Chapter 308: A Shift In The Tides
"That’s good," Eve replied, giving him a soft smile. Aden felt his heart skip several beats at the sight, but it came to an abrupt, jarring halt when he met a pair of crimson eyes. The gaze was so lethal it made him want to run and bury himself in a hole in pure fright.
Oliver watched the exchange and could only shake his head inwardly as he understood Aden’s predicament completely. This was the deadliest couple in the kingdom: one was capable of killing you with a beautiful smile, while the other was ready to murder you in cold blood with an icy stare.
"T-to your earlier question," Aden stammered, trying to speak normally. But when he could no longer withstand Ivan’s intense, freezing glare, he could only look down like a dejected puppy being growled at by the alpha of the pack.
Eve wondered what had caused his sudden shift, but when she followed his flickering gaze toward Ivan, she knew exactly what he had been doing.
Releasing a soft sigh, she leaned in. "Ivan, stop scaring him. Don’t you remember your father’s words?" she whispered under her breath.
She reminded him that they needed someone from the Kingdom of Sunfire to decipher the ancient writing on the locket they had found inside her mother’s grave. Ivan simply gave her a side-eye before returning to his tea, acting as if he had not done a thing wrong.
Shaking her head inwardly, knowing this was his silent way of promising to behave, she turned her attention back to Aden. "Prince Aden, you were saying?"
No longer pinned by Ivan’s intense stare, Aden felt his muscles finally relax. He cleared his throat once more. "I-I am, Princess Evelyn. As a prince of the kingdom, we are taught from a very early age to read ancient texts to preserve the secrets our kingdom is known for." He sounded boastful again, but no one at the table seemed to mind.
A wave of relief washed over Eve. She gave him an appreciative nod. "Then....would it be alright if I borrowed your talent to help me decipher something later?"
He met her hopeful eyes and replied, "O-of course! I’d be happy to help you!" He could not hide his excitement as it was the first time she had ever asked for his assistance.
Eve beamed at his answer. "That’s great! Thank you so much."
"It would be my pleasure, Princess," he replied, a genuine smile finally reaching his eyes.
After that, they continued their breakfast while Oliver filled them in on everything that had happened at the academy during their absence. He informed them about the approaching exams and mentioned the mysterious new student who had joined mid-term.
The group found the news intriguing, but they did not dwell on it. Since the dining hall was crowded with students, they could not speak freely, so they planned to regroup after classes to truly catch up.
Later that day, Ivan and Eve found themselves back in the classroom. They sat together at a single desk, determined to concentrate on the studies they had neglected for so long.
With exams looming, there would be no special exceptions for them, so they busied themselves reviewing the notes Oliver had graciously lent them. As they waited for Professor Lupin to arrive for their first class, History, the room remained thick with tension.
The students around them were still in awe of the powerful couple. Having witnessed the ordeal in Dartmouth, those in the room were now acutely aware of the weight the pair carried and the strength they had displayed.
They were not among those spreading baseless rumors. Having seen the incredible events with their own eyes, they often defended the royal couple whenever they overheard someone sprouting nonsense against them.
While they waited for the professor to arrive, Eve and Ivan were busy going through notes when they felt someone come to a stop right beside their desk.
They both lifted their heads to see who it was.
Recognition flashed in Eve’s eyes as she took in the familiar face. The girl was none other than Lora, the one who had been possessed by darkness at the inn before they reached Dartmouth.
"You..." Eve uttered softly, her voice trailing off in surprise.
Lora blushed under the attention of the striking couple. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage before speaking. "Um....G-good morning, Your Highnesses. I....um....I," she stammered. She could feel the weight of their gaze and the eyes of the entire class as everyone watched to see what she was planning to do.
"Hello...Go on," Eve replied in her soft, encouraging voice. She was curious to know what this was about, while Ivan simply observed the girl silently with a stony expression.
"Yes... um... I just wanted to say that..." Lora suddenly bowed low in front of them and blurted out as fast as she could, "T-thank you so much for saving my life back then, e-even when I ended up harming His Highness!"
A pin-drop silence fell over the classroom.
When she straightened up slightly to peer at them, she saw a look of surprise on Eve’s face, while the Prince remained unreadable.
Eve recovered quickly and parted her lips to speak. "Oh....you do not have to thank us."
"N-no, Your Highness. Everyone knows that I was as good as dead when that happened to me because of my own carelessness. Had you not stepped in at that moment, my fate would have been sealed. S-so, I.....I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Her voice began to shake, and before she knew it, tears were trailing down her cheeks. "I.....I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you two," she trailed off, her shoulders shaking as she tried to suppress her sobs.
Eve’s heart warmed at this, for it was the first time someone from their class, apart from her friends, had approached her without any ulterior motives or ill intent. More often than not, she was met with jealousy or envy whenever someone spoke to her, or they sent her hostile energy from afar, too intimidated by Ivan’s presence to come close.
But now, she felt that something had shifted.
Even though people still stared at her, she sensed no negativity directed her way in class. It was as though whatever had happened in Dartmouth had altered their perception of her. She could only feel grateful for the change, and she knew Ivan felt the same, even if he did not outwardly show it.
When Lora began to cry in front of them, Eve quietly rose from her seat and moved towards her.
She reached out and wrapped Lora in a warm embrace. "It is all right. Please do not cry. Things happened for a reason, leading us to where we are today, so there is no need to apologise or thank us. If my powers can save someone, I will always choose that path."
Eve’s voice was a soothing balm, and the unexpected warmth of her hug made gratitude well up within Lora once more. The rest of the classroom remained silent as they watched the exchange, and somewhere within them, they all felt the gentle warmth that Eve radiated.
After a moment, Eve pulled back and took Lora’s hands, giving them a gentle squeeze.
Lora quickly wiped her tears away with the backs of her hands, blushing deeply at having been such a crying mess in front of everyone, yet she smiled when she met Eve’s warm, beautiful expression.
"Thank you again. I am sorry for being such a mess. I will never forget this, so if I can ever repay your kindness, please feel free to reach out to me, Your Highness."
Eve’s smile widened as she nodded. "I will."
Just then, Professor Lupin entered the classroom, and every head turned in his direction. Lora hastily murmured, "I will head back to my seat now."
Eve gave her another nod before returning to her own seat and glancing at Ivan. His lips were curved ever so slightly, deep affection shining in his intense gaze as he looked at the woman beside him. Eve blushed faintly when he lifted her hand, pressed a light kiss to her knuckles, and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.
It was then that Professor Lupin’s stern voice rang out through the room. "Good morning, class."
His eyes scanned the familiar faces before he continued. "Ah... I see some familiar faces have returned to the class. I hope you are all prepared for the exams that are approaching. As you are aware, they are coming fast.
For those who missed a large portion of the curriculum last week, it would do you good to catch up quickly. History is only the time that has passed by, and time waits for no one." As he spoke, he directed a pointed look toward Evelyn and her group, who had been missing in action for the past week.
Then his light red eyes moved back toward the rest of the students. "But before we start today’s lesson, we have a new addition who will be part of this batch."
He looked toward the door and announced, "I hope you all welcome Prince Rowan Bellathorne, from the Kingdom of Varkhalis."
