Legend | Celeste Academy Series BK #2

Chapter 31 ♕ Phase Number One

Tamara could not believe that she would run into this guy of all people in here of all places. She leaned forward and squinted through dark. True to her suspicions, it was him. The trademark mismatched eyes of his gleamed through the blanket of darkness, not to mention the gruff voice he had.

"What in the world are you doing here?" Tamara asked, bewildered.

"I should be asking you that, kiddo." His tenor voice rang in a low chuckle as he turned away and evaded her gaze. "Do not tell me you got this assignment?" He then paused. "Did you graduate from the academy already?"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "No. But I'm finishing my studies this year."

"Mind telling me why you're taking an A-class mission like this?" He asked. "Even though you're a ranker, the highest level of mission that you're allowed to have is a D."

"I'm not doing this alone. I have the other eleven with me, and three—or four—tagging along." She sighed.

"I see." He began laughing. "So what made you end up in this situation? Don't tell me—"

"Of course not! The circle isn't that weak!" Tamara huffed before she turned up her nose arrogantly. "It's all going according to plan."

"Oh? Even I know better than to believe that. You kids barely have any experience in this sort of things."

Tamara decided to avoid the subject. "Besides, what are you doing in that stinking jail? Aren't you supposed to be a member of the Celestial Knights?"

"Ah." He waved a hand at her dismissively. "I'm just hanging out, really."

"Just hanging out. Really. Seriously."

"You'll know what I'm talking about when you become a Celeste." He rolled his eyes as he snuggled up against the wall. "Trust me. You'll one day find something to use as an excuse just so you can get away."

"And hanging out inside a smelly dungeon is one?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. "I brought a month's worth of booze in here with me, so I don't really have any complains."

"Ah, you drunkard!" Tamara snapped at him. "How seriously degrading is it allowing yourself to get locked up inside that jail just so you can get away and drink? Hasn't it occurred to you that you're actually an honorable knight with certain responsibilities?"

"I got them all done a few days ago—or maybe a month." He huffed. "If I stick around, Emmett's going to shove more work on my table."

"And you think that staying out of sight will stop him from doing it?"

"No." He answered. "But he'll drag me and force me to do it."

Tamara sighed, speechless once again. "You never changed."

"So did you." Laz smirked at the expression on her face. "So, things alright between you and your brother?"

"He doesn't want me calling him that." She pretended to search the room with her eyes, hoping he would drop the subject. The third-ranker wasn't too comfortable discussing that topic, but knowing Laz, he would never give up.

"Half-brother?"

"Not that either." She then gave him an exasperated look before heavily breathing out. "Look. Can we just talk about something else? Like how to get out of here?"

"Only that demon can do that." Laz answered. "He placed a sealing enchantment on these doors to make sure his prisoners don't escape."

"Then what are you doing just lying around doing nothing?"