"Down five places. What do they expect after kicking me out of the dammed library?" Dean muttered to himself as he paced around his room, holding a sheet of parchment.
Because he was forbidden from entering the academy, one of the teachers had sent Rosetta to hand him the results of the final mock exams.
"How does it feel to be in the bottom half?" Rosetta asked with her usual self-deprecating smile.
She seemed to be in one of her rare good moods. Dean glanced at her sideways with what he hoped was his most scathing look. Rosetta simply scowled back at him, clicking her tongue. Not wanting to start another altercation, he sighed and looked back at the paper in his hands. Scanning the rest of the listings, he spotted her name hovering around the bottom of the list as usual.
He looked over at her, but upon seeing her expression, decided to keep his mouth shut. Instead, he raised his gaze towards the top three. Sophia, Matin then Nicolas. He sighed.
"How's Matin taking this?" he asked quietly.
Rosetta folded her arms and scoffed.
"How should I know? He ran off as soon as the results came out without saying a word to anyone."
Dean fell silent as worry began to claw at his insides. How would Marianne react to this news? Perhaps he should ask his father to take Sophia into protective custody? Surely Marianne wouldn't risk attacking another noble household over this.
"Hey Dean, will he be alright?" Rosetta asked, her tone heavy with concern.
Dean smiled. Give Rosetta her space, and she would show you her true feelings eventually. She did worry about her friends but was often too self-conscious to show it.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Dean lied. "You need to worry more about yourself, don't you think?"
Rosetta's worried expression vanished, replaced with one of pure indignation.
"And just what do you mean by that?" She asked.
"What happened?" He asked, pointing to her name on the list.
She slapped the paper away.
"I tried and failed, just like I always do! End of story. Nobody really cares how I score anyway." She said, starting loudly but finishing in a whisper.
Dean carefully considered his next words. Messing with her now was not a good idea. He had to think of another way to lighten the mood.
"Hey, I uh, I got you something!" he said, making his way over to his wardrobe.
After some rummaging around, he pulled out the book he had bought from another student. He had been meaning to give it to Rosetta to apologise for the spider prank.
"Here, take it," he said, handing her the book.
Rosetta's eyes widened in shock for a moment before she looked down to read the title.
"Just One Time," she read aloud, her voice slightly breathless from surprise.
Dean nodded in satisfaction. Romance wasn't really his genre, but it was one of the worst-kept secrets in their group that Rosetta loved those kinds of books. A wide grin appeared on Rosetta's face for a moment. However, when she was reminded that Dean was in the room, she bit her lip and glared at him.
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
"Uh, read it?" He replied. "I didn't buy it so that you could use the paper to dry your tears or anything."
"Don't get smart with me," she snapped, looking back down at the book. "I suppose I'll give it a read. If I get the time."
She gently placed the book into the bag she was carrying. Dean felt rather proud of himself. Getting something that Rosetta liked was something few people could do. Luckily, he had peeked over her shoulder one day to see her writing a to-do list. One item on the list had been to save up for that exact book.
"Now, what say us failures go get a drink together and wash our sorrows away, eh?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"First of all, get the hell off me before I call the guards. Second, it's ten thirty in the morning."
Dean sighed and let her go. She was right. It was a bit too early, even for him. Everything that had gone wrong over the past few days was getting to him, and he wanted any excuse to forget about it.
"Sorry," he whispered.
Rosetta looked at him disapprovingly, but sighed and shook her head.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "I wasn't actually going to call the guards, you know, and uh, thanks for the book."
Dean gave her his best smile, causing her to click her tongue again.
"Wipe that disgusting smile off your face, Dean."
Well, he tried.
"I'm going back to the library. We have classes in fifteen minutes," she said as she turned to leave. Keeping the paper with him, Dean got to his feet to follow. They were halfway down the hallway when Rosetta stopped.
"Why are you following me?" She asked.
"I'm worried about Matin so I'm gonna go see him," Dean replied simply.
Rosetta shrugged and continued on her way with Dean following just behind her.
For some reason, she kept looking back at him as they walked. Why was she acting so cautiously around him all of a sudden? All he was doing was walking closely behind her.
"Be careful, if you keep looking back like-"
Too late. Rosetta's foot caught on a loose piece of carpet, and she tumbled to the floor, her blond hair splaying out in all directions.
