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Clementine slowly made his way through a deserted corridor. He did his best to keep himself calm, but the sound of five voices behind him was making that a little hard. He didn't want to look over his shoulder and risk enticing his pursuers to chase him, but he was pretty sure Lori had brought two of her wolf walker friends with her as well as Reece and Jackson. Handling three people by himself seemed a tedious task for Sebastien, but five? Could he handle that?
A conflicted frown clung to his face as he turned into another corridor. He set his eyes on the doorway at the end. With each step he took, he felt a surge of angst ripple through him. What if Sebastien got really hurt? What if he was killed? No...that wouldn't happen. Sebastien wasn't that careless. He was one of the last surviving law students, after all. But he couldn't help but fret. As much as he hated admitting it, he needed Sebastien's help—now more than ever. If he died or became too injured to assist, then Clementine wasn't sure what he was going to do.
He had to stop panicking and focus on what he was doing right now. If this was going to work out, he needed to be calm, collected, and ready for anything. So, he took a deep breath and continued heading for the lounge. But as he watched a girl he'd seen hanging out with Ian stand in the doorway, he gritted his teeth and frowned in dread.
"Where are you going?" came Lori's voice.
Clementine stopped in his tracks before he got too close to the girl blocking the doorway. He looked over his shoulder, setting his eyes on Lori and her four friends. They'd all stopped walking, glaring at him, some with smirks, others with scowls. Lori cracked her knuckles, Jackson flexed his talon-tipped fingers, and Clementine...his instinct to bolt immediately struck him.
And that's what he did.
Without a second thought, he hurried down the corridor to his left and sprinted past the empty classrooms. The sound of the group's chasing footsteps echoed behind him, and not even five seconds into fleeing, his legs started aching, his head began to spin, and he felt as though he was about to throw up any moment.
But he couldn't stop. He ran and ran, turning left, right, and through an empty hall. Lori's group called his name, bellowed their threats, and started gaining on him.
Panting, his heart racing, his limbs aching, Clementine frantically looked around, trying to work out where he was and how he could get to the lounge where Sebastien was waiting, but he was so overwrought with panic and fatigue that he had no time to work out which part of the academy he was in.
What was he supposed to do? Should he call for Sebastien? Would he even hear him? He scowled, racing towards the doorway up ahead. Daylight spewed in from the left wall beyond the door, and when he saw the paintings lined along the walls, he discovered that he was actually approaching the academy's main entrance.
Should he run outside? There'd surely be people out there, right? Lori wouldn't kill him in front of witnesses, would she? He didn't have time to ponder. His only options were to head outside and hope there were people out there or continue running through the academy and hope he didn't pass out before he reached the lounge. His legs were trembling, his heart was racing so hard he felt his chest might burst—the former option was the better of the two.
He hurried through the doorway and turned left, skidding on the marble floor, but he kept his balance and raced outside into the courtyard.
There wasn't anyone sitting on the snowy benches.
Clementine scowled in panic—why wasn't there anyone out there?!
"Clementine!" one of Lori's goons called amusedly.
"There's nowhere to go!" another yelled.
He didn't stop running—he couldn't. He hurried across the snowy ground, his mind racing, his body beginning to feel numb. What was he supposed to do? Where was he going to go? Could he lead them around the outside of the academy and into the lounge through its garden door? That could work.
But his frantic breaths began to stifle; he started wheezing, his body giving up on him. He wasn't going to have time to lead them to the lounge.
A familiar, harrowing feeling then gripped him. Eyes. He could feel hungry sights on him. The wind whistled through the trees, their trunks groaning as a light flurry of snow started falling. And a growl—a low, rumbling growl. Of course. How had he not thought of that before? The perfect trap.
He abruptly turned left, now heading towards the forest. Lori and her group followed, but the fact they were gaining on him much faster didn't horrify him as much as the thought of what might be about to happen. He didn't have a choice, though. He had to take the risk.
