Free Web NovelChapter 22: _Eyes On Me
Celeste’s POV
*****
1:05 pm, Year Two Dual Affinity class.
Ah... Dual affinity.
A specialised course curated to help Hybrids hone both their sides. To help us be in tune with both sides equally, rather than one above the other.
In other words... The worst course I could ever take in this hellhole of an Academy.
Professor Lily, the woman in charge of the course, stood at the end of the large hall. Below the rows of seats. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a sweet woman and all but me coming here only to get a D at the end of the semester felt like a fucking waste.
Still, after last night’s events—especially that nightmare I’ll take to my grave—I needed anything that could be a worthy distraction. This class was close enough.
"Alright, students." Professor Lily pushed back strands of her long brown braids behind her ear, opening a textbook. "We’ll do this one more time. Open your textbooks to Chapter twenty-five."
Withdrawing my right hand from my jaw, I sluggishly opened the hard cover text book in front of me. One other reason I hated coming to hybrid specialisation classes like this was because of the students attending.
Or rather, one in particular.
Lysandra.
Even now I could feel her intense glare on the back of my head. Hybrids were scarce worldwide to begin with so the class only had about fifteen students. My brother inclusive, of course.
Fortunately, he sat beside me today, so Lysandra really couldn’t do much other than glare.
"Hey," speaking of the devil, Caelum tapped my arm when I finally got to Chapter twenty-five. "Have you gotten any calls from mom or dad yet?"
I froze, fingers curling.
Funny how that question sounded like an attack rather than genuine concern.
Grabbing my pen, I arched a brow, whispering. "Why? Were they supposed to call me?" I paused, lips curving with sarcasm. "Thought they’d be too busy settling interpack disputes in Asia."
"It’s Arizona."
"Whatever, Caelum." I turned to him, my tone almost rising. "They didn’t call and that’s the end of it. Now can you please let me focus? Some of us have to fight tooth and nail to pass hybrid courses."
I tore my gaze away from him, fixing it on the professor.
She scanned the faces of everyone present at first before pivoting to the large screen behind her.
A simple diagram appeared: Two overlapping circles.
"As you know, in Dual Affinity we don’t just learn about power," she said calmly. "We also master self-awareness."
A few students groaned.
"Year Ones blow things up," she continued, ignoring the groans. "Year Twos like yourself learn not to."
I had to stay focused. The hybrid courses have always held my grades by the throat since year one. I barely scaled through that year because of them.
This year has got to be different. I NEED to be different.
"Today we’ll be continuing from where we stopped last week," Professor Lily clicked a remote in her grasp, making the screen glow with a topic highlighted boldly. "Split Awareness Anchoring—"
Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door to the far left. Without waiting for her word to come in, a young man opened the door and walked in.
He wore the academy uniform—a crimson long-sleeve blazer with a matching pair of trousers—a clear indicator of his status as a year four student.
They’re the only ones mandated to wear the uniforms every day instead of only on Fridays like the rest of us.
"Senior Malachi," Professor Lily closed her textbook slightly, eyes squinted. "You should know better than to interrupt one of my classes. What—"
"I won’t do so without a valid reason, miss." Malachi placed his hands in his pockets, barely offering her a smile. "The Dean sent me. Said I should get Miss Bloodoak and tell her to come to his office."
When I say my heart plopped all the way to my ass...
The senior turned, an amused smirk on his face. His eyes locked on me instantly. "That should be you, right? The daughter of the academy’s founders who ran away last night while others fought for their lives."
Lysandra’s chuckle after he said that was loud. My cheeks burned, embarrassment and renewed guilt coiling tight in my chest.
Clenching my fists, I was about to say something. Anything. freewёbnoνel.com
But then—
"Don’t speak on things you don’t understand, Malachi." Caelum’s voice echoed. "You don’t know the full story and—"
"Oh, please, Caelum." Malachi scoffed. "Everyone saw it. Right now it’s the main talk of the school. There’s no ’full story’ other than her being a weak link who did what she does best. Cower."
Each word he said felt like I was being stabbed by needles. I swear to the goddess, I barely knew senior Malachi or any other senior.
So this animosity? It stung more than it should.
"That’s enough, Malachi." Professor Lily finally chimed in. "You’ve dropped your message. Leave and quit causing a ruckus in my class."
Of course, it’s about her class. Not me.
