Free Web NovelChapter 13: Finding Caelis
Maverick Nightshade leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest as he watched the hallway.
The first lesson was over and students poured out of the classroom one after another, the buzz of conversation filling the corridor.
"Isn’t that Professor Maverick? What’s he doing out here?"
The whisper came from a group of girls walking past him. From the deep crimson of their uniforms, they belonged to Aetheris House, home of the aerial beasts.
"Maybe he’s waiting for someone," the second girl guessed.
The third smirked. "You mean me?"
The three girls burst into laughter.
To his annoyance, Maverick found himself smiling. And yes, they weren’t entirely wrong. He was waiting for someone.
Not long after, his target finally appeared. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone.
Rhydian Drakhar strolled down the hallway with a girl hanging off each arm as though he were leading some sort of parade.
Typical.
The dragon prince looked exactly how one would expect a dragon prince to look. Handsome, dangerous and just intelligent enough to make his arrogance unbearable.
His crimson hair was impossible to miss, falling around his sharp features in unruly waves that somehow suited him. Like most dragon shifters, he was broad-shouldered and powerfully built, carrying himself with the effortless confidence of someone who had never been told no in his life.
Blue eyes gleamed with far more cleverness than his reckless reputation suggested. While the girls found him attractive, the boys found him irritating. Both groups were correct.
Maverick pushed away from the wall and stepped directly into his path.
"I need to talk to you."
It wasn’t a request.
From the way Rhydian looked him over, he seemed to realize that too. The dragon prince turned to the two girls hanging onto his arms and flashed them that rakish smile of his.
"Now why don’t you ladies go have fun without me?"
The girls immediately brightened. Neither seemed interested in arguing. After throwing one last lingering glance his way, they walked off together.
Maverick watched them leave, noting the golden wolf-head insignias stitched onto their navy-blue uniforms.
House Therion. His house.
Technically, relationships between students from different houses weren’t forbidden, but most beasts preferred sticking to their own.
Well, most. Rhydian Drakhar didn’t seem to have a preference. With one exception.
House Ophidian.
Dragons and serpents had been at each other’s throats for generations, and the feud had naturally followed them into the academy.
At least, it usually did.
For the past two days, there hadn’t been a single report of a dead student or even a fight breaking out. That was highly unusual.
House Aetheris and House Ophidian normally made sure to leave each other a fresh casualty every other day.
Under normal circumstances, Maverick would have considered it a miracle. But the human girls were scheduled to arrive today. And suddenly everyone was on their best behavior?
Yeah. He could smell the bullshit from a mile away. Rhydian and Caelis were definitely up to something.
Worst-case scenario, the two houses had called a temporary truce for the purpose of hunting the humans.
He could not let that happen.
Rhydian started, "I’m all yours, Prof. Although..." His gaze deliberately raked Maverick from head to toe. "You should know my services are quite expensive." ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Maverick glared at him. Just because he didn’t like women touching him didn’t mean he was interested in men either.
"Come." He jerked his head toward an open-air balcony overlooking the academy grounds. "We’ll talk there."
Students occupied the space, chatting amongst themselves while enjoying the fresh air. That ended the moment Maverick and Rhydian stepped onto the balcony.
They didn’t need to be told twice. Conversations died instantly as they hurried away, leaving the balcony entirely to them.
Neither men seemed bothered by their reaction. It was instinct for smaller creatures to submit to the larger ones.
Silence settled between them.
Maverick and Rhydian stood facing each other. Although Rhydian towered over him by a few inches, Maverick still stared the dragon dead in the eyes, the air between them crackling with dominance and challenge.
Despite wearing the academy uniform, Rhydian was well over ninety-nine years old, though dragons still considered him a child.
Whether the dragon prince was older than him or not was irrelevant. While Rhydian remained a student at Bestiaris Academy, he would obey the faculty. And that included him, Maverick.
Rhydian smirked. "Since I’m not here to help scratch your itch...."
Maverick released a warning growl.
His reputation for not associating with females was well known and he was endlessly teased for it. Rumors about his sexuality had spread through the academy. Not that he particularly cared what a bunch of bored students thought of him.
