Defy The Alpha(s) 2: Rebel Beast

Chapter 71: Invitation To Aetheris

"No student leaves Bestiaris carrying only books."

~ Rebel Beast

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While Charlotte found Karen’s humiliation immensely satisfying, the feeling didn’t last.

The moment Karen disappeared through the door, reality settled over the room like a heavy fog.

They were alone. The only humans left in a residence deliberately built on the outskirts of the academy, with nothing but the woods separating it from the other Houses.

"What are we going to do now?" Zainab asked, unable to hide the fear in her voice.

Professor Maverick had taken the others to House Therion. Prince Caelis had just walked away with Karen and her followers.

They had been left behind.

If another flock of ravens descended upon the residence tonight, there was no guarantee anyone would come for them this time.

The silence that followed grew unbearably heavy, but Charlotte refused to let it stay that way.

"What do you mean, what are we going to do?" she said, forcing far more enthusiasm into her voice than she actually felt. "We’ve got this entire place to ourselves. I say we celebrate!"

"Celebrate?" Zainab repeated skeptically.

"Yes, celebrate!" Charlotte insisted, throwing both hands into the air despite the sharp pain that flared through her bruised side.

"Karen the devil is finally gone. Professor Maverick isn’t here breathing down our necks with his countless rules and regulations. For the first time since arriving at this academy, nobody’s telling us what we can or can’t do."

"So I say we throw ourselves a party!" she finished, punching the air triumphantly.

Silence answered her.

Zainab, Indigo, and Meredith exchanged uncertain glances before slowly looking back at Charlotte. None of them looked convinced.

Charlotte stared at them for a long moment before her shoulders slumped.

"Tough crowd," she muttered.

With a defeated sigh, she bent down to pick up one of the overturned chairs.

"Fine. Let’s just clean this place up. It’s ours now, after all."

She had barely taken a step when a smooth voice drifted through the common room.

"A party doesn’t sound like such a terrible idea."

Charlotte froze.

"I happen to have one coming up."

All four girls turned toward the entrance at once, their eyes widening in unison.

Standing in the doorway, framed by the fading evening light, was a young man whose red hair caught the last rays of the setting sun like living fire.

"Rhydian... Drakhar," Charlotte breathed, her voice trembling as her eyes lit up with unmistakable wonder.

"The one and only," Rhydian replied with an effortless grin that had undoubtedly broken more than a few hearts over the years.

Ordinarily, that smile might have put people at ease. Instead, Meredith, Indigo, and Zainab shrank back instinctively. Charlotte, however, could only stare, her excitement outweighing every reason she had to be afraid.

"H-have you come to kill us?" Meredith asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Kill you?" Rhydian echoed, genuine confusion crossing his face.

"Ravens belong to House Aetheris," Indigo said, struggling to keep her voice steady. "You sent your ravens after us earlier today. Have you come to finish what you started?"

Rhydian let out a small sigh.

"About that..." he said. "That particular attack was never sanctioned by me. Unfortunately, those responsible are still members of House Aetheris, and as their leader, the responsibility is ultimately mine."

He paused deliberately, a mischievous smile slowly spreading across his face as though he were about to offer them something impossible to refuse.

"Which is precisely why I’ve come bearing compensation."

"Compensation?" Zainab repeated, unable to hide the suspicion in her voice.

"Yes," Rhydian said. "I’ve just heard my esteemed colleagues finally abandoned centuries of tradition and welcomed humans into their Houses."

His gaze swept over the four girls before a teasing smile tugged at his lips. "Granted... you aren’t exactly the human I was hoping to recruit, but what can I say? Rhydian Drakhar possesses an exceptionally generous heart."

He spread his hands. "So, how would you ladies feel about joining House Aetheris?"

"What?!"

Zainab, Indigo, and Meredith blurted out at the same time.

"Yes! Yes! I’ll come!"

Charlotte’s answer was so immediate that the other three girls turned to stare at her as though she’d finally lost her mind.

Had she forgotten what had happened to Karen? For all they knew, House Aetheris could prove even worse than House Ophidian.

Rhydian noticed the disagreement almost immediately.

"Of course," he said, "there’s no need to decide tonight. Take your—"

"Yes!"

Charlotte cut him off before he could finish. She spun toward the others.

"This is exactly the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. Why are you all acting like this?"

"We’re talking about dragons," Zainab whispered fiercely, conscious of Rhydian’s presence. "What makes you think he’ll protect us? How do we know this isn’t another trap? Have you already forgotten what happened this morning?"

"He already told us it wasn’t his doing," Charlotte argued. "Besides, what’s the alternative? Staying here until the next attack finishes the job?"

"But—" Meredith began.

"There is no ’but.’" Charlotte folded her arms. "Either you come with me, or you stay here and hope you’re luckier next time."

The three girls exchanged uncertain looks. None of them had an answer.

Charlotte threw her hands into the air.

"Fine!" she huffed. "Stay behind then. You can be the only humans left hiding in this gloomy house while everyone else is off making history with the beasts."

She turned dramatically toward Rhydian.

"Wait!"

Charlotte bit back the smile threatening to spread across her face.

Easy peasy.

She composed herself before glancing over her shoulder.

"Yes?"

Zainab, Indigo, and Meredith looked at one another one last time, silently searching each other’s faces for reassurance.

At last, Meredith nodded.

"We’re coming too."

Charlotte’s face lit up.

"Excellent decision."

Inwardly, however, an entirely different thought crossed her mind.

Now the numbers were finally evening out.

Karen thought she’d won, but she hadn’t seen anything yet.

With renewed confidence, Charlotte walked toward Rhydian. The Dragon Prince regarded her with amused curiosity, as though he could already tell there was far more going on inside her head than she was letting on.

Charlotte stopped before him, dipped into a respectful bow, then lifted her head, her eyes shining so brightly they almost rivaled his grin.

"You’re not going to regret this, Your Highness."