girl gazed down at the flick of her ankles as she trecked the steps down and saw the tip of someone's shoes ahead.

Stopping, she looked up and met a pair of emerald eyes.

"Why in such a hurry?" He asked, brushing back a strand of his hair and breathing out loudly. His skin glistened with wetness and his clothes were soaked.

He smelled of sweat and something different. It was his own, unique scent that he carried around--musky with a hint of crushed mint.

She hadn't paid much attention to it before, but she did notice it.

"I was headed to the library to borrow a book for . . . um, translation."

Why did she have to say too much? Just borrowing a book would've been fine.

"Of what language?" He weaved past her.

"The Ancient Language."

Corvan turned to her with a smirk, as though she was some sort of idiot. "Those books need a level C clearance card given only to fourth years. Without it, you will be unsuccessful in that attempt."

Oh, right.

Stupid her.

She wasn't going to say that aloud though.

"I have something better." He added.

"Oh?"

"Do you not have training with Lady Seraphina? It would be rude to keep her waiting."

"I kinda asked if we could stop for today." She answered, examining the littlest dirt on her shoes. "There were some things I had to look over."

"More important than training for your fight with me?"

Ooh. Touchè for the first time, dude. Touchè.

NOT.

"Excuse me?" She cocked her hips, pulled out her sass, and got ready to argue with him. "Do you think that fight is on top of my priority list right now? In case you don't know, you idiot devil, I have other things I have to be busy with and that's not only my fight with you! Besides! You can shove it down your throat for all I care, I'm not interested in your position!"

Surprisingly, his ephemeral temper was nowhere to be seen that moment.

"You talk too much, stupid wench." He bit at her. "I only asked one question."

"You should be happy I explained that much, jerk." She stuck out her tongue at him. "You're only listening."

"Well, most of what you said had been unnecessary information. I was not interested in hearing them."

"I say what I want to say. You can't stop me."

They glared at each other.

Corvan clenched his jaw, holding back himself to prevent their further exchange of insults.

"If you are ever interested in seeing that book, you will stop at once, meine cerielle."

"Mine what?"

A victorious smile pulled on his lips.

"Antuigo vu seil del ouigo en, meine cerielle." The words spilled from his mouth like a fountain of gibberish. "Valeriana vu tilo."

Oh really now?

"Atashi atashi, moshi moshi! Ihola! Assalam alaikum! ¡cómo te atreves!" She spat out the entire dictionary of foreign words she knew. "Bon appetit! I ain't gonna put up with yuh crap!"

Corvan gave her a raised brow.

"Whaddaya say, ya loser?!" She screamed at him. "Namaste! I got friends from different countries and they all taught me something! Mabuhay! You think you're the only one who knows another language? Huh? Bonjour! Bring it on!"

"Your insolence is astounding." Corvan turned away. "If you no longer have any words you can think of, perhaps you can think about following me."

"Haha!" Valeriana cackled. "Can't handle it? Adios! Adieu! Paalam!"