Chapter 186: Birthday, Part Two

While Daphne Whitlock’s calm, measured voice carried through the classroom, Cyrus Calder found himself listening with only half his attention.

His thoughts were stuck on a much more immediate problem.

What exactly was he supposed to give Audra Sloane for her birthday?

Cyrus had very little experience with this part of human society. From what he understood, gifts came with their own strange set of rules. Giving nothing could make someone feel ignored. Giving the wrong thing could create an awkward misunderstanding. Spending too much could look excessive, while spending too little might make the gesture seem careless.

It was surprisingly complicated.

More importantly, Cyrus did not want to damage his relationship with Audra over something this avoidable.

The glamourkin ring on her hand alone made staying on good terms with her worthwhile.

That ring could do far more than most people realized.

If Audra ever developed genuinely bad intentions, Cyrus suspected half of St. Alder could become her toy without even understanding what had happened.

He doubted that would ever happen.

The ring had drawbacks, and Audra herself had never shown any desire to use it recklessly. If anything, she seemed far more restrained than most of the dangerous people Cyrus knew.

Her background probably played a role too.

Even Cyrus, who rarely made an effort to learn about other students, had heard plenty about her.

The Sloane family had money and status. Audra consistently ranked at the top of their class. She was beautiful enough that people noticed when she entered a room, and composed enough that most students treated her with a little extra distance.

Cyrus looked toward her back again.

A faint smile touched his eyes.

Someone like Audra did not appear to lack much.

If she ever developed some secret ambition, it would probably be something absurdly ordinary, like wondering why she had gained a few pounds.

A glamourkin ring could not solve that kind of problem.

Cyrus pulled his attention back to the matter in front of him.

If Audra already had everything she needed, what kind of gift was he supposed to buy?

This was the first time he had deliberately chosen a present because he wanted to strengthen a relationship.

He genuinely considered Audra a friend, but that did not erase the practical side of his thinking.

She had helped him study for weeks without asking for much in return. More importantly, keeping her close was useful for his future, especially if he ever needed to borrow the glamourkin ring against Isolde.

That made getting the birthday gesture right worth some effort.

He wanted something thoughtful enough that Audra would like it, but not so intimate that it looked like a confession. He also wanted to avoid anything expensive enough to create pressure or make the gift feel like a transaction.

Human social customs really were troublesome.

And right now, while trapped inside St. Alder, there was not exactly a gift shop sitting beside the classroom.

Cyrus was still looking toward Audra when someone stepped directly into his line of sight.

Daphne had moved away from the front of the room and was now standing beside his desk with her book in hand.

Cyrus lifted his eyes.

For a moment, teacher and student looked directly at each other.

Daphne’s expression did not change.

She simply continued the lesson in the same even, professional voice before moving farther down the row.

Cyrus watched her go.

Whatever else could be said about Daphne, she was difficult to criticize when she was actually teaching.

She looked composed, sounded knowledgeable, and explained the material clearly enough that even students who normally drifted off tended to follow along.

Most people at St. Alder would probably never imagine what kind of private interests their polished language arts teacher had.

Cyrus was unfortunately not most people.

The class eventually ended.

Another break began.

A rumor had already spread through the room that the final class before lunch would be changed into independent study.

Apparently the student who brought the news was confident enough to bet his future love life on it.

That made the rumor sound surprisingly credible.

Cyrus rested his chin against one hand and looked out the window.

Around him, students talked, laughed, traded snacks, and moved between desks.

He continued thinking about Audra’s gift without making much progress.

Then the noise in the classroom suddenly shifted.

Several people near the door became noticeably louder.

Cyrus glanced over.

A boy he did not recognize had entered senior advisory three.

The student looked neat, nervous, and clearly prepared for the moment. He held a small, carefully wrapped box in both hands as he stopped beside Audra’s desk.

Cyrus understood almost immediately.

Someone else had remembered her birthday.

The boy said something too quietly for Cyrus to hear.

Audra looked at the gift, then at him.

She shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t accept that.”

The refusal was polite and completely expected.

A few students nearby quieted down anyway.

The boy did not leave.

He gave a helpless smile and placed the box on Audra’s desk.