Slowly and with my head lowered, I got on my feet. Lysandra still stifled laughter behind me, whispering a few things to a friend of hers.
I didn’t catch it all but one struck me when I began walking:
"Guess running didn’t help after all. Everyone knows—the Dean loathes cowards."
Defeated, I walked toward the door, under the scrutiny of my peers. Even Professor Lily gave me a look caught between sympathy and helpless frustration.
Well, fuck my life...
.
.
"G–Good afternoon, professor." I croaked when I stepped into the Dean’s office, closing the door behind me. Dean Thorne sat behind his desk, typing something on his laptop.
His expression was stoic, but his eyes were stern. When he flicked them to me, I felt like turning back and running with whatever dignity I had left to spare.
Luckily, he didn’t stay silent for long. "Good afternoon, Miss Bloodoak. I hope your day has been... Pleasant so far." Even the way he said that felt almost backhanded.
Because when have I ever fucking had a good day?
All I could offer was a nod as he spun his laptop to me.
"Please... Watch this." He murmured, gesturing for me to have a seat.
As I sat, eyes glued to the screen, so many thoughts ran through my mind.
Was I really in trouble for running away last night? How does that make any sense when other students ran as well?
Should I just come clean about the main reason I ran? About the Vein beasts singling me out of—
"Hm?" The thoughts died when I saw the footage playing on the screen.
It was from the memorial. Right when the first beasts attacked.
The familiar snarls and roars reverberated past the screen, making me swallow hard. I tapped my right foot nervously, following the movements of the beasts.
Thorne didn’t tell me what to look out for. He didn’t need to. With each passing second, change in angle and tactical zoom-ins, it became crystal clear what he was trying to show me.
A confirmation of my theory—
—The beasts abandoned everyone else, only pushing them out of the way as they headed for a single target.
Me.
"Something tells me you noticed this pattern last night." The footage froze, forcing me to raise my head. Dean Thorne turned the laptop back to himself, adjusting his sitting position. "Didn’t you, Miss Bloodoak?"
There was no point in playing a fool now. So I nodded, eyes darting around to avoid his intense gaze.
Silence drew out in the room, heavy and unnerving.
Then—
"Have you shared this with anyone else? Your mates? Miss Feywin perhaps?"
I shook my head, fiddling aimlessly with my fingers.
My heart thudded heavily with each ticking second.
Gods, this was torture.
"I... I don’t understand what happened myself, sir." I stuttered, managing to bring my eyes back to his. "That’s why I tried running away. If I weren’t near the students I... I wouldn’t be a threat."
"And then you proceeded to keep it to yourself." The Dean didn’t sound even slightly impressed. "What’s the point if more of these attacks happen? How then do we understand it and find a solution or... A way to manage whatever it is?" freewebnovёl.ƈom
Keeping quiet was the best option right now. There was nothing I could say to stop the scolding in his tone.
Quite sad that I’ve been summoned to the Dean’s office only a couple of times and each time it was about something negative.
After letting out a heavy breath, the Dean leaned closer across the desk. "Only a few enforcers and I are aware of this. Including Professor Amelia."
Hurray for me.
"For now, we’ll be keeping a close eye on you." He tapped his index finger rhythmically on the desk. "You’ll be monitored at all times. Curfew for you is by nine PM. Also, I’ll advise you avoid being around all your mates at once."
Each sentence he uttered made my brows furrow deeper until I felt like my face was going to fall off. Monitored? Curfew?!
"I’m... Why does this feel like I’m on prison watch?" I chuckled dryly but there was nothing funny about this shit.
Could this get any worse?!
"It’s for your own good, Celeste." Thorne’s voice was final. "Also, I’ve hand-picked two out of your mates to stick close to you as much as possible. They’re the most perfect... Just in case you’re worried about privacy."
My pulse stuttered. Oh... So it was getting worse.
Taking a long look at me, Dean Thorne eventually cleared his throat. "From now on Atlas Stormwood and Luther Hale will be at your side any chance they get. They’ll report any anomalies to me and make sure you abide by curfew rules."
I blinked once. Then a second time.
It took me a few seconds to process what he just said. But when I did... My fists clenched so hard my bones snapped.
Atlas AND Luther?!
As if the goddess were mocking me, I felt them through the bond just then. Waiting. And thinking about me.