Clementine hurried into the forest. In the dead silence beyond the treeline, the frosty grass cracked and rustle beneath his feet. He frantically checked to his left and right; Lori's approaching group called his name, and his dizziness became so severe that he was now stumbling around like a drunk. He tried to push forward, but his legs failed him. They seemed to just shut off, and as he hit the ground, he grunted and groaned in both pain and desperation. He couldn't move. He couldn't run. And he was all alone.
Someone gripped his shoulder, and when he was rolled onto his back, he stared up at Jackson's grinning face. Lori's group crowded around him; he could see their mouths moving, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. Their voices were distorted, and as his vision started blurring, he watched their faces contort and twist like drops of ink in water.
Reece pulled out a blade and waved it around while Lori and Jackson patted his shoulders—clearly, they were encouraging him to make the kill.
Clementine couldn't do anything but lay there. He wanted to move—he tried forcing his legs to respond, but they didn't. His panted, trembled, and gritted his teeth in dismay—
Blood suddenly splattered onto his face. He flinched in shock, and through his blurred vision, he watched as a huge visage collided with Lori's group. Their muffled, distorted screams and yells were accompanied by a horrific roar; the ground beneath him shook, the trees around where he lay seemed to tremble, and Clementine found himself hoping it was Sebastien, but he knew it wasn't. He knew what it was.
The creature's spiked, scaled tail slammed down onto the ground beside him; he turned his head, watching as the tail slithered after its owner, leaving a trail of blood in the snow.
Clementine's sight began to restore itself. His limbs still felt sore, but at least he could feel them again. He struggled to sit up, and when he did, he set his eyes on the forest creature, watching as it tore into Lori, who had managed to stab Reece's blade into the side of its head, which adorned the skull of a stag. Green blood oozed from the monster's wound, but it wasn't fazed. It sunk a jaw-full of shark-like teeth into Lori; her agonized screams were swiftly silenced, and with a loud crack, her body fell still.
It was over.
Sitting there, Clementine slowly shifted his sights from each dead body...but the beast wasn't finished yet. As it snarled and turned to face him, Clementine swiftly became overwhelmed with fear. He stumbled to his feet and tried to run, but he tripped over his own feet and fell into a tree. He held his arms out in front of him just in time to grip the trunk, but as he looked over his shoulder—
The creature's tail slammed into his side, slicing the tree's bark like butter. Clementine hit the ground and groaned painfully, but he couldn't lay there and let this thing kill him. He gritted his teeth, struggling to his feet, and as the creature screeched, it raced towards him. But it wasn't quick enough this time—Clementine was no longer alone, either.
From what seemed like nowhere, someone crashed into him, wrapped their arms around him, and pushed him up against the closest tree. He didn't get a chance to see their face, but their ashy, sulphur-like scent was familiar.
Darkness consumed his sight. The sound of cracking bark and groaning wood surrounded him, and after a few short moments, he fell out of the darkness into the warmth of a room.
He backed out of his saviour's grip, and of course, it was Sebastien standing in front of him. The kid had a worried look on his face, and as Clementine looked around the room, Sebastien asked him if he was okay. But Clementine didn't answer. Panting, calming down, he stared at the black and gold patterned walls. Framed artwork sat upon the black shelves along with many large, leatherbound books. A shimmering crystal chandelier lit the room, and behind him, crimson curtains were keeping the sunlight out.
This place didn't look familiar at all. "Where are we?" he asked, looking at Sebastien.
"My room."
Clementine frowned curiously, glancing around at the black leather couches, the dark oak furniture, and the open door to what looked like a very large walk-in wardrobe.
"Are you all right?" Sebastien asked again. "What happened?"
Nodding, Clementine sat on the couch behind him. "They blocked my way to you. I didn't know what to, so I went outside hoping there'd be people out there."
"And you led them into the forest?"
"Yeah. I knew that thing was out there. It attacked Elliot's friends when we were out there looking for evidence on who killed Molly. How did you know where to find me?"
Sebastien shrugged as he sat beside him. "I have my ways."
Clementine sighed and slouched back, trying to relax his aching, shaking body. "Why do you have to be so evasive?"
