Chapter 27

Chapter 27
Chapter 27 – Sera

It was a new day but my mind kept replaying yesterday’s events especially the kiss, Kael’s possessive glare, Luca’s smug grin and somehow, amidst it all, Alexander’s silent observation.

I hadn’t seen him much today, but I knew he was around. Always watching.

And then I felt eyes on me.

Alexander.

He was leaning against the edge of the fountain with his arms crossed, that unreadable expression I had come to fear. He didn’t smile. He just… looked. And it was impossible not to feel pinned under that gaze.

I swallowed and tried to focus on something .... anything else, but my stomach twisted.

Finally, he spoke with a quiet but commanding voice.

“Follow me.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

He didn’t answer just turned, walking toward the back gardens of Virelade, the path shaded by tall oaks. I had no choice but to follow.

We stopped under a quiet building, away from the chattering students and away from the chaos. Alexander leaned against the stone wall, still arms crossed, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Sit,” he said, and I obeyed, my heart hammering in my chest.

“I… what is this about?” I asked nervously, twisting the strap of my bag.

He tilted his head slightly. “You’ve been hiding something. I know.”

My stomach dropped. “I...I don’t know what you mean.”

He let out a quiet, almost amused sigh. “Don’t lie. I see everything, I’ve known for a while. And yet…” His gaze softened almost imperceptibly. “…I don’t care, not if you tell me the truth.”

“You don’t…?” My voice cracked. “You don’t want to tell anyone?”

He shook his head. “No! Not if you trust me. Tell me everything. And I will keep it. Nothing leaves this spot.”

I swear the world tilted. Alexander! Alexander, who hated people, who barely spoke to anyone outside the Circle, who judged everything and everyone was giving me a choice to trust him.

I swallowed hard, nerves twisting in my stomach. “You… really mean it?”

“Do I look like I lie?” he asked quietly, but the rare softness in his tone made my chest ache.

I took a shaky breath. “…Okay.”

And then I told him everything all of it.

The St. Helia lie. The reason I was at Virelade. Pretending to be Seth. The schemes to hide my identity. Every single detail, every risk, every lie I’d been doing since I stepped into this school.

Alexander didn’t interrupt or judge. He didn’t even act surprised or flinch. He just listened, every subtle movement, every twitch of his eyes betraying nothing, but giving me a sense of… safety I hadn’t felt in weeks.

When I finished I was trembling, I waited for some kind of explosion, a lecture, scolding. Anything.

But he just stared at me for a long silent moment.

“…You trust me?” he asked finally.

“I… I don’t know if I should,” I admitted my voice small. “I’ve been lying for so long, I don’t know if anyone should know. Even you.”

He tilted his head again. “That’s your choice. But you did. So I’ll honor it.”

“…Really?” My voice cracked.

“Really.” He paused, letting it sink in. “…I’ll keep your secret. Always.”

I blinked, not trusting my own ears. “…Thank you.”

He gave a faint nod, not a smile just a silent acknowledgment that somehow, this small promise carried weight.

The next few moments were awkward in the best way because neither of us spoke, but the tension had changed. It was no longer fear or suspicion. There was… understanding between us and for the first time, I felt like maybe I wasn’t completely alone in this.

When we finally returned to the main courtyard, I felt different. Stronger. Protected. Somehow braver.

But apparently, everyone noticed the change before I even realized it.

River, Luca, and Theo were sitting on the steps their eyes wide.

“Wait!..wait, wait,” River stuttered, pointing at me. “Did… did Alexander just… talk to you?”

Luca’s jaw dropped. “And not just that… he....he smiled at you!”

I choked back a laugh. “He didn’t smile.”

“Details, details!” Theo said, grinning. “The point is, Alexander actually… interacted with someone outside the Circle without killing them. And it’s you?”

I flushed. “I… it’s not like that.”

River leaned closer, whispering loudly enough for half the courtyard to hear, “Are you, like… his new friend or something? Did you bribe him with snacks?”

Alexander didn’t say a word but the intensity in his eyes told me he knew we were being watched, and he didn’t care.

Luca rolled his eyes dramatically. “Unbelievable. You’ve got the loner of the century actually sticking close to you, and you’re acting like it’s normal.”

I shrank slightly, muttering under my breath. “It’s… just a secret he agreed to keep.”

River clapped his hands dramatically. “Ohhh, this is amazing. The most mysterious, brooding, impossible to approach Alexander… actually befriended someone! And that someone is… Seth.”

I glared at him. “He is not impossible!"

Luca snickered. “Technically, he is, but let’s not ruin the fun.”

Across the courtyard, I saw Kael’s jaw flexed slightly, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the shift in the Circle’s dynamics. I felt my stomach twist nervously at the thought of his glare.

Alexander who was still silent, fell into step beside me as we walked toward the dorms.

“Don’t… freak out,” I muttered quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. “You mean about them noticing?”

“Yes.”

He said nothing, just glanced ahead, his expression unreadable. But for some reason, the silence felt reassuring.

And then… River, unable to resist, whispered loudly from behind: “So, Seth… what’s the deal? Are you like… his friend now? Is there some secret alliance happening?”

Alexander’s eyes flicked toward me waiting for me to see if I'll say something but he didn’t speak.

I swallowed hard, realizing… his silence was even more terrifying than speaking.

Because I knew one thing for sure if Alexander had chosen to talk, everyone in the school would know everything I’d been hiding.

But He didn’t say a word, he chose to stay quiet and somehow, that made me trust him even more.

As we reached the dorm entrance, Luca sidled up beside me again, smirking, clearly not phased by Alexander’s new protective presence.

“I think someone needs another reminder,” Luca murmured, leaning dangerously close.

Before I could react…

He pressed his lips to mine, again, right there in front of the Sovereign Circle.

Kael’s eyes snapped toward us. And this time… his hands clenched, his chest was heaving, and then without much of a thought, he pulled Luca away from me and punched him hard on the face.

“You…” Kael growled, his voice was low and dangerous “… I warned you! And I don't like repeating myself ".

He took my arm and dragged me to our room before I could even say anything leaving the guys outside completely shocked.