Chapter 112 112- Never Let Him Stand Between You And The Door
LEXI
We’ve been playing I Spy for a long time. Like… A really long time. At some point it stopped being fun. Not in a bad way, just in that quiet, dragging way where the game itself isn’t actually the point anymore. We’ve looped through the obvious things in the room at least three times. I’m fairly sure Blake has ‘spied’ something gold about ten separate times, and Ellorie has started picking things so vague it takes us five minutes to even guess what she’s talking about. You would think we’d get bored. And honestly? We are. But none of us stop. Because stopping means… Thinking. Or worse, waiting without something to fill the silence. At least this way, we’re doing something. At least this way, I’m not imagining worst-case scenarios. I don’t say that out loud. But I’m pretty sure Blake knows. He keeps playing because I do. And Ellorie… Well, Ellorie just isn’t the type to interrupt or suggest we stop. So the game keeps going. Round after round after round, until my phone suddenly rings. The sound cuts through the room so sharply that I don’t even think. I just move. I practically launch myself across the bed, scrambling over the blankets to grab it. For once, I actually beat Blake to it, my fingers closing around the phone just as he shifts beside me. My heart is racing. This is it.
“Hello? Layla?” I blurt out immediately, breathless.
“Uh, no. This is Principal Istvan.” She answers. I freeze for half a second. Oh. Right.
“Layla wanted to call you, but she’s currently assisting Annie with the students.” She continues. That makes my stomach drop.
“Are they okay?” I ask quickly. There’s a brief pause. Then…
“Yes. They’re all going to be fine.” She says. The tension in my chest loosens instantly. I hadn’t even realised how tightly I’d been holding it until that moment.
“You were right about the food.” She continues.
“BUT it wasn’t poison. It was a sleeping draught. A strong one, but not lethal under normal circumstances.” She explains. I let out a long breath and collapse backwards into Blake’s pillows, my entire body going a little limp with relief. Okay. Okay. That’s good.
“That’s great news.” I murmur, a small smile finally breaking through.
“But… Why would anyone do this?” I ask. The question lingers for a second.
“Is… It about me?” I add, quieter. There’s a sigh on the other end of the line.
“I think that’s very likely.” She says. My stomach twists again.
“About half an hour ago, around the time most of the students would have been unconscious, someone attempted to breach the Academy grounds.” She continues. I sit up slightly, my grip tightening on the phone.
“What?” I demand.
“They didn’t succeed.” She clarifies.
“They began scaling the walls, but abandoned the attempt partway through and retreated. Which is… Unusual.” She tells us. I frown.
“Why would they just… Leave?” I ask.
“I suspect they realised their plan had failed. Most of the students were incapacitated. But not all.” She says calmly. My heart gives a small, uneasy thud.
“I believe they withdrew because their intended target was still conscious… And someone told them that.” She adds. There’s a pause. My mind turns over the words, trying to make sense of them. Aside from the realisation that her theory means there was someone on the inside, I have another issue too.
“But… I’m a unicorn.” I say slowly.
“Wouldn’t they have known my magic would stop something like that?” I point out.
“Yes.” She replies truthfully. And there’s something in her tone. Something deliberate. Which means…
“They weren’t trying to take you out of the equation.” She concludes. My frown deepens. Then… My gaze shifts. To Blake. He’s watching me. Not tense. Not surprised. Just… Watching. With that faint, knowing, slightly wry smile. Oh. OH. My stomach drops.
“You mean Blake. They wanted him out of the way.” I say flatly.
“Very likely, yes.” Principal Istvan confirms. The room feels different suddenly. Heavier. Sharper. Because that changes things. A lot. I look at Blake properly now. And for the first time since all of this started, I realise something that probably should have been obvious. They weren’t just coming for me. They were planning around him.
“I have a question.” Blake suddenly cuts in. I glance at him, then quickly tap my phone and switch it to speaker, angling it slightly so she can hear him clearly. Not that he needs the help, he can hear her just fine, but it feels… More normal this way. Like an actual conversation.
“Yes?” Principal Istvan prompts. Blake doesn’t hesitate.
“How did the drug get into the food?” He asks, his tone sharp and controlled.
“And why didn’t the Academy intervene? It generally seems aware of everything that happens here. I find it difficult to believe it would allow students to be drugged.” He clarifies. I blink. That’s actually a really good point. I hadn’t even thought of that. There’s a brief pause on the other end of the line.
“I am… Not entirely sure.” She admits slowly.
