Chapter 161: THE ONES WHO CAME BACK
CHAPTER 161
EMBER
We arrived at the auditorium to meet lots of students who were bloodied, their clothes torn, looking traumatized, scared, and horrible. I wondered what they had gone through before they found their way out of the festival.
Some of them were crying and wailing loudly, the high-pitched sobs echoing sharply in the large hall and making my chest tighten. All the professors were not even looking good.
Their clothes were coated in dark blood including their hair and faces, and they looked so tired with heavy shoulders and slow movements.
I shifted away from Kael, my eyes searching anxiously for the other males and Liana. I spotted blue hair and raced toward the direction, weaving quickly through the crowd, the smell of blood and sweat thick in the air.
Magnus’s eyes were whipping around too. I sneaked up behind him and jumped on his back. He whirled around fast. His face broke into a huge smile. “Ember!”
I laughed, holding on tight, feeling the solid warmth of his back. “Were you looking for me?”
He nodded, his strong hands steadying me with a firm grip. “How are you? I looked for you everywhere in the festival but Ragnar told me to concentrate. He said Kael would take you back to the academy.”
I nodded and slid down from his back, my feet hitting the floor. “I was fine and unhurt. I was worried about you guys but Ragnar told me I’d do you guys good if I let Kael take me to the academy.”
“The shadow monsters specifically attacked the festival because of you, Ember.” A voice said behind me, low and rough.
I turned to see Mordecai. He looked so terrible, his face swollen, soaked in red and black blood, with cuts all over his body.
He looked at me one last time. “I’m glad you were fine. I’d been worried about you. I was looking for you all over the festival until I saw Ragnar. He assured me Kael had taken you back. Still, I was worried.”
He walked away after patting Magnus on the back with a heavy slap and nodding at him.
I looked at Magnus and asked, curiosity clear in my voice, “What did he do this time for you to look at him approvingly?”
Magnus shrugged, his shoulders moving heavily. “He risked his life to save mine. Both of us would’ve died if a certain vampire hadn’t come to our rescue.”
I smiled, warmth filling my chest. A hand wrapped around my shoulders from behind and a broad chest pressed into my back, solid and warm.
He breathed in deeply, his breath hot against my ear, and murmured my name into my ear. The bond flared hotter and heavier. Rowan.
I turned and cupped his face with both hands, feeling the stubble on his jaw. “Are you okay?”
He pressed his forehead to mine, his skin warm and slightly damp. “I’m fine. But I felt crazy feeling your pain and panic from the bond.”
“I was fine,” I told him softly, relief washing over me.
Lance and Ragnar appeared, already cleaned up and dressed, the fresh scent of soap around them. Rowan glared at Lance, his eyes narrowing. “Didn’t you inform me you’re coming to the auditorium straight ahead but instead you went to take your bath?”
Lance shrugged carelessly. He took my hands and kissed them, his lips warm and soft. He looked back up at Rowan. “I wanted to look presentable for Ember.”
I blushed and stepped away from them, my eyes still searching the crowd. Where was Liana? Why hadn’t she come to see me?
Ragnar came to stand beside me. “Nice use of magic. Never seen something so terrifying yet effective.”
I whipped my eyes to him quickly. “Did you see it?”
He nodded. “I was coming after the shadow monsters after they changed route and began chasing you and Kael when I saw what you did.”
I felt so proud but I knew all the glory wasn’t mine. “I had to power share with Kael to be able to wield that.”
He frowned slightly. “I definitely could see you power shared with Kael. But the ability to enhance both strong magics to create a creature like that and still fuel it to work so well as a weapon of mass destruction is what I admire.”
He dipped his hands into his pockets. “That’s a skill that can be performed by a Year Three student and I’m proud you were taking your extra lessons seriously.”
I smiled, now extremely proud. “Thank you.”
I asked him, worry in my tone, “What do you think Michal would say to this?”
Ragnar sighed. “He’s extremely furious because he’d ban us from attending this year’s festival but then we protested and he agreed out of pressure. And now…”
I shifted from foot to foot. “Have you guys seen Liana? It’s strange for her not to come find me.”
They all looked at each other. Lance spoke up. “Maybe she’s gone to the dormitory to change. The battle had been so dark and everyone was stained with the monsters’ blood.”
I nodded and hoped so because it still felt outrightly strange for her not to find me first before going off to change her clothes. We all settled into the seats as Michal climbed the pulpit, his steps heavy and slow.
He gripped the edges of the stand with both hands, his face drawn and eyes hard with exhaustion as he scanned the crowd.
“I didn’t have much to say actually,” he began, his voice low but carrying clearly through the hall, rough from strain. “Seeing what had happened had been the cause of you all. And that we were all forgetting I've the gift of the sight. If I make an impromptu decision about something that is usually celebrated every year in the academy then you should know it’s because I’d seen something.”
He paused, jaw tight. “I couldn’t say for sure I’d seen what would happen tonight or else I wouldn’t have allowed you to attend this year’s festival. But I’d consulted the cards and it brought terrible predictions which was the reason I cancelled it first. But then I didn’t accept to allow you attend because of your silly protest but because I’d tried using the sight but couldn’t get anything either. I just guessed the prediction wouldn’t happen but I was wrong.”
Michal’s shoulders tensed as he leaned forward slightly, voice dropping with clear anger. “I don’t know the amount of students who lost their life as the professors would be returning to the festival ground the following day to get the count from the officials. But in the meantime I’ve taken a decision due to the serious attack by the shadow monsters to fuel the ward to cover the whole area of the academy. This means none of the students would be leaving the academy, even the flying orders. There’s an activation set already, so if any student passes the ward, all the professors including me would know. You rather not dare me into leaving the academy or else the penalty that comes with it is a month detention with Professor Thane. And until the Ruihs attacks are put to bay and the portals are fully repaired, no one would be leaving the academy.”
He looked at us one last time, eyes cold and warning, before stepping back from the pulpit. “Return to your dormitories and go to sleep as studies and trainings continue tomorrow.” He left the podium and murmurs rang out immediately.
Lance suggested as we stood up and headed toward the door, “How about we all sleep together tonight?”
Kael said immediately, “That’s a terrible idea.”
Lance replied, “I know but we all came close to dying today and we could all have this thing together just for this night.”
Rowan spoke up. “In as much as I hate Lance’s idea, I think he’s right. I’d been worried about us all as we got torn apart and I’m glad we all survived the sudden attack.”
Magnus nodded. “Okay, I support the motion.”
Lance looked at me. I shrugged. “Let’s make use of Kael’s room.”
Kael stared at me. “Why not make use of Ragnar’s room?”
I smirked. “Because I liked your room.”
He frowned. “If you liked my room then you would also like Ragnar’s.”
I looked at the others. “If you vote to sleep in Kael’s room, raise your hands up.”
Lance, Rowan, Magnus and even Ragnar raised their hands up.
I smirked and raised mine. “The majority wins the vote.”
He rolled his eyes. “Let’s go then.”
I had not completely forgotten about Liana but I hadn’t seen her either.
I told myself why worry when she didn’t care at all. Maybe she’s hiding from me. I might as well spend the night around people who cared about me.