Chapter 24
Rynlee’s POV
The next morning, I sank into my usual spot in the dining hall, the low buzz of cadets slowly fading into the background.
Luna took the seat across from me, and Ryan dropped next to her with a bowl of something that smelled aggressively sweet.
Alaric sat at the same table, but not beside me.
He chose the seat next to Jackson instead, leaving the space at my side conspicuously empty until Gia claimed it.
He didn’t look at me, didn’t offer his usual half-smile or nudge my knee under the table.
His shoulders were stiff; posture locked like distance itself was a decision he’d made on purpose.
A small pang of guilt twisted in my chest. Not enough to knock the air from me, but enough to remind me I’d hurt him.
I pushed it down. I couldn’t afford to sit in it.
Not now. I needed to tell them what was going on and I didn’t bother easing into it.
“Firebeard is missing,” I stated abruptly. Luna’s brow knitted together. Ryan’s spoon froze mid-air, hovering inches from his mouth.
“What?” Luna asked.
“The commander informed Aiden, and I Firebeard is taking a leave of absence,” I replied. “But Firebeard didn’t notify anyone. And the last time I spoke with him…” My voice dipped, tightening. “He told me some things.”
“Like what?” Luna pressed, concern softening her expression.
I revealed to them everything: what Firebeard had revealed about Celetian, the connection to the scroll Ryan and I had found, the vision that had shaken me days earlier, and the founders’ involvement.
Each piece clicked into place as I spoke, the weight of it settling heavier with every word.
“Everything connects,” I finished, my stomach twisting. “And I’m starting to think the Blood Assassins aren’t the only enemy… or maybe they have nothing to do with this at all.” I glanced around my friends. Ryan finally lowered his spoon.
“So we went from a conspiracy,” he muttered, “to a full-blown what the fuck moment.” Luna elbowed him, but he barely flinched.
“If the Blood Assassins aren’t involved,” she said softly, leaning her forearms on the table, “that goes against everything we’ve been taught.”
“Yeah,” I said. “And it sort of gets worse.” My throat tightened. “Aiden suspects Commander Dagon isn’t the same person.”
Alaric finally looked up. “Wait… what?” His brows furrowed hard.
“Nothing’s definite,” I said quickly. “He’s going to look into it. And I’m going to search Alice’s room tonight, see what I can find.” I offered Alaric a sympathetic glance, but he dropped his gaze back to his food, shoulders stiff.
“You’re going to break into someone’s room?” Ryan asked, dripping with sarcasm. “Not our goody two-shoes Rynlee.”
I rolled my eyes, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “Shut it, Ryan.” Then I turned back to Alaric. “Al, were you able to find anything in the restricted section?”
He nodded, still not looking at me. “Yeah. I found a book on ancient, dark magic. It didn’t go into much detail about the students’ deaths, but spells of that nature are possible. The person casting them would have to be powerful.”
A chill slid down my spine. Powerful. Ancient.
Hidden. My gaze drifted across the hall and locked onto Erebus.
He sat with cadets from the Hera unit, laughing, blending in as if he belonged there.
But beneath the easy smile, I saw it, the darkness coiled just under his skin, waiting.
He must have sensed my stare, because his eyes snapped to mine.
I didn’t look away. His lips curved into a slow, knowing sneer.
As if he were already winning. The fire inside me stirred, humming low in warning.
Every instinct screamed at me to storm over there, to demand answers, but even if I did, he wouldn’t confess.
Not yet. Not ever willingly. Gia nudged my side gently, pulling me back, but Erebus’s smirk burned itself into the back of my mind. And for the first time, I wasn’t sure we were even remotely prepared for what was coming.
After breakfast, I caught Alaric by the arm. “Al,” I said softly, looking up at him. “I’m sorry if I made things awkward. I didn’t mean to.”
He studied me for a moment before answering. “I know, Ryn. It’s just… taking some time to get used to.” His voice was gentle but firm. “I just need a little space.”
I nodded, swallowing the tightness in my chest. “Okay. I understand. Take all the time you need.” I gave his arm a small, reassuring squeeze before letting go, and we went our separate ways.
I entered the sparring room with a simmering sort of energy, the kind that coiled low in my gut and refused to settle.
We were paired against the Hera unit again, perfect. Exactly what I wanted. My gaze found Erebus instantly. He stood off to the side, calm and collected, like he hadn’t spent the past weeks weaving darkness into every corner of my life. I stared at him, letting a challenging brow lift.
