Crimson

Chapter 22: Off To A Bad Start

"I don't know," replied Eleanor.

He looked at the man he'd been conditioned to fear, and saw him for the first time.

"You don't look much like your brother." Cadere observed.

"I take after my mom's side." He said in a low voice.

Cadere's office was smaller than Eleanor imagined it. In fact, the day student wondered how it could even be called an office at all. Surrounded by windowless stone walls in a dark room, a few trunks scattered around an old desk... compared to the rest of the night dorm, this room was abysmal.

The glow from the lantern on the desk was the only illumination and it made Cadere looks infinitely more frightening.

"No offense to you sir, but I'm not sure why you wanted to talk," said Eleanor. The boy composed himself as best as he could.

"Your brother Maurice practically lived in this room," whispered Cadere. "And he started out just like you. Maybe a little naive. But only for thinking I was."

Eleanor stayed silent. Cadere stood up.

"More than promiscuity, I won't tolerate the risk of potentially unraveling this entire institution because... because why?" Cadere asked himself. "I don't see a motive."

"I don't understand." Said Eleanor with furrowed brows. "I'm not my brother."

"Why don't you tell me some of the concerns you've been having... I heard from the nurse you visited the injured student in the infirmary." Cadere said, sitting back down. "I don't recall you being friends."

The heat in Eleanor's cheeks started to rise.

"I just want everyone to be safe." Eleanor said a bit loudly. "I thought that was your job."

Menace rose in Cadere's violet eyes, but he did not stand up. Instead, he leaned on the table with a small grin forming against the cool glow of the lantern.

"I'll see you on tomorrow's patrol." He said. "Don't be late."

~
Y/n whipped around, getting accustomed to Arcadia's surprises at this point.

"Oh, hi Dimitri," the girl greeted. "class seems to go by quicker here."

The boy made his way over to y/n, still overlooking the lake.

"Shouldn't you have a partner on patrol?" He asked, putting his hands in his pockets. "And the night students have a quick break. We're lucky."

"I don't know where my partner went, he just kind of went that way," you said, nodding to the right, "but when I turned, he was gone.

Dimitri grew apprehensive at this. The last thing he needed was someone wandering around lost on their own. But no matter- at least y/n wasn't alone anymore.

"If you could use a quick partner, I can walk with you to the other side," Dimitri said. "It's better than doing so alone, and there's a good chance you'll find your friend."

Y/n shrugged.

"Sure, thanks." She said warmly.

Dimitri put out his arm, embarrassingly old fashioned, and y/n shyly accepted.

The two made their way to the other side of the courtyard, overlooking the bottomless lake.

"Why is it so dark here?" You asked.

Dimitri looked down at you, as if it had never occurred to him.

"You'd think you'd need extra light here to see if you're studying at night." You added.