Chapter 230 — Since When Do You Defend Her?

Chapter 230: Chapter 230 — Since When Do You Defend Her?

~ Raven ~

Of all the people Raven could have encountered after that exhausting training session, Celeste Blackthorn was probably the last person she wanted to see.

Unfortunately, the girl had already noticed her, and judging by the smile spreading across her face, she had no intention of pretending otherwise.

"Well well well, look who it is."

Raven sighed and adjusted the strap of her training bag, trying to ignore the lingering weakness in her legs as she continued toward the academic passage.

Goddess, couldn’t she have one peaceful afternoon?

"Raven!" Celeste called again, raising her voice when she realized she was being ignored. "Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me."

Raven stopped reluctantly and turned to find her approaching with two girls she recognized from Rowan’s Wing.

Celeste looked her over, taking in Raven’s sweat-dampened training clothes and the bag hanging from her shoulder.

"Training again?" she asked, folding her arms. "Goddess, you must be spending every waking moment inside those courts."

"That’s generally what people... do when they’re preparing for a competition," Raven replied.

"Oh, I’m aware." Celeste gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "I just find it amusing that everyone’s suddenly treating you like some extraordinary fighter. You haven’t even been at Valerius for a full academic year, and somehow you’re one of our representatives."

Raven resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

She already knew where this conversation was heading, and after everything that had happened during training, she wasn’t particularly interested in entertaining another one of Celeste’s complaints.

"It’s almost as though the academy selects representatives based on their performance," Raven remarked.

One of the girls beside Celeste pressed her lips together, struggling to hide a smile.

Celeste noticed, and her expression tightened.

"Don’t get too comfortable with that title, Rivers. The others have spent years preparing for competitions like this. Do you seriously think a few training sessions will make you their equal?"

Raven stared at her for a moment.

It was almost impressive how determined Celeste was to have the same conversation every time they met.

She’d spent years telling Raven that she didn’t belong anywhere beyond the Blackthorn kitchens. When Raven entered Valerius, the complaint became that she didn’t deserve a place at the academy. Then came the Cardinal Court, where her rankings were supposedly undeserved too.

Now that Raven had become one of Valerius’s representatives, Celeste had simply found another reason why she shouldn’t be there.

Goddess, did the girl have any other interests?

’You’re right," Raven replied, making a small effort to sound thoughtful. "I haven’t spent my entire life preparing for the Concord, which is precisely why I’m training."

Celeste stepped closer, her expression growing smug.

"You can train all you want, but it doesn’t change where you came from. You spent most of your life serving nobles, carrying trays and cleaning rooms for people who actually belonged in places like this. And now you’re supposed to stand beside them as their equal?"

Her voice had risen considerably, drawing the attention of several students passing through the courtyard.

Raven noticed a few slowing down, although she couldn’t bring herself to care.

There had been a time when those words would have hurt considerably more.

Back at Blackthorn, Celeste had possessed enough authority to make Raven’s life miserable over something as insignificant as a misplaced plate. She could invent offenses, demand punishments and watch with satisfaction while the household reminded Raven exactly where she belonged.

Raven hadn’t exactly been obedient, but she’d still needed to consider the consequences whenever she argued back.

Now, standing in front of Celeste, she found herself wondering how she’d ever managed to fear someone who seemed incapable of coming up with a single new insult.

The realization was almost disappointing.

"I know where I came from, Celeste," Raven replied, keeping her voice calm. "You remind me every time we meet."

"Then perhaps you should remember your place."

"My place?" Raven raised an eyebrow. "I’m Second Seat, and I’m representing Valerius in the Concord. I thought we’d already established that."

A quiet laugh came from somewhere behind them.

Celeste glanced toward the students watching, her cheeks coloring when she realized some of them were smiling.

"Don’t act so proud," she snapped. "Everyone knows how much attention you’ve been receiving from the Cardinals. Maybe that’s why people are willing to overlook your shortcomings."

Raven almost laughed again.

Of course.

She’d wondered how long it would take Celeste to bring up the men, and she was beginning to suspect the girl thought about Raven’s romantic troubles more often than Raven herself did.

"Believe whatever makes you feel better," she replied. "But if you’re concerned about my selection, take it up with Instructor Berry. I’m sure she’d be delighted to explain how the representatives were chosen."

Celeste’s expression grew uglier.

"You really think you’re untouchable now, don’t you?"

"No, I think I’m tired, and I’d like to get back to my room."

Raven adjusted her bag and moved to walk around her, but Celeste’s next words made her stop.

"It’s amazing how quickly you’ve forgotten everything House Blackthorn did for you. My parents gave you a home, fed you and allowed you to remain under their protection when nobody else wanted you."

Raven slowly turned back.

There it was, the familiar speech about how grateful she ought to be for having spent eighteen years being treated like something the Blackthorns could barely tolerate.

She’d heard it from the servants, the housekeeper and even Alpha Blackthorn himself.

Hearing it again from Celeste was beginning to feel ridiculous.

"Don’t pretend you cared about what happened to me in that house," Raven said, her earlier amusement disappearing.

Celeste smiled, seemingly pleased to have finally provoked a reaction.

"Oh? So now you’re denying that my family took care of you?"

"You know exactly how I was treated, Celeste. You were there for most of it, and half the time you were the one making things worse."

Raven glanced briefly toward the surrounding students before meeting her eyes again.

"I’m not interested in arguing about the past with you, but please stop expecting me to thank you for making my life miserable."

The smile slipped from Celeste’s face.

Several students had stopped walking altogether now, and Raven noticed the two girls accompanying Celeste exchanging uncomfortable glances.

For someone who had approached her looking so confident, Celeste no longer seemed particularly pleased with the attention.

"You ungrateful little—"

"Celeste."

The interruption came from behind them.

Raven recognized the voice immediately, and the last of her patience disappeared as she turned toward the approaching figures.

Alaric and Kieran Blackthorn were crossing the courtyard.

Wonderful.

The Goddess must have decided that one Blackthorn wasn’t nearly enough punishment for the afternoon.

Celeste’s expression brightened when she noticed her brothers, and Raven could practically see her preparing to explain how terribly she’d been treated.

"Alaric, you won’t believe what this girl just—"

"Enough."

Celeste stopped, blinking at him in confusion.

"What?"

Alaric approached, his gaze moving briefly over Raven before settling on Celeste.

"I said that’s enough. Leave her alone."

Raven stared at him.

Had she heard that correctly?

Celeste looked equally bewildered.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Alaric’s expression remained controlled, although there was something unusually firm about his tone.

"Alaric, she’s been insulting me in front of everyone!"

"Then stop giving her a reason to."

Raven almost laughed, although she managed to restrain herself.

Not because the situation was particularly funny, but because she genuinely hadn’t expected those words to come out of Alaric Blackthorn’s mouth.

Kieran, who had been standing a little behind his brother, frowned and glanced between them.

"What the hell, Alaric?"

Alaric ignored him and turned back toward Celeste.

"Go back to your Wing. There’s no reason for this to continue."

For several seconds, Celeste simply stared at him, and Raven could hardly blame her.

This was the same Alaric who’d watched Raven suffer countless humiliations at Blackthorn without showing the slightest interest in intervening. He’d been perfectly willing to stand beside his family while they declared her worthless, and when Raven rejected him, he’d made his opinion of her quite clear.

Yet now he was ordering Celeste to leave her alone.

What the hell had changed?

Celeste seemed determined to find out.

She looked from Alaric to Raven, her expression twisting with disbelief before she finally demanded, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear,

"Since when do you defend her?"