Chapter 88 The invitation

Chapter 88 The invitation
Chapter 088

RAVENNA

Dorian paused mid-step and stood there staring at both of us, his eyes moving between my face and Darius's with growing understanding. Then he clapped his hands together loudly, a huge grin spreading across his features. "I knew it. I absolutely knew something was going on between you two. The tension has been driving me mental for weeks."

I shook my head slowly, trying to deny what he was clearly thinking. But before I could get any words out, Darius cut in with an explanation.

"I came to the ice like you told me I should," he addressed Dorian whilst still keeping one arm wrapped around me. "When I got here, I found Ravenna had completely overworked herself and collapsed from exhaustion. That is why she is in my arms right now. Nothing else happened."

Dorian's expression immediately shifted from teasing to genuine concern. He rushed over to where I sat cradled against Darius and placed his hand against my forehead to check my temperature. "Bloody hell, Ravenna. You are burning up. You are really sick."

"I am fine," I protested weakly, though even I could hear how unconvincing I sounded.

Dorian pulled his hand back and looked at Darius seriously. "She should spend the night with us at our room where we can keep an eye on her properly. Make sure her fever does not get worse."

"No," I refused immediately, trying to sit up straighter. "I need to be with Samantha in our own room. She will worry if I do not come back tonight."

Darius's arms tightened around me slightly, keeping me from moving too much. "Then your options are simple. Either you come with us to our room, or we take you to the healer's quarters and let them deal with you. Those are your only two choices."

I glared at both of them, frustrated by their stubborn concern. "You would not dare do either of those things."

"Try us," Darius challenged calmly.

I looked between their determined faces and realized I was not going to win this argument. With a string of muttered curses that made Dorian laugh despite the situation, I finally allowed them to help me up from the sofa and support my weight as we made our way to their dormitory room.

Their space was exactly what I would have expected from two athletic young men living together. The walls were covered with posters of various things that apparently interested them. There were images of singers in various stages of undress that made me roll my eyes. Posters of famous hockey players’ mid-game. Several photographs of Dorian and Darius themselves at award ceremonies, both dressed formally and holding trophies. And a large team photo featuring the entire Midnight Academy hockey squad.

They guided me to a chair and made me sit down whilst they bustled around preparing things. Darius disappeared into what I assumed was a small kitchen area and returned a few minutes later carrying a steaming mug of tea. Meanwhile, Dorian went into the bathroom and I could hear water running as he prepared a warm bath.

"Stop fussing over me like I am some sick grandmother," I complained, feeling uncomfortable with all the attention.

Darius set the tea down on the table beside me and smirked. "You are acting exactly like a sick grandmother right now. Stubborn and refusing to accept help even when you clearly need it."

I groaned in frustration but could not ignore the warmth spreading through my chest at their concern. They were genuinely going out of their way to care for me, and that realization  made something inside me soften. Most especially Darius, who was showing a side of himself I had rarely seen before.

My mind drifted back to what had happened at the ice rink just before Dorian arrived. The things Darius had said to me. The way he had looked at me with those golden eyes full of emotion I could not quite name. And then it hit me with startling clarity. He had nearly kissed me. If Dorian had not burst through that door at exactly that moment, our lips would have actually touched.

The thought made my heart race faster than it should have.

After I finished the tea, Dorian called out that the bath was ready. I took my time soaking in the warm water, letting it ease the aches in my overworked muscles and help bring down my fever slightly. When I emerged wrapped in a towel, Darius handed me some of his clothes to wear. A soft shirt that hung loose on my smaller frame and a pair of trousers that I had to roll up at the ankles.

He also gave up his bed for me to sleep in whilst he planned to join Dorian in the other bed. I could not resist making a few sarcastic comments about his fashion sense based on the clothes he had lent me and the general state of his sleeping area.

Darius just smirked at my teasing. "The next time you find yourself in my bed, it will be for a very different reason. One that involves significantly less clothing."

Heat flooded my face immediately. "Dream on. You will never even get a glimpse of my breasts, let alone anything else."

"We are right here," Dorian interrupted from where he sat on his own bed. "Can you two please stop saying inappropriate things? Besides, I literally just saw you almost kiss each other not even an hour ago."

