"Don't! FUCKING SCARE ME like that!" Qaeus yelled at the girl. His eyes looked a little teary and his face are all red.
Qaelust felt a little guilty for surprising him. He looked really scared by the looks of his face.
But then she remembered that she doesn't care so she brushed off the feeling.
"Oops." She mumbled and glanced at the girl beside her.
Her eyes looked perplexed as she stare at the boy. She couldn't read what her expression tells, but it's neither negative or positive.
Maybe that's just the look of a predator ready to devour her prey.
"Hey! Don't stare too much at him..." she whispered and Amara immediately turned to her.
A smile eventually painting her pinkish lips.
"Who is he?" Amara asked as she walk towards him. Casually brushing his exposed bright crimson red hair.
Qaeus felt a cold breeze brushed his hair and he immediately jerked to stand up. Quickly regaining his composure as he look around.
Nothing changes except the both of them standing in that lair.
"So what are you doing here?" She asked again watching how Amara playfully scrutinized the boy.
"Nothing that should concern you..." he said insouciantly.
"Pfft. Are you okay though? You look pale!" She teased earning her a glare from the boy. At which she chuckled at.
"Shut up!" He hissed and walked forward. Making sure not too distanced from the girl.
He doesn't really know how he's able to last more than a minute in that place. Furthermore, walk. But he sure almost had a heart attack when Qaelust heartlessly startled him.
"He's so pretty! His looks is just illegal!" Amara giggled as she stomp like a kid beside Qaeus.
The boy noticed the dried leaves on the ground moves due to the sudden cold wave of wind.
"Geez. This place didn't change at all..." he mumbled eventually landing his gaze onto the girl.
"We probably should leave." He said. No expressions traceable.
"You just got here Qaeus. You can just say you're afraid! I won't judge..." she said folding her arms as she sat on the old fountain. Her eyes though watching how Amara fonds herself of continiously weirding out the boy.
She actually finds it fun, having no idea what it's causing to Qaeus.
"You may not know it but this place is forbidden to any student. That's why the gates are locked in the first place."
"Since you're here... My friend wouldn't tell me why this place is locked so maybe you can!" She said tilting her head.
"My friend?" Qaeus repeated raising a brow at her.
He maintained his composure but his insides are already freaking out. Right now he just wants to run away and hide under his blanket.
"Tch. You're stupid..." she mumbled.
"Whatever. We should go. If any nun or deacon spots us here, we'll be in big trouble! And you're only risking your sister's reputation!" He said placing his hands in his pockets. But actually to hide his trembling hands.
Amara grinned at the sudden action. She was observing him so there is no way she didn't saw what he did.
"Can we not use Quin in our conversation?" Qaelust scoffed raising a brow at the boy.
"Can we just go now?" Qaeus pleaded. His eyes proving it. "Please?" He said and pulled the hood of his hoodie to cover his beeting red hair.
"Qaelust. I think your friend is afraid!" Amara said as she walk to Qaelust's side.
"Because if it does makes you feel better..." he mumbled and lowered his head. His voice sounded so soft.
"I don't feel good being in this graveyard... Sh*tty scary..." he mumbled and looked to see the girl's perplexed reaction.
"I'm dead serious... Not to mention I'm hungry and our friends are waiting for me to bring you to the canteen..." he said showing a small smile.
Qaelust sighed and nodded her head. She looked to her side gesturing to Amara that she'll be leaving.
She climbed on the wall first, followed by Qaeus.
___
Quillrie and Craeian just finished running an errand for the head nun with Laudemer tagging along with them.
As they were making their way to the canteen to meet with the girls. Chaniel suddenly appeared before them.
The three immediately greeted her.
"I mean not to interrupt. But the headmistress requests Mr. Murray and Mr. Chudecco's presence at her office." She said earning confused looks from the boys.
Quillrie immediately pops her a suspicious look. It's the first time the two got summoned without him.
"The headmistress shouldn't wait. You two can go!" Quillrie said forcing a smile at the two who completely have no idea of why they are being summoned.
"I'll tell the ladies that you two went for an errand!" He said and walked away leaving the two with Chaniel.
"Is something wrong? Why does the headmistress requests our presence?" Craeian asked.
"Follow me first..." she said and led the two to the headmistress' office.
She knocked on the door announcing her arrival with the two. Once they were allowed to enter, Chaniel opened the door and gestured the boys to come in before she locked the door.
As usual, the office is still as dark the last time they've been there. And while the two were looking around, they spotted one familiar man sitting in front of the headmistress' desk wearing his favorite white shirt and black denim pants.
To those who doesn't know who he is will probably mistaken him as any normal man, instead of a priest.
"Father Roran?" Laudemer called as the two greeted the Priest.
"Bless you... You've gotten so taller!" The priest complimented with his usual manly deep tone.
Compared to last they saw him, he's gotten bulked.
"Take a seat!" The headmistress gestured them to the couch while Chaniel stood beside her.
"With Father Roran having a rare visit here. I assume something serious must've happened." Craeian said looking directly at the headmistress.
"It has come to our attention that the lair has been breached." The priest spoke intertwining his finger looking sternly at the boys.
Laudemer took a deep sigh before nodding his head. "Indeed. We tried to keep it at bay. But it seems that everything's about to repeat itself..." he said each and every word laced with pure disappointment.