"I'm not."
"Yeah, you are. You don't tell me anything, yet you know so much about me already."
"That's because you're kinda easy to read, babe—"
"No, I'm not," he grumbled. But then he scowled over at him. "How do you even 'read me'?" he mocked, flailing his hands about. "Do you read my mind?"
"Even if I could do that, I wouldn't have to."
"So then how?"
He shrugged. "You make certain faces when I say things...and I have a very keen sense of smell."
Clementine knew that wasn't a lie. He'd somehow been able to tell how much time he had left from his scent. But he wanted to know how he was able to do that. Sebastien was strong, fast, sneaky, and could disappear into surfaces and reappear elsewhere. He also smelled strongly of sulphur. Could he be a demon? No...he didn't hang around with anyone else, and demons travelled in packs.
He sighed again, trying not to become aggravated. The chase had left him feeling so tired and he just wanted to rest. "What even is that thing?" he asked, changing the subject—he was sure he'd find out what Sebastien was sooner or later.
"The monster in the forest?"
"Yeah."
"It's a leshen. It's an ancient forest spirit—guards the grounds. Mostly keeps outsiders out, but it can't tell the difference, so it just kills anyone that it finds out there."
Clementine turned his head to look at him. "Thanks for saving my ass."
"No probs. You sure you're okay? You took a pretty hard hit, Clem," he said with a concerned frown, reaching for Clementine's sweater.
He sighed, smacking his hand away. "I'll be fine. I just...need a minute."
Sebastien rested his arm over the top of the couch and shuffled around, making himself comfortable. "I'm sorry things took a turn. I should've trailed behind or something."
"Don't worry about it," he said. "I'm just glad they're gone. It was a lot easier than I thought. Besides, I'd rather have been chased and smacked up a little than risk both of us getting beaten to death in a lounge. She brought more of her goons with her."
A smirk crept across Sebastien's face. "Were you worried about me, little mouse?"
Clementine rolled his eyes and exhaled deeply. "I'm just worried about you dying and leaving me hanging."
Sebastien laughed quietly. "All right, if that's how you wanna put it."
"How else would I put it?" he questioned irritably.
"Come on, babe," he said, smirking. "Admit it—you care about me."
"I care about getting the job done."
"And me."
He sighed and leaned his head back so that he could glare up at the mural-covered ceiling. Did he care about Sebastien? Was that why he had started feeling so concerned about how their plans might affect him? Was he afraid of seeing Sebastien hurt, or was he just worried about losing his most valuable ally?
Sebastien moved his hand over Clementine's chest, and as he did, Clementine frowned strangely and sharply turned his head to look at him.
"I care about you too."
"I never said—"
The white-haired kid placed his finger on his lips, silencing him. He really hated it when he did that. Clementine gripped his wrist and scowled at him, trying to pull his hand off, but he didn't budge.
"You don't have to say it for me to know," Sebastien said quietly, something of an unseemly tone in his voice.
Clementine frowned, but as Sebastien dragged his finger from his lips, over his cheek and along his jawline, Clementine felt something new slither through him. He wasn't sure what it was. Anxiety? Nervousness? Or was it agitation? All three?
Sebastien shuffled closer as he lightly gripped Clementine's jaw in his hand. He made him lift and turn his head to face him, and for a moment, he just gazed at him.
What was he doing? Clementine stared back, angst starting to pool in his stomach again, but it wasn't induced by fear this time. It was more like uncertainty. Sebastien was unpredictable; he could never really tell what this kid was going to do next, and right now was no exception. Why was Sebastien staring? Why was he now moving his face a little closer to Clementine's? And what was with that longing stare on his pale face?
Clementine frowned in realization. Was Sebastien about to try and kiss him again? It seemed like it...so why wasn't he trying to move away? Was he actually considering letting this kid kiss him again? Would it be so bad if he did? Did he want to kiss him? Yes? No.... Maybe. He didn't feel a desire to push him away—he felt more curious than anything. And as Sebastien's soft, warm lips caressed his own, he felt a gush of anxiety and relief run through him. He didn't feel repulsed or startled. He felt confused, of course, but something about it seemed right—like it was something he didn't know he'd been waiting for.