"-that, you'll fall." Dean finished.
He rushed forward to help her up, and for once, Rosetta accepted his hand. She appeared to be slightly shocked, but once she was up she yanked her arm away.
"Just walk beside me!" She snapped.
"Why?"
"Because I don't like it when people are behind me, OK?" she said quickly, with a bit of red in her cheeks.
"Oh, well, why didn't you say so? I can do that." Dean said as he rushed to keep up with her.
"For the Goddess' sake," Rosetta muttered.
They were about to descend the large staircase to the entrance hall of the dorms when a commotion caught Dean's eye.
Opposite the doorway they came out of, on the other side of the stairs, was a similar door that led to the girl's dormitories. This door had been left open, and a large group of guardsmen were moving about frantically. Some were shouting orders, while others stood guard.
"Were they here when you came up?" He asked Rosetta.
She shook her head.
"I didn't see anybody here thirty minutes ago."
"Hold up." Dean said as he made his way to one guard who appeared to be on lookout duty.
"Move along, student. You'd best stay well away from here," the guard said in a stern voice without looking at Dean directly.
"Care to tell me what's happened here, my man?" Dean asked confidently.
"I don't…" The guard looked down, and his eyes widened. "Young master Kasanagh…I, forgive my rudeness, sir. Well, uh-."
The guard seemed unsure whether it was a good idea to tell Dean what happened, as his eyes darted around erratically.
"I believe this concerns my father's security, as he is also present at the moment. Has something happened?" Dean asked, this time using his commanding noble voice. No guard could resist responding to that tone. It had been drilled into them, after all.
It seemed to work as the guard stood up straighter and saluted.
"Yes. Unfortunately, a student was found dead not too long ago. Torn to shreds in her own room, she was. The other lads are saying a monster's gotten into the monastery."
Dean heard Rosetta gasp behind him, and he felt like doing the same. The knot of worry that had been constricting his stomach felt as though it was going to snap him in two. A monster? Here, after all these years?
"If you want my advice, I'd stay in your rooms and lock the doors, your lordship."
"Wasn't that student in her room when she was attacked? No…" Dean said, shaking his head. He felt a wave of dread wash over him as he prepared a more pressing question "Their name. What was the student's name?"
The guard shook his head.
"Fraid I don't know your lordship. I don't know much of the names round here and to be honest, there wasn't much left to identify with." The guard said, his voice growing a little shaky.
If it was enough to make a young guard go pale, then it must have been a gruesome sight indeed.
"I understand, thanks." Dean said in a weak voice as he turned and walked away towards the staircase.
"Dean, wait. I'm going to go back to my room." Rosetta shouted after him.
"No, you're not. You're coming with me."
He heard Rosetta take a deep breath.
"The guard said we'd be safer in our rooms," she said in a panicked rush.
"The student was killed in their room while they were alone. You'll be putting yourself in the exact same situation," Dean replied as he kept walking.
He was not going to let Rosetta go off by herself. He made his way down the stairs and outside. Rosetta stumbled as she stepped into the snow. It had piled up overnight, making traversal difficult.
"Dean, you're going too fast. Can't you slow down a little?" Rosetta cried out.
Dean slowed his pace and looked back at her as she dusted some snow off her knees. He took a deep breath to calm himself and then spoke.
"Sorry, just really need to make sure the others are alright. I-I'm just worried."
The student who died was found in the girl's dorms. Luckily Rosetta was with him and since neither Maria nor Addi were students, it couldn't have been them either. Even so, the chances that he knew this person were high, and that was enough to fill him with dread.
"I saw everyone except Matin about half an hour ago. Well, some students were absent, but they weren't part of our group, so don't worry, Dean," Rosetta said.
Her concern was appreciated, but Dean knew that, to Rosetta, anybody outside their immediate friend group was not worth worrying about.
They made their way towards the library and encountered a problem Dean had been expecting.
"Sorry, me lord. Got orders from Countess Evelyn not to let you through." Said the aging guardsman.
He was wearing the green and gold colors of House Evelyn and was armed with a basic round shield and spear. He was holding the spear out to the side, blocking their way through. How was one of Marianne's soldiers allowed to guard the library? That role belonged to the monastery's force.
"I'm not here to study. I just need to check something," Dean said impatiently.
