Chapter 12 Rune #2
Dimitri sighed. “We don’t have time for this. But…yeah. No one’s touching her. She’s our classmate, squadmate, whatever.”
“Glad we’re clear.” Tibby let go of my wrist.
Before anyone could say anything else, April popped up beside my brother.
Her short, curly brown hair was tied halfway back, and her brown eyes were filled with awe as she stared at Tibby.
I’d first met the prissy vampire in my mother’s office when Jesper was briefing her about something.
I’d also seen her a few times hanging around my brother like a fly.
I didn’t fucking like her one bit. Learning Darian was here, then having this bitch pop up? No neurotoxin could soothe me now.
“Hey, Tobias!” she said brightly, bouncing on her heels as she clutched his arm. “You want to partner in combat today?”
Irritation flashed across Tibby’s face. “No.”
I took that as permission and smoothly stepped between them, tugging April’s hand off his arm. “He’s not interested,” I said, flatly.
April blinked, clearly not processing it. “Hands off.”
I smiled sweetly. “Oh my gosh, of course.” I let go of her arm and patted her cheek softly.
April immediately froze, then gasped and clamped both hands to her stomach. “Oh Fates… what the, oh, what did you…oh, no!” She turned and bolted.
“What the fuck did you—” Raze asked.
April let out a huge, disgustingly wet fart as she kicked into vampire speed and out of sight.
“Did she just…?” Eleanor covered her mouth. “Oh, girl, that’s rough.”
“Gross.” I made a face.
Tibby snorted. “You’ve got to stop making girls shit themselves when they flirt with me.”
“Maybe,” I said innocently. “But not her. She’s annoying.”
“She’s unfortunately in my squad,” Tibby added, “and doesn’t get the hint. She’s trying to get all sweet with me. She’s pretty but, yeah, annoying.”
“You’re welcome.” I smiled brightly.
“I owe you,” he said, grinning. “Just don’t do that to the siren triplets, yeah?”
“I actually like them, so they’re safe unless they do something to hurt you.” I waved at him.
As we parted ways, Slater whispered, “She just cleared a girl with one touch. I’m obsessed.”
Zuko smirked. “Cleared her? She made her shit herself. I’m also obsessed.”
Eleanor blinked. “Wasn’t that…mean?”
Aura shrugged. “She wasn’t taking a hint, clearly.”
“They could’ve handled that better,” Lorian muttered.
“I handled it fine,” I said dryly.
Hawk rubbed the back of his neck. “At least she’s loyal to her brother. That counts.”
I nodded. “Thanks for understanding.”
Slater wrapped an arm around me. “I understand, too, venom baby.”
Zuko’s smirk deepened. “Same, pretty little poison.”
Raze leaned toward Zuko. “She could kill you, you know.”
“I know.” Zuko sighed dreamily. “It’s so hot.”
We walked into the House of Twilight’s classroom, our steps echoing softly against the dark stone floor etched with faintly glowing trap runes.
Thankfully, our schedules and maps plastered in our common area had prepared us, making the winding halls of Apex Nexus easier to navigate.
Still, the air here felt heavier in this classroom, infused with a subtle aura of misdirection and secrecy.
The classroom was arranged meticulously: two precise rows of desks, five in each.
A large screen hummed quietly behind the professor’s wide, disorganized desk of trinkets that I was almost certain were tools of magic and tech combined.
Behind it stood Professor Jarvins, whose sharp, black eyes scrutinized us with practiced indifference.
His salt-and-pepper hair spiked erratically like he’d recently survived an electrical shock, which maybe he had.
Either way, it complemented his disheveled layers of coats, fingerless gloves, and scuffed boots.
Underneath that was the academy-issued suit, I was pretty sure, at least. A wire, or maybe it was a twig, protruded from the corner of his mouth, occasionally shifting as he chewed thoughtfully.
“You’re here,” he drawled dryly, his eyes glinting with mild disappointment. “Unfortunate. Let’s begin. Take your seats.”
Immediately, Dimitri and I straightened, as if Jarvins’s casual disdain was a direct challenge for us, and perhaps it was. We exchanged a glance, a spark of what I could’ve only described as rivalry igniting as we moved in silent tandem.
Dimitri took the seat beside mine, spine rigid, his red eyes sharp and alert beneath the small, tight coils of his hair.
Koa settled beside Dimitri, looking uncharacteristically wary.
To my left, Slater practically dove into the seat closest to me, grinning as Zuko slid into the chair beside him with a disgruntled expression.
Behind us, Aura, Eleanor, Raze, Lorian, and Hawk quietly took their spots.
