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Chapter 22: The Power of Secrets (Part 1/2)

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Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian buddies! (If you guys are even here, hard to see us in all that space)

As for my southern buddies, I might have a July the 4th update for you guys as well - we'll see how much of an overhaul the next chapter needs.

Regardless, bring out the maple syrup EVERYTHING and lotsa bacon.

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          Káel held his phone up as he lay on his bed, clicking the power button nonchalantly. After weeks of faithful service it had finally died, so even if he wanted to share Phantoms existence with anyone else, he couldn't. 

          Truvius wasn't in the study room for once, he hadn't seen him since he left to the library. A trip he was taking more than usual in the past two weeks.

          Puff sat on the pillow beside Káel, looking down at Jeremiah who was slinking back and forth beneath the bed. His uncle hadn't replied to his letter about getting back to Earth, conveniently forgetting most of his questions and answering the unimportant ones.

          He grabbed a sheet of paper, catching Jeremiah's scowl.


Dear Staz,

I'll ask this again, if you're so pissed off about Ray kidnapping me why can't you take me back? Also, thank you for finally accepting to take care of Puff, please keep Jay away from him though, your guardian has an affinity for bullying him.

Also, can you tell Samanthra I can take care of myself now? If I have to suffer through another week of those lessons I'll get Puff to eat me. Or at least give me something to get back at Mr. Lightwood, he's tormenting me more than teaching.

Lastly, I don't have to give back that Zodraic battery right?

Sincerely, your nephew Káel


          Jeremiah walked away with the letter in his collar, constantly looking back at Káel with a death glare.

          "So," Phantom said, watching Káel sit on his bed.

          "So what?"

          "Are you going to hunt down Blondie?"

          Káel sighed, grabbing his dead phone again. "He's gonna give me the same response. If I even find him."

          Phantom chuckled, folding his arms with a trailing song to his voice. "Not if you use a little more force."

         "I'd hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure he's stronger than me," Káel said, receiving a nod from Puff.

          "Typical teenager," Phantom scoffed. "I find the most effective methods for extracting information are psychological."

          Káel grimaced, Phantom had grown eerily condescending with the passing weeks. "Like what? I barely know him."

          "But you have leverage," Phantom replied, ignoring the growing worry plaguing Káel's face as he squatted to reach his eye level. "Leverage in the form of that little bomb he requested."

          Káel blinked, a sequence of realisation slowly lighting his brain as his mouth twitched with the ghost of an evil smirk. "You have a point. I'm sure we can get an answer with that kind of leverage."

          The two of them froze as the door clicked, Káel quickly falling back onto his bed to hold his phone over his face. As Truvius slowly entered he gave his roommate a small nod, the usual bundle of library books tucked under one arm. "What's up?"

          Truvius shot the ceiling a confused look, all the while magnetised to the study room as he gave Káel a timid smile. "Nothing?"

          Káel pretended to stare at his phone. "Sounds fun." He glanced at Truvius again as he hovered next to the study room door, a strangely lost look dragging his gaze to the floor. "Book you wanted already taken?"

          He stared at Káel in dumbstruck silence, his distracted brain finally figuring out what had come out of Káel's mouth. By that time however, Káel had slipped off the bed and was shooting him a concerned squint as he laced up his shoes.

          "I was thinking of hunting down Ray to ask him some stuff," Káel said, sizing up his frozen roommate with a frown. "You gonna be okay in here alone, or do you want to talk about it?"

          "Oh..." Truvius finally said, swallowing past whatever fear was grabbing at his throat. "I actually saw him in the library... he said he wanted to tell you something too." 

          A flicker of hope sprouted in Káel's chest. There was only one good reason Ray had to talk to him and although something was clearly wrong with Truvius, there was a seed of truth in his tone. With a growing smile he finished lacing his shoes, turning his warmed gaze back to Truvius who was still huddled next to the door in nervous silence. "If something's eating at you it's good to talk about it, I won't snitch."