The guard looked to be the stubborn sort, so there was only one solution Dean could think of. He reached into his pocket towards the coin purse within, but just before he could take it out, the door to the library slammed open and Marianne herself rushed out.
Her eyes widened as she stopped herself from running right into him. She appeared to be in a rush and was panting heavily.
"Dean, dear…" It took her a moment to remember their feud, as her surprised eyes suddenly turned stern.
"I believe I told you to stay away from here."
"Where's Matin? He-" Dean paused as he noticed something. "What happened to you?"
Both her left arm and leg were bandaged, with blood seeping through the edges of the cloth. Whatever had happened to her, the wound looked serious.
"Just an accident, dear. Never you mind about it. Now return to the dorms," she said, dodging the question completely.
"No, not until I know the others are safe. Especially Matin," Dean said, planting his feet firmly on the ground.
For a moment he thought Marianne's eyes softened a bit. She sighed before speaking to him calmly.
"They are all fine, dear. The student wasn't anybody of import. Just a commoner."
"A commoner?" Dean asked.
A few faces came to mind. The first being, Sophia's.
"Now, please step aside. This is an urgent situation." Marianne said in a commanding tone.
Dean did as instructed and stepped aside. As Marianne walked by, she sighed and turned towards the guardsman.
"With me," she commanded.
The guardsman gave Dean one last look before hurrying to Marianne's side.
"You may do as you see fit for the time being, but if you're still here when I get back, I'll throw you into the dungeons."
With that said, she left, walking far faster in her finery than one would expect with her injury and deep snow. The guard struggled to keep up with her.
Dean heard Rosetta sigh in relief.
"I never liked her," Rosetta muttered.
"Clearly. You hid behind me silently the whole time. Do you actually think she didn't see you there?" Dean noted with a touch a humor in his voice.
"Better you in her sights than me!" She snapped back.
Their entry unobstructed, they entered the library and turned right towards the lecture halls and classrooms. The rooms had been built as basements long ago and had a lot more space than the floors above. In the corridors, students stood in small groups, murmuring to one another in hushed tones. The doors to the lecture halls were closed, an unusual sight just before the final exams.
They found Nicolas and Maria sitting and talking on some benches just outside their usual lecture hall.
"Shit, everyone be careful, we've got an intruder!" Maria shouted when she noticed them.
"You're not supposed to be here either, though, right?" Dean responded with a smile.
"Well, if you wanted to sneak into class, then you're outta luck. For some reason they've canceled the lot of them," Maria said.
"One week before the final exams, what are they thinking?" Nicolas muttered. He seemed more than a little annoyed by the situation, his arms crossed and foot tapping the floor quickly with impatience.
"Only you'd complain about not having to go to class. Well, you and Matin. Hear that Rose? You can go crawling back to your room like you always wanted," Maria said with a cheerful smile.
Rosetta opened her mouth slightly before closing it again and looking away.
"Yikes. What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Maria asked, noticing Rosetta's pained expression.
Rosetta looked at Dean. Of course, he was the one who would have to do the talking.
"Guess you haven't heard. A student was found dead this morning in her room."
"What?" Nicolas said, pausing his foot-tapping and looking up in shock.
Maria's reaction was more controlled. She smiled slightly as she let out a small, interested 'oh?'
Dean noticed this and turned to her as she asked,
"Was it a boy or a girl?"
"Girl," he answered. "A female student."
Maria's smile vanished as she took a quick glance around the room.
"No, surely they haven't gone that far. Although it would be very interesting if they did," she muttered.
"Why're you acting so calm about this?" Rosetta yelled.
She glared at Maria as she was mumbling to herself, seemingly very interested in what had just transpired.
"Because anyone should've seen this coming from a mile away," Maria answered with a bored expression.
"You told me before that you thought people like Marianne would turn to assassination to get the results they wanted," Nicolas asked, voice trembling slightly. "You're not saying she's the one behind this?"
"I bet the victim is that girl, Sophia. You think so too, right, Dean? She's not here, you've noticed that, right?"
Maria was actually excited. She was leaning forward as she looked up at Dean, a grim smile on her face.
Dean had noticed. The thought that the victim might be Sophia was enough to make his breathing short. Even so, he knew more about the case than Maria and doubted assassination was the cause.
"The body was torn to shreds. The guards suspect a monster attack."
