Veil of Shadow and Rain ✓ [TSC #1]

Chapter 13 - Lingering Lucian

Wren headed out with Jake and Ladislaya after Alchemy class. Unfortunately, her bag split as she was walking. Ladislaya bent to pick up her books for her.

'No, it's fine - you two go on, I'll catch up -'

'You'll find us in the common-room,' Ladislaya told her, and departed.

As Wren straightened up, she crashed into someone standing in front of her. 'Watch it!'

'Well, well,' said a familiar smug voice. 'Look who it is.'

Wren looked up, putting on a scowl on her face. 'What do you want, Lucian?' she said fiercely.

'Oh, don't be so aggressive, Princess,' said Lucian impatiently.

'You'd know about aggressive,' said Wren through gritted teeth.

'But does she know?' said Lucian Ailwood quietly.

Wren didn't need him to tell her who he was talking about; instinct did - he was talking about Nicaea Valdis. She looked around them to see that several people had silenced and was watching them with great interest.

'Don't,' she said quietly.

'Don't what?' said Lucian, sniggering.

'Why do you keep bringing her up?' hissed Wren.

'Why not?'

'Get out of my way!'

She started walking away but Lucian Ailwood blocked her. Wren glared into the air.

'Wait,' he said. 'I just wanted to tell you one thing. One thing only. And I thought it might help.' He bent down and whispered in her ear, 'She'd go to no extent to finding you and killing you. And she knows. She knows you're here, Princess.'

Wren could hardly hear him. He began to strut away. Wren wanted to call him back and demand more answers, demand him to tell her what he knew of Nicaea Valdis but just as much as she wanted to, she didn't want to call him back. It might as well have been the last thing she was to do but her curiosity got the better of her.

'WAIT!' hollered Wren. The crowd had already resumed for the little scene had retired. She fought her way through the crowd. 'Oi! Lucian! Lucian Ailwood!'

But he was gone.

Wren felt like kicking something.

'Great,' she muttered. 'Just great.'

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'Wait, wait, wait,' said Jake, propping himself up on a cushion. 'Let me get this straight. You want to talk to Lucian Ailwood?'

'Yes,' said Wren simply. 'And I'm going to.'

They were in the common-room, sitting in front of the crackling fire with a few other students in the room. Ladislaya sighed.

'He's not worth talking to, Wren.'

'Yeah, well, not in this situation,' said Wren furiously, stabbing her book with her pen. 'He knows something, that Lucian Ailwood. He just wants to keep me in suspense.'

'Yeah but ... why?' said Jake in a troubled voice.

Wren didn't know the answer. She didn't know what Lucian wanted to do with her ... why was he always in her way, whispering about Nicaea Valdis ...

She straightened up so suddenly she knocked over Jake's ink-pot. Jake gaped. 'I'm going to find him,' said Wren determinedly, not taking any notice of the ink-pot. 'Is he in his tower's common-room?'