Jarvins began pacing slowly, each step deliberate and predatory. “This is Charm and Deception Level one. You’ll learn to lie, cheat, and manipulate. Not to your own squad, of course, but to others. Expect to fail, multiple times.”
“I won’t,” Dimitri muttered defiantly under his breath.
Jarvins halted abruptly, glaring at him without turning fully around. “I heard that. Lose the arrogance, vampire, or it will be your undoing.”
Dimitri’s smirk widened, seemingly unfazed.
Ignoring Dimitri, Jarvins continued smoothly, “Assignments will appear impossible at first glance. You’ll steal from me, escape intricate traps, and spy on your peers, not your squadmates.
Cleverness will earn rewards; laziness will earn harsh consequences.
Like the real world. We are not heroes. We are professionals. ”
Slater frantically scribbled notes, but I kept my gaze locked firmly on Jarvins, absorbing every word he said.
I’d worked too hard to attend this academy to mess up.
“The final exam will be immersive, but I’ll track your progress meticulously throughout the quarter. Every successful lie and every secret uncovered matters in the grand scheme. But remember,” he paused, eyes narrowing, “lie to me, and you fail. Instantly.”
Silence settled thickly in the room.
“Questions?” Jarvins raised a brow expectantly.
Hawk hesitated before raising his hand. “Why exactly do we need to learn to lie and manipulate as an agent? Isn’t honesty usually better?”
Jarvins flashed a sharp, unsettling grin. “Because, Mr. Moonfang, the truth can sometimes get you or your squad killed.”
Lorian frowned, shifting in his seat. “But if lying breaks trust, wouldn’t that make it more dangerous?”
Jarvins’s grin turned wicked, eyes glittering with amusement. “Precisely why your lies must never be discovered, Mr. Stonepaw. Deception is a blade. Handle it carelessly, and it’ll cut you.”
Dimitri leaned slightly toward me, his voice low but intentionally audible. “You’d know about careless, wouldn’t you?”
I turned sharply, meeting his mocking gaze with narrowed eyes. “Excuse me?”
He shrugged nonchalantly, lips curling into a smug smirk. “Just curious how long you’ll last before your recklessness gets someone killed. I remember how impulsive you were in that simulation.”
My teeth clenched, a slow, dangerous smile forming in response. “You’ll be the first to know, Dimitri, because it’ll likely be you.”
“Oh, good.” Jarvins interrupted, scribbling furiously on his tablet, delighted. “Rivalries are always entertaining. Keep it going, just don’t let it cloud your judgment.”
“As if it would,” Dimitri scoffed.
“You’re not even worth being called a rival,” I cooed to him.
Jarvins turned serious once more, continuing to outline the course clearly.
“This foundational course will immerse you in the subtle arts essential to any agent trained in influence, misdirection, and persuasion. You’ll manipulate social dynamics, fabricate identities, and extract critical intelligence.
You are expected to do all this without raising suspicion or breaking cover. ”
He paced again, sharply emphasizing key points.
“Psychological profiling, aura control, emotional projection—these are the skills that make a good agent exceptional. Learn to lie believably. Craft identities so convincing they could withstand scrutiny from the Supernatural Council itself. At least, that’s the goal.
Master techniques to evade truth spells and empathic detection.
Once you learn enough from this class, you should be able to infiltrate moderate-security environments seamlessly. ”
Assignments flashed briefly on the screen behind him, each clearly written out.
“Persona portfolios. You must craft believable identities that survive rigorous interrogation. Influence simulations. Charm and manipulate your target without arousing suspicion. Surveillance role plays, a personal favorite of mine. You will infiltrate environments undetected, extracting intel quietly and efficiently.” He stopped pacing, pinning us with his piercing gaze.
“The final mission will immerse you in a high-stakes diplomatic gala. Any slip-up could cost you everything, and it will be fun. Questions?”
No one raised their hand or spoke.
Jarvins nodded approvingly. “Good. Then let’s begin.”
He launched into the rest of the lecture with efficiency, pacing as he spoke.
He covered the art of influence and how even the slightest flicker of eye contact or a pause in speech could shift power in a conversation.
He broke down body language and what we needed to look for.
We analyzed emotional projection and even discussed how to manipulate a room with just our presence.
My tablet’s pen flew across the screen as I made notes to the slideshow he’d sent us all.
Dimitri challenged nearly every theory with counterpoints. Jarvins didn’t shut him down; he encouraged the debate. I happily gave my input, but Dimitri and I rarely saw eye-to-eye.
The room sparked with tension but also with interest.
By the time the clock neared dismissal, I had already started crafting the first persona I’d wear for the assignment he mentioned briefly at the start.