Maria's eyebrows twitched slightly as the smile fell from her face.
"Y'sure they're not just being superstitious? Monsters haven't been seen within the walls in centuries." Maria said coldly.
Dean shrugged.
"They weren't exactly going to show me the crime scene."
Maria nodded.
"Makes sense. Still, not enough for me the believe it was a monster. The timing and the target are just too good to be true."
"Sophia's not the only female student missing." Dean noted, looking around.
"True," Maria admitted. "But do you honestly suspect it could be anyone else? You stick your head out too far and some noble's gonna come around and chop it off."
"We're nobles too, you know," nicolas muttered.
"Ah, but you lot are different! I know you guys!"
Dean shook his head as he tried to think. Marianne could be cruel and ruthless, true. She had the blood of many a political rival on her hands, but this was different. Surely she wouldn't stoop to murdering an innocent student just to get ahead in an exam? There were many alternative methods that carried far less risk available to her.
"It's too obvious." Dean noted. "If she killed Sophia, everyone would suspect her."
There was also the minor fact that she had been hurt herself. Though that could have been caused by the victim defending themselves.
"What of it?" Maria asked, her voice rising slightly. "She has total control over the academy. She can kill whoever she wants and pin the blame on a random monster. It would be so easy for her!"
Both Nicolas and Rosetta looked at Maria with concern. She was making it very clear that she had settled on the culprit and wouldn't budge. Dean found it odd that she seemed hell-bent on pinning the blame on Marianne. Dean knew she was far too clever to jump to conclusions like that.
"Jumping to conclusions based on what you want to believe is a sign you've stopped thinking," Dean warned her.
Maria locked her green eyes with him and smiled, revealing her teeth in a crooked grin.
"You were always bright, Dean. But you trust people too much."
Dean sighed.
"I'm not counting Marianne out entirely. I just want more information before I go pointing fingers," he said with determination.
"That's our hero!" Maria shouted a bit too loudly, drawing the attention of the surrounding students. "You go do that. I'm taking Nicolas to my room and locking him inside with me for the time being."
"You're what?" Nicolas asked incredulously. "I never agreed to that!"
Maria shot him a sharp look.
"Sophia might have been first, but you were just behind Matin on the test scores. If anyone's going to be targeted next, it'll be you." She said, her words colder than ice.
Nicolas' glare fell from his face shook his head. He looked incredibly pale and weak. Dean wasn't sure if what Maria had said had scared him or if he was feeling ill again. He supposed the news would make anyone go pale.
"I have my own guards, and I can look after myself," he said angrily, getting to his feet and putting some distance between himself and Maria.
At that moment, he stumbled and put his hand on Maria's shoulder to balance himself.
"Nick, you wouldn't be able to climb to the top of the library in the condition you're in. All this stress from the tests is clearly taking its toll on you. Let me help you out, yeah?" Maria said, standing up to support him.
Dean knew Nicolas was fighting some sort of illness. Usually he seemed fine, but today looked to be one of his bad days. He apparently didn't even have the energy to argue with Maria. She wrapped his arm over her shoulder and allowed him to place all his weight on her.
"Told you I'm fine," he complained weakly.
"Oh, shut up. I'm gonna take you back to my room and pamper you like you'll never believe."
Both Dean and Rosetta grimaced slightly as she began to lead him away. Maria stopped and looked back at them with a serious expression.
"Could you two do me a favor and check on Addi? I know she has hundreds of guards, but I'm still a little worried, ya know?"
Dean nodded, and with a smile, Maria turned and walked away, Nicolas limping beside her.
"Poor Nick," Rosetta whispered as she watched them leave.
"Is that about his illness or Maria's attentions?" Dean asked.
"A bit of both, really."
At that moment, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the distance, growing louder. Both Dean and Rosetta, as well as the other students, turned as a group of armed guards entered the hall. They stopped and formed a disciplined line in front of the waiting students. A gray-haired man with a stern expression stepped forward.
"By order of Countess Evelyn, from now until tomorrow morning, a curfew has been enforced. All students must hereby return to their dorms and remain there until further notice," he said in a booming voice.
With his message delivered, the guard turned on his heel and left, followed by the others. He hadn't even waited for acknowledgement. Once they had left, angry mutterings sounded from the gathered students.
