The Beginning After The End Chapter 352

CAERA DENOIR

The torrential rain blocked out everything but the wet slapping of my own boots on the cobblestones and the rapid-fire beating of my heart.

"Go after him!"

The shouted order was nearly washed away by the rainfall. Even without the downpour, I knew how to evade unwanted attention and avoid prying eyes, so I wasn't fearful of being caught. No, it was something else that made my pulse thunder in my ears.

Kayden…

What the hell had he been doing there? How much had he seen?

What is Grey going to do to him?

My throat constricted as I remembered the feeling of Grey's powerful hand around my neck, lifting me off the ground. I had no doubt that Grey would kill Kayden if he thought it was necessary.

Depending on what the professor had seen, I wasn't even sure I could disagree. I likely wouldn't be punished in the traditional sense; I was still a Denoir, and knew as well as anyone that Alacryan law worked differently for the highbloods. Still, too much attention could result in the discovery of my Vritra blood's manifestation.

I knew I would do whatever was required to prevent that from happening.

Turning down a wide alley between two academy buildings, I used the window sill of one to launch myself up into the second story window of the other, then jumped back across the alley onto the roof of the first. The tiles were slick, but I was able to crawl up over the peak of the roof and slide down the other side. When I reached the edge, I kicked off the roof, soaring a dozen or more feet to land on the ledge of a second story window leading into Windcrest Hall.

The shutters were closed and locked against the storm, but using my brother's white-bladed dagger, I tripped the latch. Before pushing the shutters open, I withdrew my mana from the relic hanging around my neck, letting my appearance return to normal.

Slipping down from the sill, I found myself at the end of one of the many long hallways carving the building up into the various quarters and suites. Grey's suite was a few doors down the hall.

I froze as I realized someone was standing just outside his door, her body swaying nervously. She didn't appear to have noticed the noise of my entry into the building.

Her blonde hair hung straight and damp, and the white battle robes she wore clung to her figure, soaked half through from the storm. I could tell from the puddle that had formed around her that she'd been standing there for at least a few minutes.

"Hi," I said as I carefully closed the shutters behind me.

The woman gave a startled yelp and slipped in the puddle. She threw out a hand and released a gust of wind to keep from tumbling over. "Where in the world did you…"

Trailing off, she took in my appearance and the shuttered window behind me. Her hand raised so that her palm was pointing toward my chest, fingers splayed out, and her expression hardened. "Please note that I am a professor of this academy and more than capable of defending myself and the property of those who live here."

"Glad to hear it, considering I live here," I said, pointing at the hallway ceiling. "Third floor, actually, but the second story window was a cleaner jump." I gave her a shallow nod, then tucked back the wet strands of hair that had fallen into my face. "Caera of Highblood Denoir. And you are?"

Her hand drifted down to her side as her eyebrows rose up. "Oh. Oh! Oh Vritra, I'm so sorry!"

I shrugged, gesturing at myself with a handwave. "I don't blame you. Looks like we were in the same boat."

The woman grabbed a handful of her robes and squeezed water onto the floor. "Tell me about it. I was only out there for like two seconds."

Grey's grime-caked face broke into a grin and he held up the black horn of some beast. A glob of dark blood dripped from it to splatter on the floor.. "It works."

Chapter end