Sebastien took his lips of Clementine's and stared at him for a moment, but as his eyes wandered down from Clementine's face and to his neck, the kid's relaxed expression contorted into a conflicted scowl. To Clementine's surprise, Sebastien pushed him away and stood up.
"What?" Clementine asked.
With a look of dismay, Sebastien dragged his hand over his lips and shook his head. "You should probably get back to class."
Confused, Clementine stood up. "What?"
"I gotta get back, too."
He shook his head, starting to feel frustrated. "What's wrong?" Why was he suddenly acting so weirdly?
"Nothing," he dismissed. But then, he sighed and turned to face him. "I'm sorry—I shouldn't have done that."
"It's fine," he insisted.
Sebastien didn't smirk as Clementine had been expecting. Instead, he sighed and moved over to his door. "I'll take you back to your side of the academy," he said tonelessly.
Unsure of what to think right now, Clementine stepped out of Sebastien's room and watched him lock his door. Had he done something wrong? How could he have? He hadn't done anything except let Sebastien kiss him. Was he supposed to have not let him do that? Had Sebastien been expecting him to kiss back or something?
As Sebastien led the way through the halls, which looked much like those on the other side of the academy, Clementine followed, staring at the back of his head. He could overthink and try to work out what he'd done to cause this kid to look so upset, but it wouldn't get him answers.
He grabbed Sebastien's wrist, stopping him in his tracks. "Did I do something wrong?"
Sebastien turned to face him, a frustrated glare on his face. "No."
"So why are you being so weird?"
"I'm not," he grumbled, turning to lead the way again.
Still holding Sebastien's wrist, Clementine followed. "You pushed me away."
"Yeah, well...we gotta get to class."
"Who's the liar now?" he grumbled.
Sebastien stopped beside a large oak door and turned to face Clementine. "We should both lay low for a few days," he said, changing the subject. "The rest of the Ravenblood are gonna freak out, so don't go wandering around alone. I'll see you again after the weekend."
Utterly confounded, Clementine scowled. "Why did you push me away?!" he demanded angrily.
"Because I made a mistake!" he snapped back, glaring at him. "I shouldn't have done that—I wasn't thinking."
"Why shouldn't you have done that?" he questioned. "You go around calling me babe and trying to hold my hand among several other questionable things, and now you freak out because you kissed me again?"
"It's all just fun and games, dude," he uttered. "I went too far."
"No, you didn't," he protested. He felt his angst return but he did his best to talk through it. "I...I wanted it."
"No, you didn't," he said with a scoff.
Clementine scowled and snatched his wrist. "I did," he said firmly.
But Sebastien yanked his arm free and pulled the door beside them open. "Whatever. Go," he muttered.
For a moment, he glared at Sebastien, but he knew there would be no use in arguing. They'd just go around in circles again, wouldn't they?
"Whatever," he mocked, and then, he stepped through the door.
Sebastien slammed it shut behind him, leaving him in a narrow, pitch-black passage. He dragged his hands along the cold brick walls until the tips of his boots hit what he assumed to be another door. He felt around or the handle, and once he located it, he pulled it down and pushed the door open.
He emerged into a small broom cupboard filled with mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies. The door behind him shut on its own, and as he looked back at it, he watched it fade into the brick wall. Was that how Sebastien was getting around?
Clementine rolled his eyes at the mere thought of that kid. Why had he just acted like such an ass? Clementine couldn't help but think he'd done something wrong—that Sebastien was acting cold and standoffish to hide the fact Clementine had somehow upset him. He replayed the moment of their kiss over in his mind, but he couldn't think of anything he'd done to cause Sebastien to become so distressed.
Whatever. He didn't care. He didn't have time to sit around thinking about it. He had to get to class. And for the next few days, he was going to have to do his best to avoid those of the Ravenblood that remained.
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