"Well, that's not surprising, is it?" Dean mused.
Being answered with silence, Dean turned to look at Rosetta. She was biting her lip and frowning.
"Your wish has been granted, Rose. You can spend as much time as you want in your room now," he said jovially, hoping to get a rise out of her.
There was none. She simply closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Dean was at a loss. Typically, the problem involved getting Rosetta out of her room, not the other way around. Well, he wasn't planning on leaving her by herself. He walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on," he said. "I'll make sure you're not alone from here on."
That seemed to work at least a little, as she nodded and allowed Dean to lead her out of the academy.
On the way back, they visited the Cathedral to check on Addi as per Maria's request. He had his doubts about whether they'd be permitted to be in the same room as her, given the situation, but thankfully she was in the nave sitting on her special raised throne at the center of the altar.
Surrounded on all sides by agitated guards, she had her arms crossed and her cheeks were puffed out in an expression of suppressed annoyance. Marianne was speaking to her, though she appeared to be barely listening. On a normal day, Dean would have burst out laughing at the sight.
"Looks like she's being well taken care of," Dean commented.
"Now that looks like an absolute nightmare," Rosetta added.
Dean was inclined to agree. Having someone attacked and killed within the monastery walls was certainly a cause for concern. Addi would have to deal with the heightened security and attention. At least her safety was guaranteed.
"Well, she won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Let's not approach her. I don't want to deal with what she's dealing with right now."
Rosetta looked at him with disapproval.
"Your friend looks like she's in trouble, and you're just going to leave her there? You know that seeing you might make her feel a lot better, right?" She asked.
Dean shrugged.
"It's what happens when you become important. Besides, if I go over there now she's likely to vent at me, and that's not even taking Marianne into account. So Nope. No way, not happening."
Dean turned away, ignoring further complaints from Rosetta, and left the cathedral. Once they had reached the dorms, he turned to her once more.
"There's just one thing I want to check. Can you take me to the girl's dorms?"
Normally, a male student could only enter the girl's dorms if accompanied by a female student. Although with the current situation, even that might be out of the question. Luckily, the guard at the door to the dorms was the same young man as earlier.
"I need to collect some books from her room. Would that be alright?" Dean asked, gesturing towards Rosetta. He wished Rosetta would calm down and stop acting so jittery as she quickly nodded at the guard. Her nervous smile just screamed 'suspicious activity'.
The guardsman looked conflicted, but eventually nodded.
"I plead that you make it quick, me lord. We're still at work in there."
The young man's face was pale. Hem must have visited the crime scene himself in the time Dean had gone to the library and returned.
"Thank you, guardsman," Dean said as he stepped past him.
"Wait, you didn't leave any books in my room, did you?" Rosetta whispered to him.
"An excuse to get in, Rose," Dean replied quickly and quietly.
"Oh, right."
As they made their way down the hallway, they passed the room where the girl had been killed. Dean did his best to ignore the smell of blood and death as he passed. Another guardsman was waiting by the door and watched them closely as they passed.
"You know whose room that is?" He asked.
Rosetta shook her head.
"I don't talk to anyone else here, so how would I know?" she snapped
Dean wasn't at all surprised. Rosetta didn't interact with anyone else outside their immediate friend group, and the other students ignored her in kind. Dean continued down the hall and even passed Rosetta's room.
"Dean, my room is here," Rosetta called out to him.
"Hold on," he replied.
If this place were anything like the male dorms, then there would be a common area at the end of the hall. As he approached, the muffled sounds of crying could be heard. Around a corner was an open space with a few chairs, sofas, and a knee-high table between them. A group of students were sitting there. Some had their faces in their hands, crying, while others stared blankly into the distance. One, who seemed rather calm compared to the rest, noticed Dean's appearance. She stood up and approached him.
"What are you doing here?" The girl asked him. Dean believed her name was Ruth.
He raised his hands in a gesture intended to show no harm.
"I'm here with Rose, just getting some things," he said quickly.
He looked over his shoulder, assuming Rosetta would be there. Sadly, she had decided to wait outside her room. No, she had entered her room and was now peeking from behind the door, shaking her head at him. Abandoned by his comrade once again, Dean could only feel a wave of loneliness crash into him.
"Well, go about what you're doing and leave us. We're not really in the mood to chat with you today." Ruth said, folding her arms.
