Chapter 13 Demon Spirit
Cecilia Blackwood's POV
"Isn't this your breakfast? If you give it to me, what are you going to eat?"
I'd been paying attention—Kane's breakfast was like clockwork. Same thing every morning. Lunch and dinner too, for that matter.
The only exception had been yesterday, when we ate together.
"I'm sorry," Kane said quietly. "I didn't know you didn't like sweets. I'll bring you something less sweet from now on."
"No, no, no!" I waved my hands. "You've got it all wrong. I'm not upset—I really appreciate you bringing me breakfast. I just can't take yours."
"What about you?"
"I'm fine. Skipping one breakfast isn't a big deal. Back home, I used to oversleep so much I'd only eat breakfast a few times a week anyway."
"Just eat it. I'm not even that hungry. Consider it a diet day for me."
I pushed the pastry back toward him. Kane pushed it right back. The poor thing went back and forth between us so many times it was practically flattened.
"What are you doing?" I frowned, genuinely confused. I thought I'd explained myself clearly enough.
Kane was silent for a long moment, as if wrestling with some monumental question. Finally: "You're not overweight. You weren't late today. You need to eat breakfast."
"Just take it. If we keep arguing, people are going to stare. And you'll waste time you could be spending in class."
I stared at him, genuinely shocked. Kane was trying to reason with me? The same Kane who could barely string together a full sentence a few days ago? Had I… actually rubbed off on him?
Terrifying thought.
In the end, I took the pastry. Mr. Crom had already started his lecture, and I really couldn't afford to waste any more time.
The first half of class was meditation again. According to Mr. Crom, we needed strong mental fortitude before we could move forward. The more advanced the summoning spell, the more mental energy it required. Right now, we were just building the foundation.
But honestly? It felt like we were moving at a snail's pace.
Most of the class couldn't even manage to sit still, let alone clear their minds. They looked like they were meditating, sure—but their thoughts were clearly anywhere but here.
As the instructor, Mr. Crom had to accommodate the entire class. If this year's students were struggling, he'd slow down accordingly.
For me, that was a disaster.
I started wondering if I should approach him privately. Maybe ask for some one-on-one tutoring or something.
But then I thought better of it. Professors had their own schedules. He probably wouldn't want to waste time on individual students.
And besides, I was still annoyed about what Mr. Layton had said. What if Mr. Crom pulled the same thing—told me to stay away from Kane? I really didn't want to have that argument again.
Which left me with one option.
Kane.
He could be my teacher.
And no, I wasn't joking this time. I genuinely wanted him to teach me.
After class, I turned to him and stared—unblinking, wide-eyed, completely shameless.
Kane's expression shifted. His face went a little stiff. Even his earlobes turned red.
I could practically feel the heat radiating off them. I had to resist the urge to reach over and touch one.
"What… what is it?" he asked. "Do you need something?"
"Would you be willing to teach me?"
The words came out earnest. Sincere.
Kane froze. He didn't say anything for what felt like several minutes. When he finally spoke, his voice was tight. "Don't joke about that."
I sat up straighter. "I'm not joking. I really need you to teach me. The class is moving too slowly. I want to summon a spirit as soon as possible."
"You knew all about summoning circles back in the library. Your summoning skills have to be advanced. You'd be a great teacher."
I paused. "Unless… you don't want to?"
Under the weight of my gaze, Kane looked away. He wouldn't even meet my eyes.
Was he… shy?
"Fine," I said, standing abruptly. "If you don't want to, forget I asked."
"I'll do it!"
Kane shot to his feet. His hand reached out—almost touched my wrist—then pulled back at the last second.
I smiled. "That's more like it. We're friends, remember? No need to be stingy."
"So what's your summoned spirit? I haven't seen it yet. Show me!"
I was already imagining what it might look like. If it turned out to be some tiny, pink, fluffy thing, that would be hilarious. The visual contrast alone would be incredible.
Kane shook his head. "Not here."
"Why not?" I blinked. "It's just a spirit. What's the big deal?"
He took a slow breath. "Trust me. This isn't the place."
We ended up hiking all the way to the mountain behind the academy. By the time we stopped, my legs were screaming. Meanwhile, Kane looked like he'd just taken a leisurely stroll.
"Seriously," I gasped. "How much farther? I just wanted to see your spirit. Did we really have to climb a mountain for this?"
Honestly, I was starting to regret asking.
Kane stopped and turned. "Are you tired?"
The intensity in his eyes made me shake my head immediately. "No, no. I'm fine. I just… want to know why we had to come all the way up here."
I didn't dare admit I was exhausted. If I did, I had a feeling he'd insist on carrying me the rest of the way.
We were friends, sure. But there were still boundaries.
"We're almost at the top," he said. "You'll understand when we get there."
This time, Kane didn't walk ahead. He stayed beside me the entire way, one hand hovering near my arm—ready to catch me if I stumbled.
I had to admit, this was better than being carried.
When we finally reached the summit, I forgot all about my aching legs.
The view was breathtaking.
From up here, I could see the entire academy spread out below—every building, every courtyard, every tree. It felt like the whole world was at my feet.
"How did you even find this place? When was the first time you came up here? Did you bring me here just to see the view?"
I knew I was rambling, but I couldn't help it.
Kane didn't answer. Instead, he raised one hand and began chanting under his breath.
A moment later, a small figure materialized in his palm.
It was wreathed in flames. Its face was twisted into a snarl, and a pair of black wings jutted from its back.
I stumbled backward. "That's… that's a demon."
There was no mistaking it. I might not have grown up in the magical world, but I knew a demon when I saw one.
Now I understood why he hadn't summoned it in the classroom.
If a demon appeared in the middle of Star Ring Academy, the entire school would lose its mind.