“If you really don’t want it, you can throw it away. I only wanted to give it to you.”

For a second, happiness appeared on his face when Audra picked up the box.

Then Audra stood.

She walked straight toward the back of the classroom.

Without hesitation, she dropped the gift into the trash.

The boy’s smile stiffened.

Whispers immediately spread through the room.

“That was honestly kind of harsh.”

“She’s always been like that. I’d be more surprised if she accepted it.”

“He really spent money on that for nothing.”

Cyrus watched the scene without sharing their reaction.

Audra’s choice made sense.

The boy had given her the present in front of everyone.

If she accepted it after already refusing, half the class would assume she was interested in him. The boy himself might take it as encouragement too.

Maybe that had been his intention from the start.

If so, he could hardly complain about the result.

Cyrus quietly decided that if he bought Audra something, he absolutely would not hand it to her in front of a classroom full of people.

He would wait until they were alone.

That seemed safer for both of them.

Audra ignored the whispers completely.

As she returned to her seat, her eyes passed over Cyrus for the briefest moment.

He noticed it.

Then his attention returned to the discarded gift box.

An idea finally came to him.

There was nothing useful to buy inside school.

Outside school was another matter.

Grayhaven had entire streets full of stores, bakeries, stationery shops, jewelry counters, bookstores, and places selling things Cyrus probably did not even know the purpose of.

Surely one of them had something appropriate.

The exact gift could be decided once he actually saw the options.

Cyrus turned toward Owen, who was watching the classroom drama with the same interest as everyone else.

“Owen, can I ask you something?”

Owen looked over.

“Sure, what do you need?”

“If I want to leave campus for a little while, do I need permission from our advisory teacher?”

Owen nodded.

“Usually, you do. You can ask our advisor, or any staff member who’s allowed to sign an off-campus pass.”

Then he gave Cyrus a curious look.

“You’re trying to leave campus right now?”

“I need to take care of something outside.”

Owen glanced toward Audra’s desk.

Something amused entered his expression.

“Actually, there’s a much easier way.”

Cyrus raised an eyebrow.

“What kind of easier way?”

Owen stood and jerked his head toward the door.

“Come with me and you’ll see.”

Cyrus followed.

They crossed part of the building, went down a quieter hallway, and eventually reached a secluded corner of campus that Cyrus had never paid much attention to before.

Owen stopped beside a low section of the perimeter wall.

Several flat stones had been placed near the base like makeshift steps.

Cyrus looked at the stones.

Then he looked at Owen.

“We really can’t just get a signed pass?”

Owen looked completely unbothered.

“This is faster than finding someone to sign one.”

He pointed back toward the school building.

“The next period is independent study, then we have lunch. As long as we’re back before lunch ends, nobody should even notice.”

A bright grin crossed his face.

“Besides, I’m tired of cafeteria food. I wouldn’t mind grabbing something outside too.”

Cyrus considered the suggestion for about two seconds.

“That sounds fine to me.”

The offer had a certain appeal.

Cyrus normally entered and left St. Alder through the front gate like everyone else.

Using a hidden route over the wall was new.

There was something mildly ridiculous about skipping out of an expensive private academy because Owen wanted better lunch and Cyrus needed a birthday present.

That alone made Cyrus curious enough to try it.

Owen stepped onto the stones, caught the top of the wall, and climbed over with enough practice to make one thing obvious.

This was definitely not his first time.

Cyrus followed easily.

A moment later, both of them landed on the other side.

The city street beyond the wall felt oddly different when reached this way.

Cyrus brushed a little dust from his sleeve and looked at Owen.

“You’ve clearly done this before.”

Owen laughed without any embarrassment.

“I only do it sometimes. Every now and then, food outside campus just tastes better.”

A small smile appeared in Cyrus’s eyes.

Owen understood how to enjoy life.

He had figured out the important things.

The two started walking down the street.

Cyrus had no specific store in mind yet, but that did not bother him. He could look around first and decide once something seemed suitable.

After a short distance, Owen glanced over.

“So what was important enough to make you sneak out of school?”

Cyrus did not bother hiding it.

“I’m going to buy someone a birthday gift.”

His tone remained perfectly calm.