“You’re right. The Academy typically prevents this kind of incident. It monitors for intruders, disturbances, and rule violations quite effectively. I don’t know how this could have gone unnoticed.” She agrees. The room goes quiet. That’s… Not reassuring. At all.
“Well…” I say carefully, thinking it through out loud.
“the Academy is really observant, but… It doesn’t always understand people very well.” I point out. Blake’s eyes flick toward me, listening.
“I mean, it reacts to things, but it doesn’t always understand intent. So if someone didn’t obviously look dangerous, or if what they were doing didn’t seem wrong on the surface… It might not realise something bad was happening.” I continue, trying to explain what I’m thinking. When I was being bullied, it didn’t understand that until I explained it. I pause, then add more softly
“It’s not like it can read minds.” I clarify. Silence. Then, Blake’s closet door creaks open. Slowly. Softly. And somehow, It sounds… Sad. I blink at it. Okay, I know that makes absolutely no sense. It’s a door. Doors don’t have emotions. But this one, this one does. Or at least… It feels like it does.
“I’m not blaming you, Academy.” I say immediately, sitting up a little straighter. Blake’s gaze shifts to me again.
“You do so much already. You can’t be expected to know everything. Or understand everything.” I add gently. The door pauses. Then slowly swings shut again. The creak this time is lighter. Almost… Relieved. Okay. I’m definitely not imagining that. Or if I am, I don’t care.
“That would make sense.” Principal Istvan says, breaking the moment.
“The Academy is highly responsive, but not infallible. If intent wasn’t clear, it may not have recognised the threat in time.” She agrees. That makes me feel a little better. Not about the situation. But about the Academy.
“Anyway, it is likely safe now. However, I would strongly advise that you remain in your rooms for the evening. I will arrange for meals to be delivered to you.” She continues, shifting back into that calm, authoritative tone. Blake immediately tenses beside me.
“How will I know that isn’t drugged too?” He asks bluntly. There’s no hesitation in his voice. No attempt to soften it. I glance at him, then lift my hand slightly.
“I’ll know.” I say simply. Both of them pause. Blake looks at me. REALLY looks. Then, slowly, he nods.
“Fine.” He agrees.
I hang up the phone, the room falling quiet almost immediately. For a moment, none of us move. The tension hasn’t disappeared, it’s just… Shifted. Less sharp. Less immediate. But still there, sitting under everything like something waiting to resurface. Then I stand. And start pacing. I don’t even really think about it. My body just… Moves. Back and forth across the room, arms folded, then unfolding, then folding again.
“Lexi?” Blake’s voice cuts in after a second.
“Why are you upset? A minute ago you were relieved.” He says with a frown. I stop mid-step and turn to look at him.
“Because, they were trying to hurt you to get to me and apparently that pisses me off!” I say, a little too sharply. The words come out half a yell before I can stop them. Blake just… Smirks. Of course he does.
“You’re upset on my behalf.” He says, like he’s just solved a particularly entertaining puzzle. I glare at him.
“Obviously.” I grumble. Because yes. Yes, I am. And I don’t even feel bad about it. Ellorie clears her throat softly from across the room, drawing both our attention back to her.
“Well…” She says, a little hesitantly.
“Since it’s apparently safe now, I think I’m going to head back to my room.” She tells us. She gives a small, slightly awkward smile.
“I don’t think I could eat tonight anyway.” She adds. That… Makes sense. Honestly, I’m not sure I could either. I nod.
“That’s fair.” I say gently.
“Do you want us to walk you?” I offer. She shakes her head quickly, almost immediately.
“No, that’s okay. I’ll be fine.” She answers. There’s that independence again. Or maybe just not wanting to impose. Either way, I don’t push it.
“Alright.” I say, stepping closer.
“Message me when you get back, okay?” I tell her. She nods, and I pull her into a quick hug before she can overthink it. She stiffens for half a second, then relaxes just slightly. Progress. I walk her to the door, opening it carefully, glancing out into the hallway out of habit. Everything looks normal. Quiet. Still.
“See you later.” I tell her softly.
“Yeah.” She replies, then slips out into the hall. I watch her go for a second before closing the door firmly behind her. The lock clicks into place. Safe. Contained. I turn back to Blake. He’s watching me. Of course he is. Always watching. There’s still that edge to him, that lingering tension from earlier, but it’s dulled now. Less sharp. More controlled. I tilt my head slightly, a small smile tugging at my lips despite everything.
“So…” I say lightly. He raises an eyebrow.
“How would you feel about a sleepover?” I ask. There’s a beat of silence. Then, that slow, pleased, unmistakably Blake smile spreads across his face.