"Let’s cut the crap." Maverick’s voice was cold. "I know you know why I called you out here."
However, Rhydian merely cocked his head, pretending to be oblivious.
"I don’t know—"
"The humans will be here in a few hours," Maverick informed him.
"Oh, right." Rhydian muttered. "The fresh meat."
"Excuse me?" Maverick’s eyes narrowed.
Rhydian shrugged. "Isn’t that what they are? Otherwise, why would those ridiculous pests come here if not to serve as entertainment?"
"Those are precious lives, not entertainment!" Maverick snapped, stepping into his space.
Except Rhydian didn’t appreciate the move. A low growl rumbled from his throat in warning.
"Then you should tell them to stay away from us. They don’t belong here."
In retaliation, Maverick’s eyes seemed to glow, the air around them rippling with power.
"This place once belonged to them," he shot back.
"Then they should come take it back." Rhydian’s blue eyes gleamed with challenge. "I’d love to see them try."
Maverick said. "Whether you like it or not, the humans are coming, and I want to be assured that neither you nor Caelis are planning something stupid."
"Caelis?" Rhydian laughed. "Since when did the two of us become friends?"
"So you don’t know where he is then?" Maverick asked, listening for his heartbeat. He could tell if the dragon lied.
Rhydian lifted a brow. "Do I?"
Maverick tilted his head, watching him. He was evading his question.
Then he let his power slip free, silently.
His consciousness pushed forward, searching for a crack in the dragon’s mind. A memory, or thought. Anything that would lead him toward whatever plan he and Caelis were hiding.
Instead, he slammed into a mental wall that felt like solid steel and pain exploded through his skull.
A sharp hiss of outrage escaped Rhydian’s throat when he realized what he did.
He roared. "If you think it’s that easy to get inside a dragon’s head, then you’re in for a huge disappointment!"
Smoke curled from his nostrils as fury burned in his eyes. He took a threatening step forward but ice immediately burst from the ground, jagged spikes erupting towards him.
One shot upward so quickly that the tip sliced across his throat, forcing the dragon prince to halt. The cut was shallow but the warning wasn’t.
Cold mist drifted through the balcony as Maverick held the ice in place. His breathing had grown heavier from the failed intrusion, but his voice remained steady.
"You dragons might be powerful, but your numbers are limited. Humans outnumber every beast species combined. If enough of them decide your kind are a threat, how long do you think it will take before they try to wipe you out?"
He continued. "Human and beast integration isn’t some idealistic dream. It’s necessary for the survival of both sides."
Rhydian barked out a laugh.
"And you’re basing that on the wolves?"
Maverick’s jaw tightened.
Rhydian spread his arms.
"Look around you, wolf prince. It’s more than wolves now. Beasts fight amongst themselves for territory, resources, and dominance. We always have. Because we have the power to. But look at the humans. They are weak. Fragile. Short-lived."
Each word landed like a hammer.
"They couldn’t survive in our world if we stopped protecting them. So try all you want. Push your integration programs. The ending never changes anyway."
Maverick’s throat worked, but he said nothing.
Rhydian stepped away from the ice, completely composed now.
"I take it this conversation is over."
He took several steps before pausing at the corner of the balcony. Then glanced over his shoulder.
"Oh, and good luck finding Caelis." The knowing wink that followed was all Maverick needed to see.
Rhydian knew exactly where the serpent prince was. The bastard simply wasn’t talking.
"Shit," Maverick cursed.
The ice instantly melted into water, pooling across the balcony floor before evaporating into nothing.
Maverick immediately pulled out his phone and dialed his beta. The call barely rang once before the other end answered.
"Alpha."
"Put every wolf in House Therion on search duty." Maverick barked the order without preamble. "I want eyes on every corner of this academy. Find out where that snake slithered off to. Those girls have been handed into my care, and I refuse to have their deaths on my hands before they’ve even survived their first day."
His beta on the other end immediately understood the severity of the situation.
"Yes, Alpha."