Luckily, Dean himself had a good relationship with most of his classmates, so they didn't call the guards on the spot.
"Yes. Well, before I go, could you tell me whose room that is?" he asked quietly, gesturing towards the room where the girl had died.
Ruth's eyes narrowed in anger.
"Come here cause you're curious, did you? Looking for some gossip?" She hissed.
Dean bit his lip. His question had probably come across as insensitive.
"Sorry, I just don't think I can sleep at night worrying over who we've lost. They were my classmates as well, you know." He said in a hollow voice. "Matin is worried it's Sophia."
Matin and Sophia's close relationship was no secret to the rest of the students, and Dean was lucky Ruth had been the one to confront him. She may have been as distraught as the rest, but she was still a gossip at heart. She looked at him and then sighed.
"It wasn't Sophia. It was Livia.That's Livia's room." Ruth said, her voice breaking slightly at the end.
Dean's eyes widened. So it was unrelated to Matin's situation after all. A random attack, nothing more. No, that still didn't explain how a monster could get so deep into the monastery and not alert anyone. Things made even less sense if it wasn't directly related to Marianne and Matin. As far as he was aware, Livia had little to do with either of them.
"I see. Could you tell me which room is Sophia's? Matin wants me to give her a message."
Sophia might not have been the one attacked, but he still felt uneasy about the situation.
"Why didn't he come himself then?" Ruth asked, crossing her arms and looking at him with suspicion once again.
"You think Marianne is going to let him out of her sight now after what's happened?" Dean answered.
Ruth considered for a moment, but then nodded her head.
"You gotta point there, she's room four."
Dean nodded his thanks and left the girls to themselves. Sophia's room was a low number, which meant it would be near the entrance to the dorms, back the way he came. Along the way he picked up a reluctant Rosetta, and they made their way to room number four together. The guardsmen outside Livia's room watched them, growing a little suspicious.
Once they reached number four, Dean knocked. There was a moment of silence before a quiet voice answered.
"Who is it?"
"It's Dean Kasanagh, I'm here with Rose. May we come in?"
There was a long, drawn-out silence before Sophia answered.
"Can you come back some other time?"
Looking for support, Dean turned to Rosetta, who shook her head violently while whispering, 'no' repeatedly.
"I kinda get not wanting some random man in your room," she whispered.
"I'm not some 'random man'. I'm the great and noble Dean Kasanagh. Besides, you're here with me."
Rosetta just glared at him in response. He knew he' had just lost more points from that joke. It seemed like he would get no help from her. Dean considered for a moment before speaking again.
"I don't know how much you know about what's going on, but surely you know it's dangerous to be alone right now? We can help keep you safe."
Again, a silence answered. Longer this time. Dean was about to give up when the door opened and a pale-faced young woman peeked through. Strangely, she was wearing a wool cap, hiding her hair. In short, she looked awful as if she hadn't slept in days and had fallen down a hill full of sharp rocks and thorn bushes. When he saw her, Dean was at a loss for words.
Sophia, who had tears in her eyes, looked up at him with trembling lips, and that's when Dean noticed cuts on her lower neck and shoulder.
"Wh-what to you want?" She asked in a trembling voice.
"What do I want? Sophia, you look terrible. What happened to you?" Dean asked, forgetting to keep his voice low.
Sophia flinched and took a step back with a short cry.
"Sorry, sorry," Dean said, trying to calm her. "Look, you're scared, right? And it's clear somebody's harmed you."
He had no evidence, but who could it be other than someone hired by Marianne to threaten her and keep her from scoring more than Matin? The poor thing had been caught up in the empire's cruel politics all because she was a gifted student.
Sophia didn't respond to his words and simply looked straight down at the floor. A brief silence settled in as Dean wracked his mind for the right words. Surprisingly, it was Rosetta who eventually broke the silence
"If…if y-you want you can c-come to my room!" she screeched in a hurry, tripping over some of her words. Sophia looked up at Rosetta, her mouth hanging open. Clearly feeling uncomfortable under their gazes, Rosetta looked away.
"Or don't. I don't care if you do or not, really."
Sophia looked back into her room and then returned her gaze to Rosetta.
"Would that be alright?" she asked timidly.
Surprised by her acceptance, Rosetta's gaze shot back towards Sophia.
