Chapter 151: Vampire spy [1]

The moon was high and the academy grounds below the balcony were quiet and the noise from inside had faded into something distant and easy to ignore.

Alden looked up at it for a while. Seris stood beside him and neither of them felt the need to fill the silence.

Then he said "Looks like the war is going to start soon."

Seris made a soft sound of agreement. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. He felt her exhale slowly against him.

"Alden." Her voice was quiet. "Why won’t you just join my side already? I want you."

He teased, reaching up and patting the top of her silver hair. "Can you please not try to recruit me while we’re standing inside human territory."

"I’m not joking," she said. She looked up at him with those calm crimson eyes. "I’m still on the vampires’ side."

His hand stopped moving.

He looked down at her. "...What?"

Seris smiled in a way that was equal parts sweet and deeply alarming. "Did you forget? I’m still a spy. I’m watching everything here. The academy, the strategic planning, the military preparations. All of it."

Alden stared at her for a long quiet moment.

Then he reached down and pinched her cheek.

"OW!" Seris grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away looking deeply offended. "Who said I was your ally in the first place?"

Alden let go and shook his head. "I’m dating an enemy spy." He said it mostly to himself. "I have genuinely lost my mind."

"You definitely have," Seris agreed pleasantly.

He leaned on the railing and looked at her properly. "But tell me something. Do you actually have to support your family? After everything you told me about what they put you through I really don’t understand why."

Seris looked down at the grounds below. She was quiet for a moment.

"It’s the only thing my father ever asked of me," she said. Her voice had gone softer. "And despite everything that happened between us I still want to fulfill that. My mind tells me I shouldn’t. But my heart keeps saying I should."

She looked back up at him. The small smile came back. "Besides. Now I have someone who’ll support me even knowing I’m technically his enemy. That’s a new experience."

Alden let out a tired sigh. "That’s a very strange way to describe me."

Seris giggled softly. "Then what will you do? Report me to the academy? Have them lock me away?"

"Only a coward would do that." His expression settled into something firm. "I told you already. I’m not going to betray you. So spy all you want. I’ll go all out against the vampires and I’ll still beat you even if you’re cheating."

Seris raised one silver eyebrow. "Oh? Awfully confident." She tapped her fist lightly against his chest. "Don’t come crying to me when I crush you on the battlefield."

Alden blinked. "Wait. Are you actually going to fight me?"

She paused. She seemed to picture it for a moment.

"Fighting you on a battlefield..." She tilted her head. "That actually does sound fun."

"SERIS."

She laughed. Then the laugh faded into something softer and she rose up on her toes before he could react and pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek.

She pulled back and looked at him. "But I don’t actually want to fight you. So I’ll find another way to beat you."

Alden touched his cheek with two fingers and stared at her.

"What a troublesome vampire," he said.

"And you’re still my favorite human snack," she purred.

"Ahem."

Both of them turned.

Ulvakor was standing at the balcony entrance with Alarion right behind him. Ulvakor had the biggest grin of anyone who had ever accidentally walked in on something they clearly had not accidentally walked in on.

"Well look who we found," he said cheerfully.

Alden stared at them. "Trainer? Head Chief? What are you two doing here?"

"Administrative work," Ulvakor said waving his hand loosely. "Alarion needed to sign some documents and we happened to be passing through." His eyes moved to Seris and then back to Alden with a knowing look that was not subtle in any way. "Though I think I finally understand why you were so desperate to go see that vampire when she arrived at Apothesis." He nodded slowly. "You’re dating her?"

Alden kept a perfectly blank face. He offered nothing.

Ulvakor chuckled. "Yeah. That’s what I thought."

Alarion’s expression did not share Ulvakor’s amusement. He looked at Alden for a moment.

"There is something you should consider."

Seris glanced at them both and then quietly moved toward the far end of the railing giving them space without being asked.

Alarion watched her go and then lowered his voice.

"If you continue down this path you are placing yourself at a significant disadvantage in the coming war."

Alden frowned. "How so?"

"Two things." Alarion raised one finger.

"First. You now have something precious to protect. When that happens your priorities shift. You may hesitate and pull back when you should commit. You may not take risks because you cannot afford to die and become selfish to live."

He raised a second finger.

"And second. The moment you care about someone their life becomes a weapon your enemies can use against you. If your role in this war becomes significant anyone close to you becomes a target. If you truly do not want to lose what is precious to you then you should think carefully about allowing anything to become that precious in the first place."

Alden’s jaw tightened. A flash of something sharp moved through his eyes for just a second.

"Don’t worry about that Head Chief," he said quietly. "I’ll handle it myself."

Alarion looked at him for a moment without speaking. Then he let it go.

Ulvakor clapped his hands together and demolished the tension like he had been waiting for his turn.

"ANYWAY. As I was saying before you interrupted me Alarion." He turned to the Head Chief with renewed energy. "My Rai-Kin 18 is absolutely superior to your Rai-Kin 22 in terms of speed and transportation. It’s not even close."

Alarion sighed. "Stop comparing our techniques and focus on reaching Arcanaeum."

"TSK. You never engage with me on the important discussions." Ulvakor crossed his arms with a wounded expression.

Alden’s head had snapped between the two of them. "Wait." He looked at Ulvakor. "Rai-Kin 18? You said 22 too?" His mind flashed back to Lord Constantine using Rai-Kin 28 to fix the entire ceiling in four seconds. He had no idea what those numbers meant.

Ulvakor paused. He tilted his head. "Did I never explain this to you?"