          Truvius continued to stare, every passing second of silence forcing up a response out of his throat until he had no choice but to answer. "Do you have something to talk about?"

          "Well there's always something to talk about," Káel chuckled, his smile twisting with disappointment as Truvius grimaced. "Even if you don't want to talk about it we can walk to the library in awkward silence. It's better than being here without a dumb distraction, your mind can only eat you when you're alone."

————— 

          Truvius watched the woven carpet lining the floor, trying to match his strides with Káel's for the smallest ease of comfort. He had been talking the whole way, his tales of television and earthly culture filling up the silence as something Truvius could divert to for a few seconds at a time.

          However, no matter how interesting movies sounded, every time he looked at the path they trod the present nipped his mind. Regret had chained his feet as soon as he told Ray his theory.

          "So, do you guys have creepy ghost stories too? Can they possess people here?"

          Truvius blinked when he noticed Káel's stare. He'd asked a question for sure, but it had bounced right off his head, and the last thing he wanted was Káel to think he was blatantly ignoring him. "Yeah."

          Káel grimaced, his silver eyes flicking around the empty hall. "Dang that's kind of creepy." 

          Truvius slowly nodded, his mind falling right back down to the present. They were almost at the library, and the guilt had finished growing in his chest, too heavy for his heart as it sank to his knees that locked and dragged up to the massive doors.

          "So what do you think? Should I ask Horus on a date? He seems to have the hots for delinquents, I can even shave my head to sell the act."

          "Yeah, sure," Truvius muttered, grounding his feet a few steps from entering the library. It was filled with cramming students that didn't dare to so much as sneeze under the watchful glare of its librarian, all but one of the tables packed with books and notes. His heart stopped as he focused on the one table, tucked into the corner where Ray paid him a small nod before slipping off behind the towering shelves.

          He swallowed a sickening clump of nerves.

          This had to be the right choice.

          "Great, and then we can coax him back to our room and carve out his organs as a sacrifice to the great one Cthulhu. I'm sure the squid man will send me back to earth in a snap."

          Truvius felt Káel's gaze upon him again.

          He'd completely blocked out the conversation.

          Pulling from his thoughts to face Káel's warmed smile, he nodded. "Sounds great."

          The flickers of warmth immediately died in his smile, his shoulder shaking with silent laughter. "Great, I'll get a knife, let's go find Horus after this."

          Truvius gave Káel a hard stare. "Pardon?"

          Káel snorted so loud Truvius and Puff jumped, Káel holding his mouth as a few students shot them quizzical looks. With a wheezing whine he managed to swallow any sort of fit before it got out of hand, slipping out a content sigh as he entered the library. "So, now that you're listening, where did you see Ray?"

          Truvius watched a shadow slip across the floor, his eyes meeting the lemony glow of Ragdoll's.

          It wasn't too late.

          His heart pounded into another nauseating rhythm as Káel passed him to follow the feline.

          They could still turn back. 

          "Hey, you sure Ray has anything good to say?" Truvius muttered, speeding up to take Káel's side before he reached the corner. Ragdoll was going straight for the empty table, the bookshelves next to them peppered with stilled shadows.

          "If he doesn't have anything good to say, then I have something to say myself," Káel replied, stopping before the small round table as Ragdoll hopped onto it. 

          With a curt meow she flicked her tail across Káel's hand, beckoning him to the window side where she could perch and enjoy his attention. Káel however, didn't move to the welcome, frowning at the empty seats before looking left and right at the empty line of wallpaper and vacant study desks. 

          "Where is he-"

          Káel and Truvius jumped as a shadow popped up behind them, Ray seizing the opening to drop his hand on Káel's hair and violently ruffle it. "Thought I saw a unicorn magnet."

          Truvius caught a small nod from Ray before Káel turned to face him, the final nail sticking him to his choice.

          It was too late.

          "Long time no see Truvy," Ray greeted, tossing him a cheeky wink before going right back at Káel. "So, what was it you have to say?"

