Sevan walked briskly, taking the opposite route from Aiden and Adrian, heading toward the first-floor restroom on the opposite side of the Botanical Garden.
The hallway was mostly empty now with the morning rush settling into classrooms, and the echoes of his footsteps filled the space.
This part of the academy rarely has any activity, so Sevan thought it will be the perfect place Shiloh must have chosen to stay in.
As he turned the corner, he immediately spotted two familiar figures waiting outside the restroom entrance-Lochan and Ambrose.
Sevan rolled his eyes, already exasperated. "Seriously? Acting like bodyguards?"
Ambrose shrugged, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, while Lochan just gave him a blank stare.
"Just leave me be with Shiloh," Sevan said, waving a dismissive hand at them.
Lochan and Ambrose exchanged a look before nodding. Without a word, they stepped away from the entrance, heading down the hallway.
Sevan let out a quiet sigh, watching as Lochan and Ambrose finally turned away.
"Seriously, does he need guards just to talk to me?" he muttered under his breath.
His fingers twitched slightly, and from beneath his feet, a thin puddle of water slithered forward, moving unnaturally smooth across the floor.
It was subtle, just ike a whisper of movement, gliding along without a sound as it followed behind Lochan and Ambrose. They remained completely unaware of its presence, too caught up in their own conversation as they walked away.
Sevan let them get a few more steps ahead before flexing his fingers, controlling the water with ease. It stayed right behind them, flowing into the tiny gaps in their shoes, soaking the fabric just enough that by the time they reached the end of the hall, their socks would be uncomfortably damp.
He smirked to himself. Petty? Maybe. Satisfying?
Absolutely.
It’ll also be his escape plan if ever they do something funny.
Once he was sure they were far enough away, he turned back to the restroom door and pushed it open. The inside was quiet, the dim lanterns along the walls flickering slightly. The stone floors were cool beneath his feet as he stepped forward, the door swinging shut behind him with a faint creak.
"Alright, Shiloh," Sevan called out, his voice echoing slightly against the tiled walls. "What do you want?"
There was no immediate response.
Sevan frowned, taking another step inside. A faint drip of water echoed from one of the sinks, the sound strangely amplified in the silence. His own puddle curled around his foot, the water still at his command, waiting for thevperfect moment if ever Shiloh does something.
He scanned the room, his sharp eyes darting over the empty stalls, the polished mirror above the sinks reflecting only his own form.
Then, just as he was about to speak again, a voice finally broke the silence.
"Took you long enough."
Shiloh’s voice came from one of the farthest stalls.
Sevan exhaled sharply. "I wasn’t exactly running here in excitement," he retorted, crossing his arms. "So, are we going to stand here making awkward small talk, or are you actually going to tell me why you wanted to see me? I don’t like being late to class. And we should be in class."
The stall door didn’t open, but Sevan could hear the faint shift of movement from inside.
"That depends," Shiloh replied, almost amused. "Are you ready to listen?"
Before Sevan could reply, a sharp swoosh cut through the air.
His instincts kicked in. With a flick of his wrist, water surged upward in a swift, fluid motion, forming a barrier just in time.
A split second later, something struck it- a small, glowing card, spinning wildly before splashing harmlessly against the watery shield.
Sevan narrowed his eyes. "Really?" He let his barrier dissipate, the water dripping onto the tiled floor. His gaze flicked toward the stall where Shiloh was hiding. "You’re throwing cards now?"
A soft chuckle echoed from inside the stall. "Just checking if you were paying attention."
Sevan rolled his eyes. "Oh, trust me, I’m paying attention. Now talk, Shiloh. Stop wasting my time."
The stall door finally creaked open, revealing Shiloh, who was leaning lazily against the frame, twirling another card between his fingers. His black hair was as kept as ever, and he still had that snobbish look of disdain at people who he felt like inferior to him.
"I wanted to see how fast you were." Shiloh tossed the card up, caught it effortlessly, and smirked. "Looks like you’re faster than I thought."
Sevan exhaled sharply, unimpressed. "If you wanted to test me, you could’ve just asked instead of nearly taking my eye out." He kicked the now-soaked card aside, watching as it skidded across the floor.
Shiloh’s smirk didn’t waver as he flicked the wet card off to the side, letting it slap onto the tiled floor with a faint splat. Discover hidden tales at Freewebnovel
"This is your last chance to switch sides, Sevan."
Sevan sighed, rubbing his temple as if dealing with a particularly stubborn child. "What are you even talking about?"
He dropped his hand and fixed Shiloh with an unimpressed look. "Is this why you called me? You act like this is some grand battle of good and evil. We’re fifteen, Shiloh. We have no place playing these switching sides problem thingy when Nillufer and Soleil are on the brink of war."
Shiloh only chuckled, shaking his head. "That’s exactly why I’m offering you a better position. You’re smart, Sevan. Smarter than those two idiots you keep sticking around with. If you had any sense, you’d see you deserve to be surrounded by people like you. People who actually think."
"People like you, you mean."
"Obviously." Shiloh spread his arms, as if presenting himself as some kind of undeniable answer. "You can easily outsmart Aiden and Adrian. Why waste that potential babysitting them?"
Sevan gave him a dry look. "So, what? If I refuse, you’ll throw another card at my face?"
"No. We duel."
"And what’s in it for me?"
Shiloh took a step closer, his loafers echoing against the tiles. "If you win, you take my spot."
Sevan tilted his head slightly, interest flickering in his eyes.
He wasn’t an idiot. He knew how valuable the second place in the Top 10 is, which is the only reason why he’s striving so hard to be in the first place.
He didn’t want anything to do with the war.
Sevan just wanted to go to school like normal kids do and read books all day. Being in the Top 10 will give him the choice to skip out on dying in a battlefield or being tortured by Nillufer.
Still, he wasn’t about to make this easy for Shiloh.
"Nothing changes for either of us if I win," Sevan said, crossing his arms. "It’s more gain for me than you, since I take your spot. Seems like a pretty one-sided bet, don’t you think?"
"Then let’s raise the stakes."
He leaned in slightly, voice lowering. "Whoever loses will personally remove themselves from the top 10. No complaints, no excuses."
"Betting everything, huh?" Sevan mused. His fingers twitched slightly, the water droplets still clinging to his fingertips from earlier shimmering under the dim restroom light.
"So? What’s your choice? Or are you gonna back away like your little cowardly friends?"
Sevan nodded and turned his back to Shiloh, reaching for the door knob of the restroom. "Sure, count me in."
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"Wait."
Sevan had barely taken a step toward the door when Shiloh’s voice rang out behind him.
"You really think you can just walk out after mouthing off like that? Like I’d just let you go after you embarrassed me?"