Knight | Celeste Academy Series BK #1

53rd Chapter ♣ Thanks

Valeriana rapidly changed back to her uniform, hair still dripping wet from her recent bath. Chavi accompanied her out of the bathing pools and they encountered a few students on their way out. They seemed curious at the commotion earlier—Corvan coming out of the girls' bathing pools and Chavi asking for help.

Even so, they came out, trying to seem as though nothing had gone wrong. Corvan, however, trod through the halls like a wet dog, leaving a trail behind him as he sped to the dormitories. People shot him inquisitive looks, wondering what had happened for the young lord to look the way he did. On the other hand, they did not have the guts to ask.

"Do I come?" Chavi asked.

"You were there. It'd be for the best," she replied, taking Chavi's hand and pulling her to the direction of the headmaster's office.

It took no time at all to reach their destination. Valeriana briefly knocked on the door before twisting it open to reveal the pink-eyed albino sitting on the big chair, working on papers strewn throughout his desk. What she didn't expect was Lord Aeron sitting by the fireplace, sipping tea with no care for the world.

When they arrived, however, he seemed interested, moving his tea and setting it on the round table on his side.

Kylon looked up, examining their distraught faces for a moment before nodding for them to come in. "Valeriana." He then looked at Chavi, but didn't seem to know her very well, so he just briefly tilted his head in greeting. "How can I help you both?"

"Something . . ." the current fifth-ranker breathed heavily. She briefly glanced at Lord Aeron before turning her full attention to the headmaster. "Happened in the baths."

Headmaster Kylon frowned and motioned for them to take the seats before his table. "Come and explain. Make yourself comfortable. You seem rather . . . uneasy. Tell me what happened. Calmly."

"It was it—I . . ." She took her seat and squirmed in discomfort, brushing her wet hair behind her ear as she tried to gather her wits. "There was a demon in the baths."

Kylon's hands stopped their activity. He hadn't been too invested on the trouble prior to that statement but as soon as the words left Valeriana's mouth, his full attention was automatically hitched. He put down the pen on his table, shooting Lord Aeron a passing eye who then returned the questioning gaze right back.

"Continue."

"It came out of nowhere." She sucked in her cheeks. "It dragged me into this black pit that came from literally nowhere."

"What was it trying to do?"

"Well, I'm sure as heck it was trying to kill me. But if it wasn't for Corvan . . ." She leaned back on the chair and got lost in a train of thought when the very same man she just mentioned walked in through the doors after a brief knock, like she had done.

He was donned in new and dry clothes with damp hair. He didn't tie it up like he used to, so it fell flat on his back like a soft curtain, leaving wet traces. He walked in and closed the door, trying to fix his crooked cravat as he made his way inside. It seemed as though he dressed in a rush.

"Headmaster," he began, then looked at Valeriana. "Have you told him?"

"Not nearly enough," Kylon replied.

"Then . . ." Corvan started. "I recommend having the barriers fortified. A demon just broke in and attempted to take Valeriana's life. What its intentions were, I'm not too sure. What I'm sure of, however, is that the academy isn't safe at the moment." He glanced at Chavi. "This girl came running outside when I was passing by on my way to my next class. I had to make my way around the campus and pass through the recreation area to get to the training fields when she asked for my help."