          Káel pulled his arms up into a fold. "That mean you have nothing good to say?"

          Ray dipped his voice to a soft whisper, motioning for Káel to grab a seat at the table. "I got a call from Lady Samanthra. You do know Cobalt has a bar, right?"

          Káel took his seat, eyes narrowed with suspicion as he gave Ragdoll her head rubs. "So this isn't about my return trip?"

          Ray grimaced. "Not everything is. As I was saying, she's concerned about your..." His gaze wandered to Truvius as he hovered next to the table, motioning for him to block his ears.

          With a wash of confusion he complied, watching their lips move along as Káel's expression gradually soured. He didn't know exactly what the plan was, or if Ray had even believed his story, but he seemed convinced enough to help.

          So had he already done it?

          Truvius frowned as Káel's glare died, every shred of emotion emptying to a concerning calm.

          Maybe Ray was snitching.

          Truvius lifted his palms a little, the sound of their voices squirming through.

          "Three weeks," Káel said, his tone as flat as his expression as Ray's brow furrowed.

          "Three weeks? Like I said, I still have to-"

          Káel leaned on the table with a mocking smile. "Two. I don't negotiate." 

          Ray laughed under his breath, shaking his head in amusement at Káel's act. "I can't get you home in fourteen days."

          "You can. Or Mariel might discover that little battery in your room." 

          Ray grew silent, Káel's cryptic words striking a cord of fear in his heard. But all at once the mix of surprised fear on his face twisted into something sinister, his smile reviving with a gleam of enjoyment. "Fine, two weeks."

          Káel nodded, turning to Truvius and motioning for him to uncover his ears. He complied again, faking his confusion as watched Káel rise from his seat, still bouncing with mockery as he looked down on Ray with a grin. "Also, unless Cobalt's 'bar' is above eighty percent, I'd say you didn't even get a call from Samanthra. That, and she'd never tell you of all people my grades, dick."

          A rush of wind ruffled Truvius as Káel blasted past him,  his gaze lingering on Ray who was now trying to hide a smile with his cupped hands. Popping his eyebrows up, he moved his hands back down for Truvius to see him quickly mouth out some words.

          'Got him.' 

————— 

          "Walk any faster and I'll think you're excited to see Lightwood." Vera said, letting a grin slide as Káel slowed to match her and Talli's strides. 

          "Ten days," he growled.

          "And a half," Vera added, giving Káel's shoulder a consoling pat. "Don't let Ray get to you."

          "I'm not. I was thinking about other stuff," Káel sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets with a bitter frown. "He just has this mood dampening superpower." 

          "H-he is kind of mean..." Talli muttered. 

          "It's no wonder he goes off on missions and hides in his room all the time. He probably doesn't even have any friends, unless you count Mariel and Draven."

          "It's more manners with my sister, believe me," Vera replied, gazing at the iron bound doors of Mr. Mudelin's classroom with a suppressed shudder. "This place reminds me of a dungeon."

          The door cracked at her trailing voice, slipping open ever so slightly for Mr. Lightwood to peek through with a cattish smile. "No one ever said it wasn't. If you look hard enough you can still see the claw marks on the walls."

          "Great," Káel said, slipping through the tight opening as Mr. Lightwood propped the door for him. 

          Vera took a step to follow suite, her smile souring as Mr. Lightwood stuck his arm in the way of her path. "You know, I was there too. Why can't I even watch?"

          "Because I'm teaching him defensive techniques that are being privately paid for." He sized her up with a disinterested frown. "And Lao forbid I give you more reasons to blindly charge hostile creatures."

          The door closed before Vera could even think of a comeback, her fists clenching as irritation bubbled in her stomach. "Some teacher." She twisted on her heel, Talli taking her side again as she tossed her friend a peeved frown. "Almost makes me glad we got Mudelin."

          Talli shrugged. "I-I like Mr. Mudelin."