"So I assume that Blake is the only one who doesn't know. Poor boy." The priest stated leaning his back on his chair.
"Yes. The girls are aware already. Prince is suspecting but there's no point of telling him because he doesn't believe in the first place." Craeian explained.
"What did you saw Laudemer?" The priest asked.
Craeian and Laudemer exchanged looks with each other. "Go on!" Craeian nudged him.
"I'm not really sure when it started. But when Prince came to meet us for lunch. I saw a woman behind him."
"She's holding onto his shoulder. And... Her face looked lubricated. I could see her throat. She just looks... I don't know but whoever killed her did her brutal." He stated clutching his head in frustration.
"I couldn't sleep. She wouldn't leave him. I always see her looking at me."
"Have faith Laudemer! You are the one alive. You don't need to be afraid of the dead!" The priest advised.
"What else have you seen?" The headmistress asked.
"Nothing more. But. Qaeus have mentioned something to us when we were discussing about it."
"He said that the transferees. Those two can also see like me. One of them is Quin's sister. She's the one that breached the lair. And the other is Silver. That girl has been with Prince before we met him at the restaurant!" Laudemer explained causing the priest and the headmistress to exchange looks.
"Is Qaeus certain about that?" The headmistress asked.
"Unfortunately. He told us that he once saw the two talking to someone. He didn't said the details because he said he didn't wanna dwell with it." Craeian explained.
"What else do you know about these girls?" The priest asked.
"Not that much. Those two seemed reserve. We'll try to talk to Prince about Silver without getting suspected. As for Quin's sister. Qaeus is in charge watching her so we just hope he discovers something." Craeian said.
"But Father. The woman I saw... Is she from the lair? Because if she is how did she got out?" Laudemer asked.
The priest did not spoke for while. He was rubbing his chin in a manner of deep thinking.
"If that girl went to the garden and was able to leave unharmed. It's possible that the woman you saw latched herself to her as an escape route. Thus, latching to her friend who turns out to be with Blake."
"We know full well how much those savages wanted to latch to him like parasites."
"So they're using Qaelust as an escape route? And that whenever she goes there. Something else comes out with her?"
The priest sighed deeply while rubbing his temples. An eerie silence covered them for a while before Craeian spoke.
"I knew we should have thought that kid a few bad habits!" He shrugged earning a chuckle from the others.
"Father... are you going to stay here for a while?" Laudemer asked with a fading smile.
"I'm afraid so."
"But wouldn't the students be alarmed if they see you? No matter how long it is. None of us here forgot what happened except Prince!" Laudemer exclaimed.
"Father Roran ensured to keep a low profile. I'm afraid his presence here would alarm the students as you have said. It might also cause an attack to those poor girls having no idea what they've done." The headmistress said.
"So... none of this would have happened if Qaelust never went to the lair." Craeian mumbled. His voice were a bit shaky.
"Well then. We will call you if there's anything more to discuss." The headmistress said and the boys stood up.
"Madam. Quillrie might ask us later on. Are we allowed to discuss our conversation to anyone?" Laudemer asked.
"For now. Our discussion here will remain confidential. Just keep watching those two. Come when you have information!" The headmistress replied.
"Then we can't also tell them that Father Roran is here?" He asked again and the two adults nodded their heads.
"To say it's really good to see you Father Roran, would be an understatement..." Craeian said and smiled at the priest.
"I'll take that as a compliment, boy!" He said and chuckled.
The two bid their goodbye and left the office.
"I don't feel good about this..." Laudemer mumbled but enough for Craeian to hear.
"We all don't. His presence alone is bad news." Craeian said and looked at Laudemer. "But your eyesight is way worse!" He said and the two laughed at each other.
"We better hurry! Quillrie might suspect something!" Craeian said placing his hands on his pocket.
"We can't even tell him what we talked about there. It will only raise his suspicion more." Laudemer shrugged him off.
"I think we should worry about Qaeus. You know how much he hates keeping secrets from him."
"I'm more worried about Prince. He can't know anything while we try to end it as soon as possible..."
"Don't worry Laudemer... We were able to get throught it because we all did it together. We just need to make sure we stay that way!"
"I'm not sure. Compare before. We were too young and afraid. And that fear is what kept us together." Laudemer halted from his tracks and looked at Craeian with a wary expression.
"We all grew up together in this castle and we saw how each of us changed."
"Even if we try to stay together. You know someone will always go astray. We think differently far from how we think back then."
"All of us changed. And I fear that what we should or about to do is also changing."
Craeian heaved a deep sigh and patted Laudemer's shoulder.
"Atleast it didn't change that we're all afraid."
"We know we all changed. And we need to adjust to that and always look out for each other so we can still survive this."
He said and Laudemer continued walking. He walked quickly as if almost avoiding Craeian. Craeian immediately run to catch up to him.
"Laudemer. Is something wrong?" Craeian asked when he noticed how strange the boy was acting.
"There's something you didn't told them!" Craeian scowled at the younger and pulled his arm rather harshly.
Laudemer widened his eyes. He didn't know Craeian will find out.
"What's wrong?" Craeian asked. He felt something shoot to his chest when he noticed the teary eyes from the younger.
"Tell me! What is it that you kept from the headmistress and Father!?" Craeian growled trying to lower his voice.
Laudemer tried to supress his tears but they wouldn't leave him alone.
"I see them. They're everywhere!"
I hope you liked the chapter.
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