***

-The next day-

The lax in Class schedules continued, and Caius spent his abundant free time in the company of the girls in the massive Lochxen First-Year Courtyard. The temperature was perfect. A nice cool breeze blew over them, steeping them in a wonderful feel that just naturally kept their smiles up.

Conversation topics changed constantly, but Delia and Caius contributed little.

Delia's quiet was because she was still riding the high of discovery. She felt there was still so much to Caius being a Vampire and she had yet to exhaust her talking points. Alas, she hadn't had the opportunity to talk about it.

For one thing, there was still someone here—Aylin—who didn't know what Caius was. And Delia was only now realizing—because she was now actually paying attention—that Aylin was just always there.

Had it always been like that? Delia asked herself before shaking her head to put that aside and focus on the more pressing issue which was that she didn't feel all that free to talk about such a sensitive issue. Which was especially frustrating because, over the weekend, she had decided it was such a cool thing that she had to know more about.

For instance, she wondered how much of an advantage it was that Caius was a Vampire. Was that why he could defeat her in a duel? That had to be why, right?

Being a monster of the night had to at least come with boosts in physicality, right? It couldn't just be about the blood drinking, could it?

'Grrr, I wanna talk about it!' Delia groaned in her head.

She had considered pulling Caius aside a few times but almost as though the others had a sixth sense, they'd always zone in right at that second and never let her get the chance.

Really, that seemed to be why they were all always together. Because every single one of them wanted their time with Caius.

The Mid-Semester Breaks were fast approaching and due to the current extenuating circumstances, it could go on for over a month. That much time apart—because none of them lived in the Capital as Caius did—would at least have its frustration levels lessened by some final one-on-one time.

Logically, there was enough time for everyone.

Illogically, however, no one really wanted there to be enough time for anyone else. They didn't see the time left as days but rather as one single stretch they each wanted all to themselves.

So, while they sat here, chatting and having a good laugh among themselves, they were keeping an eye on one another, ensuring no one else got the spot while looking for an opening to claim said spot.

What would they do with that spot if they had it?

Ideally, whatever they wanted. It was their time and with no one else's wishes to consider, they could go wild.

Delia felt she would finally get to have that talk.

Caius's little input from the conversation, however, wasn't born of frustration like Delia's. He was simply being observant. Taking in their faces before that stretch of separation. He got an inkling of what was happening silently among them but he was mostly oblivious. Mostly by choice.

In any case, unlike Delia, he was actually sure Aylin hadn't moved with the group this much until this week. While she had a goal of integration in mind, it was usually limited to cafeteria sittings. After that, she was almost always back with her galpals.

But this week, she was not.

This week, she walked with Kaya, Eloise, and Delia. She talked with them about the most random of things;

Favorite meal growing up. Favorite pastimes. Friends—or lack thereof—that she or the others had growing up. Experiences with said friends.

It was one of the reasons Caius was being observant; He was learning more about her than he ever did on the page. Aylin also shared tidbits of her mother that were quite different from the public persona of the 'Cold Duchess of the North' that was being propagated all over the Acheron Empire.

And while the new closeness could have been chalked up to similar motives as the other girls to keep an eye on them, Caius could tell it was something more. He noticed that Aylin and Kaya sniped at each other less. And when they did, it was almost… affectionate.

Eloise no longer seemed stuck in the middle trying to manage the two and stop them from going at each other as much. Instead, she worked a bit harder not to get lost in the thread of conversation between the two.

It was all very heartwarming.

The kind of 'perfect picture' you worry you might spoil by making the slightest of moves. So you sit still—likely with a wide grin on your face—and try not to rock the boat.

To an outsider—one that hadn't listened to Kaya and Aylin go at each other as much—this all might seem normal. Sustainable.

To Caius, it seemed fragile.

Still, he had to admit that Aylin had done as he asked. She had found a way to co-exist with others. Especially with Kaya and he was now honor-bound to keep his word.

Saying it like that (honor-bound) makes it sound like his part of the 'deal' was unpleasant. But that could only be farther from the truth. Really, Caius had held himself back as much as he had asked Aylin to hold herself back.

However, he still faced that moment with some caution.

Caius liked to think he had built up a relationship with Aylin. He hadn't put sex first and had opted to invite her into his world—his secrets—before taking that step. Like he had done with Kaya. Like had happened naturally with Arlette because she already knew—suspected—what he was. And finally, it was like what he was currently doing with Delia.

But unlike with those three ladies, Aylin hadn't yet been opportune on the biggest secret of all. And for some reason, Caius felt he had to get that out of the way before following through.

'It shouldn't be difficult,' he said to himself. And while he did indeed know that to be true, he still was so… cautious.

He was so cautious that he had no issues pushing that moment as far into the future as he possibly could. Being the coward that he was.

Thing was though, as wrapped up in this new appreciation of friends, Aylin hadn't forgotten their deal. Whenever they crossed eyes, the look in her icy blue orbs was one of remembrance and whatever turmoil was going on in his head, Caius always met that smile with a reassuring one that showed none of his troubles.

Suddenly, the wind picked up. But it only picked up in Caius's direction.

Because it was focused on him and was a somewhat subtle change in wind pressure, none of the ladies noticed. Well, none except Delia who was far too attuned with the Element of Wind not to feel a difference.

Still, she cast her eyes a bit wide. She may have noticed the change but, as she was not its target, it didn't pull her attention where it should go. Caius cast his eyes where he should however and saw a piece of parchment being carried by the wind. Instinctively, he opened his palm and it dropped into it.

The parchment was folded in the shape of a bird with its wings spread out. Like it actually flew here on its own accord.

There was nothing written on the surface but Caius knew he was supposed to open it up.

A pretty and delicate handwritten note was on the inside;

'My Office.

When you have the time…'

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