“Hey, if you want backup getting into Alice’s room, I’ll come with you,” Luna whispered as she stepped up beside me.
“Yeah. Meet me outside my dorm at midnight,” I murmured back, never taking my gaze off him. Ivy started pairing us off, and my stomach tightened when she placed me across from Erebus.
“Hold on, I think Ruin should be paired with someone else,” Aiden said, his voice sharp, protective. His eyes were locked on Erebus as if he could burn holes through him.
“Um, okay, I guess—” Ivy began, but I cut her off before she could finish.
“No. I want to fight him.” My tone was steady, but inside, fire curled in my chest. Erebus smirked as if he’d been waiting for me to say that.
“Ruin, he is strong,” Aiden said softly, touching my arm.
“So am I.” I straightened my shoulders. I wasn’t weak anymore. And I wanted him, needed him, to feel something other than cold indifference. Fear would do. Aiden exhaled hard but finally stepped away.
“Alright, daggers are on, and you can use magic in this fight,” he announced.
The class turned, facing their opponents and began.
I unsheathed my daggers and lunged forward.
Erebus blocked my first swing easily, but I drove my boot straight into his stomach.
He stumbled back, surprise flickering across his sharp features, and I didn’t give him a second before I was on him again.
I struck low, my blade slicing into his thigh.
He hissed, and I spun, kicking him hard in the ribs.
His hand shot out fast, grabbing my leg and pinning it against his side.
Before I could twist free, he pulled his dagger and drove it through my shin.
Pain exploded white-hot. I gasped, the sound tearing out of me, and from the edge of the room I noticed Aiden flinch, feeling everything I felt.
But with my leg still trapped, I used it.
I lifted my free leg and slammed my heel across Erebus’s jaw.
He grunted and released me, stumbling back.
I ripped the dagger out of my shin, breath shaking, and surged to my feet. Then I charged. My blade plunged into his shoulder, and I pinned him to the wall. Erebus actually flinched.
Good.
Fire ignited in my palm, creeping forward in a slow, deliberate line toward his chest; his other dagger shot upward, ramming into my side just beneath my ribs.
I gasped again, the pain ripping the air from my lungs.
He smirked down at me. I punched him right in the nose.
Blood spilled. His expression darkened. He twisted the blade lodged in my side, and a raw scream tore out of me.
The world blurred. That’s when Aiden yanked me away from him.
Blood smeared across his leather from where I had been stabbed.
“Enough,” Aiden snapped, glaring between both of us, his shadows flickering at the edges of his vision.
I glared past him at Erebus, forcing myself to ignore the pain flaring up my ribs, and the warm trickle down my side.
It wasn’t until Aiden hauled me toward the exit that I realized the room had gone completely silent. Everyone was staring.
Aiden’s grip tightened around my arm as he led me out of the sparring area, and I let him, even though every part of me burned to turn back and fight again. Aiden didn’t wait until we were out of earshot. The moment the door shut behind us, he spun on me.
“What the fuck was that, Ruin?” His voice vibrated with barely restrained fury, hot and sharp through the bond.
“Can we talk about this later?” I muttered, gripping the hilt of the dagger still lodged in my side. Every movement sent a spike of pain up my ribs.
“Oh, we will definitely be talking about this soon,” he seethed.
“Now hurry up and heal yourself before we both bleed out.” I sucked in a breath and pulled the blade free as carefully as I could.
Even so, the pain ripped a wince from me, and Aiden’s jaw clenched so hard I heard his teeth grind.
He felt every bit of it. Once the blade was free, I pressed my hand to the wound and healed it, before moving to the one still throbbing on my shin.
“Happy?” I asked when the skin sealed over.
“Oh, far from it, Ruin. Now you want to tell me why the hell you wanted to fight him?”
I blew out a breath. “Look, I’m stronger than the last time we faced off.
And I don’t trust him.” Aiden dragged a hand down his face, frustration rolling off him like a storm.
When suddenly he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the narrow alcove beside the sparring room.
The shadows swallowed us, my back hitting the cold stone wall as he pinned me with his icy stare.
“Ruin, he is dangerous,” he said, voice low but fierce. “Possibly the person behind everything. You can’t just put yourself in danger to prove a point.”
“I wasn’t trying to prove a point, Aiden. I was attempting to make him feel fear, or at least something. He was smiling at me like he had won.” I met his gaze head-on. His eyes burned.