Draeyer Academy (First Ver.)

Chapter 49-Beuen

Draeyer Academy
Drae Skyland
Northeastern Space

Alec slumped on the nearest couch, dropping his saber at his feet. His cerulean eyes watched as the Academy guards placed River and Ceiver on the stretchers with gentle hands. Both the young men were found unharmed, yet unconscious, on the kitchen floor next to Mrs. Muriel's bleeding form. The woman mentioned was rushed out the doors not a few moments earlier.

He threw his gaze to the floor and leaned forward. He draped his arms over his knees before he covered his face with his hands. As he ran them through his hair, he groaned. This is my fault, he thought. This is all, my fault.

"The ones outside and upstairs have been dealt with," Gael said as he approached. "It seems they snuck in by pretending to be part of the Academy's guards. It's a good thing you know how to protect yourselves―"

"It was him," Alec cut him off. He stood from his seat and met the man's green gaze. "It was the bastard, Gael! He knows that I'm here! He knew Alen as well."

Gael stood staring at him with surprise before he looked away. He stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder with some hesitance. Still avoiding his gaze, he mumbled an order for Alec to settle on the couch once more. He obeyed with much reluctance. Gael kneeled on one knee in front of him before his eyes returned to meet his.

"I need to tell you something...and please don't get angry," he said. He stopped himself from nodding, and listened as the man continued. "This...isn't first time that bastard attacked or ordered people to do so," he said. "He has known that you've been here for a while."

Alec's brows scrunched in confusion. As realization sunk in, his hands curled in to fists. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before his anger could spike to a dangerous limit. "Since when? Since when has he known?"

The sound the guards made as they searched the dormitory filled the silence which fell on them both. When he thought the man wouldn't answer, he spoke.

"Since your second day here," Gael said. "When I knocked you out after trying to kill Gravis, arrows would've ended your life if Asher and Iris hadn't stepped in to protect you."

Alec opened his eyes and met Gael's gaze. He could see the fear in the pair's green depths and Alec knew why such an emotion was present. Still, he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice came out calmer compared to what he had expected. Apparently, Gael didn't expect such a reaction from him. His eyes were wide by a small fraction before relief showed in them.

"If you had known, you would've left," he said. "And I can't protect you if you're not here. I promised I'd do that, remember?"

"If you had told me, I would've stayed away from the students," Alec said. "And now I learn that right from the start of my stay here, I had already endangered the people around me. If you had told me, I would've been more alert. I wouldn't have allowed myself to start feeling...safe again."

"I'm sorry." Alec's hands covered his face once more as he leaned forward. He released a sigh as he felt Gael leave his front and heard his words. "I know that you're thinking that what happened tonight is your fault, but it's not all right? It's mine and the headmaster's for being lenient about your situation. From the start we brought you here not as a witness to the crime. We brought you here to protect you. We have found things...that might say that you have a deeper involvement in all of this. And now that you mentioned that the man knew your brother, a few of those things are a bit clearer now."

"What are you talking about?" Alec stood and his eyes narrowed in confusion at the man. Gael sighed and ran a hand through his dark locks.

"What is going on?"