Both Darius and I immediately made disgusted faces at the accusation. "That is gross," I protested. "I would never kiss him."

"Never," Darius agreed firmly, though something in his eyes suggested he was lying just as much as I was.

Dorian sighed deeply and shook his head. "You two are honestly something else. Completely mental, both of you."

Exhaustion pulled me under soon after that, my body demanding rest after pushing so hard for so long. I fell asleep almost immediately and did not wake until the following morning when loud pounding on the door jolted me from unconsciousness.

Samantha's voice came through clearly, sounding more angry than worried. "Open this door right now. I know Ravenna is in there. You boys have kidnapped her."

I dragged myself out of bed and opened the door to find my roommate standing there with her arms crossed and fury written all over her face. "Sam, calm down. Nobody kidnapped me."

"Then explain why you spent the night here instead of in our room where you belong," she demanded.

I explained everything that had happened the previous night. How I had collapsed from pushing myself too hard during practice. How Darius and Dorian had insisted I stay with them so they could monitor my fever. How they had taken care of me and made sure I was alright.

Dorian could not resist adding his own commentary. "You forgot the part where you both nearly kissed until I barged in and ruined the moment."

Samantha's eyes went wide as plates. Both Darius and I immediately turned to glare at Dorian with matching expressions of fury.

He raised both hands in mock surrender, grinning like the troublemaker he was. "I am just making sure the story is complete. No need to look at me like that."

I quickly gathered my things and practically ran from their room with Samantha hot on my heels. She followed me all the way back to our dormitory whilst promising that we would absolutely be having a very long conversation about everything that had happened as soon as I got back later.

I sighed heavily, already dreading that inevitable discussion. But right now, I had bigger problems to worry about.

I was walking across campus trying to clear my head and figure out what to do about this increasingly complicated situation when someone suddenly appeared in front of me. My heart stopped when I recognized who it was.

Asteria. My younger sister was standing right here at the academy.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, shock making my voice sharper than intended.

She looked at me with cold eyes that made my stomach twist with unease. "I came to remind you of why you are really here, Ravenna. Do not forget what he did. Darius Pike ruined me. He destroyed my heart and my future. Do not let him trick you the same way he tricked me."

The words cut through me like a knife, slicing through all the warm feelings I had been developing and leaving cold reality in their place.

Horror washed over me as I realized the truth I had been trying to ignore. My heart was betraying my mission. I was falling for the man I had come here to destroy.

Asteria handed me a parcel wrapped in plain brown paper. "Remember who you are and why you came here. Do not let him make a fool of you."

Then she turned and walked away without another word, leaving me standing there clutching the package and feeling like my entire world was tilting sideways.

I decided right then that I needed to pull back from Darius immediately. Before I fell completely in love with him and lost sight of everything else. Even though some part of me knew deep down that it was already too late to stop what was happening.

That evening, Dorian sent a message inviting all of us to dinner at Angela's café. I almost declined, wanting to avoid Darius whilst I sorted through my confused feelings.

But Samantha insisted I come along, saying I could not hide forever.

Whilst we were sitting at the table waiting for our food to arrive, an announcement came over the café's speakers. The academy annual festival that was traditionally held on Christmas Eve would happen as usual. Everyone around us erupted in excited chatter and cheers.

I glanced over and saw that Dorian and Samantha had fallen into deep conversation about something, their heads bent close together whilst they talked quietly. They looked completely absorbed in each other, oblivious to everything else happening around them.

I decided to excuse myself and give them some privacy. I grabbed my jacket and stepped outside into the cool evening air, needing a moment alone to breathe and think.

I had only been standing there for a few minutes when the door opened behind me. I did not need to turn around to know who it was. I could feel Darius's presence like a physical thing.

"Do you mind if I join you out here?" he asked quietly.

I nodded without looking at him. "It is a free country."

He came to stand beside me, both of us staring out at the darkened campus in silence for a long moment.

"How are you feeling?" he finally asked. "After last night."

"A little bit woozy still," I admitted honestly. "But I am fine overall. Nothing I cannot handle."

Darius was quiet for a while, and I could feel him watching me even though I kept my eyes fixed straight ahead. Then he spoke again, his voice careful and uncertain in a way I had never heard from him before.

"Would you be my partner for the academy festival?"