Chapter 368 (2/2)

Caera turned slowly, staring at me with eyes the size of full ht crack a tooth

Seris, though, only adjusted herself to be e Cylrit to be my retainer"

This seemed to be too much for Caera, whosethe cord, and let it fall to the couch beside her "What is happening right now?" I disguised ain by doing that?"

"I will assume that is a rhetorical question, because we both knohy you're really here," she said, her tone that of a judge delivering her verdict

'Tell her Scythe or nothing,' Regis japed 'We aren't playing second fiddle to anybody'

"You don't wantthe various goals she could be pursuing with this course of action "You want me to draw attention toof her horned head "By defeating Cylrit and then refusing the role of retainer, you will be sending a very clear rona knows I' if Seris ht even have told hie to But he already has what he wants, and he doesn't care about me anymore

This realization struck me like a thunderclap All this time in Alacrya, I had always assumed he would make me a priority if he discovered that I had survived my battle with Nico and Cadell I had worried that the Scythes would kick in my classroom door or rain fire and black iron down on Windcrest Hall while I slept

But to find out Agrona had discovered that I had not only survived but was living in his own lands, and he didn't care

I was conflicted, to say the least

'If Agrona doesn't think we're a threat, that's his own duht with a snarl 'But if the horned Goddess over there wants us to expose ourselves'

This knowledge threwI was alive—and where I asn't exactly great, Regis had a point Dis me was a mistake on his part, one I was happy to capitalize on But if I drew his attention now, showed him my power before I was ready

"That plan seems bad for ed, curious how ive up before she made me confirm my intentions

"Oh, come now, put that cleverauthority gone fro do you plan to run and hide?"

Sitting in front of h she still wore a confused frown, and I could see the gears in her head turning as she struggled to ht, I looked down at the Scythe "I'e Cylrit"

Seris's mouth thinned into a hard line

"But I'll still send yourmy decisions only as I said the words out loud "It'll be loud, and abundantly clear"

Seris straightened, then stood Even though she was quite a bit shorter thandown on me "I would prefer it if you'd tell ht be able to help"

"Co expression she'd worn only a o, "put that cleverCaera's footsteps halt, I stopped and turned to face her We were deep in the underworks, and the stone around us vibrated with the noise of cheering and battle froround at my feet, what little of her features I could see behind her ue?" I asked, not trying to guess which part ofI couldn't begin to i in her mind

Caera hummed nervously as she looked up to meet my eye "I want you to know that you can trust s I don't know about you, and based on what I just witnessed between you and a Scythe, whatever fanciful notions I'd had up until now are woefully inaccurate"

I scanned the dim tunnel where we'd stopped It ended at a junction just ahead, where turning left would take us back toward the coht some quick calculations about how much time we had before the tournament started, I smiled and held outher hand rest in the crook of my elbow

"Let's take a walk and clear our heads for a bit before subjecting ourselves to thein my students' heads," I said with a soft chuckle

"I'hblood, deserve to be seen walking arure as yourself," she teased

"Perhaps not, but I'll extend you this honor just this once," I shot back, leading her toward the exit

The noise outside was deafening after the muffled quiet of the underworks Merchant's hollered, mana beasts squalled, and thousands of excited Alacryans shouted over one another to be heard

We turned out of the crowd, h this had the drawback of aolden eyes, stop here to win your beautiful lady a fine prize," aus toward his cart

A fat man bowed as he walked past, then practically shouted in our faces "Gemstones! Gemstones here! Finest cut, finest color! Sapphires to match the lady's lovely hair, or perhaps rubies for her enchanting eyes"

For the first tie A simple wind barrier spell would have made the walk a lotabout?" Caera asked

I fixedhow you cae of Seris"

"Oh really?" she asked, her gaze following the line of colorful carts, tarps, and tents "You already know more about me than perhaps anyone else in the world, while you are a locked book with pages of which are out of order, encoded, and probably written in invisible ink" She trailed off, shooting hed "But by all means, let's talk about h blood to potentially ic, are not coets our own Scythe, either" A wo extreave her a small wave as we continued on "She clai, which of course only grew after being assigned a Vritra-blooded foster daughter, but I've alondered"

"If she knew soestured at her head, where her horns were kept invisible by the teardrop pendant she wore around her neck

"Right," she answered "I waseight,hblood, but also protege to a Scythe It made for aconflicted childhood"

"Why do you think she has helped to keep you hidden?" I asked, lowering hbloods sauntered past, dressed so brightly they could have been mistaken for peacocks "What does she ith you?"

Caera eyedfor ure out what she wants with you in the long run?" She shook her head "I still can't believe she asked you to be her retainer"

"But she didn't, really She only wants ht him, remember?" I pointed out

"Which only , at least forexasperated "I won't pressure you to explain anything—though I'll happily listen when you decide to do so—and proainst you if you chose to hold sois let out a mental snort—"but ould she want you to draw attention to yourself? From who? For what purpose?"

Caera chewed on her own tongue for a second before continuing, obviously giving voice to so here "Are youScythe Seris's concubine?"

I nearly choked on uard

'Talk about a whole new level of "keeping your eneh

"No," I finally answered, rubbing the back of ave me a frustrated shake of her head "Then I just don't understand"

"I know," I said, sounding suddenly tired even to my own ears, "but you will soh then, I suppose," she said with a chagrined set back to your class Their bouts should begin soon"