Chapter 416:A ridiculous parting.

Chapter 416: 416:A ridiculous parting.

They reached the point where the paths divided.

Ravenna slowed and Silver did too. Antony continued several steps before realizing neither was following.

He turned.

"Are you coming?"

Silver looked at him.

"In a minute."

Antony looked between them, then understood.

"Of course." He sighed. "I’ll go find our room before you two spend twenty minutes saying goodbye."

"We won’t."

Ravenna said it at the same time Silver said, "Probably."

She looked at him.

Silver smiled.

Antony walked away.

"Room 314. Try to arrive before morning."

Silver ignored him.

When Antony was far enough away, he turned fully toward Ravenna.

The academy grounds were quieter now.

Lights illuminated the paths. Groups of students passed occasionally, but neither particularly cared.

He still held her hand.

She stepped closer.

"You need to sleep."

He smiled.

"You’ve been telling me that since yesterday."

"Because you don’t listen."

"I slept this morning."

"Because I came to wake you."

"Eventually."

She reached up and touched his cheek. Most of the injuries were nearly gone. Her fingers moved carefully over the place where the bruise had been.

He leaned into her hand.

She smiled.

"You’re really okay."

"Mostly."

"Mostly isn’t completely."

"Give me another day I’ll be fully head. Its mostly my internals that are dragging by because if my exhaustion."

"Fine I will," she resigned.

He kissed her palm.

Her expression softened.

He lowered her hand but didn’t release it.

"You did well today."

She smiled.

"So did you."

"Third."

"First."

He tilted his head.

"Does third bother you?"

Ravenna thought.

"A little."

He laughed.

"I knew it."

"Not because I think I deserved first."

Silver raised an eyebrow.

She continued.

"I don’t know how Dillian performed. If he scored higher, he scored higher."

That was Ravenna; competitive didn’t mean delusional. She wanted to win, but she also wanted to deserve it.

"I’ll beat him next time."

He smiled.

"That’s the spirit," he said encouragingly.

"And you."

He tilted his head slightly in thought before pouting.

She smiled sweetly.

"You too."

"I’m your boyfriend."

"You’re also first."

"Those things aren’t mutually exclusive?"

"No."

He laughed.

She stepped closer.

"I don’t want you going easy on me."

"I wasn’t planning to."

"You better."

Silver’s hand moved to her waist while Ravenna rested hers against his chest. They remained like that for several seconds.

He looked at her and she looked back. Neither needed to pretend they didn’t know what came next.

He leaned down with her meeting him halfway until their lips touched.

The kiss began softly, then Ravenna’s fingers curled slightly into his uniform.

Silver pulled her closer.

Neither was particularly experienced with this new stage of their relationship, but enthusiasm was rapidly compensating for that.

When they separated, they remained close. Silver kissed her cheek. Ravenna smiled, then kissed his. Silver turned slightly and their lips met again.

She laughed softly against him before pulling away.

"We said goodbye already."

"That was the first goodbye."

"How many are there?"

He thought.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"How long you keep standing here while looking beautiful."

She smiled.

"You could leave first."

"I live that way."

He pointed toward the male dormitories. Ravenna looked, then toward her own path but neither moved.

Silver laughed.

"This is ridiculous."

"A little."

"We’ll see each other tomorrow morning."

"I know."

"Probably in less than eight hours."

"I know."

Silver kissed her forehead. Ravenna closed her eyes briefly, then she finally stepped backward. Their hands remained connected. She took one step... two until their arms stretched between them.

She looked down.

He sheepishly smiled.

Eventually their fingers separated. They immediately looked dissatisfied by that.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Ravenna took another step.

Silver watched her.

She turned... then turned back almost immediately. Silver raised an eyebrow. Ravenna walked straight back, caught the front of his uniform, pulled him down and kissed him again.

He laughed into the kiss.

She released him.

"That one was the last one."

"Definitely?"

"Yes."

He kissed her cheek.

She stared at him.

"That doesn’t count."

"You said the last kiss."

"I meant all kisses."

"You should’ve been more specific."

She tried to glare but failed because she was smiling.

"Go."

He finally stepped backward.

"You go."

"This is my path."

"Then we’re at an impasse."

"Silver."

He laughed.

"Fine."

He turned.

Ravenna started toward the female dormitories. Silver made it perhaps ten steps before looking back. She was already looking back too.

They both stopped, then laughed.

He raised his hand. Ravenna waved. This time they actually separated.

Silver walked toward Male Dormitory Seven feeling strangely lighter than he had in weeks.

No system notification appeared which he noticed but for once, he didn’t check again.

Ravenna had been right.

The system could finish whenever it finished. Tonight he had other things to think about.

Room 314 was already open when he arrived.

Antony’s voice could be heard before Silver entered.

"I’m just saying statistically this room makes absolutely no sense."

He stepped inside.

Antony was standing beside one of four beds. Across from him sat Jude Dero, the fourth-ranked student from the leadership evaluation.

Up close, Jude looked even calmer than he had in the assembly hall. Dark brown hair, lean frame, sharp eyes and an academy uniform that already looked as though he’d been wearing it for months rather than hours.

And beside the window stood Dillian.

He was unpacking.

He turned when Silver entered. For a moment, neither moved before recognition appeared immediately.

"Silver."

He smiled faintly.

"Dillian."

Antony looked between them and slowly lowered the shirt he’d been folding.

"You really do know him."

He walked inside.

"I told you I did."

"You neglected to mention we’re apparently all living together."

"I learned that twenty minutes ago."

Jude looked between the three of them.

"So three of you already know each other?"

Antony pointed at Dillian.

"I don’t know him."

Dillian looked toward Antony.

Antony continued.

"I know of him. That’s different."

Dillian nodded.

"That makes sense."

Antony pointed toward Silver.

"I unfortunately know him."

He placed his bag beside the remaining bed.

"You’re welcome to request a transfer."

Antony considered it.

"No. Fifth place shouldn’t run from first place."

Jude finally smiled.

"Is everything a competition with you?" Jude asked.

Antony looked toward him.

"No." He paused. "Mostly."

Dillian shook his head.

Silver looked around the room. Four of the academy’s five highest preliminary leadership candidates had somehow been placed in one dormitory room. The only person missing from the top five was Ravenna.

He suspected that wasn’t accidental. The Academy had spent two days testing how students behaved under pressure.

Apparently it wasn’t finished.

Antony dropped onto his bed.

"So."

Silver looked toward him.

He smiled.

"Who’s going to be the first person in this room to get tired of everyone else?"

Jude leaned back.

"My money is on me."

Dillian quietly continued unpacking.

"You’re assuming I haven’t already."

Silver laughed.

Antony stared at Dillian, then smiled.

"Oh, I think we’re going to get along."

Silver wasn’t certain that was a good thing.

But as he began unpacking the few belongings he’d brought into Alpha Three, with Antony talking far too much, Jude occasionally answering him and Dillian occupying the bed beside the window, one thing became very clear.

The academy hadn’t merely chosen its first-year students.

It had started arranging them.