Chapter 81: The meeting at Liara’s apartment
Andria’s POV
Because of the rate at which the spell is spreading, they could become victims too. My stomach twisted violently.
Losing the election wouldn’t be so bad, but losing them, my allies, my friends, would be unbearable.
Becca’s voice pulled me back. "We need a real solution, Aria. Not pep talks. Not strategy meetings. A real solution."
I swallowed hard, Kaelric’s smirk flashing in my memory—his words about the blood ritual.
That was an actual solution, but how do I tell them I had that solution without exposing the fact that I’m the creature that they dread?
I would just become their next problem. However, they want a solution now, so I have to offer them one.
"I might have one," I said quietly.
Their heads snapped toward me.
"You do?" Becca’s eyes widened. "Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
"Because it’s complicated." I lowered my voice, leaning in closer. "And this isn’t the place to discuss it. Too many ears. Too many eyes."
They exchanged glances, then nodded. Becca was already gathering her tray. "Then let’s move. To your dorm, I think it will be safer there."
"The princess’s place is much safer, if you ask me," I suggested
Liara’s face lit up in surprise; she never expected that I would suggest her place. "It’s usually very lonely at my place, and I would love to entertain you all," she squealed excitedly.
"I was about to remind you of our deal," she continued, looking at me with so much enthusiasm. And then I remembered that she had asked me to stay at her place for a while, since my place might be a risky place to be.
For the first time, the princess showed a child-like excitement at something. She is usually very calm, reserved, argumentative and strict.
She didn’t act like the typical spoiled princess; she seemed well-groomed at the palace.
The walk to her dormitory felt heavy and exciting, too.
I bet that your house is like paradise, since the Alpha successors’ dorm was that grand," Arlo teased Liara.
I noticed a slight friendly jealousy in Becca’s eyes. I mean, who wouldn’t be jealous if her mate were teasing another female wolf who isn’t her?.
Everyone in the courtyard, hanging around the school premises, in front of every dorm in cliques, stared at us as if we were strange creatures.
It felt like we were almost being stigmatized, and that didn’t sit well with me.
I wondered if Becca, Arlo and Liara noticed what I was seeing or if their chitchat just carried them away.
When we finally got to her dorm, I felt a little bit at ease.
Arlo and Becca gasped in astonishment; they expected to meet paradise and not heaven.
"Wow," Arlo started, "It’s even more gorgeous than I expected," he said, tracing the dining table with his fingers.
The princess was smiling from ear to ear; she was obviously excited to have us all in her apartment.
"Look at that," Becca said, pointing at the bookshelf near the dining space. "She’s got an unlimited pile of books; her shelf is so big," Becca exaggerated.
But I already knew that Becca had so much love for books, although she might try to deny it.
"Your apartment is twice our apartment, it’s beautiful. We should maybe throw a slumber party here sometime when all this is over," Becca squealed excitedly.
We all sat cross-legged on the floor, and then suddenly the air in the room changed.
It felt tense; the excitement was gone, and we were back to business as if we never left.
"You were going to tell us a solution to this awkward situation with the spell before Becca suggested we discuss it somewhere more private, and that brought us here," Liara broke the weird silence, dissolving the tension slightly.
I held up the small bottle of potion Kaelric had given me. Its liquid shimmered faintly, pulsing with strange energy.
"This," I began, "Is what Sir Kaelric gave me. He said it can help cleanse the poison in the students’ blood. Tracy’s compulsion. But..." I hesitated, hiding the truth of my nature.
They all looked at me with surprise expressions written all over their faces.
"Sir Kaelric? That’s quite amusing and amazing," Arlo remarked sarcastically.
And I gave him a warning side eye. He recognized he had overstepped because Becca and Liara also directed their gazes at him.
"You need to be serious at times," Liara shot at him.
"...it needs to be digested as it will cleanse the blood that would be used to break the spell and then the blood should be spread across the academy," I finished my earlier statement.
Becca blinked. "Blood? Whose blood? Why blood?" too many questions poured out of Becca’s mouth at once, but only one answer summarized it all.
I swallowed. "Mine, my own blood."
"Why does it have to be your blood?" Becca asked in a suspicious tone.
"Maybe because she is the rival contestant," Arlo blurted sarcastically, "Or would you prefer it was yours?" Arlo asked Becca playfully, intending to tease both Becca and me.
However, this was a serious case, and Arlo never takes things seriously, which was the problem. If I didn’t know Arlo better we would be fighting each other from time to time.
The silence that followed was sharp,
"You were saying something before Becca and her lover interrupted," Liara broke the awkward silence
Then I narrated the process of the ritual to them.
Liara looked skeptical but hopeful. ’Let’s hope it works and doesn’t damage you. I don’t really know why it should be your blood. After everything you have been through these past few weeks, you deserve rest not some blood ritual to save the population but if you don’t do it, no one else would and besides, he is our duel master, I’m sure he understands these things, so who am I to doubt the process?" Liara stated.
Of course Liara is Sir Kaelric’s cousin, I’m sure she knows better than I do about him. I know that she knows he is a Dravari and Dravari’s are always vampire’s nightmare, therefore in cases like this, she knows he knows how best to solve them, she doesn’t just want to blow his duel master cover.
Arlo, however, leaned forward, his brows furrowed.
"Hold up," he said. "You’re telling me you spent all this time in Kaelric’s office, and he just...what?..handed you this miracle plan? That’s it?" He stated sarcastically and burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"You are doing this again," Becca warned Arlo, and then she directed her gaze towards me. "But come to think of it, you were lost all through his class, your face was flushed almost all through, and then you went to his office and stayed that long."
Heat flooded my cheeks before I could stop it. Images of his lips, his hands, his desk, assaulted me.
Arlo smirked, catching the pink flush spreading across my face. "What took you so long in there, Aria?" he teased. "You are gone forever."
"Arlo," I snapped, but my voice cracked embarrassingly. "Stop digressing."