          "I know you're weird Talli, tell me something new," Vera retorted, looping her arm around Talli's shoulder to tug her in close. "But what do you say we both be weird and go to the library for some studying?"

————— 

          Truvius sighed as he stood in the library, alone without his notes and surrounded by books he didn't need. It had only been four days since Káel's quarrel with Ray, the elite had gone on a mission immediately after and somehow came back with "evidence".

          He vacantly stared at the various cook books lining the corridor he had chosen, untouched by the masses as they sat in a thick bed of dust. Even the sight of them perked his allergies, but Ray wanted to meet up and there was nothing better in Truvius' mind.

          He let out a heavy sigh, but it couldn't lift the weight that had settled into his bones. He'd been dragging a blanket of guilt with him for four days straight, just to see if his friend was harboring an ancient novan. His friend who would be going home in ten days regardless, without a novan, if it even existed.

          It just wasn't worth it.

          Truvius flexed his hands nervously, reading through the titles of the books to try and distract himself. 

          He'd messed it all up again.

          "Hey."

          Truvius tensed, turning to pay Ray a timid smile. "How did you find something so fast?"

          "So fast?" Ray said, chuckling to himself as he slipped a strange metal object from his pocket. "This is a magic box, might be a little weird to you." 

          Truvius squinted at the object, in a way it looked like Káel's phone, but it was at least twice as thin. One thing was certain about it however, it looked nothing like the magical artifacts he'd grown up around. "I live in the Garaean Empire, that doesn't look familiar."

          "Oh." Ray turned the object in his hand, lighting it up with the simple brush of his finger. "Anyways, doesn't matter where it came from. I was a little unconvinced by your crazy Ancient Novan idea, but I gave it a go and I'm glad I did." 

          Truvius' heart sank at the words, his eyes glued to the device in Ray's palm as he dabbled with its flat screen. Káel's voice quickly pooled through it, a one sided conversation trailing for close to two minutes before the sound skipped and a new one sided conversation started.

          "He's talking to something called Phantom. Not hard to piece two and two together."

          Truvius' face contorted with confusion, curiosity pulling him closer to the noise it was producing. "What is that?"

          "Not the point," Ray replied, swiftly pocketing it with a rock hard smile. "The point is, you're right."

          Truvius tried to tame his beating heart, the panic twisting and thrashing as it battled with the guilt seizing his body. "Maybe he just... talks to himself. We can't be one hundred percent sure."

          "He's been doing it constantly and you're still not one hundred percent sure?" Ray growled, a sense of impatience lacing his voice.

          "Yeah okay, there's something there, I agree. We can't assume it's that thing though, we have to get evidence." Truvius insisted.

          Ray stopped, his shadow growing to swallow up Truvius as his voice dipped to a stabbing chill. "Do you even care?"

          "I do, but we can't just jump to conclusions!" Truvius took a step back, his heart pounding through his ears as Ray quickly closed the distance. "You're taking him back in less than two weeks anyways, and if he is being followed by it he can't possibly break whatever seal it's in."

          The growing rage in Ray's voice returned, his whisper sizzling with spite as he gripped Truvius' shoulder to hold him in place. "Let me tell you something about those two weeks."

          Truvius felt a twang of relief as a pair of footsteps met their ears, forcing Ray to relax his posture for the possible guest. Every shred of comfort that the company could have brought froze over when the person came into view, the blood flushing from Truvius' face as he stared at Vera in horrified silence. 

          She immediately sized the two of them up, calm enough to even keep Ray on his toes as she settled her gaze on him. "Didn't know you read books."

          "Feeling's mutual, need something?" Ray replied, slowly folding his arms as Vera gave the rows of books a quick skim.

          "Cake recipe. Me and Talli want a good surprise for Káel." With a sarcastic smile she yanked out the smallest book she could find, the hoards of dust scattering from its title as she tucked it under her arm without another glance. Slowly turning to walk away with Lumi's Sweetest Teas and Twists in tow and a spell of dreadful silence in her wake. 



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