Chapter 309: The Half-Blood Prince Of Varkhalis
Just as Lupin announced his name, every head turned toward the door. Soon, a tall and robust man emerged. He possessed steely grey eyes and long grey hair that fell neatly over his shoulders. His skin was strikingly pale, and his features were perfectly defined with a chiseled jaw, thin pink lips, a straight nose, and high cheekbones. He was simply breathtaking, easily surpassing even the exceptional standards of Lumen beauty.
Dressed impeccably in an all-black suit, he came to a stop beside the professor. He peered through the silver strands of hair falling over his forehead at the gaping students.
When he finally spoke, his deep and masculine voice resonated through the silent space. "Hello. It is nice to meet you all."
His gaze swept over the sea of students before locking directly onto a pair of breathtaking blue eyes. A subtle, unreadable glint sparked in his gaze before he quickly shifted his attention to the rest of the room, finally flashing them a slow, devilish smile.
A wave of awe and soft whispers rippled through the classroom, coming mostly from the women, while the men remained silent as they observed the newcomer with intrigue.
However, this reaction was not shared by everyone, especially not by Evelyn’s group.
Cece, Edward, Damien, and Oliver stayed quiet as they carefully assessed the new arrival. Evelyn felt her heart skip a beat during that brief moment of eye contact. It was not out of excitement or because she was moved by his handsome face like the others. Instead, it was because of that momentary glint she noticed in his steel-grey eyes.
She felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if she knew this person, yet she could not quite put a finger on it. A slight frown settled on her forehead as she wondered if she had simply imagined it.
She turned her gaze towards Ivan beside her and saw his cold eyes fixed on the newcomer’s form, making her wonder if he had noticed it as well.
She was about to lean over to ask him when Professor Lupin’s voice interrupted her thoughts once more. "Well... since the Prince has joined quite late in the semester, I have been asked by Headmaster Charles to assign a buddy to him as well. However, this partnership will be an exception. The buddy’s grades will not be affected by Prince Rowan’s performance due to his late arrival. That being said, the buddy is required to help him with everything needed to prepare for the fast-approaching exams."
Lupin’s light red eyes scanned the crowd before settling on Damien, who was seated alone in front of Evelyn and Ivan.
"Lord Damien, since you are the only one without a buddy so far, I hope you can help Prince Rowan?" Even though Lupin framed it as a question, everyone knew Damien did not truly have a choice but to accept.
But Damien, being Damien, did not shy away from speaking out. "Well... Professor, as if I have a choice in the matter, but thank you for asking." He flashed his signature grin at the professor, while Lupin, as stoic as ever, simply accessed his rights to selective hearing.
Turning toward the prince beside him, the professor prompted, "Well, settle in then. You may take your seat next to Lord Damien so that we can begin this much-awaited class."
"Thank you, Professor," Rowan replied. His deep voice once again sent hearts fluttering across the room as he made his way toward Damien.
As he walked, his gaze finally shifted behind Damien to meet a pair of molten red eyes. They were as sharp as ever, observing his every move. Rowan flashed Ivan a small, slow smile. In response, Ivan’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, his focus locked on the newcomer.
Ivan did not know who this person was, but a nagging feeling inside told him to be wary of this newcomer who had appeared out of nowhere.
He tried to assess the man, but he could not put his finger on anything specific. He did not sense any darkness radiating from him, but that was not the only issue.
He could not sense any emotions from the man at all.
It was as if he were being blocked by a thick, heavy wall every time he tried to use his innate ability. This resistance pushed him to the edge and automatically made him even more suspicious.
Furthermore, his sharp eyes had not missed that minuscule moment when the stranger locked gazes with Eve. Ivan had noticed the small glint that the man hid far too quickly for anyone else to see. Ivan didn’t know what it meant, and it only added more mystery to the man’s presence.
Not wanting to take any chances, and knowing from experience never to be fooled by outward appearances, Ivan kept his senses as alert as ever as the man approached.
Slowly, Ivan looked to his side toward the next row, where Cece sat with Edward. On sensing his gaze, she turned to meet Ivan’s eyes. As if understanding exactly what he meant to ask, she slowly shook her head. This confirmation caused the crease between Ivan’s brows to deepen.
He turned his gaze back to the man, who had come to a stop right in front of their desk and was currently giving a charming smile to Damien.
"Lord Damien, was it? It is a pleasure to meet you." Rowan extended his hand toward Damien in what appeared to be a friendly gesture.
Damien stared at the hand for a moment before taking it in a tight, crushing grip. He grinned again. "Let us hope it remains a pleasure. That is, if you are smart enough to catch up and not sink your own boat."
"You will not have to worry about that," Rowan retorted with a smirk. He tried to pull his hand away, but Damien refused to release it. It was only after Professor Lupin cleared his throat that Damien finally let go.
Rowan did not react to the throbbing pain from the grip. He simply took his place in front of Evelyn, looking neither back nor at anyone else. He began opening his textbooks as if he were the most diligent student in the room.
Eve, Ivan, Cece, and Edward, as well as Oliver and Aden, kept a close watch on the Prince throughout the exchange. When they failed to find anything overtly suspicious, they turned their attention back to the lesson Professor Lupin had finally begun. However, none of them let their guard down toward the new student.
As they moved to their next class, they continued to observe him. Ivan remained especially vigilant. When the man failed to glance at them or attempt any conversation, they began to wonder if he was simply another prince from a chaotic land trying to focus on his studies.
Classes continued in full swing, and Rowan’s behavior remained unchanged until the final class for the day came to an end.
Days passed, and for five days straight, Prince Rowan remained consistent.
He did not bother Damien unless he needed to ask for notes. Damien helped him, even if he did so reluctantly. Damien noticed that the man preferred silence and spoke only when necessary.
However, just like Ivan and Cece, he had a nagging feeling that placed a seed of doubt in his mind. He wondered if it was all an act or if Rowan was simply waiting for the right moment to show his true colors.
Yet, that moment never came.
Rowan did not try to mingle or force his way into their inner circle, despite the impressive backgrounds they all held.
During those five days, Ivan ordered Alex to investigate Rowan further. Alex returned with a report stating that Prince Rowan was second in line to the throne and was actually half-Lumen and half-human.
Alex reported that Rowan was a neutral prince compared to the others. Despite being second in line, he did not involve himself in the battle for the throne, a fact that intrigued Ivan.
Rowan seemed almost too clean, though there was some blood on his hands from private business he managed behind the scenes, but that was not a surprise.
Despite the reports, Ivan wondered why his conscience still insisted that something was off.
Ivan was currently lying on his bed after a bath. His dark blue robe was left open, revealing his taut muscles, while his dark blue pajama pants hung low on his tapered waist. One leg was folded while the other lay flat on the bed. With one hand behind his head, he stared at the ceiling in deep thought.
When Evelyn walked out of the bathroom dressed in her lacy, silk, light blue nightgown, this was the view that graced her eyes. Her deep blue gaze hungrily raked over his sexy form before settling back on his gorgeous face.
She immediately noticed that his mind was not quite there with her.
Moistening her lips lightly, she walked towards his bed with graceful, careful steps, making an effort not to startle him. Not that such caution would fool a powerful vampire with heightened hearing, but she tried nonetheless.
When she reached her side of the bed, he neither moved nor reacted, making her narrow her eyes at him before climbing onto the mattress gingerly.
Ivan was still lost in his thoughts when a beautiful face suddenly hovered before his crimson gaze, shattering his train of thought in an instant.