"S-sure. Just give me a second. My r-rooms a mess!" Rosetta said with nervous laughter.
She sped away towards her room without uttering another word, leaving Dean and Sophia standing alone together in the hallway. Not liking the awkward silence, Dean spoke in a whisper.
"If you'd like, I could place you under my family's protection. Whoever's harming you will think twice about touching you after that," he told her.
To his surprise, Sophia shook her head wildly.
"No, I… I don't want to cause anymore trouble for the n-nobility. I-I'm sorry."
She was afraid of him. She had never acted like this around him before. Sure, they hadn't exactly been friends, but they had studied together in the past and had gotten along just fine. What exactly had been done to her for her to end up like this? He decided not to mention that Rosetta was also a noble, even if she didn't come across as one.
"You won't be able to handle this alone," he said evenly, getting to the end of his patience. "As long as you're here and taking part in the test, they'll come after you. I can put a stop to that if you'll just let me."
His voice was tense. He couldn't help it. Looking at what had been done to her filled him with anger. Unfortunately, his tone only seemed to scare her more. With a whimper, Sophia tried to slam the door in his face. Without thinking, he placed his foot in the gap, preventing her from doing so.
"Go away! Leave me alone!" She cried.
"Please, listen!" Dean grunted as they both struggled with the door.
"What's going on here?" Came the voice of the guard from down the hallway. Their struggle had caught his attention, and he was approaching them. This wasn't going to look good no matter what he said. Dean retracted his foot, and the door slammed in his face.
"Looks like the recent attack has gotten to her." Dean said, forcing his mouth into a casual smile. "Just making sure she's alright."
The guard looked at him with doubt clear in his eyes.
"Lord Kasanagh. I'm aware that with your wealth and influence you feel that you may court any girl you wish, but please try to be mindful of the situation."
Just what did this man take him for? Dean thought as he felt himself bristling. Why couldn't these guards mind their own damn business? Luckily, Rosetta chose that moment to step out of her room and approach him.
"Look! I asked my friend here to help take care of her!" Dean said, pointing at Rosetta as she approached.
The guard looked back at Rosetta, who blushed and looked away, before turning back to Dean.
"Two at once, my lord?" The guard spluttered, matching Rosetta's blush.
Dean couldn't help but curse in annoyance. He really needed to do something about his reputation. This was all his father's fault, and Rosetta was clearly giving the guard the wrong idea. He wanted to scream at the guard, but managed to hold himself back.
"Well, I suggest you return to your dorms for now, my lord. This isn't the time for social calls."
With that said, the guard turned and walked back to his spot.
"What was all that about?" Rosetta asked.
"Never you mind. Looks like I'm gonna have to leave Sophia to you."
"Wh-what do you mean?" Rosetta asked, growing evidently nervous.
"I might have been a bit too zealous with her. Just knock on the door and tell her I'm gone."
Dean didn't wait for her to reply and turned away towards the exit of the dorms.
"Dean, wait!" Rosetta asked desperately.
He turned to face her. Rosetta frowned slightly and began fiddling with her fingers.
"Would you mind waiting to see if she comes out? If Sophia doesn't want to come to my room, you have to instead."
Dean raised an eyebrow.
"Why's that?" He asked.
"Why do you think, you imbecile? I don't want to be alone right now!"
Dean's eyes widened in shock. Rosetta asking not to be alone? That was certainly a first for her. Well, he shouldn't be too surprised. Even he wouldn't be able to sleep knowing someone in a nearby room had been torn to shreds the night before.
"Yeah, sure. Though I think my reputation will plummet further if I do." He said, whispering the second sentence under his breath and glaring at the guard.
"Who cares about that? You're just there to be my meat shield, nothing else, right?" Rosetta said with a crooked grin.
Dean gave Rosetta a withering look but nodded. Distancing himself slightly, he watched as Rosetta knocked on Sophia's door. Eventually, it opened, and Sophia stepped out. They exchanged a few words before both girls left for Rosetta's room.
Dean sighed in relief. He planned to check on them throughout the night, just to be sure they were safe. It was likely he wouldn't get any sleep for himself, but that was fine. The worry and stress would keep him awake either way, so it was better to make practical use of that time.
Feeling rather tired despite the early hour, Dean returned to his room for a brief rest. He needed to be in good condition for the day and night that was to come.